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CATAN Board Generator

Balanced layouts for competitive play

About This CATAN Board Generator

This generator uses a multi-criteria scoring algorithm to produce balanced CATAN board layouts. In Balanced mode it evaluates up to 600 candidate arrangements and returns the highest-scoring one — ensuring no red numbers (6 or 8) are adjacent, all five resources are distributed fairly, and high-probability hexes are spread across the board rather than concentrated in one corner.

The balance score (0–100) lets you compare layouts at a glance. Scores above 80 represent boards where no single imbalance would give one player a decisive structural advantage from the first placement. Use the Strategy Analysis panel to see which win condition the board best supports, and toggle Best Starts to highlight the top six settlement vertices before your group places their opening pieces.

For a deeper look at how to read and use these scores in your opening strategy, see the Strategy Guide →

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the balanced algorithm work?
The generator creates up to 600 candidate layouts and scores each one across multiple criteria: adjacent red-number pairs, resource distribution variance, and terrain clustering. The highest-scoring layout is returned. Generation stops early if a score above 90 is found.
What does the balance score mean?
The score (0–100) reflects how fairly resources and high-probability numbers are distributed. Scores above 80 are Excellent — no adjacent 6s and 8s, well-spread resources, and accessible harbors. Below 65 indicates a notable imbalance.
Can I generate a board for 5–6 players?
Yes. Select 5–6 Players to generate the official extended 30-hex map with 28 number tokens and 11 harbors. The same balance algorithm applies.
Does this support Seafarers or other expansions?
Yes. The generator supports Base Game, Seafarers, and Cities & Knights expansion modes, including both 3-4 and 5-6 player board sizes.
How do I share a generated board?
Click the Share button. The board state is encoded in the URL. Anyone who opens the link sees exactly the same layout — no account required.