Settlers game with Josh and Shenna

It's only about ten days since we introduced some more friends to Settlers of Catan. Josh particularly liked it, and their family has borrowed the set from our other friends, who are currently away. They've apparently been playing a fair bit, and have also found a version online, but were eager to play with us again. So yesterday, Richard asked if any - or all - of them would like to come over for a game. The only two who decided to come were Josh (who is 13) and Shenna (who is 8). I was both surprised and very impressed at how competent Shenna has become at the game, already!

It was a strange board with wood, sheep and grain tiles all in clumps. Richard (red as usual) went first, and opted for the best ore hex, bordered with a couple of wheat. I (playing orange, also as usual) was second. While I usually do choose ore for my first settlement, I could see that clay was going to be in short supply in this game. So I played by the clay 8 hex, bordering two reasonable wood hexes, since I realised I could probably get the wood harbour.

Josh and Shenna then made some further good choices, and it was back to me. There was no way I could get grain, sheep and ore. I couldn't even see a good way to get two of them. So I tried a slightly different strategy: I took a place bordered by three sheep hexes with good numbers (6, 9 and 10) which was close to the sheep trading harbour.

It was an enjoyable game. Josh and Shenna played well, and were both very good humoured. They haven't yet developed strategies as we have, but traded well, and could immediately see where they had building spots. Josh took the longest road card fairly early, but then didn't develop his advantage, meaning that Richard was able to take and retain it.


I started by thinking that we'd be fairly gentle with them, but they didn't play like beginners at all. So although we weren't nasty, I did take a building spot that someone else would have liked!


Gradually, experience began to show. Richard and I both overtook our young opponents, and in the last rounds of the game they both had 7 points, while we both had 11. I couldn't do any more building - having constructed my cities almost entirely out of traded sheep! - and was buying cards. Richard had one more possible settlement to build, and was also buying cards. Either of us could have been lucky - but it happened to be me, who turned up a victory point. If I hadn't done so, I would have been able to claim the 'largest army' the following turn, assuming Richard didn't build a settlement or buy a Victory Point card before me.