How does the longest road card work?

The Longest Road card is awarded to the first player to build 5 connected roads in the game of Catan, and it is worth 2 Victory Points, but it can be stolen by another player who builds a longer road. The Longest Road is a continuous road connecting two intersections, consisting of at least 5 individual road pieces, and is not interrupted by game pieces belonging to other players.

Understanding the Longest Road Card

To understand how the Longest Road card works, it is essential to know the rules and conditions that govern its award and maintenance.

Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

1. What happens if you tie longest road? If your longest road is broken and you are tied for longest road, you still keep the “Longest Road” card, but if you no longer have the longest road and two or more players tie for the new longest road, the “Longest Road” card is set aside.
2. Do boats count towards the longest road in Catan? No, boats and roads can be built towards each other, but they are not considered “connected” until you build a building there, and unconnected networks do not count toward the “Longest Trade Route” Award.
3. Can you build a settlement in between someone else’s road? Yes, you can build a settlement in the middle of an opponent’s road, as long as your own road connects to it and there is at least one gap before any other existing settlements, which can break the opponent’s longest road.

Strategy and Game Analysis

4. How to Play an Effective Longest Road Strategy? Building the longest road requires planning and strategy, including blocking other players’ roads and extending your own road network to gain an advantage.
5. Can you break someone’s longest road with a settlement? Yes, building a settlement in the middle of another player’s road can break their longest road, splitting it into two road segments.
6. Can you have settlements in your longest road? Yes, your own settlement does not interrupt your continuous road, allowing you to build settlements along your longest road.

Rules and Conditions

7. What is the rule for longest road in settlers? The Longest Road is awarded to the first player to build 5 connected roads, and it can be stolen by a player who builds a longer road.
8. How do you lose the longest road in Catan? If another player builds a longer road, they immediately take your “Longest Road” card and acquire the 2 bonus victory points.
9. Does a knight block the longest road in Catan? Yes, knights can be placed to block construction of other players and break another player’s “longest road”.

Game Mechanics

10. Can you play 2 development cards in one turn? No, you may play only one Development Card per turn, and if you have played this card before rolling the dice, you are not allowed to play another one afterwards.
11. Does a knight break longest road? Yes, knights can be used to break another player’s “longest road” by placing them at the intersection of three hexes.
12. What is the robber rule in Catan? When a player rolls a 7, any player with more than 7 cards must return half of them to the resource stacks.

Game Scenarios

13. Can you build a city without a settlement in Catan? No, you can only build a city if you have a settlement on the board that can be replaced with the new city, which earns you double the resources and is worth 2 victory points.
14. What happens when you roll a 7 in Catan? When a player rolls a 7, any player with more than 7 cards must discard half of their Resource Cards, which are then placed in a single pile.
15. What if two people have the longest road? If two or more players tie for the longest road after a road is broken, no player gets the “Longest Road” card, which comes into play again when only one player alone has the longest road.