Complete guide to playing Catan Junior

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Catan Junior is the children's version of the popular board game Catan, designed to immerse the little ones in strategy and resource management. It maintains the essence of the original game, but with simplified rules and a more child-friendly theme: instead of being settlers, they will be pirates exploring islands and trading materials.

In this article, we'll explain everything you need to know about Catan Junior in detail: from its components and setup to how to play and what strategies you can use to win. We'll also cover an advanced mode for more experienced players.

game components

The game includes several essential elements to develop the game:

• 28 pirate lairs (7 of each color).
• 28 boats (7 of each color).
• 1 figure of the Pirate Raptor.
• 90 material sheets (wool, wood, sable, pine cone and gold, 18 of each).
• 4 game aid tiles.
• 16 Coco chips and 1 6-sided die.
• 1 double-sided board, with one side for 3-4 player games and another for 2 player games.

Preparation of the game

Before starting to play, we must prepare the game by following these steps:

• Place the board with the appropriate side according to the number of players.
• Each player receives 7 pirate lairs and 7 ships of its color.
• Players place 2 lairs and 2 ships in the starting positions indicated on the board.
• They turned themselves in 2 materials initials (1 wood and 1 saber) to each player.
• The remaining materials are left to one side of the board, classified by type.
• The 16 Coco chips They are shuffled and placed face down.
• El Pirate Raptor is placed in its central lair.
• They are placed lifeboats, where there will be one material of each type.
• The player who most recently watched a pirate movie starts the game (or you can choose another criterion to your liking).

Objective of the game

The objective in Catan Junior is Be the first to build 7 pirate lairsTo achieve this, players will need to collect materials, build ships and hideouts, trade, and use Coco tokens.

Game development

Each player's turn consists of two main phases:

1. Roll the die and collect materials

• If the die shows a number between 1 and 5, players receive a material for every pirate's lair that has been built next to a hexagon with that number.
• If the die shows a 6, the Raptor Pirate moves into a hex, blocking the collection of materials from that area. In addition, the player who placed it receives two materials from that land.

2. Optional actions

The player whose turn it is may perform one or more of these actions:

• Build ships: Costs 1 wool and 1 wood. Must be placed next to your own lair.
• Build pirate lairs: Costs 1 wood, 1 wool, 1 pine cone, and 1 saber. Must be placed next to your own ship route.
• Ask Coco for help: By paying pineapple, saber and gold, you get a Coco token with advantages such as building for free, moving the Pirate Raptor or receiving extra materials.
• Trade: You can trade materials in lifeboats (1 for 1) or exchange 2 of the same material for 1 from the supply. You can learn more about trading in board games at Our guide to selling digital games.

The first player to establish all 7 of their pirate hideouts wins the game.

Advanced mode

For more experienced players or older children, additional rules can be added:

• Enable the trading between players.
• If a player has more than 7 materials and you get a 6 on the die, you must discard half.
• If a player places the Pirate Raptor In an area with an enemy hideout, steal 2 materials from that player.
• To build on the castle of the Pirate Raptor, 3 Coco tokens are needed.

Why play Catan Junior

Catan Junior is ideal for introducing little ones to strategy and resource management. Its mechanics are simplified but retain the essence of the original game, allowing them to develop their skills. skills on the table:

• Strategy and planning: Decide how and when to build.
• Logic reasoning: Evaluate what materials are needed.
• Maths: Resource management and probability calculation.
• Social skills: Promote trade and interaction between players.

Catan Junior is an excellent choice for families and children ages 6 and up who want to get started with strategic board games. Its accessibility and design make it a must-have for any children's playroom.