i've got a group of friends back home that play settlers of catan every time we get together. One of them bought the game randomly one day and we got obsessed with it. Thing takes like 3 or 4 hours when you play in person. It's such a rediculously intense game, so much fun.

i'm absolutely shocked that *anyone* else has ever heard of it though. I'll definatly take you up in a game some time (don't worry, i suck. they play far more than i do since i don't see 'em too often)

well i guess if online poker dies we can turn this into a settlers of catan strategy forum

oatmeal -- i'm above average on aso brain, so i can teach you some basic principles that should give you some confidence in what you're doing. here are some decent starter guides:



http://globetrotter-games.com/index.htm ... etCat6.htm

monk - i haven't played toulouse, but i might be willing to learn as long as it doesn't involve any sex acts with goats.

stelvask - you'll LOVE the speed of the online version. basic games are typically between 20-30 minutes (i've won a forest 4 basic to 10 pts in 12) and C&K games are typically between 40-60 mins.

gnurulle - i'll take you up on that -- let me know if there's a good time this weekend. i've got two accounts "slamastika" and "dash rip rock". my wife is "IceCold" (insert joke here) or "gomazzang". bluedempsey and raquelar are a couple of local friends (brazilians, actually) who introduced me to the site. tell them you know me, and they'll gladly thrash you.



note that they have a lot of maps that are outside of the "basic" catan maps. fwiw, the basic maps can be kind of fun if you have people who will trade, but they just don't work as well online as other maps, imho. i feel that the luck-skill factor swings too far too the luck side.

some of my favorite maps:

- forest 4 (esp. for basic)
- clanmap ags
- frustrate
- full explorers
- gold secret (esp. for basic)
- gold circle xl
- gold square
- hesitation
- wonder ports
- equal start (for basic)
- even steven
- four corners
- hide and seek (for basic)
- some for all
- balderic islands (for basic)
- archipelago II (for basic)[/url]

another decent strategy guide:

http://settlersofcatan.blogspot.com/

Shobute got my fiancee and I Carcasonne for xmas...I won 7 straight games

I am a settlers fan, but I rarely get the chance to play. Thanks for the link and I'll maybe see you guys around if I can figure it out. Awesome stuff.