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Strategy Tips for Catan Labor Tactics

by
zman123
@
www.boardgamegeek.com

08/18/2019

Introduction

Catan Labor Tactics is a new variant that adds three new pieces to the board,
called Laborers. They replace the two production dice that are normally used, giving
Catan a more chess-like quality. This can make the game a bit longer as people have
to choose what resources to produce during their turn. With the new variant, it seems
relevant to provide some interesting strategy tips for gameplay. Enjoy outwitting your
friends with these pointers.

Strategy Tips

1. Strategy regarding resource production is quite different for Catan Labor

Tactics. When you move a Laborer to a tile for production, be conscience of the fact
that others may benefit from the tiles you choose. Try to avoid giving more resource
cards to other players if you can. If you have access to two different field tiles, pick the
one that gives less grain to your opponents. In Catan Labor Tactics, you have to find a
balance between your own production and the production of your opponents.
2. In regular Catan, it makes little difference if you have complimentary tiles
next to each other (e.g. lumber with brick, grain with ore, etc.). However, in Catan
Labor Tactics, the rule for moving Laborers prohibits you from placing Laborers next to
each other. Thus, you cannot produce both lumber and brick during the same turn, if
they are next to each other on the board. Instead, try to arrange your first two
settlements so that you can have lumber and brick on different ends of the board,
allowing you to expand your road almost every turn.
3. It will be very helpful to share resource tiles with your opponents. Build
settlements along tiles that your opponents need. They will be forced to move the
Laborer there to get what they need, and you will get free resource cards when it is not
your turn. Then, you can get other resources you want on your own turn. If you
upgrade to a city, expect less production from the same tile, as your opponent will not
want to help you so easily, even if it hurts himself.
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4. When someone has the Longest Road, they have the potential to
outproduce others. If that person is you, then you will want to chase away the Robber
to free a Hostage. This will give you all three Laborers. On the other hand, all the other
players will want to use Knights to move the Robber, taking a Laborer hostage again.
The Longest Road can be valuable, especially if no one is investing to lock down that
third Laborer.
5. You will notice how the Distance Rule allows players to monopolize a tile.
You simply need to have two settlements directly across from each other on a tile. No
one else will be able to build along that tile. At the beginning of the game, the robber
might land on your tile to prevent your monopoly of that tile. However, the Longest
Road will most likely draw the Robber away from your high production tile, in favor of
taking a Laborer hostage. Just watch out... someone might take a Laborer hostage on
your monopolized tile, which would hurt the worst if you happen to have the Longest
Road.
6. When the likelihood is high that the Robber will be moved, ramp up
production on your opponents, which will make them return half their cards when the
Robber moves. You might be able to do this within your own turn, assuming you have a
Knight card to play after producing resources. This will require good memory to count
your opponents cards.
7. If you have the Monopoly card in your hand, look for resource tiles that
have a high production, even if you are not adjacent to that tile. For example, if you
need ore to upgrade your settlement to a city, move your Laborers to collect as much
ore as possible on the board. The cards will go to your opponents, but then play your
Monopoly card. Call out that resource and get them all back to you... upgrade your city.
You will make enemies quickly that way.
8. When using Catan Labor Tactics with the Cities & Knights expansion,
there are not Development Cards to move the robber. You use the Knight pieces, along
with the invasion of the Barbarians. Depending upon your goals, use your Knight to
move the robber to a remote location. This could make some friends for you in the
game, or it can protect you if you have the Longest Road. No one will be able to move
the Robber, if their Knights cannot reach that remote tile. You can now hold a vast
number of cards in your hand, keeping an eye on the Barbarian tile. Play all the cards
you can just before the Barbarians reach Catan. When your opponents find out what
you are scheming, expect strong resistance, as they use Progress cards and Laborer
placement against you.