by Bastian Schulz
and Kenneth Spontelli
Welcome visitor number
Updated on August 2, 2000
Basic Volcano - Lost Desert
Same as the basic volcano above with the desert being the hex that is removed from the game. The Volcano hex now has no number and a number disk will be needed to be used on the volcano. Take a 4, 5, 9, and 10 number chip from an extra settlers set and put them aside. Lay out all of the number as for a normal game. SKIP the volcano as if it were the desert. After all of the numbers are in place, pick one of the four number discs that you had set aside and put it on the volcano.
If the number on the volcano is rolled, then the volcano erupts. The massive lava flows usually move in a one particular direction or another. To determine the direction of the lava flow, roll a single dice. Match the die roll to the small numbers at the corners of the volcano tile to determine the direction of the lava flow. If a settlement is at the corner whose number was rolled, it is covered by lava and destroyed (remove it from the board). If a city is at the corner, the lava will damage it to the point where it is reduced to a settlement (replace the game piece as necessary).
NOTE: The Robber begins the game on the Volcano hex in the 2-4 player game and the 7-8 player game but, the 5-6 player setup HAS a desert for the robber to be on at the start of the game and that is where it should be placed. In other words, if the setup you're using has NO desert, place the robber on the volcano to start the game.
The volcano tile does not deliver raw materials.
The presence of the Robber on the Volcano hex DOES prevent the Volcano from erupting!
Gold Volcano Basic
Collect all the land tiles needed to form the appropriate board for the number of player in the game. Remove one land hex (or the desert) at random and add a volcano tile which is mixed with the rest of the tiles and included in the board. The number on the volcano indicates not only that the volcano is active, but also the die roll upon which it erupts.
If the number on the volcano is rolled, then the volcano erupts. The massive lava flows usually move in a one particular direction or another. To determine the direction of the lava flow, roll a single dice. Match the die roll to the small numbers at the corners of the volcano tile to determine the direction of the lava flow. If a settlement is at the corner whose number was rolled, it is covered by lava and destroyed (remove it from the board). If a city is at the corner, the lava will damage it to the point where it is reduced to a settlement (replace the game piece as necessary).
The Gold Volcano DOES deliver a raw material. The raw material is gold and it is worth one of any resource. Settlements built on the volcano each get one resource of the player choice and cities get two.
NOTE: The Robber begins the game on the DESERT if there is one. If you have removed a land hex and therefore HAVE a desert for the robber to be on at the start of the game and that is where it should be placed. In other words, if the setup you're using has NO desert, place the robber on the VOLCANO to start the game.
The presence of the Robber on the Volcano hex DOES prevent the Volcano from erupting!
Variable Risk Gold Volcano (balanced)
Collect all the land tiles needed to form the appropriate board for the number of player in the game. Remove one land (or a desert) hex at random and add a volcano tile which is mixed with the rest of the tiles and included in the board. The number on the volcano indicates not only that the volcano is active, but also the die roll upon which it erupts.
If the number on the volcano is rolled, then the volcano erupts. The massive lava flows usually move in a one particular direction or another. To determine the direction of the lava flow is a little harder in this one but it never changes DURING the game.
If the volcano has:
· 6 or 8 as its number than three dice are rolled for the lave
flows.
· 5 or 9 as its number than two dice are rolled for the lava
flows.
· 4 or 10 as its number than one die is rolled for the lava
flow.
· 3 or 11 as its number than one die is rolled, if it's even
only even numbers CAN get hit, if odd then odd CAN get hit. Roll one die
for the direction of flow. Remember that only even OR odds will be at risk.
· 2 or 12 as its number than one die is rolled. If it even then
there is no eruption. If odd then roll one die for lava flow direction.
(in the very rare case that the REBEL and VARIABLE GOLD VOLCANO variants are used and the volcano has a 2 or a 12 on it then FOUR dice are used for the lava flows and there is no even or odd roll)
Match the dice rolled to the small numbers at the corners of the volcano tile to determine the direction of the lava flow. If a settlement is at the corner whose number was rolled, it is covered by lava and destroyed (remove it from the board). If a city is at the corner, the lava will damage it to the point where it is reduced to a settlement (replace the game piece as necessary). No settlement or city may get hit more than once during and eruption. If there was a city built on the "3" corner of the volcano and the volcano had a number 8 chip on it, the city could only be hit once even if all three dice rolled came up "3".
The Gold Volcano DOES deliver a raw material. The raw material is gold and it is worth one of any resource. Settlements built on the volcano each get one resource of the player choice and cities get two.
NOTE: The Robber begins the game on the DESERT if there is one. If you have removed a land hex and therefore HAVE a desert for the robber to be on at the start of the game and that is where it should be placed. In other words, if the setup you're using has NO desert, place the robber on the VOLCANO to start the game.
The presence of the Robber on the Volcano hex DOES prevent the Volcano from erupting!
Added twists
Any of the above variants could be played with the robber NOT stopping eruptions as suggested on the Mayfair games site.
Mayfair also suggests that players be forbidden to build either of their first two settlements on an intersection that borders the volcano.
Make sure that all of the players know and understand all of the variant that are in play for the game before anyone places a settlement.
Tip:
It is obviously not wise to settle at the foot of a volcano. Since you
receive no raw materials for a volcano tile
and it is not a secure place, it is even more unattractive to build
beside than a desert is.
However you shouldn't be deterred too much from approaching the volcano. Even the most active volcano (one with a 6 or 8) sends lava to a particular corner on the average of once every 43 turns. This is of course because even after the volcano's number has been rolled, the direction of the lava-flow must still be determined, thereby increasing the odds. A volcano with a 2 or 12 erupts only an average of once every 216 turns, so obviously if two attractive tiles are around the volcano it is usually worth the risk.
Notes: (from the Die-Siedler website)
Making the game piece:
Print the volcano image with your printer set at 150 dots per inch on glossy paper. To form the hex, use a card stock of equal thickness of the other hexes in your game. (you may need to glue two thin card boards together to get this right. I used the card stock from the back of a legal pad doubled) Glue the volcano to one side of the cardboard and a plain white sheet of typing paper to the other side. Press the assemble flat between heavy books till dry. (CAUTION! The glue may ooze out and get on the books. PROTECT THEM if you don't want glue on them) Finish the game piece by placing a hex from your game over the face of the volcano and tracing around it. Cut out the new hex by cutting just inside the lines you traced.
Gold:
Thanks are due to Bastian for his wonderful idea. We (Die-Siedler)
wanted somewhat more, so we decided that there should be gold reserves
in volcanic rock. Therefore if the volcano's number is rolled, all players
with a settlement bordering the volcano receive a raw material of their
choice, or two raw materials for a city. Then the one die is rolled to
determine the direction of the lava flow.
Seafarers:
For those playing the Seafarers Expansion, just exchange the volcano
for a desert or water tile in any of the scenarios.
Vulkan-issimo:
This is an interesting volcanic island with three volcanic fields (numbers
4, 5 & 6). If someone builds a settlement on an intersection with two
or three bordering volcanic fields, they increase on one hand the probability
of gaining raw materials, but also the probability of being buried beneath
a lava flow.