How do you start your games?

What strategies do you have for placing your initial settlements?

Do you start focusing on some resources at th start and switch later or do you sstick to one resource type and work on a trading system?

My Key Strategy is to build as quickly as possible on as high numbers as possible and to have as many of the 5 resources as possible. To have a good brick and wood resource to start with is very useful, wheat is generally the next best.

Make sure you are able to get to a reasonable iron ore and wheat or you will not be able to build city's, which are crucial to winning the game.

It is well worth getting to a port if not to start with by mid game and if a resource has only one good number i.e 6, 8, 9 or 5 try and get it if possible.

Longest road and biggest army are important, but not as important as fast building on good resources to start with. It is good to trade with those who are not doing so well where possible, but better to trade with anyone other than someone who is winning rather than trading in for a 4:1 or 3:1 port.

Hope this Helps

Martin.

My opening strategy is always to look for the best Ore placement, as I feel it's crucial in all stages of the game.  After that I try to make sure I can produce any resource.  Nothing sucks worse than having to trade for any particular resource.  I also try to place on a corner that borders 3 different resources.  Placing on the coast tends to be tactically unsound in my opinion.  If possible I like to only be 1 or 2 segments away from a port.

As far as numbers goes, I try to scoop up 5,6,8, and 9s, but it's more important to have a good spread (different numbers).  You'll be surprised how fast you can win if you produce something EVERY dice roll (except 7s of cource).  To me there isn't much more you can do at the set up phase.