The official website for The Settlers of Catan

The “Age of Darkness” Expansion

• Barbarian Attack - What's the meaning of the phrase "A player who has fewer units than victory points from cities, Metropolises, and city expansions"? As far as units are concerned, only strength points matter!

  Not in this case: when fighting the barbarians, quantity is more important than quality!

• Barbarian Attack - When a Barbarian Attack occurs, can I lose the gold stored in a Gold Cache?

  Yes. The gold is only protected against Brigands - a barbarian horde searches until it finds what it is looking for. So, if you don't have other resources, the barbarians will steal up to 2 gold from your Cache.

• Bishop - Can I lose gold in the Gold Cache to the Bishop?

  Yes, provided that it is your only gold.

• Bran - Do I receive 2 cards if I obtain Bran via a Missionary?

  Yes, if you place Bran on a Temple, you may draw 2 cards from the draw stacks. In this context, it doesn't matter whether you play Bran from your hand or receive him from your opponent via the Missionary.

• Caravel - How do you calculate the strength of the units in case of a Barbarian Attack if 2 Caravels and a trade ship are placed in a city?

  The 2nd Caravel doesn't affect the trade ship. Therefore, 2 Caravels and 1 trade ship in a city only count as 4 units in case of a Barbarian Attack.

• Caravel - Is it allowed to remove the Caravel by means of a Traitor?

  Yes, because the Caravel is a unit, and Traitors can steal units without further ado - as long as no special rules apply.

• Caravel - Must the Caravel be built in a city?

  No, although the principality must have a city in order to be able to play the Caravel.

• Castle - In the Theme Game, may I remove the Castle and then build it again, so that the opponent can't build it?

  You may remove the Castle and build it again. This, however, will not prevent the opponent from building a Castle, because in the Theme Game a removed Castle is placed face up again.

• Church - In the Theme Game, may I remove the Church and then build it again, so that the opponent can't build it?

  You may remove the Church and build it again. This, however, will not prevent the opponent from building a Church, because in the Theme Game a removed Church is placed face up again.

• Commercial Harbor - Do I have to downgrade a residence 1 level on each of my turns?

  No. On each of your turns, you may freely decide whether to downgrade a residence, but you may only downgrade 1 residence per turn.

• Commercial Harbor - In the Theme Game, may I remove the Commercial Harbor and then build it again, so that the opponent can't build it?

  You may remove the Commercial Harbor and build it again. This, however, will not prevent the opponent from building a Commercial Harbor, because in the Theme Game a removed Commercial Harbor is placed face up again.

• Commercial Harbor - May I play action cards that require a Commercial Harbor if I have lost the Commercial Harbor by means of an Arsonist?

  No.

• Commercial Metropolis - Do I have to remove the Commercial Metropolis if I lose the Residence or rotate the Residence to the next lower level?

  No.

• Commercial Metropolis - In case of a Plague, do the regions adjacent to a Commercial Metropolis lose resources?

  Yes.

• Contest of the Heroes - Can female heroes participate in the contest?

  Yes.