- BGG rating
- 7.0
Starfarers of Catan: 5-6 Player Expansion
- 5–6 players
- 90–120 min
- Complexity 2.6/5
- 2001
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,706
- BGG rating
- 6.8
The Starfarers of Catan
1999
Rules assistance for The Starfarers of Catan
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–4 players
- 120 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.6/5
For 3 players
Rules assistant for The Starfarers of Catan
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Starfarers of Catan is a board game released in 1999 for 3–4 players, 120 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Klaus Teuber and its main mechanics are Trading and Hexagon Grid.
Expansions
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About the game
The foray into space, sometime near the year 2700 A.D. Compete for the prestigious post of Ambassador to the Galactic Council. To attain this lofty position, players must leave Terra and the known planets to explore and colonize the galaxy, while working to establish trade with alien cultures, encounter aliens, and defeat pirates. Glory and victory go to the brave and astute explorer upon whom luck smiles. The known worlds lie at one end of the game board, where each of the 3 or 4 players begins from known solar systems, each with 3 planets producing raw materials needed for the travels into deep space. Each player begins with 2 Colonies and a Space Port (all components are made from plastic). The Space Port makes starships to transport your new colonies and trade posts to distant lands. Throughout the game, all the colonies and spaceports enable the production of resources when the dice match the numbers of adjacent planets. Resources are traded for colony ships, trade ships, and fleet upgrades of freight rings, booster rockets, and cannon. Beware as you explore—some planets are covered in ice, and some conceal dangerous pirates. Belongs to the Catan Series.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Kaissa Chess & Games
- KOSMOS
- Mayfair Games
Questions and answers
The Starfarers of Catan supports 3–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for The Starfarers of Catan is 120 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists The Starfarers of Catan for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
The Starfarers of Catan has a complexity rating of 2.6 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
The Starfarers of Catan belongs to these categories: Exploration, Negotiation, and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Trading and Hexagon Grid. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of The Starfarers of Catan are: Klaus Teuber. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists The Starfarers of Catan as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.