January 12, 1998
Revision 1.1
Designed by Scott Graham (Wafnamage@aol.com)
This variant to Settlers of Catan is probably more suited to a four-player game than a three-player game. This provides a means to overcome congestion and adds a new element to the game. The effect is not necessarily a game-winner, but a nice thing to have at times.
Also known as a Plantation, Industrial Complex, Market...
forest, brick, sheep, granite, grain
A Land Share is an acute triangle where the top point is placed on a player's production point (city or settlement) in one corner of a hex. There can be up to three Land Shares in a hex at three different corners as long as they will fit. A player may hold up to three Land Shares per production point (one in each hex).
There are no victory points awarded for building or having a Land Share.
A player who has a Land Share will draw one resource card of that type at the end of his turn, every turn. Whether the land share is controlled by a city or a settlement, the draw is still only one card from a Land Share. Production continues normally otherwise.
If an opponent builds a Land Share in a hex that contains another player's Land Share, the opponent may decide to either block Land Share production for that hex or allow mutual Land Share production. Thereafter each player decides whether to block or produce at the beginning of his turn. The blocking player places a blocking token on his land share to indicate a block. Blocking tokens may accumulate, but a player may elect to remove only one token per turn.
If a player holds a majority of Land Shares in a particular hex, he may use one or both of his Land Shares to remove a blocking token from any Land Share on that hex. If there was only one block in the hex and it has been removed, then the majority player's other Land Share will produce. If no blocking occurs all of that players Land Shares produce.
A knight may be played to place or remove a blocking token from any Land Share. A knight may be played to defend against the attack of an opponent's knight attempting to block or unblock by any player who resides on that hex. The player of a defending knight may elect to only defend, or he may counterattack. In either case, only the last knight to attack exercises the power of the knight. A defending knight may elect to steal a card as his counterattack, instead of placing or removing tokens.
The robber blocks all normal and Land Share production from that hex. When a player initially moves a robber he may elect to have the robber deposit a blocking token on any Land Share in his initial position. If the player elects to place a blocking token in this way he moves the robber but does not steal from anybody. A knight may be played to defend against either action and is resolved according to the preceding or normal rules. A combination of two knights can be used to defend each separate action if an eligible player desires to. Resolve the token first. A knight defending against the placing of a robber does not deposit an additional token, but may steal a card.
1a) When blocking in any of the above manners, two tokens are placed. Only one is removed however. (ie. I decide to block with my Land Share. I place two tokens in the hex. My oppenent on his turn can only remove one with his Land Share.)
1b) When blocking with a knight, deposit three blocking tokens.
2) Land shares can only be built on hexes between a certain range of numbers. (ie 4-10 or 5-9)
3) Start collecting from a Land Share only on your next turn.