Where would you place your settlement?

[mimi_spuds]

I would 100% choose 6 ore /5 wheat / 11 sheep

It puts you in a good position to have access to all resources. That is always my priority when choosing at the start, and you have a good brick/wood spot to allow expansion hopefully quite quickly. I'd be very happy with those starting settlements, and would be keeping a close eye on you if I was playing!

[Cos-]

First placement 5 sheep + 9 bricks (road to 8 and bricks port)
Second placement 4 wood + 5 grain + 6 rocks (road to 3 grain and rocks port)

What do you mean by first placement and second placement?
I think you may have mis-read the situation?

[Cos-]

Well, not surprised to see people picking different places, but I didn't realize how many different places people would pick! I was only seriously considering 3 options, but it looks like there are at least 5 places that people here like.

Thanks @euklid314 and @cowboy_dan for your explanations of your reasoning.

yeah, after the yellow placed his town, you should win this, assuming not too many 4s come for purples city (or purple making lots of mistakes ^^) - https://boardgamearena.com/9/catan?table=406677027

Yeah, you can see I picked the 4-5-6 wood-wheat-rock spot, with road north, as @silentProtest and @vamoscosmos719 would've picked. But then the orange player disappeared for more than a day (this was a fast turn-based game), the other player kicked them out and quit, and there was no more game.

[sahkal]

I would go for the 5-8 clay port. Lack of ore is not great but at least you hopefully get a lot of settlements later, for example on the 5-9 next to the desert and the 6 clay sheep port. My worry with the 4-5-6 or the 5-6-11 would be the excess clay and the possible lack of sheep.

[vamoscosmos719]

Well, not surprised to see people picking different places, but I didn't realize how many different places people would pick! I was only seriously considering 3 options, but it looks like there are at least 5 places that people here like.

Thanks @euklid314 and @cowboy_dan for your explanations of your reasoning.

yeah, after the yellow placed his town, you should win this, assuming not too many 4s come for purples city (or purple making lots of mistakes ^^) - https://boardgamearena.com/9/catan?table=406677027

Yeah, you can see I picked the 4-5-6 wood-wheat-rock spot, with road north, as @silentProtest and @vamoscosmos719 would've picked. But then the orange player disappeared for more than a day (this was a fast turn-based game), the other player kicked them out and quit, and there was no more game.

In 3-player games since you have more space and more places to settles, the ability to have an abundance of road resources is really nice in my opinion. With 4-5-6, it gives you a better ability to get on the 5 sheep hex or beat purple to the 9-4-3

[silentProtest]

I would go for the 5-8 clay port. Lack of ore is not great but at least you hopefully get a lot of settlements later, for example on the 5-9 next to the desert and the 6 clay sheep port. My worry with the 4-5-6 or the 5-6-11 would be the excess clay and the possible lack of sheep.

Not having ore the whole game is quite deadly - and if yellow plays aggressive (wood port), you're quite done.

[Cos-]

I would go for the 5-8 clay port. Lack of ore is not great but at least you hopefully get a lot of settlements later, for example on the 5-9 next to the desert and the 6 clay sheep port. My worry with the 4-5-6 or the 5-6-11 would be the excess clay and the possible lack of sheep.

Not having ore the whole game is quite deadly - and if yellow plays aggressive (wood port), you're quite done.

Do you think that's true even if you have a 9 of brick, a 6 of brick, and the brick port - which is what sahkal suggested? Couldn't you make enough ore out of brick later in the game?

[silentProtest]

I would go for the 5-8 clay port. Lack of ore is not great but at least you hopefully get a lot of settlements later, for example on the 5-9 next to the desert and the 6 clay sheep port. My worry with the 4-5-6 or the 5-6-11 would be the excess clay and the possible lack of sheep.

Not having ore the whole game is quite deadly - and if yellow plays aggressive (wood port), you're quite done.

Do you think that's true even if you have a 9 of brick, a 6 of brick, and the brick port - which is what sahkal suggested? Couldn't you make enough ore out of brick later in the game?

It would be a very valid tactic in K&C expansion, but not in vanilla, with such abundance of ore and wheat youd have to compete against - do plan on get perma blocked on some vital resource when getting ahead..

[cowboy_dan]

I think the 5/8 clay port is solid. You can then expand to the 8 ore; my original placement wouldn’t allow that. Having an 8 wheat and 8 ore is great synergy. 6 ore + 6 clay isn’t as great, and you’re living or dying on 6s with no 8s. I prefer to prioritize number diversity over resource diversity as having a steady flow of resources allows you to always do something.

Pitt the game didn’t finish but I appreciate all the good discussion it brought up. Also can see the merits of having multiple sources of wood.

[clasone]

I would take the 4, 5. 6 spot with ore and wheat. I would point the road to 11 sheep so that you can also get that with ease. With 2 wood and 2 clay you cam build roads quick. to get sheep.