Power Grid Deluxe: Europe/North America

2014

Join the power struggle in Power Grid Deluxe: Europe/North America! Auction, speculate, and strategize your way to victory in this electrifying board game.

120
minutes

2 - 6
player(s)

12+

Medium Heavy

About the game

Power Grid Deluxe: Europe/North America is a captivating and meticulously designed board game that offers players an exciting journey into the world of power production and distribution. Set against the vibrant and diverse backdrop of Europe and North America, this game is a testament to strategic planning, economic foresight, and environmental responsibility.

In this game, you are no mere bystander, but an influential power magnate tasked with the responsibility of supplying electricity to the ever-growing cities spread across the map. The game’s theme is deeply rooted in real-world power industry dynamics, simulating the tension between renewable energy and fossil fuels, the struggle for market dominance, and the constant need for technological advancements.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

Power Grid Deluxe: Europe/North America is a strategic game set in various regions where players represent companies that own power plants and try to supply electricity to cities. Here are the components involved in the game:

1. Game Board: The board depicts a map with numerous cities and connections between them. Players will build power plants in these cities and create networks.

2. Power Plant Cards: These cards represent various types of power plants (coal, oil, garbage, nuclear, wind, and fusion) that players can auction and purchase. Each card indicates the type of resources the plant requires, the cost of the plant, and how many cities it can power.

3. Resource Tokens: There are four types of resource tokens – coal, oil, garbage, and uranium. Players buy these resources to power their plants.

4. Money: This is the currency used in the game. Players use money to bid on power plants, buy resources, and expand their networks.

5. Houses: Each player has a set of houses in their color. Houses are placed on the board to represent a player’s network in a city.

6. Player Order Track: This track determines the turn order for each round based on the number of cities in a player’s network and the highest-numbered power plant they own.

7. Step 3 Card: This card is placed at the bottom of the power plant deck. When drawn, it triggers the last phase (Step 3) of the game, introducing more efficient power plants and more resources.

8. Summary Cards: These cards provide an overview of the actions each player can take during their turn.

All these components interact to create a dynamic game where players bid on power plants, buy resources, expand their networks, and attempt to produce the most electricity. The player who can power the most cities at the end of the game is the winner.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

Power Grid Deluxe: Europe/North America is a strategic game where players compete to supply the most cities with power. To set up the game, follow these steps:

Place the game board: Unfold the game board and place it in the middle of the table. The game board features a map of Europe on one side and North America on the other. Choose which side to play based on your preference.
Assign player roles: Each player chooses a color and takes the matching wooden houses. Players also take an overview card in their color, which serves as a summary of actions and costs during the game. The player who most recently turned off a light is the starting player. They take the “1” token and the turn order is determined clockwise from this player.
Prepare the resource market: Sort the resources (coal, oil, garbage, and uranium) into four separate stacks. The exact number of resources depends on the number of players. The resource market is filled from left to right, top to bottom, starting with coal, then oil, garbage, and uranium.
Prepare the power plant market: Shuffle the power plant cards and place them in a draw pile. Draw the top 8 cards and place them on the power plant market on the game board. The four lowest numbered power plants are available to purchase, while the four highest numbered plants are the future market.
Prepare the player order: The player order is initially determined by the order in which players bought their first power plant. The player with the highest numbered power plant goes first. If there’s a tie, the player who bought the power plant first goes first.

There are some random elements in the game. The power plant market can change each round and resources are refilled based on the number of cities that have been connected. When a player connects a city, they place one of their houses on it. The cost to connect a city and the amount of income it generates can also vary.

Game flow Round and round we go

Power Grid Deluxe: Europe/North America is a strategic board game that involves competitive resource management and area control. Players represent companies that produce electricity and aim to supply cities with power. The game is divided into several phases and steps, each with specific actions for the players.

Step 1: Determining the Player Order

Players are ranked according to the number of cities they are powering. The player with the most cities goes last, while the player with the fewest cities goes first.
In case of a tie, the player with the highest-numbered power plant goes later.

Step 2: Auction Power Plants

Starting in player order, a player can choose a power plant from the market to bid on. The minimum bid is the number on the power plant.
Bidding continues clockwise until only one bidder remains, who then buys the power plant.
A new power plant is drawn from the deck to replace the bought one, and the market is reordered if necessary.
If a player passes on bidding, they cannot rejoin bidding for other power plants in that round.

Step 3: Buying Resources

In reverse player order, players buy resources (coal, oil, garbage, uranium) to power their plants. The cost of resources changes as they are bought.
Players can store resources in their power plants for future use, but there are storage limits.

Step 4: Building

Still in reverse player order, players can build power stations in cities on the board. The cost to build in a city depends on the number of existing stations and the connection costs to other cities.
Players can only build a station in a city if they can connect it to one of their existing stations.

Step 5: Bureaucracy

Players use their resources to power their cities. They earn cash based on the number of cities they power.
The resource market is restocked based on the number of players and the step of the game.
The highest-numbered power plant is removed from the market and replaced, and the market is reordered if necessary.

In Power Grid Deluxe: Europe/North America, the game progresses from Step 1 to Step 3, which is repeated until a player has built a certain number of cities (depending on the number of players). The game then moves to Step 2. The player who can power the most cities at the end of the game is the winner.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

The game of ‘Power Grid Deluxe: Europe/North America’ is a strategy board game where players represent companies that generate electricity. The game proceeds in a series of rounds, each of which represents a player’s turn. During their turn, a player can take several actions, each affecting the gameplay in different ways.

Phase 1: Determine Player Order

At the start of each round, the player order is determined based on the number of cities each player powers. The player who is able to supply electricity to the most cities goes first.

Phase 2: Auction Power Plants

The first player begins the auction for the power plants. Each player can bid or pass. The highest bidder adds the power plant to their company and adjusts their resources accordingly.

Strategic Choices: Players may choose to bid aggressively for high-output power plants, or save their money for later phases. The power plants can influence the player’s strategy for the rest of the game.

Phase 3: Buying Resources

Starting with the player who is last in the turn order, each player can buy resources (coal, oil, garbage, or uranium) from the resource market. The resources are needed to power the plants and the price varies depending on the supply and demand.

Strategic Choices: Players may choose to buy resources they don’t immediately need to drive up the price for others, or they may choose to diversify their power plants to use resources that are in less demand.

Phase 4: Building

Starting with the last player, each player can build power stations in cities on the game board. The first station in a city costs less than subsequent stations.

Strategic Choices: Players may choose to expand aggressively to increase their income and the maximum number of cities they can power, or they may choose to build in more distant cities to limit other players’ expansion possibilities.

Phase 5: Bureaucracy

Players earn cash based on the number of cities they supply with electricity, refill the resource market, and remove the lowest power plant from the auction.

Strategic Choices: During the bureaucracy phase, players may choose to power fewer cities than they could in order to conserve resources for subsequent rounds, especially when resources are scarce or expensive.

The game ends when a player builds a certain number of cities (depending on the number of players). The player who can supply electricity to the most cities is the winner.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

Power Grid Deluxe: Europe/North America is a strategic board game where players compete to supply the most cities with power. The game ends when a player has built a certain number of cities (dependent on the number of players in the game) and the round is completed.

When a player has built the requisite number of cities, it triggers the end of the game. However, it is important to complete the current round so that all players have an equal number of turns. After the round is complete, the victory conditions are assessed:

Most Cities Powered: The player who can supply power to the most cities in the final round wins the game. Each player totals the number of cities in their network that they can power using the power plants and resources they have.
Tie Breakers: In the event of a tie, the player with the most remaining money wins. If there is still a tie, the player with the highest-numbered power plant wins.

Before final scoring, players must take the following actions:

Calculate Power: Each player must calculate how many cities they can power with their current power plants and resources. It’s important to note that a player doesn’t need to power all of their cities, but only the ones they can.
Spend Resources: Players must spend the necessary resources to power their cities. These resources are then removed from the player’s supply.
Count Money: Players count their remaining money. This is used in case of a tie.
Check Power Plant Numbers: Players should also check the numbers on their power plants. This is used in case of a tie where players have equivalent cities powered and money.

Remember, in Power Grid Deluxe: Europe/North America, the objective is not just to build the biggest network of cities, but to efficiently power as many cities as possible. So, strategize your actions to ensure that you can power your cities at the end of the game.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

In the game of ‘Power Grid Deluxe: Europe/North America’, the scoring process is crucial for determining the winner. It involves a few essential aspects:

1. Number of Cities Powered:

The main way to score in ‘Power Grid Deluxe’ is by powering cities. At the end of each round, players count the number of cities they successfully powered during the round, and collect money accordingly. The more cities powered, the more money a player gets, which can be used to buy better power plants, raw materials, or expand to new cities.

2. Number of Cities in the Network:

At game’s end, the player who has the greatest number of cities in their network (regardless of whether they are powered or not) is the first aspect to determine the winner.

3. The Most Efficient Power Plants:

If there is a tie for the most cities, the player with the most efficient power plant (the one with the highest number in the bottom right corner) is the second determinant of the winner.

Here is a more detailed breakdown:

At the end of the game, players count the total number of cities in their network. This is the primary way to score points. Each city contributes one point to the player’s total score.
If two or more players are tied for the most cities, the tie is broken by looking at the players’ most efficient power plant. The player with the highest-numbered power plant wins the tie. If there is still a tie, the player with the second highest-numbered power plant wins, and so on.

In the rare case that there is still a tie after considering the most efficient power plants, the game rules do not offer a further tie-breaking rule. In such cases, it is common to consider the game a draw, or to invent a house rule to break the tie.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Power Grid Deluxe: Europe/North America has a few special rules and exceptions that are important to remember when playing. Here are some rare rules, exceptions, and clarifications:

Step 3: In the standard rules, step 3 begins when the ‘Step 3’ card is drawn. However, in some rare situations, step 3 can begin even if the ‘Step 3’ card is not drawn. This occurs when there are no more power plants to draw from the power plant draw stack.
Power Plant Market: It’s important to remember that the power plant market is always sorted in ascending order of the power plants’ numbers. Even in the rare case where a higher numbered plant is cheaper than a lower numbered one, the order still remains the same.
Green Power Plants: Green power plants do not consume resources. But, in the rare case when a player’s green power plant is his only power plant and he has no cities, he can still buy resources.

Here are some important rule clarifications:

Power Plants Auction: During the auction phase, you can only bid on power plants in the current market. The future market is only for viewing the upcoming power plants.
Resource Restocking: Resources are restocked at the end of each round, not during the buying resources phase. Therefore, if a resource is depleted during the buying resources phase, players will not be able to buy that resource until the next round.
End Game Conditions: The game ends immediately when a player has built a certain number of cities, depending on the number of players. The winner is not necessarily the player who triggered the end of the game, but the player who can power the most cities.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Advanced Strategies:

1. City Expansion: In ‘Power Grid Deluxe: Europe/North America’, it’s important to plan your city expansion carefully. Try to build in regions that your opponents are not targeting, so you can maximize your earnings without competition.

2. Resource Management: Always keep an eye on the resource market. Try to anticipate what resources other players will need and buy them first if possible. This can increase their costs and give you a strategic advantage.

3. Power Plant Auctions: Be smart about which power plants you bid on. Aim for plants that use resources that are currently abundant and cheap, and try to outbid your opponents on plants that are crucial to their strategy.

Beginner Tips:

1. Understand the Game Phases: ‘Power Grid Deluxe: Europe/North America’ has five phases: determine player order, auction power plants, buying resources, building structures, and bureaucracy. Understanding each phase is crucial to develop a solid strategy.

2. Keep Track of Your Money: Money management is key in this game. Always have a clear idea of your income and expenses, and make sure to save enough money for resource purchases and city expansions.

3. Start Slow: At the beginning of the game, focus on building a solid base rather than rushing to expand. It’s important to establish a stable income before you start investing heavily in new cities and power plants.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

1. Overbidding on Power Plants: It’s easy to get caught up in the auction phase and spend too much on power plants. Remember, the goal of the game is to make money, not to own the most power plants.

2. Neglecting Resources: Some beginners focus too much on expanding their cities and neglect their resource supply. Without enough resources, you won’t be able to power your cities and generate income.

3. Ignoring Opponents: Don’t forget to pay attention to what your opponents are doing. Try to anticipate their moves and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

1. Optimal Bidding: Try to determine the true value of a power plant before you bid on it. Consider factors like its efficiency, the availability and cost of its resources, and its potential income.

2. Strategic Resource Buying: Buy resources strategically to create shortages for your opponents and drive up their costs.

3. Wise City Expansion: Expand wisely by targeting cities that are cheap to build in and offer good returns. Also consider cities that block your opponents’ expansion plans.