Basic game in nice presentation

waiting for so long, came to us yesterday, "The Settlers of Catan - Ancient Egypt" on the table.
The box is as large as a typical Catan-box (about 30x30 cm). The cover, as shown here in the product view, is very noble. The sun in the background is gold-gloss, which enhances the value.

The design is well suited Egypt. As a two-horse act paths here oxcarts and 3 boats, there are settlements and again as there are cities, typically Egyptian halt, Monuments: a pyramid, a sphinx and Abu Simbel. In the center of the Egyptian Catan flows the Nile.

The basic rules are the same but the raw materials have been adjusted accordingly topics. It GBT here cattle rather than sheep, Papyrus instead of wood, and also grain, ore and bricks from which you can build on the communicated terms roads, settlements and cities. The boats are "manufactured" from 2 papyri and 1 cow. There is thematically designed to fit the known development cards.

Now for the new features in the game:

Each player receives at the beginning of the game, a character card assigned to that Abhäng- in the strength of the order of play is. With these characters you can do in his special train once. There, for example, a character which makes it possible to obtain a raw material of your choice, if you do not get raw materials through the cubes. Another allows 2: 1 to change. Of these characters, there are a few more to participate as a player, you have your character or used twice (front and back), you have to give him and chooses a different character from the other. This is a very nice game element.

In addition, you can build the Great Pyramid. This happens zusätzlch to normal gameplay on the hexes and grants, who last built an enormous advantage: He can once in his train a raw material 1: 1 exchange with the Bank and will generally fall until 10 commodities from predators. In addition, it can, as long as min., Another player has built less on the pyramid, a turn lying in front of platelets. When the game starts this tile shows -1 point after turning +1 point. Also a very nice element. For each 7 also an extra-platelet is built on the pyramid, which is drawn at random and on the back shows how high is the card limit for the robber. Unfortunately I have not paid close attention so (because it has not even hit me) - but I think that the numbers 6-9 were.

There is again robbers, the longest trade route and the largest army power.

All in all, it's because it's just settlers remained a very nice game. But just yet remained ... The extra game elements was a nice change, but apparently there was this ever for the wood version as scenario Alexander the Great & Cheops - the extent to which this rules were changed, I can not say.

Basically, the material is nicely decorated and thematically well. BUT - we are still massively disappointed, as you already may recognize the star award. The hexes are very thin (yet completely flat), the cards are punched mieserabel and unclean, are high at the corners. The development cards are, for whatever reason, is greater than the resource cards and do not fit into the card holder, in which now a specialist will be empty because you have to put the development of cards next to it. Terribly, the pyramid portions. It is ultra-diluted cardboard tiles from a stamped sheet, where you can see the 4 Verbingungen to die cut sheet more than clear. But we had no understanding and know the principle of the cosmos does not ...

The suggested retail price of 49.99 is not justified by reasons mentioned above. It is the basic interaction with other characters and a few additional rules and modified material. But since it is supposed to be a limited piece (which circulation figures it has, but I know not), I as Catan fan will keep it anyway. The box after all, is beautiful - and comes to my 3D output, the Jubi-wooden box and the complete collection Catan (in plastic) added.