A dedicated brick fanatic has crafted a modular, fully playable Lego set of Catan, one of the world's most famous board games. The build, which is currently seeking supporters on the Lego Ideas website, is the work of Paul, a project manager from Augsburg Germany. Paul tells Wargamer that the design that started as "very small, just as a personal challenge" ballooned over 16 months into a 5,000-piece set.
While many would debate whether or not it's still one of the best board games around, no one can deny the influence Catan had on the modern board games industry. "For me, building Catan out of Lego wasn't just about making a model", Paul says, "it was about creating a true tribute to the game, something that feels alive every time you play".
The first step in recreating Catan was capturing its modularity. Paul tells Wargamer that the resources hexes, water, and harbor tiles "can be rearranged endlessly", as in the original. However, Lego bricks have one distinct advantage over cardboard: "unlike in the board game, the Lego pieces click into place". "It's strangely satisfying - no more tiles sliding around, just a board that feels solid every time."
According to the Lego Ideas page, the only thing the set hasn't recreated is Catan's cards. "I think they just work best for gameplay", Paul says.
However, Paul has planned ahead to ensure that the set would be compatible with the best Catan expansions. "I actually built the Cities & Knights expansion and the five-to-six-player extension", Paul tells Wargamer. "I made sure it also works with Seafarers."
The set may be compatible with these expansions, but they don't currently make up any of its enormous 5,000 brick count. Instead, each spare brick is used to fill the board with immense detail. "For me, the hidden stories are just as important as the obvious ones", Paul explains.
"If you look closely, you'll find a tiny island on the coastline, a farmer tending his fields, or a shepherd dog chasing sheep." "Also every player color has its own secrets - none of the cities and settlements are identical, everything has its own character."
Paul says these quiet details help recreate the feeling of playing Catan for the first time and exploring its strategies. They also turn the set into an appealing display piece that is sturdy enough to hang on your walls. "That 'wow' moment - when people realize it's both fully playable and a piece of art - is my favorite reaction", Paul says.
Paul shared the design to the Lego Ideas website on August 6, and it's received almost 2,000 votes from the community so far. If the votes surpass 10,000, the Lego Company will consider turning Paul's design into an official Lego set - with 1% of the royalties going to its creator.
Earning enough support isn't Paul's only challenge, however. At 5,000 pieces, Lego Catan would become one of the biggest Lego sets of all time, rivaling the likes of Lego Barad-Dûr and the 2007 UCS Millennium Falcon. That would also put it in the premium price range of around $400 to $500.
"From the start, I never limited myself with questions like 'Would this be realistic for LEGO to produce?'", Paul tells Wargamer. "I just followed the dream". Despite this, Paul acknowledges that "part count and price would be major challenges".
Regardless of whether Lego Catan becomes an official product, Paul is proud of the design. "It plays beautifully, feels satisfying in the hands, and at the same time can be a piece of art on your wall." It's also been a way for Paul to connect with other Catan fans - whether that be old friends, members of their family, or supporters online.
For new board games made out of cardboard instead of brick, check out our dedicated guide. Or, for more impressive builds, here are the most expensive Lego sets in history. Lastly, if you want to chat about Catan, we're all ears in the Wargamer Discord.