Playing against AI bots: Settler, Merchant or Veteran?
You can play Hearthsea against computer bots with a free account: set the table with up to five bots and choose Settler (beginner), Merchant (solid) or Veteran (plays to win) for each one. The bots trade, rob and sail like players, so solo games are real practice for games with friends.
How to start a game against the computer
Create a free Hearthsea account, open Play, and fill the seats with bots: up to 5 of them, for a table of 2 to 6.
- Sign up at hearthsea.com/login.html. A free account is enough for bot games.
- Open Play. The Set the table screen lists the seats.
- Tap Add bot for each opponent and choose a level for each: Settler, Merchant or Veteran.
- Choose the map and options, then tap Set sail.
On a free account you can play the Standard and Balanced Classic maps against bots, with no limit on games. The Hearthsea Pass adds the other five Classic maps and the map size and fog settings; the Seafarers add-on brings the 9 sea maps, where bots build ships too.
Settler, Merchant and Veteran: what each bot does
The three levels differ in how they place, trade, rob and sail. The descriptions below come from how each bot is built, not from marketing copy.
Settler: a friendly beginner
The Settler places its starting settlements roughly, builds whatever it can afford, and hoards cards. It rarely trades with players and only uses the bank when its hand is overflowing. It robs whoever is nearby rather than the leader, and on Seafarers maps it stays home until its own island is full. Use it to learn the rules without pressure.
Merchant: a solid player
The Merchant places well, plans its next build, and trades fairly with you and the other bots. It robs the leader, spends its hand down before a likely 7, sails when an island is worth the trip and explores fog now and then. A table of Merchants feels like a group of decent human players.
Veteran: plays to win
The Veteran weighs scarce resources and harbor fit when it places, picks a second settlement that covers what its first one lacks, and denies rivals their best corners. It estimates every hand from public events (production, builds, trades and discards), keeps its hand small before a 7, and races for Longest Road and Largest Army. On sea maps it sails early for every island bonus and for the fog.
| Settler | Merchant | Veteran | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening | Rough | Good | Best corner for its plan, and blocks yours |
| Trades with players | Rarely | Yes, fairly | Yes, when it helps |
| Robs | Whoever is near | The leader | The leader |
| Before a 7 | Keeps its cards | Spends down | Spends down, uses harbors |
| At sea | Sails when home is full | Sails when an island pays | Sails early for every island |
Bots trade with you
Merchants and Veterans send you trade offers on their turns and answer yours on your turn. An offer shows what you get and what you give, and you can accept, decline or counter before the timer runs out.
A Veteran’s offer is rarely a gift. Before you accept, ask what it is about to build. If you are behind, a trade with the bot in last place is safer than one with the leader.
A practice ladder from Settler to Veteran
Move up one rung when you win two games in a row.
- Three Settlers on the Balanced map. Learn the turn and the building costs. Turn on the guided game for the first one.
- Two Settlers and a Merchant. Start counting pips when you place, and keep your hand under 8 cards before you end a turn.
- Three Merchants. Now trades matter. Practise saying no to deals that only help the bot.
- Two Merchants and a Veteran. Watch where the Veteran places its first settlements. It is usually right.
- Three Veterans. Win this and you earn the gold Veteran slayer trophy.
Each Veteran you beat is also worth 30 extra experience points on top of the win, so a game against three of them levels you up fastest. Progress goes up to level 20, with 21 trophies to collect.
Bot habits worth knowing
Knowing when each level plays its cards makes it easier to beat.
- The Settler holds its knights until the robber lands on one of its own hexes. Until then, its army stays small.
- Merchants and Veterans play Monopoly once the rest of the table holds three or more of one resource. If a bot is sitting on an unplayed development card, don’t stockpile the resource it needs.
- The Veteran plays knights early whenever Largest Army is in reach, and keeps laying road while it is within one segment of the Longest Road holder. Leave yourself a margin of two, not one.
- Merchants and Veterans move the robber onto the leader. If that is you, expect your best hex to go quiet for a while, and keep a second strong number in your opening.
Settings for solo practice
- Pace. Bots move at a relaxed, brisk or swift pace. Swift makes a full game against three bots much shorter.
- Points to win. Drop to 6 or 7 for a quick practice of openings, or raise it to see how bots play a long game.
- Balanced dice. Rolls come from a shuffled set of all 36 combinations, so a loss is about your choices, not a streak of bad luck.
- Friendly robber. Keeps the robber off anyone with 2 points or fewer, which helps while you learn.
For the ideas the Veteran plays by, read our strategy guide for hex trading games. On sea maps, the Seafarers guide explains ships and fog.
Bots in online games
Bots also fill seats in online rooms. A host can add them to round out a table of friends, and if a player drops out of an online game, they have two minutes to come back before a Merchant bot takes the seat and plays on for them. See how to play online with friends for rooms and invites, and the pricing page for what each plan includes.
Looking for other places to play against the computer? Our list of games like Catan you can play online notes which ones have bots.
Questions people ask
Can I play a Catan-style game against the computer for free?
Yes. A free Hearthsea account plays against bots on the Standard and Balanced maps with no limit on games. The Pass adds the other five Classic maps, and the Seafarers add-on adds nine sea maps.
Which bot level should I start with?
Start with three Settlers and the guided game. Move to Merchants once you win two in a row, then add Veterans. One Veteran at a table of Merchants is a good middle step.
How does the Veteran bot track my cards?
It estimates every hand from public events such as production, builds, trades and discards. A stolen card stays hidden from it, just as it would be for a person at the table.
How many bots can I play against?
Up to five, for a six-player table. Each bot has its own level, so one table can mix Settlers, Merchants and Veterans.
Do the bots trade with me?
Merchants and Veterans make and answer trade offers. Settlers rarely trade with players and only use the bank when their hand is overflowing.
Sources
Facts about Hearthsea come from the game itself and its rules and pricing pages. Facts about other games come from their own websites. All were checked on 6 October 2026.
Keep reading
Try it on a real table
Make a free account and play against bots on the Standard and Balanced maps. Hearthsea Pass adds online games with friends, from $5 a month.
CATAN is a registered trademark of Catan GmbH. Hearthsea is an independent game and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Catan GmbH or its publishers. Other game names belong to their owners and are used here only to describe and compare.