Cities and Knights rule questions?

Question

I have a few questions about Cities and Knights rules. I somehow lost my instruction manual so I can't look it up. Thanks to anyone who can answer these.

1. When do you start moving the barbarian ship? Does it start from the very beginning or do you wait two rounds to give people a breather? Does that change with 5-6 people?

2. Can you use 3-1 ports and 2-1 ports to trade resources in for a commodity?

3. Can you use the merchant to trade 2 resources in for a commodity?

4. At any time in the game can you trade four commodities in for one of another commodity with the 4:1 trade?

5. At the third level of cloth when you turn over the merchant guild and gain the ability to trade any commodity at the 2:1 rate, can you trade 2 commodities in for a resource?

Thanks for your help!

Answer 1

1.  They start immediately.  The only breather is that the robber cannot "land" untl the first Barbarian invasion.  Better build and feed a knight.

2.  Yes

3.  Yes.

4.  Yes.

5.  Yes.

All confirmed answers.  Enjoy the game.

rm