Map #3
Wood and brick make expansion worth a look.
Interactive Settlement & Road Draft
Choose a three- or four-player table and your seat, then record each settlement and its initial road in normal snake order. Occupied and adjacent blocked intersections are removed, while settlement and road recommendations update after every completed turn.
Board Read
The classic board view marks intersection quality directly on the map and reveals adjacent initial-road choices during each interactive draft turn.
Best Remaining Spots
The numbered spots stay visible during settlement selection and update after every completed settlement-and-road turn.
Best Remaining Pairs
Pairs update as opponents take spots; after your first pick they anchor to it.
Initial Board Assessment
For your two settlements, look at I20 + I08. These settlements produce all five resources, giving you several ways to build. This opening leans toward roads and new settlements. Place I08 second to start with 1 wood, 1 brick, 1 sheep.
How To Approach It
- The board produces relatively little ore, wheat; secure a source or a way to trade for it.
- The board has more wood production than most other resources; check whether a matching harbor fits your opening.
- Keep I30 in mind if you want to focus on city upgrades.
- These are starting plans, not promises: dice, the robber and other players can change them.
- Compare the numbers as long-run averages, not a countdown to your next build.
Best Immediate Read
I02 Brick 9 / Wood 6 / Wheat 4
Overall 18.26, production 12.00, road 11.40, city 8.37.
Best Starting Intersections
These are the best single-settlement openings before you account for draft order or pair timing.
| # | Spot | Read | Overall | Future | Port |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I02 | Brick 9 / Wood 6 / Wheat 4 | 18.26 | 8.83 | - |
| 2 | I09 | Sheep 10 / Brick 9 / Wood 6 | 18.17 | 8.88 | - |
| 3 | I20 | Ore 10 / Wheat 9 / Wood 6 | 17.73 | 6.83 | - |
| 4 | I08 | Sheep 10 / Brick 9 / Wood 8 | 17.70 | 7.56 | - |
| 5 | I15 | Ore 10 / Wood 6 / Sheep 5 | 17.59 | 6.86 | - |
| 6 | I19 | Sheep 10 / Wheat 9 / Wood 6 | 17.47 | 6.62 | - |
| 7 | I03 | Wood 6 / Sheep 5 / Wheat 4 | 17.45 | 6.66 | - |
| 8 | I16 | Ore 10 / Wood 8 / Sheep 5 | 17.26 | 5.92 | - |
| 9 | I26 | Ore 10 / Wood 8 / Wheat 3 | 15.11 | 5.30 | - |
| 10 | I13 | Sheep 10 / Wood 8 / Brick 3 | 15.01 | 5.66 | - |
Top Opening Pairs
These pair scores reflect combined production, coverage, number overlap, port help, and long-term flexibility.
Top pair
Score 53.62These settlements produce all five resources, giving you several ways to build. This opening leans toward roads and new settlements. Place I08 second to start with 1 wood, 1 brick, 1 sheep.
Pair 2
Score 53.62These settlements produce all five resources, giving you several ways to build. This opening leans toward roads and new settlements. Place I02 second to start with 1 wood, 1 brick, 1 wheat.
Pair 3
Score 53.57These settlements produce all five resources, giving you several ways to build. This opening leans toward roads and new settlements. Place I02 second to start with 1 wood, 1 brick, 1 wheat.
Pair 4
Score 53.43City upgrades will need trades for ore. This opening leans toward roads and new settlements. Place I02 second to start with 1 wood, 1 brick, 1 wheat.
Pair 5
Score 53.42These settlements produce all five resources, giving you several ways to build. Both settlements rely on the same dice numbers, so quiet stretches affect them together. Place I09 second to start with 1 wood, 1 brick, 1 sheep.
Pair 6
Score 52.80City upgrades will need trades for ore. This opening leans toward roads and new settlements. Place I02 second to start with 1 wood, 1 brick, 1 wheat.
Seat Plans
Your place in the turn order affects which settlements may still be available. Compare the suggested starts and the second settlements that work with them.
3-player game
Placement order reverses after everyone has chosen once: the last player picks twice in a row, and the first player waits longest. These examples compare four opponent play styles, not the odds of a spot staying open.
Player 1
You choose first, then wait until everyone else has placed both settlements.
Priority: Choose a useful first settlement without relying on one particular second pick.
Recommended starts
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I09 Sheep 10 / Brick 9 / Wood 6Opening score 45.84 · Best pair score 53.42You can choose this spot now. After this pick, I33 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. These settlements produce all five resources, giving you several ways to build.
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I19 Sheep 10 / Wheat 9 / Wood 6Opening score 45.66 · Best pair score 52.80You can choose this spot now. After this pick, I44 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. City upgrades will need trades for ore.
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I08 Sheep 10 / Brick 9 / Wood 8Opening score 45.10 · Best pair score 53.62You can choose this spot now. After this pick, I26 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. These settlements produce all five resources, giving you several ways to build.
Settlement pairs to consider
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I09 + I33Sheep 10 / Brick 9 / Wood 6 + Wood 12 / Wheat 9 / Ore 5
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I19 + I44Sheep 10 / Wheat 9 / Wood 6 + Wood 12 / Brick 6 / Sheep 4
Player 2
Other players choose between your two turns, so your preferred second spot may disappear.
Priority: Take a useful mix of resources and leave yourself more than one follow-up.
Recommended starts
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I15 Ore 10 / Wood 6 / Sheep 5Opening score 47.31 · Best pair score 53.57This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I30 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. Road building will need trades for brick.
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I08 Sheep 10 / Brick 9 / Wood 8Opening score 46.90 · Best pair score 53.62This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I19 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. City upgrades will need trades for ore.
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I19 Sheep 10 / Wheat 9 / Wood 6Opening score 46.69 · Best pair score 52.80This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I16 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. Road building will need trades for brick.
Settlement pairs to consider
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I15 + I30Ore 10 / Wood 6 / Sheep 5 + Ore 10 / Wheat 9 / Ore 5
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I08 + I19Sheep 10 / Brick 9 / Wood 8 + Sheep 10 / Wheat 9 / Wood 6
Player 3
Your two settlement picks are consecutive, so you can choose them as a pair.
Priority: Use your consecutive picks to cover missing resources or support one building plan.
Recommended starts
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I26 Ore 10 / Wood 8 / Wheat 3Opening score 44.45 · Best pair score 50.46This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I19 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. Road building will need trades for brick.
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I44 Wood 12 / Brick 6 / Sheep 4Opening score 44.22 · Best pair score 49.49This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I20 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. These settlements produce all five resources, giving you several ways to build.
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I39 Sheep 11 / Ore 5 / Wheat 3Opening score 42.84 · Best pair score 48.27This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I20 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. Road building will need trades for brick.
Settlement pairs to consider
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I26 + I19Ore 10 / Wood 8 / Wheat 3 + Sheep 10 / Wheat 9 / Wood 6
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I44 + I20Wood 12 / Brick 6 / Sheep 4 + Ore 10 / Wheat 9 / Wood 6
4-player game
Placement order reverses after everyone has chosen once: the last player picks twice in a row, and the first player waits longest. These examples compare four opponent play styles, not the odds of a spot staying open.
Player 1
You choose first, then wait until everyone else has placed both settlements.
Priority: Choose a useful first settlement without relying on one particular second pick.
Recommended starts
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I09 Sheep 10 / Brick 9 / Wood 6Opening score 45.04 · Best pair score 53.42You can choose this spot now. After this pick, I33 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. These settlements produce all five resources, giving you several ways to build.
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I02 Brick 9 / Wood 6 / Wheat 4Opening score 43.28 · Best pair score 53.62You can choose this spot now. After this pick, I39 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. These settlements produce all five resources, giving you several ways to build.
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I08 Sheep 10 / Brick 9 / Wood 8Opening score 43.28 · Best pair score 53.62You can choose this spot now. After this pick, I39 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. These settlements produce all five resources, giving you several ways to build.
Settlement pairs to consider
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I09 + I33Sheep 10 / Brick 9 / Wood 6 + Wood 12 / Wheat 9 / Ore 5
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I02 + I39Brick 9 / Wood 6 / Wheat 4 + Sheep 11 / Ore 5 / Wheat 3
Player 2
Other players choose between your two turns, so your preferred second spot may disappear.
Priority: Take a useful mix of resources and leave yourself more than one follow-up.
Recommended starts
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I19 Sheep 10 / Wheat 9 / Wood 6Opening score 45.66 · Best pair score 52.80This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I44 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. City upgrades will need trades for ore.
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I08 Sheep 10 / Brick 9 / Wood 8Opening score 45.10 · Best pair score 53.62This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I26 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. These settlements produce all five resources, giving you several ways to build.
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I15 Ore 10 / Wood 6 / Sheep 5Opening score 43.38 · Best pair score 53.57This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I44 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. City upgrades will need trades for wheat.
Settlement pairs to consider
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I19 + I44Sheep 10 / Wheat 9 / Wood 6 + Wood 12 / Brick 6 / Sheep 4
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I08 + I26Sheep 10 / Brick 9 / Wood 8 + Ore 10 / Wood 8 / Wheat 3
Player 3
You pick late in the first round and early in the second; look for complementary resources.
Priority: Compare what your second settlement adds, not just how strong it looks on its own.
Recommended starts
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I26 Ore 10 / Wood 8 / Wheat 3Opening score 43.42 · Best pair score 50.46This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I44 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. These settlements produce all five resources, giving you several ways to build.
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I44 Wood 12 / Brick 6 / Sheep 4Opening score 42.56 · Best pair score 49.49This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I33 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. These settlements produce all five resources, giving you several ways to build.
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I47 Brick 6 / Sheep 4Opening score 40.68 · Best pair score 47.25This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I33 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. These settlements produce all five resources, giving you several ways to build.
Settlement pairs to consider
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I26 + I44Ore 10 / Wood 8 / Wheat 3 + Wood 12 / Brick 6 / Sheep 4
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I44 + I33Wood 12 / Brick 6 / Sheep 4 + Wood 12 / Wheat 9 / Ore 5
Player 4
Your two settlement picks are consecutive, so you can choose them as a pair.
Priority: Use your consecutive picks to cover missing resources or support one building plan.
Recommended starts
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I26 Ore 10 / Wood 8 / Wheat 3Opening score 43.61 · Best pair score 50.46This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I44 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. These settlements produce all five resources, giving you several ways to build.
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I44 Wood 12 / Brick 6 / Sheep 4Opening score 43.61 · Best pair score 49.49This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I16 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. City upgrades will need trades for wheat.
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I47 Brick 6 / Sheep 4Opening score 42.04 · Best pair score 47.25This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I16 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. City upgrades will need trades for wheat.
Settlement pairs to consider
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I26 + I44Ore 10 / Wood 8 / Wheat 3 + Wood 12 / Brick 6 / Sheep 4
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I44 + I16Wood 12 / Brick 6 / Sheep 4 + Ore 10 / Wood 8 / Sheep 5
Resource Profile
Scarcity & Abundance
Best Harbor Starts
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I04 Sheep 5 / Wheat 4Port Sheep, score 12.22
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I01 Brick 9 / Wheat 4Port 3:1, score 9.88
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I18 Sheep 5Port Sheep, score 9.72
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I38 Ore 11 / Brick 6Port Wood, score 8.98
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I11 Wood 8Port 3:1, score 8.53