!! The first and only true extension

Before you now want to stone me in settler-fan circles for it and throws in rightly that there still "Cities & Knights" and "Traders & Barbarians" are, the following should be noted: under an extension of a game I understand additional opportunities in the game, which does not completely change the basic game. In the "navigators" that's so, but not in the later extensions!

The game:
As already mentioned, here the basic game is extended by some options. At the basic game principle but does not change anything. What is there in the "navigator" extension new ?! To easily keep it: ships and other islands adjacent to the known from the base game's main island Catan. The new products fit so smoothly in the game that after two or three games you have everything under control. As before, the start-up phase takes place on the main island Catan and two settlements will be built per player. Who builds the water, must now, however, choose whether he prefers to "set sail" wants, or at "paving stones planted in the landscape"; ie it must be a ship or a road set. Which brings one a ship ?! now Quite simply: with a boat line you can cross water and look for new areas of settlement in "overseas". Of course, the adventure will be rewarded accordingly; who settled first a new island, it gets a special victory point to his account. This results in the game new strategic opportunities. Someone who can not develop and build quite on the main island, just sails away and founded a kind of colony. It is still every player on his own "Baukünste" dependent; pronounced "waterways" are no different than land routes. Everyone must or must discover themselves and dare a trip to get appropriate VPs. Allowed to use the sea routes of other players you do not!
Another new feature provides the landscape type "Goldfluß". Who settled here and get raw materials, their texture may pick and choose: clay, sheep / wool, ore, straw / grain or wood can be freely selected. Such landscape overseas provides additional incentives for brave "sailors". But there are also dangers on the high seas: a pirate makes the water unsafe and coat of one of the ships, the "get too close." In principle, the pirates play not much different from the invaders, in whose place he may also be added at a diced Seven. However, the invaders do not put to rest, but only one of the two is active at a Seven. One gets from an occupied country field no more raw materials, so the pirates blocked its territory for ships: not a new ship may sail past directly on pirates.

Go To Content:
Qualitatively, everything remains at the usual high level. The extension comes with additional terrain hexes, number chips, therefore ships in four colors, the pirates and a frame extension, so continue any "natural or tsunami" left a trail of destruction. The frame of the base game is still needed and the remaining material. In addition there are in the "navigators" or the port plate, so that a port can be not only on the sidelines but everywhere the water. Overall, the content is really well thought out and tailored to the basic game. The construction costs for the new ships are even noted on the game frame. New construction cost cards do not exist, however. Who wants to have this, must necessarily get the extension set for five and six players.

There are half a star deduction in the overall standings. So actually stay 4.5 star, but unfortunately you can not forgive. Therefore, I give the 5 stars because the base game is a lot more fun with "navigators". In addition, the guide provides a few scenarios of what anno 1997 probably the foundation for countless 'mods' (new German for variants!) Laid that have become indispensable today. An endless variability of game structure is ensured at the latest with the "sailors" extension.

PS: The two images above show the way to the left, the package layout of the 2003 (white sail) and 2006 (striped sails). In terms of content, both versions with the modeled ships identical.