2 Player Settlers of Catan<= /p>

The variant involves using a neutral player (white pie= ces). The neutral player starts with 2 settlements and 2 roads. The neutral player can only build roads through the course of the game. The neutral player can= not build on ports or buy cards. All they can do is build roads and act as a tr= ader of resources. In order to play this 2 player variant, you need the base game and a special trading chart. Use the standard Settlers set up and rules for= the most part. Seems to work well with the Cities and Knights expansion, as wel= l.

Trading Chart

Dice	You<= /b>	Neutral<= /u>
2 & 12	1 resource	1 choice
3 & 11	1 resource=	1 Ore
4	1 resource	1 Lumber
5	1 resource=	1 Brick
6	1 resource	1 Sheep
7	Turn ends immediately
8	1 resource	1 Wheat
9	1 resource=	1 Sheep or Whea= t
10	2 resources	1 choice

Idea/purpose behind the neutral player

Make Settler basic game playable and interesting with = only 2 players. I was satisfied with the results. The neutral player, due to his r= oad building abilities, made the board seem smaller. Also, the neutral player c= ould produce resources that were initially difficult for you to produce and (hopefully trade them away to you cheaply).

Placement order at the start of the game

Let's say Red goes first and places a road and settlem= ent. Then Blue places a road and a settlement. Blue then goes again. Then Red pl= aces it's second road and settlement.

Trading and the neutral player

Players, after rolling production and before passing, = can declare that they would like to trade with the neutral player. The player in question declares that they want to trade and 2 dice are rolled (standard d= -6 dice). The player then consults the special trading chart in order to see w= hat the results are. The results are a proposed trade which the player who roll= ed the dice may accept or decline. If a 7 is rolled then no deal is declared a= nd the players turn is automatically over!

Road Building and Resource cards involving the neutral player

The neutral player tries to build as many roads as it = can through out the game. Besides trading resources, that= 's all it does. The neutral player cannot own a port and thus all bank trades are = 4:1 ratio. If a neutral player gets 4 resources of one type that are NOT brick = or lumber, then it must trade those 4 resources to the bank for either brick or lumber. This is forced and is done immediately! Examples: neutral player ha= s 4 sheep and trades them to the Bank for 1 brick. Brick or lumber? The neutral player must try to balance his Brick and lumber resources as equally as possible. This rule influences bank trades naturally.

When the neutral player has the resources to build a r= oad who places it? A roll off occurs between the two players. High roll places = it on the board using standard Settlers rules. If a tie, re-roll.

Initial placement of neutral settlements and roads

As stated before, the neutral player starts with 2 roa= ds and two settlements. How are they placed? Each player, say Red and Blue, at the start of the game receive one white settlement and road each for placement. These are place after their own settlements and roads have been placed (following the turn order already established).

Additional Rules

· If the neutral player starts with brick and lumber resource cards from its beginning allotment, it builds the road immediately.

· If a 7 is rolled during the game, the neutral player can lose cards if it has more than a total of seven cards. (If a 7 is rolled during trading with the neutral player the player's turn ends immediately. No cards are lost to the robber and no other effect occurs).

· You can only propose a trade with the neutral player once per turn. Of course, it's possible that the neutral player does= n't always have the resources proposed. You're out of luck when that occurs, but your turn doesn't end.

· Opt= ional Rule: Red player cannot trade with the Blue player at all during the ga= me. All trades are port deals, bank trades and neutral trades.