Make Your Own Catan Extension: Ironwill

“This was my own world I created.” Klaus Teuber creator of Catan

Catan (originally Settlers of Catan when first made in 1995) is a German game where you try to settle an island made of hexagons by trading and collecting supplies to make villages, roads and cities. The fastest to make 10 victory points worth of buildings wins. However, it is missing something, something extra. Of course, there are extensions out there that you can buy, but where is the fun in that? Here is how I made my own Catan extension I call Catan Ironwill.

Note: Remember this is just an extension of the game if you want to make one yourself you will first need an original copy of the game!

1. Laminator
2. Catan Border pieces
3. 19 Catan Hex tiles
4. 18 Catan number Chits
5. 10 soldiers
6. 7 horsemen
7. 4 war elephants
8. 20 iron resource cards
9. 20 elephant resource cards
10. 20 horse resource cards
11. 4 special war elephant cards
12. 2 forest tiles
13. 4 iron tiles
14. 3 wheat tiles
15. 3 brick tiles
16. 1 desert tiles
17. 2 elephant tiles
18. 2 horse tiles
19. 2 stone tiles
20. Cardholder
21. 3D Printer
22. Photo matte paper
23. Ports

To make the island of Catan you will first need to create a border. I have attached the border pieces below, you will need six and to ensure a good connection you might have to file down the connections. I have also attached ports where you can do maritime trading to stick on them and the sand texture.

Now it's time to fill the island with beautiful landscapes. I have attached the STL for the base of the Hex tiles which will allow for a firm foundation for the drawings on top. As the Supplies showed you will need a specific number of different landscapes to get your resources from. I have also attached the the landscapes so you can print them on a preferably sturdy material like the photo matte paper like we did. It will take time but it is worth it in terms of quality. Stick these on top of your 19 3D printed hex tiles and their ready.

In Catan, there are numbered buttons called chits which decide what material you can get by the roll of dice. You will need 18 of those, the file I have attached below. After you have printed them you will have to number them in a specific way:

1. two 3 numbered chits
2. one 2 numbered chit
3. two 5 numbered chits
4. two 10 numbered chits
5. two 8 numbered chits
6. two 6 numbered chits
7. two 11 numbered chits
8. two 9 numbered chits
9. one 12 numbered chit
10. two 4 numbered chits

if you don't want to draw them by hand you can print them using the file below.

Now here is the fun part. You will have to make at least 10 soldiers, 7 Horsemen and 4 war elephants but you can add more depending on how many are playing or to suit your game. I have attached them all below. They can be different sizes and don't necessarily have to fit on the board just large enough so you can handle it and keep count with your soldiers.

To keep track of the resources you have you will need resource cards. I have attached the new resources that you will need below (iron, horse, and elephant: 20 of each) as well as the four special cards. You should try to print them on a thick material such as card to make them more resistant or do as we have done and laminate them. If your game needs more of these cards you can always print more. To store these cards I have also attached a card holder.

Catan Ironwill is essentially Catan but where you can now destroy buildings and make the game even more action-packed and exciting. I have attached the rules of the game so you can understand what it involves. Now all there is left to do is play!

I hope you will enjoy the game and if you have any questions please ask in the comments.