Map #MQ
Choose your first settlement carefully: the strongest spots stand apart.
Interactive Settlement & Road Draft
How To Approach It
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 I19 + I13. City upgrades will need trades for wheat. This opening leans toward roads and new settlements. Place I13 second to start with 1 wood, 1 sheep, 1 ore.
How To Approach It
- The board produces relatively little ore; secure a source or a way to trade for it.
- The board has more wheat production than most other resources; check whether a matching harbor fits your opening.
- 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
I19 Sheep 9 / Ore 9 / Brick 8
Overall 18.46, production 13.00, road 10.25, city 9.91.
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 | I19 | Sheep 9 / Ore 9 / Brick 8 | 18.46 | 6.17 | - |
| 2 | I08 | Wood 10 / Ore 9 / Sheep 6 | 17.51 | 6.34 | - |
| 3 | I13 | Wood 10 / Ore 9 / Sheep 6 | 17.21 | 5.49 | - |
| 4 | I22 | Ore 9 / Brick 8 / Sheep 3 | 16.27 | 5.63 | - |
| 5 | I09 | Wood 10 / Sheep 9 / Ore 9 | 16.12 | 5.22 | - |
| 6 | I32 | Brick 8 / Wood 4 / Sheep 3 | 15.73 | 7.51 | - |
| 7 | I33 | Ore 11 / Brick 8 / Wood 4 | 15.19 | 5.61 | - |
| 8 | I42 | Ore 11 / Brick 6 / Wood 4 | 15.02 | 5.12 | - |
| 9 | I20 | Sheep 11 / Sheep 9 / Brick 8 | 14.39 | 6.09 | - |
| 10 | I25 | Wood 10 / Wheat 5 / Sheep 3 | 14.20 | 6.17 | - |
Top Opening Pairs
These pair scores reflect combined production, coverage, number overlap, port help, and long-term flexibility.
Top pair
Score 50.54City upgrades will need trades for wheat. This opening leans toward roads and new settlements. Place I13 second to start with 1 wood, 1 sheep, 1 ore.
Pair 2
Score 50.45City upgrades will need trades for wheat. This opening leans toward roads and new settlements. Place I08 second to start with 1 wood, 1 sheep, 1 ore.
Pair 3
Score 49.97These settlements produce all five resources, giving you several ways to build. This opening leans toward roads and new settlements. Place I25 second to start with 1 wood, 1 sheep, 1 wheat.
Pair 4
Score 49.74Road building will need trades for wood. This opening leans toward cities and development cards. Place I19 second to start with 1 brick, 1 sheep, 1 ore.
Pair 5
Score 49.03City upgrades will need trades for wheat. This opening leans toward roads and new settlements. Place I42 second to start with 1 wood, 1 brick, 1 ore.
Pair 6
Score 48.95City upgrades will need trades for wheat. This opening leans toward roads and new settlements. Place I33 second to start with 1 wood, 1 brick, 1 ore.
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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I19 Sheep 9 / Ore 9 / Brick 8Opening score 47.11 · Best pair score 50.54You can choose this spot now. After this pick, I25 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 Wood 10 / Ore 9 / Sheep 6Opening score 45.21 · Best pair score 50.45You can choose this spot now. After this pick, I42 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. City upgrades will need trades for wheat.
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I13 Wood 10 / Ore 9 / Sheep 6Opening score 45.21 · Best pair score 50.54You can choose this spot now. After this pick, I42 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 + I25Sheep 9 / Ore 9 / Brick 8 + Wood 10 / Wheat 5 / Sheep 3
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I08 + I42Wood 10 / Ore 9 / Sheep 6 + Ore 11 / Brick 6 / Wood 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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I08 Wood 10 / Ore 9 / Sheep 6Opening score 45.21 · Best pair score 50.45This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I42 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. City upgrades will need trades for wheat.
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I13 Wood 10 / Ore 9 / Sheep 6Opening score 45.21 · Best pair score 50.54This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I42 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. City upgrades will need trades for wheat.
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I42 Ore 11 / Brick 6 / Wood 4Opening score 43.35 · Best pair score 49.03This 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.
Settlement pairs to consider
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I08 + I42Wood 10 / Ore 9 / Sheep 6 + Ore 11 / Brick 6 / Wood 4
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I13 + I42Wood 10 / Ore 9 / Sheep 6 + Ore 11 / Brick 6 / Wood 4
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 Sheep 11 / Wheat 8 / Wheat 5Opening score 45.22 · Best pair score 49.74This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I42 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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I42 Ore 11 / Brick 6 / Wood 4Opening score 44.05 · Best pair score 49.03This 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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I16 Sheep 11 / Wheat 5 / Ore 4Opening score 43.42 · Best pair score 48.41This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I32 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 + I42Sheep 11 / Wheat 8 / Wheat 5 + Ore 11 / Brick 6 / Wood 4
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I42 + I26Ore 11 / Brick 6 / Wood 4 + Sheep 11 / Wheat 8 / Wheat 5
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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I19 Sheep 9 / Ore 9 / Brick 8Opening score 44.05 · Best pair score 50.54You can choose this spot now. After this pick, I02 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. City upgrades will need trades for wheat.
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I08 Wood 10 / Ore 9 / Sheep 6Opening score 42.60 · Best pair score 50.45You 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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I13 Wood 10 / Ore 9 / Sheep 6Opening score 42.60 · Best pair score 50.54You 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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I19 + I02Sheep 9 / Ore 9 / Brick 8 + Wood 10 / Sheep 9 / Wood 3
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I08 + I39Wood 10 / Ore 9 / Sheep 6 + Ore 11 / Wheat 8 / Brick 2
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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I13 Wood 10 / Ore 9 / Sheep 6Opening score 42.88 · Best pair score 50.54This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. 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 Wood 10 / Ore 9 / Sheep 6Opening score 42.88 · Best pair score 50.45This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. 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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I32 Brick 8 / Wood 4 / Sheep 3Opening score 42.30 · Best pair score 48.81This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I25 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. City upgrades will need trades for ore.
Settlement pairs to consider
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I13 + I39Wood 10 / Ore 9 / Sheep 6 + Ore 11 / Wheat 8 / Brick 2
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I08 + I39Wood 10 / Ore 9 / Sheep 6 + Ore 11 / Wheat 8 / Brick 2
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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I42 Ore 11 / Brick 6 / Wood 4Opening score 42.82 · Best pair score 49.03This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I25 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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I26 Sheep 11 / Wheat 8 / Wheat 5Opening score 42.28 · Best pair score 49.74This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I42 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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I25 Wood 10 / Wheat 5 / Sheep 3Opening score 41.99 · Best pair score 49.97This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I42 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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I42 + I25Ore 11 / Brick 6 / Wood 4 + Wood 10 / Wheat 5 / Sheep 3
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I26 + I42Sheep 11 / Wheat 8 / Wheat 5 + Ore 11 / Brick 6 / Wood 4
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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I42 Ore 11 / Brick 6 / Wood 4Opening score 43.18 · Best pair score 49.03This 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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I25 Wood 10 / Wheat 5 / Sheep 3Opening score 43.06 · Best pair score 49.97This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I42 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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I30 Sheep 11 / Ore 11 / Brick 8Opening score 41.42 · Best pair score 45.53This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I25 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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I42 + I26Ore 11 / Brick 6 / Wood 4 + Sheep 11 / Wheat 8 / Wheat 5
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I25 + I42Wood 10 / Wheat 5 / Sheep 3 + Ore 11 / Brick 6 / Wood 4
Resource Profile
Scarcity & Abundance
Best Harbor Starts
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I24 Wood 10 / Wheat 5Port Brick, score 8.98
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I01 Wood 10 / Wood 3Port 3:1, score 8.53
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I11 Sheep 6Port 3:1, score 8.53
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I14 Sheep 6Port 3:1, score 8.53
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I40 Wheat 8 / Brick 2Port Ore, score 8.28