Power Grid: Middle East/South Africa
Power Grid: Middle East/South Africa Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Middle East
Introduction
For decades, there has been an abundance of oil in the Middle East. However, in the near future the so-called "peak oil" threatens this area: This is the point in time when the output of the oil wells begins to decrease. Already, a few countries of this region have nuclear power plants, and that number will increase in the future, as the amount of oil from the wells diminishes. Most likely, other energy sources will play a part, too, such as the recycling of plastic waste.
The players start the game with an excessive supply of oil. Additionally, the players have access to plenty of natural gas (using the coal tokens of the base game) and a few solar plants (the green power plants). However, at the start of the game the players cannot buy nuclear or garbage power plants.
During Step 2 the abundance of oil and natural gas will run dry. Both nuclear and garbage power plants will then be available as alternatives. Thus, in the middle of the game the players are forced to adjust their power plant mix.
Preparation
Place 3 garbage tokens and 1 uranium token back into the box. The players only use 21 garbage and 11 uranium tokens during the game.
Fill the following spaces of the resource market: coal (natural gas) - spaces 2–8, oil - spaces 2–8, garbage - space 8, uranium - spaces 12–16. On the map, the cheapest starting spaces for each resource show this (star) symbol.
At the start of the game and during Step 1, the players do not have access to garbage or nuclear power plants. After preparing the power plant market and the power plant stack, remove the power plants "06", "11", or "14" (the ones with a plug on the back) if they appear in the current market.
As long as garbage or nuclear power plants are part of the future market, they stay there and are not removed! But if the players move them into the current market when placing new power plants to replace those removed, remove them from the game, returning them to the box.
If the removed power plants have a plug on the back, remove them from the game, returning them to the box. Place the bigger power plants face down below the power plant stack.
Depending on the number of players, place the matching resource refill card for Middle East on the game board.
During the Game
Phase 2: Auction Power Plants
During Step 1, if the players move garbage or nuclear power plants into the current market, they immediately remove them.
If the removed power plants have a plug on the back, remove them from the game, returning them to the box. Place the removed bigger power plants face down below the power plant stack.
Phase 5: Bureaucracy
Resupply the resource market: The resources are filled in accordance with the Middle East resource refill summary cards. When doing this, always refill the stated amount of oil. If there are not enough oil tokens in the supply, relocate the oil tokens starting from the most expensive market space to the space for 1 Elektro and continuing backward until you have transferred the amount shown on the resupply card. The oil space for 1 Elektro can hold any number of oil tokens. The prices for garbage and uranium each can only drop to 2 Elektro.
Update the power plant market: During Step 2, place the two biggest power plants, one after the other, from the future market face down below the power plant stack. Remove the first power plant and draw a new power plant from the stack, before removing the second power plant.
The 3 Steps of the Game
Step 2
After drawing the Step 3 card for the first time, Step 2 will begin at the start of the next phase. Connecting 7 cities will not trigger Step 2! Shuffle the power plant stack with the remaining power plants and place the Step 3 card again face down below that stack. Continue with the actual phase by drawing a new power plant if necessary.
At the start of Step 2 (and just this once) remove the two lowest numbered power plants, one after the other, from the current market, returning them to the box. Remove the first power plant and draw a new power plant from the stack, before removing the second power plant.
Step 3
After drawing the Step 3 card for the second time, Step 3 will begin at the start of the next phase.
South Africa
Introduction
The energy supply in South Africa is executed almost exclusively by a single trust, which is the seventh biggest energy supplier in the world measured against the production of energy. Roughly 90% of the energy is produced in coal power plants. Additionally, South Africa uses a few nuclear power plants and both water and wind ecological power plants.
Because of its size, the trust also supplies half of the rest of Africa with energy. Thus, the game board contains six international power connections and a lot of available coal.
Preparation
Fill the following spaces of the resource market: coal - spaces 1–8, oil - spaces 4–8, garbage - spaces 5–8, uranium - spaces 12–16. On the map, the cheapest starting spaces for each resource show this (star) symbol.
There is a storage space for coal below the resource market. At the beginning of the game, this storage space is empty, as all coal tokens are placed on the spaces of the resource market.
Remove the oil power plant "07" from the game, returning it to the box. Then, prepare the power plant market and power plant stack as usual.
Depending on the number of players, place the matching resource refill card for South Africa on the game board.
During the Game
Phase 3: Buy Resources
The players can always buy coal for 8 Elektro from the storage space below the resource market. As players use coal, they place the coal tokens on the storage space below the resource market. If the players deplete the coal in the resource market, they can buy the coal from that storage space.
Phase 4: Build Houses
The major cities Capetown, Durban, Johannesburg and Pretoria are made up of two cities with a connection cost of 0 Elektro.
From the start of the game, the players can use the connections with costs of 30 Elektro to the neighboring countries of South Africa. These 30 Elektro are the complete costs, there are no additional building costs! Only a single player can use each such connection by placing a house on the space with the flag. Immediately update their position on the scoring track for connected cities.
Phase 5: Bureaucracy
If players supply electricity by using coal, they place these coal markers on the storage space below the resource market. When resupplying the resource market the players take the coal markers from this storage space.
The resources are filled in accordance with the South Africa resource refill summary cards.