Settlers of Catan 5-6 Player Expansion Alternate Rules

Why the 5-6 player expansion map doesn't work

In the regular game, there are 18 locations where a settlement would touch only one hex (red dots), 12 locations where it would touch two hexes (yellow dots), and 24 locations where it would touch three hexes (green dots).

This is a ratio of 1.5:1:2

In the 5-6 player expansion map, there are 22 locations where a settlement would touch only one hex (red dots), 16 locations where it would touch two hexes (yellow dots), and 42 where it would touch three hexes (green dots).

This is a ratio of 1.375:1:2.625. This new ratio is much more "open" with fewer 1-hex locations and more 3-hex locations. This open ratio allows players to build easily, without much interference from other players.

An Alternate Map

An alternate 5-6 player expansion map was created with 24 locations where a settlement would touch only one hex (red dots), 18 locations where it would touch two hexes (yellow dots), and 36 where it would touch three hexes (green dots).

This is a ratio of 1.33:1:2. This map forces the "thight" gameplay of the original map but is large enough to accomodate 6 players.

Implementing the map

From your original game and 5-6 player expansion you will need:

5 Wood Hexes (normally 6)
5 Brick Hexes
6 Wool Hexes
5 Grain Hexes (normally 6)
5 Ore Hexes
2 Desert Hexes
5 Generic Port Hexes
2 Wood Hexes* (normally 1)
2 Brick Hexes* (normally 1)
1 Wool Port Hex (normally 2)
1 Grain Port Hex
1 Ore Port Hex
12 Sea Hexes

All of the round number chips used on the expansion map except on fht eht "3" chips and one of the "11" chips.

*Create the extra Wood Port and Brick Port Hex tiles by drawing on the blank hex tiles provided.

Place the land tiles randomly following the pattern of 2,3,4,3,4,3,4,3,2 tiles per row. Randomly place a port at each end of each 3-tile row and place a port adjacent to each of the tiles in the 2-tile rows. Place a sea tile between each port. Your map should resemble the maps show below (in the drawing, the dark blue triangles are the ports).

Randomly place the number tiles on the land hexes and play the game normally.

More Options

There are two house rules we use with the alternate map that we think improve the game:

When placing the number tiles, if two red numbers (6 or 8) appear on adjacent tiles, shift one of them to a different tile so there are not settlement locations on the map with two red numbers adjacent to it.
Play the game WITHOUT the "Special Building Phase" described in the 5-6 player expansion rules. The game is much more fun if players often must discard half of their hand.