Power Grid: Outpost Rulebook

Table of Contents

Contents
Power Grid: Outpost for 2 Players: “Against the Trust”
The Cards in Power Grid: Outpost – Power Plants, Shelters, Technologies
The Structures in Power Grid: Outpost – Houses, Power Plants, Shelters
Preparation
- Payment Summary — Elektro Earned per Supplied City
Playing the Game
Phase 1: Determine Player Order
Phase 2: Auction Cards
- a. Choose a card for auction
- b. Pass the auction
Phase 3: Expand the Network and Company
Phase 4: Bureaucracy
The 3 Steps
- Step 1
- Step 2
- Step 3
Game End and Winning the Game
Power Grid: Outpost for 2 Players: “Against the Trust”
Glossary: Technologies
Summary: The Phases of a Round
Summary: The 3 Steps of the Game
- Step 1
- Step 2
- Step 3
Credits

This copy of Power Grid: Outpost contains:

1 game board
46 playing cards (22 power plants, 15 shelters, 8 technologies, 1 “Step 3” card)
6 overview cards “payment & round overview”
6 company boards (1 each in 6 player colors)
120 houses (20 each in 6 player colors)
24 power plants (4 each in 6 player colors)
24 shelters (4 each in 6 player colors)
50 workers
9 robots
1 “Step 2” barrier
1 “Game end” barrier
1 gavel
120 Elektro money tiles (40 “1s”, 15 “5s”, 40 “10s”, 25 “50s”)
20 discount tiles (4 each for 1 to 5 Elektro)
46 connection cost tiles
1 rule booklet

Power Grid: Outpost for 2 Players: “Against the Trust”

In a 2-player game, you must incorporate the machinations of a competing Trust into your plans. Try, if you can, to use them against your opponent.

Below we will describe all rules, including all rules for 2–6 players. At the end of the rules booklet you will find additional rules for playing against the Trust.

The Cards in Power Grid: Outpost – Power Plants, Shelters, Technologies

There are 3 different types of cards: power plants, shelters, and technologies. You can only use power plants and shelters, if you place them on your company board. You can always use technologies after you have purchased them in the auctions.

The colors and symbols of the cards show the type of cards:
- a. Green represents power plants (solar energy and geothermal energy). You need a number of workers to run them, so that you can supply a certain number of cities with electricity in each round. Even if you have enough workers at hand, you can only run each power plant once per round. You can choose which power plants you run. You do not have to supply all your connected cities with electricity, even if you can produce enough. You can also temporarily decommission your power plants if you do not have enough workers.
- b. Yellow represents shelters, where you can accommodate workers. These workers then work permanently for you.
- c. Blue represents technologies offering personal advantages. They are explained later in the glossary.
The pictures in the middle are illustrations of the three card types and have no role in the game.
The numbers on the top of the cards represent the minimum acceptable bid when you auction the cards. Use these numbers to sort the cards by size in the card market. Also use them to determine the player order when several players are connected the same number of cities with houses to their power grids. When the rules mention bigger or lower cards, the rules refer to the cards with the highest or lowest numbers in the card market.

Example: The minimum bid for the power plant “12” is 12 Elektro. It needs exactly 2 workers to supply 2 cities with electricity.

Example: The shelter “26” offers space for up to 3 workers.

Example: With the technology “Data Library” always pay 5 Elektro less for each of your purchased cards.

The Structures in Power Grid: Outpost – Houses, Power Plants, Shelters

You can build 3 different structures in your networks: houses, power plants, and shelters.

Each city offers 3 spaces for houses of up to three players and 1 space either for a power plant or for a shelter of exactly 1 person.

The rules for placing each of the three structures are the same. While all structures are part of your network, your focus is on placing houses. You connect the cities to your power grid with houses and their number is crucial for victory or defeat. Place power plant and shelter tokens as needed to use your purchased power plant and shelter cards.

In each city, you can have a maximum of 1 house AND either 1 power plant or 1 shelter.

Houses: Connect cities with houses to your power grid to supply them with electricity from your power plants. The number of cities in your power grid determines both your position in the player order and the end of the game. Keep track of the number of cities connected with houses on the scoring track for connected cities and on your spaces at the top of your company boards.

Power plants and shelters: The card spaces on your company board are blocked at the start of the game. By building power plants or shelters in the cities, you unlock the individual card spaces on your company board. Only then can you use your purchased power plant and shelter cards.

Example: Anna already connected 2 cities in her network with houses to her power grid.

Example: Paul built a power plant in his network and unlocked the card space on his company board.

Preparation

Lay out the game board.

The planetary surface is divided in 3 areas. Always play on the big central area.

4 – 6 players: Add 1 small area of your choice with 4 players. Play with all 3 areas with 5 or 6 players.
Shuffle the connection cost tiles and place them in random order face up on the matching spaces between the cities.

2 – 4 players: cover the connection cost tiles on spaces that lie outside the selected areas. You cannot use these connections during the game.
Place the following number of workers depending on the number of players on the first 8 spaces of the labor market; place the double quantity on the last space for 10 Elektro. Place any remaining workers into the game box; you do not need them anymore.

Players 2–3 4 5–6
Workers 3 4 5
Total amount 30 40 50
Place the money and discount tiles sorted by values in the bank next to the game board. Place the gavel and robots in a supply beside the bank.
Each player takes 1 company board, 20 houses, 4 power plants, and 4 shelters in the chosen player color, and also 60 Elektro from the bank and 1 overview card “payment & round overview”.

Place 18 houses on the spaces atop your company board and the 4 power plants and 4 shelters on the respective card spaces below.

Place the components of the unchosen player colors into the game box.
Place 1 house of each color on space 0 of the scoring track for connected cities.

Take the remaining house of each player and randomly determine the player order by placing one house after the other on the left row of the player order track.
Place the white “Step 2” and the black “Game End” barriers on the scoring track for connected cities. Place them on the border of the following spaces depending on the number of players.

Players 2 3–4 5 6
Space 7 7 7 6
Space 18 17 15 14
Prepare the card stack. Sort the playing cards in three stacks: 13 cards with a plug on the back (numbers “02”–”14”), the “Step 3” card, and the remaining 32 cards with a socket on the back.

Shuffle both the 13 cards with a plug on the back and the 32 cards with a socket on the back separately.
- a. Place 9 cards with a plug on the back facedown next to the “Step 3” card.
- b. Place the following cards into the game box depending on the number of players:
  - 2 – 3 players: 2 cards with a plug and 6 cards with a socket on the back.
  - 4 players: 1 card with a plug and 3 cards with a socket on the back.
- c. Shuffle the remaining cards with plugs and sockets on the back together and place them out as a face down card stack.
- d. Place the “Step 3” card face down below that stack and the 9 cards with a plug on the back face down on top. The plug on the back tells players that the card on top of the stack is a weaker one.
Prepare the card market. The card market comprises of two rows each with 4 spaces: the current market with lower cards in the top row and the future market with the bigger cards in the bottom row.

First, draw 8 cards from the card stack and place them face up. Sort them in ascending order by their numbers. If you draw several cards with number “5”, place them in a single stack in the current market. That does not apply for cards with the same number in the future market, where you initially place those cards separately on adjacent spaces.

Now, if there are still empty spaces in the card market, draw one card after another and sort them in the market until all 8 spaces of the card market are filled.

There should always be 4 DIFFERENT types of cards available in the current market, so you have an adequate possibility of choice during the game. As this game contains many cards with the same numbers, you place them in stacks in the current market. As you do not buy cards in the future market, there are no stacks.

Players	2–3	4	5–6
Workers	3	4	5
Total amount	30	40	50

Players	2	3–4	5	6
Space	7	7	7	6
Space	18	17	15	14

This completes the game preparations. We hope you enjoy playing the game!

Payment Summary — Elektro Earned per Supplied City

Cities	Elektro	Cities	Elektro	Cities	Elektro
0	10	7	82	14	129
1	22	8	90	15	134
2	33	9	98	16	138
3	44	10	105	17	142
4	54	11	112	18	145
5	64	12	118	19	148
6	73	13	124	20	150

Playing the Game

Power Grid: Outpost is played over several rounds. Each round of the game has four phases. In each phase, all players take their actions in the order specified for the phase, before the game continues to the next phase. The four phases are:

Determine player order
Auction cards
Expand the network and company
Bureaucracy

Additionally, the game is played through 3 steps. The steps determine how many players can supply the cities with electricity. Building power plants or shelters is unrestricted by the steps. The game usually ends in Step 3, but in some cases may end in Step 2.

The game ends during the round when at least one player connects a certain number of cities with houses to their power grid. You win the game if you supply the most cities in your power grid with electricity from your power plants.

Phase 1: Determine Player Order

Determine the player order for the current round.

The first player is the player with the most cities connected with houses (the house on the highest numbered space of the scoring track for connected cities). If two or more players are tied for the most cities, the first player is the player among them with the biggest card (check all cards on your company board and in your supply). Place their house on the first space of the left row of the player order track, and the houses of the other players accordingly on the second space and following.

Because of cards with the same numbers there can be another tie. Check the second highest card among them and so on. If you cannot solve the tie, the affected players switch their position in the player order.

Remember: At the beginning of the game, you determined the player order randomly for the first round. Immediately continue with phase 2.

Example: Paul has connected 6 cities, Nikki and Anna 4 each, and Bob only 3. Paul is first player and places his house on the first space of the player order track (1). Nikki and Anna are tied with 4 connected cities and check for the biggest card. Nikki has card “22” and Anna has card “16”. Thus, Nikki places her house on the second space, Anna on the third (2). Bob places his house as last player on the fourth space (3).

Phase 2: Auction Cards

Purchase new power plants, shelters for workers, and exclusive technologies to gain advantages over your competition.

Play this phase in player order, beginning with the first player (the house on the first space of the player order track). You can purchase a maximum of 1 card.

When it is your turn, choose between the following two actions:

a. Choose a card for auction

Choose one of the four cards in the current market to start the auction and place the gavel on that card. You may not choose one of the cards in the future market!

Example: Paul chooses the card “04” for the auction and places the gavel on the card.

Make a bid to purchase the card. The bid must match or be higher than the number of the card. Continuing in clockwise order, all players may make higher bids or pass. When you pass, you may not re-enter this auction. Keep bidding or passing in clockwise order until one player remains. That player pays their highest bid to the bank and takes the card. Then they move their house from the left row to the same number in the right row of the player order track.

Example: Nikki purchased the chosen power plant and places her house from the left row to the same number in the right row of the player order track.

Immediately, draw a new card from the card stack to replace the one bought and place it in the card market. Rearrange the cards in ascending order of numbers: the cards with the four lowest numbers in the current market, and the higher cards in the future market.

Keep the following rules in mind:

First round: Play this phase at the start of the game twice in sequence. During the first auction each player must purchase 1 card; during the second auction you may pass as well. Because the player order was determined randomly at the beginning of the game, FOR ONE TIME ONLY determine the player order again after the first auction. As all players will have bought one card, use the tied rule to determine player order before the second auction (see Phase 1: Determine player order).
If you auction a card with one or more discount tiles starting with the second round, reduce the minimum bid of the card matching the total amount of discount tiles.
If you place a new card in the current market, leave all discount tiles on the other cards.
If you do not purchase all discounted cards in the market, leave all discount tiles on the remaining cards.
If you place a new card in the current market with a number of a card already in the current market, place these cards together in a single stack with the new card on top. Place discount tiles on top of the stack, if any. Purchase only the topmost card of the stack and leave the other cards on their space in the market; do not draw a replacement card in this case. Discount tiles are always only valid for the topmost card; when purchasing the card, place the discount tiles into the game box. If you must move a stack of cards with the same number to the future market, keep the cards in a stack. If you draw more cards with that number, place them on the stack.
If you place a new card in the future market with a number of a card already in the future market, do not form a stack. Instead place the new card to the right of the old card. As a result, a card with the same number can be pushed in the current market.
Once you have purchased 1 card in a round, you cannot bid for another card in the same round nor can you offer a card at auction. Remember: your house is in the right row of the player order track.
Always place your purchased cards in a face up supply next to your company board. You can use technology cards immediately after purchase. You need to unlock the card spaces on your company board during phase 3 (Expand network and company), before you can use your power plant and shelter cards.
When you start the auction and purchase the card you chose, the next player in turn order takes their turn, if they have not already purchased a card this round (their house is still in the left row of the player order track). If another player purchases your chosen card, you may choose to auction a different card from the current market or pass.
You can have any number of cards. You never scrap cards and do not place them into the game box.
The last player to start an auction in a round pays the minimum bid to buy the power plant they choose.

Example: Discount tiles remain on their cards when you place new cards in the current market and move the discounted cards into the future market.

b. Pass the auction

If you do not want to offer a card for auction, you must pass and quit this phase. When you do so, you cannot bid in later auctions during this phase and thus will not get a new card this round. To show this, move your house on the player order track to the same numbered space on the right row. The next player in player order takes their turn, if they have not already purchased a card this phase (their house is still in the left row of the player order track).

After all players finish this phase, move all houses on the player order track back to the left row.

Phase 3: Expand the Network and Company

Build a network with your structures. Connect cities with houses to your power grid and secure spaces for your power plants and shelters as well. Employ workers, who will later run your power plants.

Play this phase in reverse player order, beginning with the last player (the house on the last space of the player order track).

Take the following three actions in the following order during your turn. You may pass on certain or even all actions.

a) Expand your network

The rules for placing each the three structures are the same. Still, your focus is on connecting cities with houses to your power grid. You unlock card spaces on your company board by building power plants and shelters, but you will not win the game with that. Up to three players can each have 1 house in a city, but only one player can either build 1 power plant or 1 shelter there depending on the space.

Start your network by placing one of your structures in any free city anywhere in the contiguous playing area. During Step 1 a city is free, if there is no house or no power plant/no shelter on the respective spaces. Thus, you can choose a city, where another player already chose one of these two options.

Example: After Paul placed a house in the city (1), Bob can start his power grid in this city by placing a power plant (2).

The numbers on the spaces show the building costs. Pay 10 Elektro for building the first house and 5 Elektro for building a power plant or shelter.

All cities with your structures are part of your network. When you choose subsequent cities to build more structures, they always connect to at least one city with one of your structures in your network. You must pay connection costs between the cities and building costs for a free space in the new city. Always choose the cheapest connection(s) between both cities and pay the total of connection costs and cheapest building cost available. If you build your second structure in a city, only pay the building cost.

Keep the following rules in mind:

You can place at max 1 house and either a power plant or shelter in a city. You can connect each city only with 1 house to your power grid, so up to 3 players can connect the cities to their power grids during Step 3.
You can place structures in any number of cities anywhere in the contiguous playing area, if the cities still offer space in the current Step of the game. Use any number of connections including connections from cities, where you “just” placed a structure. You may pass through a city without placing a structure. Always pay all costs, even if you have used certain connections before.
You may never use any cities or connections that lie outside of the selected playing zone during the game!
You do not have to choose your starting city in the first round. You may start your network in later rounds, possibly to tactically influence your position on the player order track.
If you place several structures at once, we suggest placing the new structures on their sides for the moment. Thus, you can easily check all costs and connections. Only after paying all costs, place the structures in their normal position.
When you connect a new city with a house to your power grid immediately update your position on the scoring track for connected cities. That track and the empty spaces at the top of your company board always show the number of your connected cities in your network.

Example: During Step 1 Anna expands her network for 8 Elektro to the next city and connects it with a house to her power grid for 10 Elektro (1). Then, she expands her network again for 5 Elektro and builds a shelter for 5 Elektro in the city with Nikki’s house (2). Anna pays a total of 28 Elektro (connection costs of 8+5 and building costs of 10+5 Elektro) (3).

b) Expand your company

To use your purchased power plant and shelter cards, you must place them on the unlocked card spaces of your company board. You can do this any number of times with this action.

Shelters: Place a shelter card from your supply on each of your unlocked card spaces. Each shelter offers living quarters for the listed number of workers, who will work permanently for you.

You can also exchange shelters from your company board with shelter cards from your supply that offer more living quarters for your workers.

Power plants: Place a power plant card from your supply on each of your unlocked card spaces. With each power plant and the listed number of workers you can supply cities with electricity in phase 4 (Bureaucracy).

You can also exchange power plants from your company board with other power plant cards from your supply to either produce more electricity or to need less workers.

c) Employ workers

As explained in “The cards in Power Grid: Outpost”, you need the requested number of workers to run your power plants. This can be permanent and seasonal workers.

You do not need to hire seasonal workers. You are not obliged to run all your power plants in phase 4 (Bureaucracy), even if you can produce enough electricity. You can also temporarily decommission your power plants if you do not have enough workers. If the labor market is empty, you cannot employ further workers, not even for a higher price.

Permanent workers: Workers move in the empty spaces of your shelters, so they can work for you permanently. When you expand your company by replacing a smaller with a bigger shelter, there can be one or more empty spaces on the new shelter card.

Seasonal workers: If you do not have enough permanent workers to run your power plants, you can employ workers for one-time work.

So you pay the lowest prices for seasonal workers, determine the number of places on your shelters, both empty spaces and spaces occupied by permanent workers:

If there are at least as many spaces as you need to run the power plants, fill all empty spaces free of charge with workers from the labor market. This can be more than you currently need to run the power plants.
If there are not enough spaces to run the power plants, FIRST place the missing number as seasonal workers from the labor market next to your company board and pay their cheapest costs to the bank. You can only employ the missing needed number as seasonal workers to run the power plant, not more! Then fill all empty spaces free of charge in your shelters.

Example: Paul has 5 spaces on his shelters, 2 places are already occupied by permanent workers (1). He needs a total of 7 workers to run his power plants (2). First, Paul places 2 seasonal workers next to his company board and pays 9 Elektro to the bank (3). Then, he takes 3 workers free of charge and places them on the empty spaces of his shelter “26” (4).

After finishing all expansions of your network, your company, and hiring all required workers, move your house on the player order track to the same numbered space on the right row. The next player in player order takes their turn.

After all players finish this phase, move all houses on the player order track back to the left row.

Phase 4: Bureaucracy

Produce electricity and supply cities in your power grid to earn cash. Then dismiss the seasonal workers and place them back on the labor market.

1. Earn cash

Starting with the first player, indicate how many cities in your power grid you supply with electricity. Place the required number of workers on the power plants to show that you can produce electricity with them.

Earn cash based on the number of cities you supply as shown on the payment summary card. If you produce less electricity than is needed for the connected cities, you only earn money for the supplied cities. If you produce too much electricity, the excess power is lost. If you do not supply any cities get 10 Elektro (the guaranteed minimum).

Example: Paul connected 6 cities with houses to his power grid (1). He runs the power plants “03” and “25” on his company board. He has 7 workers on hand and produces electricity for 7 cities (2+5) (2). He earns 73 Elektro for 6 supplied cities (3). The surplus electricity is lost.

2. Dismiss seasonal workers

If you have shelters on your company board, place the matching number of workers back on the spaces. These workers continue to work for you next round. Place all surplus seasonal workers back on the labor market. Fill the spaces with workers starting with the most expensive space with empty slots. As a reminder, the amount depending on the number of players is shown to the left of the labor market.

The more workers live in your shelters, the more expensive the available workers on the labor market are.

Example: After everybody produced electricity and earned cash, Paul, Anna, Nikki, and Bob place their surplus seasonal workers back on the labor market. The cheapest workers cost 4 Elektro in the next round.

3. Update the card market

a) Discounts: Place discount tiles on the 4 cards in the current market in each of the first to fifth rounds. There can be several discount tiles on the same card.

Take the discount tiles for 1 Elektro during the first round, for 2 Elektro in the second round and so on. There are no new discount tiles starting with the sixth round. If the total value of the discount tiles equals or exceeds the minimum bid of the card, place the card and discount tiles into the game box. Draw a replacement card.

b) Remove the biggest card: Follow these rules:

Step 1 and Step 2: place the biggest card from the future market face down below the card stack. Draw a new card to replace it, and rearrange the power plant market appropriately. If the new card goes into the current market, leave all discount tiles on the other cards.

Exception: If you must move a stack of cards with the same number from the current to the future market, keep the cards in a stack. If you draw more cards with that number, place them on the stack instead of placing them separately.
Step 3: Do not remove any cards from the card market!

Phase 4 and the whole round are now complete. A new round starts with phase 1.

The 3 Steps

The steps during the game determine how many players can connect a city with houses to their power grid. Building power plants or shelters is not restricted by the steps.

Important rules for the steps to follow:

Step 1

The game starts with Step 1. Each city can only be connected with a house to the power grid of 1 player (only one house may stand in each city). The building cost for the first house is 10 Elektro.

Step 2

Step 2 starts at the beginning of Phase 4 (Bureaucracy) after at least one player has connected a certain number of cities to their power grid during phase 3 (Expand the network and company). As a reminder, the white “Step 2” barrier lies on the scoring track for connected cities.

Players	2–5	6
Connected cities	7	6

At the start of Step 2 (and just this once) place the lowest numbered card from the current market into the game box and replace it with a new one from the card stack.

Exception: If there is a stack of lowest cards in the current market, place only the topmost card (with discount tiles, if any) into the game box. Leave the remaining stack in the current market and do not draw a replacement card.

In Step 2, every city can be connected with a house to the power grids of 2 players (two different houses may stand in each city). The building cost for the second house is 15 Elektro. You may still place the first house for 10 Elektro in a city that is not connected to any power grid.

Step 3

Step 3 starts in the following phase after you drew the card “Step 3”! Extremely rarely, Step 3 may begin before Step 2. In this case, first perform all changes for Step 2 before directly continuing with the changes for Step 3.

This can happen in one of two ways:

If you draw the Step 3 card in Phase 2 (Auction cards), treat the card as the highest power plant for the remainder of this phase and place it at the end of the future market. Shuffle the card stack with the remaining cards and place it again face down. Continue the auction of cards and draw replacements as necessary until all players have their chance to purchase a new card or passed. Step 3 starts at the beginning of Phase 3 (Expand the network and company). Place the Step 3 card together with the lowest card into the game box. Do not draw replacements!
If you draw the Step 3 card in Phase 4 (Bureaucracy), immediately place it together with the lowest card in the current market into the game box. Do not draw replacements. Shuffle the card stack as described above and place it again face down. Step 3 starts at the beginning of the next round in Phase 1 (Determine player order).

Exception: If there is a stack of lowest cards in the current market, place the whole stack (with discount tiles, if any) together with the Step 3 card into the game box.

During Step 3, there are only 6 spaces in the card market. From now on you can bid on all available cards. There is no future market.

In Step 3, every city can be connected with a house to the power grids of 3 players (three different houses may stand in each city). The building cost for the third house is 20 Elektro. In Step 3, you may still place the first house for 10 Elektro in a city that is not connected to any power grid (or the second house when the space is available for 15 Elektro).

Game End and Winning the Game

The game ends immediately after Phase 3 (Expand the network and company) when at least one player has connected a minimum number of cities with houses to their power grid. As a reminder, the black “Game End” barrier lies on the scoring track for connected cities.

Players	2	3–4	5	6
Connected cities	18	17	15	14

You may connect additional cities beyond the number needed to end the game, if you need them to win.

Only check in the following Phase 4 (Bureaucracy) which player supplies electricity to the most cities in their power grid with their power plants. This is the number of cities you normally earn cash from during this phase. That player wins the game!

If there is a tie, the player with the most remaining money wins.

Sometimes a player other than the one ending the game (by connecting the appropriate number of cities) will win because the latter cannot supply electricity to all their cities. You do not need to earn cash in case of a tie for most supplied cities, as you would earn the same amount.

Power Grid: Outpost for 2 Players: “Against the Trust”

Introduction

When challenging a single opponent, you are confronted with the schemes of a huge Trust. This Trust blocks cities, snags the most attractive cards, and even employs workers to run its power plants.

The Trust uses its own company board and must unlock the card spaces as well to use its power plants and shelters.

All rules of the base game are in effect. Below you find all ADDITIONAL rules that let the Trust interfere in your game.

Preparation (2 Players)

The Trust needs its own space next to the game board. It takes its own company board, 4 power plants, 4 shelters, and 16 houses in its player color, plus one additional house for player order. The trust does not place a house on the scoring track for connected cities. The Trust does not get any money.
Randomly determine who of the two players is first player and place one of their houses on the first space of the player order. Place the additional house of the Trust on the second space and a house of the other player on the third.
Place 6 houses of the Trust on the 10 Elektro spaces of 6 adjacent cities: The first player places 1 Trust house on any one city of their choice. The other player places 2 houses, one at a time, adjacent to an already placed Trust house. Then the first player places the next 2 Trust houses, followed by the other player placing the last house, using the same rules. Place the remaining 10 houses of the Trust on the spaces 7 to 16 at the top of its company board.

Playing the Game (2 Players)

General rules

The Trust does not use money; it takes cards and workers for free. It places its houses, power plants, and shelters free of charge in the cities. The Trust does not trigger Step 2 of the game! Its houses, power plants, and shelters block the respective spaces in the cities.

Phase 1: Determine player order

During the whole game, the Trust is ALWAYS second in player order!

Phase 2: Auction cards

The Trust never participates in the auctions.

After the first player chooses a card for the first auction or passed, the Trust takes the biggest (fourth) card in the current market. It places it in its face up supply next to its company board. There is no auction for this card!

“Outpost”: If the Trust takes an “Outpost” technology card, it immediately places 1 house, 1 power plant, and 1 shelter from its company board on that card, if available. It places all other technology cards unused in its supply.

Phase 3: Expand the network and company

You cannot connect to the six cities during Step 1 of the game, where you placed the Trust’s houses on the spaces for 10 Elektro during the preparation. These cities are only available when Step 2 of the game starts.

As long as the Trust has houses in its supply, each time you connect a new city with a house, always place a house of the Trust on the space for 15 Elektro of that city. Thus, the first 10 cities you connect with houses are blocked during Step 2 and can only be connected again during Step 3 of the game.

When the Trust takes its turn and needs to unlock a card space on its company board for a power plant or shelter card in its supply, the last player chooses the matching cheapest space in a city as follows:

The Trust prefers an empty space in a city, that it already connected with a house to its power grid.
If there is no empty space in these cities, the Trust takes a space in a city adjacent to its whole network with the lowest connection costs.

Then the Trust places the new power plant or shelter card on the unlocked space.

If it has already unlocked all the respective card places and purchases a better card, it exchanges that for the worst card:

Power plants: The Trust uses the most effective power plants that produce the most electricity with the least number of workers.
Shelters: The Trust uses the shelters with the most spaces for workers.

After expanding the company, the Trust takes all needed (new) permanent workers and seasonal workers from the labor market.

Phase 4: Bureaucracy

The Trust places the matching number of workers on its shelters and all seasonal workers back on the labor market (at max 3 per space).

Game End

The game ends immediately after phase 3 (Expand the network and company) when at least one player has connected at least 18 cities with houses to their power grid.

The Trust cannot win – it only offers many possibilities to place obstacles in the way of the players.

Glossary: Technologies

Use the technologies for your advantage!

Power Grid: Outpost offers you several exclusive technologies. Their effects can give you decisive advantages.

If you purchase technologies, place them face up next to your company board. With the exception of the “Moon Base” you can use the effects of the technologies ASAP and until the end of the game.

The following technologies are available:

10 “Data Library”: If you make the highest bid, pay 5 Elektro less for the card.
16 “Ecoplants”: When hiring seasonal workers, pay 3 Elektro less for each worker.
21 “Robots”: Place a worker on this card once per round in phase 3 (Expand the network and company) to produce 1 robot. Take 1 robot from the supply next to the bank and place it next to the shelters on your company board. Each robot counts as a permanent worker, but does not need a space on a shelter. Use the robots together with workers to run power plants or on this card to produce more robots; thus, for each robot you need 1 less worker. You can have at max 9 robots.
24 “Nodule”: Each shelter card on your company board offers space for 1 additional worker.
30 “Outpost” – 2 cards: Place 1 house, 1 power plant, and 1 shelter for 0 Elektro each on this card during phase 3 (Expand the network and company). You can do this in different rounds. If you place a house, you connect this card as another city to your power grid; update your position on the scoring track for connected cities. You must supply this city with electricity the same as all other cities in your power grid in phase 4 (Bureaucracy) to earn cash.
35 “Laboratories”: Each power plant on your company board produces 1 additional electricity.
46 “Moon Base”: This card is both a shelter AND a power plant. To use this card, you must place it in phase 3 (Expand the network and company) on any unlocked card space of your company board. This card offers space for 3 permanent workers, who produce 4 electricity in phase 4 (Bureaucracy).

Summary: The Phases of a Round

Phase 1: Determine player order

Rearrange the order of the houses in the left row of the player order.

First player: the player with the most cities in their network.
In case of a tie: the player with the biggest card. If all cards have the same numbers, exchange your relative position in turn order.

Phase 2: Auction cards

Play this phase in player order beginning with the first player.

a) Choose a card for auction

Choose one of the four cards in the current market.
Bid in clockwise order. The minimum bid matches the number of the card.
Each player may buy at most 1 power plant per round. You can own any number of cards.
If there are discount tiles on a card, reduce the minimum bid on this card by the total discount; minimum bid of 1 Elektro.

b) Pass the auction

If you pass in this phase, you cannot bid on any auction and do not get any card in this round.
During the first round each player must buy 1 card and may not pass! In the first round after the first auction as a once off determine player order again. Then, immediately perform a second auction.

Phase 3: Expand the network and company

Play this phase in reverse player order beginning with the last player.

a) Expand the network

Establish a network with your structures.
Choose your starting city anywhere in the contiguous playing zone!
Build all desired structures at once.
Connect the cities with houses to your power grid. Build power plants and shelters in the cities to place the matching cards on the unlocked card spaces of your company board.
Costs: connecting costs between the cities plus building costs in the city.

b) Expand the company

Place shelter or power plant cards on your unlocked card spaces of your company board or exchange cards on these spaces for cards in your supply.

c) Employ workers

Employ workers from the labor market.
First pay the cheapest costs for seasonal workers.
Place permanent workers free of charge on your shelters.

Phase 4: Bureaucracy

Earn cash — Earn cash from the bank based on the number of cities you power as shown on the payment summary card.
Dismiss seasonal workers — Place all permanent workers on your shelters. Place all seasonal workers back into the labor market.
Update the card market
- First to fifth round: Place 1 discount tile each on the 4 cards in the current market (First round: 1 Elektro and so on). If the discount at least equals the minimum bid, place the card with all discount tiles into the game box and draw a replacement card.
- Step 1 and Step 2: Place the biggest power plant in the future market below the power plant stack and draw a replacement card.
- Step 3: Do not remove a card from the card market.

Summary: The 3 Steps of the Game

Step 1

The game starts with Step 1.
Every city can only be connected with a house to the power grid of 1 player. The building cost for the first house is 10 Elektro.

Step 2

Step 2 starts at the beginning of Phase 4 after at least one player connected a certain number of cities with houses to their power grid in phase 3.
At the start of Step 2 (and just this once) place the lowest numbered card from the current market into the game box and replace it with a new one from the card stack.

Exception: If there is a stack of lowest cards in the current market, place only the topmost card (with discount tiles, if any) into the game box. Leave the remaining stack in the current market. Do not draw a new card.
Every city can be connected with a house to the power grids of 2 players. The building cost for the second house is 15 Elektro.

Step 3

If you draw the Step 3 card in Phase 2, place it as the highest card in the future market. Place the Step 3 card at the beginning of Phase 3 together with the lowest card into the game box.
If you draw the Step 3 card in Phase 4, immediately place it together with the lowest card in the current market into the game box.

Exception: If there is a stack of lowest cards in the current market, place the whole stack (with discount tiles, if any) together with the Step 3 card into the game box.
From now on there are only 6 spaces in the card market. You can bid on any card in the market.
Every city can be connected with a house to the power grids of 3 players. The building cost for the third house is 20 Elektro.
Extremely rarely, Step 3 may begin before Step 2. In this case, first perform all changes for Step 2 and then for Step 3.

Credits

Author: Friedemann Friese

Illustration & Graphic: Lars-Arne »Maura« Kalusky

Proofreading: Jay Tummelson, Linus Wolf, Ronald Hrkać, Christian Frank, Claudia McHarg, Fraser McHarg

Editing and Realization: Henning Kröpke

Power Grid: Outpost Rulebook

Table of Contents

Contents
Power Grid: Outpost for 2 Players: “Against the Trust”
The Cards in Power Grid: Outpost – Power Plants, Shelters, Technologies
The Structures in Power Grid: Outpost – Houses, Power Plants, Shelters
Preparation
- Payment Summary — Elektro Earned per Supplied City
Playing the Game
Phase 1: Determine Player Order
Phase 2: Auction Cards
- a. Choose a card for auction
- b. Pass the auction
Phase 3: Expand the Network and Company
Phase 4: Bureaucracy
The 3 Steps
- Step 1
- Step 2
- Step 3
Game End and Winning the Game
Power Grid: Outpost for 2 Players: “Against the Trust”
Glossary: Technologies
Summary: The Phases of a Round
Summary: The 3 Steps of the Game
- Step 1
- Step 2
- Step 3
Credits

This copy of Power Grid: Outpost contains:

1 game board
46 playing cards (22 power plants, 15 shelters, 8 technologies, 1 “Step 3” card)
6 overview cards “payment & round overview”
6 company boards (1 each in 6 player colors)
120 houses (20 each in 6 player colors)
24 power plants (4 each in 6 player colors)
24 shelters (4 each in 6 player colors)
50 workers
9 robots
1 “Step 2” barrier
1 “Game end” barrier
1 gavel
120 Elektro money tiles (40 “1s”, 15 “5s”, 40 “10s”, 25 “50s”)
20 discount tiles (4 each for 1 to 5 Elektro)
46 connection cost tiles
1 rule booklet

Power Grid: Outpost for 2 Players: “Against the Trust”

In a 2-player game, you must incorporate the machinations of a competing Trust into your plans. Try, if you can, to use them against your opponent.

Below we will describe all rules, including all rules for 2–6 players. At the end of the rules booklet you will find additional rules for playing against the Trust.

The Cards in Power Grid: Outpost – Power Plants, Shelters, Technologies

The colors and symbols of the cards show the type of cards:
- a. Green represents power plants (solar energy and geothermal energy). You need a number of workers to run them, so that you can supply a certain number of cities with electricity in each round. Even if you have enough workers at hand, you can only run each power plant once per round. You can choose which power plants you run. You do not have to supply all your connected cities with electricity, even if you can produce enough. You can also temporarily decommission your power plants if you do not have enough workers.
- b. Yellow represents shelters, where you can accommodate workers. These workers then work permanently for you.
- c. Blue represents technologies offering personal advantages. They are explained later in the glossary.
The pictures in the middle are illustrations of the three card types and have no role in the game.
The numbers on the top of the cards represent the minimum acceptable bid when you auction the cards. Use these numbers to sort the cards by size in the card market. Also use them to determine the player order when several players are connected the same number of cities with houses to their power grids. When the rules mention bigger or lower cards, the rules refer to the cards with the highest or lowest numbers in the card market.

Example: The minimum bid for the power plant “12” is 12 Elektro. It needs exactly 2 workers to supply 2 cities with electricity.

Example: The shelter “26” offers space for up to 3 workers.

Example: With the technology “Data Library” always pay 5 Elektro less for each of your purchased cards.

The Structures in Power Grid: Outpost – Houses, Power Plants, Shelters

You can build 3 different structures in your networks: houses, power plants, and shelters.

Each city offers 3 spaces for houses of up to three players and 1 space either for a power plant or for a shelter of exactly 1 person.

In each city, you can have a maximum of 1 house AND either 1 power plant or 1 shelter.

Example: Anna already connected 2 cities in her network with houses to her power grid.

Example: Paul built a power plant in his network and unlocked the card space on his company board.

Preparation

Lay out the game board.

The planetary surface is divided in 3 areas. Always play on the big central area.

4 – 6 players: Add 1 small area of your choice with 4 players. Play with all 3 areas with 5 or 6 players.
Shuffle the connection cost tiles and place them in random order face up on the matching spaces between the cities.

2 – 4 players: cover the connection cost tiles on spaces that lie outside the selected areas. You cannot use these connections during the game.
Place the following number of workers depending on the number of players on the first 8 spaces of the labor market; place the double quantity on the last space for 10 Elektro. Place any remaining workers into the game box; you do not need them anymore.

Players 2–3 4 5–6
Workers 3 4 5
Total amount 30 40 50
Place the money and discount tiles sorted by values in the bank next to the game board. Place the gavel and robots in a supply beside the bank.
Each player takes 1 company board, 20 houses, 4 power plants, and 4 shelters in the chosen player color, and also 60 Elektro from the bank and 1 overview card “payment & round overview”.

Place 18 houses on the spaces atop your company board and the 4 power plants and 4 shelters on the respective card spaces below.

Place the components of the unchosen player colors into the game box.
Place 1 house of each color on space 0 of the scoring track for connected cities.

Take the remaining house of each player and randomly determine the player order by placing one house after the other on the left row of the player order track.
Place the white “Step 2” and the black “Game End” barriers on the scoring track for connected cities. Place them on the border of the following spaces depending on the number of players.

Players 2 3–4 5 6
Space 7 7 7 6
Space 18 17 15 14
Prepare the card stack. Sort the playing cards in three stacks: 13 cards with a plug on the back (numbers “02”–”14”), the “Step 3” card, and the remaining 32 cards with a socket on the back.

Shuffle both the 13 cards with a plug on the back and the 32 cards with a socket on the back separately.
- a. Place 9 cards with a plug on the back facedown next to the “Step 3” card.
- b. Place the following cards into the game box depending on the number of players:
  - 2 – 3 players: 2 cards with a plug and 6 cards with a socket on the back.
  - 4 players: 1 card with a plug and 3 cards with a socket on the back.
- c. Shuffle the remaining cards with plugs and sockets on the back together and place them out as a face down card stack.
- d. Place the “Step 3” card face down below that stack and the 9 cards with a plug on the back face down on top. The plug on the back tells players that the card on top of the stack is a weaker one.
Prepare the card market. The card market comprises of two rows each with 4 spaces: the current market with lower cards in the top row and the future market with the bigger cards in the bottom row.

First, draw 8 cards from the card stack and place them face up. Sort them in ascending order by their numbers. If you draw several cards with number “5”, place them in a single stack in the current market. That does not apply for cards with the same number in the future market, where you initially place those cards separately on adjacent spaces.

Now, if there are still empty spaces in the card market, draw one card after another and sort them in the market until all 8 spaces of the card market are filled.

There should always be 4 DIFFERENT types of cards available in the current market, so you have an adequate possibility of choice during the game. As this game contains many cards with the same numbers, you place them in stacks in the current market. As you do not buy cards in the future market, there are no stacks.

Players	2–3	4	5–6
Workers	3	4	5
Total amount	30	40	50

Players	2	3–4	5	6
Space	7	7	7	6
Space	18	17	15	14

This completes the game preparations. We hope you enjoy playing the game!

Payment Summary — Elektro Earned per Supplied City

Cities	Elektro	Cities	Elektro	Cities	Elektro
0	10	7	82	14	129
1	22	8	90	15	134
2	33	9	98	16	138
3	44	10	105	17	142
4	54	11	112	18	145
5	64	12	118	19	148
6	73	13	124	20	150

Playing the Game

Determine player order
Auction cards
Expand the network and company
Bureaucracy

Phase 1: Determine Player Order

Determine the player order for the current round.

Remember: At the beginning of the game, you determined the player order randomly for the first round. Immediately continue with phase 2.

Phase 2: Auction Cards

Purchase new power plants, shelters for workers, and exclusive technologies to gain advantages over your competition.

Play this phase in player order, beginning with the first player (the house on the first space of the player order track). You can purchase a maximum of 1 card.

When it is your turn, choose between the following two actions:

a. Choose a card for auction

Choose one of the four cards in the current market to start the auction and place the gavel on that card. You may not choose one of the cards in the future market!

Example: Paul chooses the card “04” for the auction and places the gavel on the card.

Example: Nikki purchased the chosen power plant and places her house from the left row to the same number in the right row of the player order track.

Keep the following rules in mind:

First round: Play this phase at the start of the game twice in sequence. During the first auction each player must purchase 1 card; during the second auction you may pass as well. Because the player order was determined randomly at the beginning of the game, FOR ONE TIME ONLY determine the player order again after the first auction. As all players will have bought one card, use the tied rule to determine player order before the second auction (see Phase 1: Determine player order).
If you auction a card with one or more discount tiles starting with the second round, reduce the minimum bid of the card matching the total amount of discount tiles.
If you place a new card in the current market, leave all discount tiles on the other cards.
If you do not purchase all discounted cards in the market, leave all discount tiles on the remaining cards.
If you place a new card in the current market with a number of a card already in the current market, place these cards together in a single stack with the new card on top. Place discount tiles on top of the stack, if any. Purchase only the topmost card of the stack and leave the other cards on their space in the market; do not draw a replacement card in this case. Discount tiles are always only valid for the topmost card; when purchasing the card, place the discount tiles into the game box. If you must move a stack of cards with the same number to the future market, keep the cards in a stack. If you draw more cards with that number, place them on the stack.
If you place a new card in the future market with a number of a card already in the future market, do not form a stack. Instead place the new card to the right of the old card. As a result, a card with the same number can be pushed in the current market.
Once you have purchased 1 card in a round, you cannot bid for another card in the same round nor can you offer a card at auction. Remember: your house is in the right row of the player order track.
Always place your purchased cards in a face up supply next to your company board. You can use technology cards immediately after purchase. You need to unlock the card spaces on your company board during phase 3 (Expand network and company), before you can use your power plant and shelter cards.
When you start the auction and purchase the card you chose, the next player in turn order takes their turn, if they have not already purchased a card this round (their house is still in the left row of the player order track). If another player purchases your chosen card, you may choose to auction a different card from the current market or pass.
You can have any number of cards. You never scrap cards and do not place them into the game box.
The last player to start an auction in a round pays the minimum bid to buy the power plant they choose.

Example: Discount tiles remain on their cards when you place new cards in the current market and move the discounted cards into the future market.

b. Pass the auction

After all players finish this phase, move all houses on the player order track back to the left row.

Phase 3: Expand the Network and Company

Build a network with your structures. Connect cities with houses to your power grid and secure spaces for your power plants and shelters as well. Employ workers, who will later run your power plants.

Play this phase in reverse player order, beginning with the last player (the house on the last space of the player order track).

Take the following three actions in the following order during your turn. You may pass on certain or even all actions.

a) Expand your network

Example: After Paul placed a house in the city (1), Bob can start his power grid in this city by placing a power plant (2).

The numbers on the spaces show the building costs. Pay 10 Elektro for building the first house and 5 Elektro for building a power plant or shelter.

Keep the following rules in mind:

You can place at max 1 house and either a power plant or shelter in a city. You can connect each city only with 1 house to your power grid, so up to 3 players can connect the cities to their power grids during Step 3.
You can place structures in any number of cities anywhere in the contiguous playing area, if the cities still offer space in the current Step of the game. Use any number of connections including connections from cities, where you “just” placed a structure. You may pass through a city without placing a structure. Always pay all costs, even if you have used certain connections before.
You may never use any cities or connections that lie outside of the selected playing zone during the game!
You do not have to choose your starting city in the first round. You may start your network in later rounds, possibly to tactically influence your position on the player order track.
If you place several structures at once, we suggest placing the new structures on their sides for the moment. Thus, you can easily check all costs and connections. Only after paying all costs, place the structures in their normal position.
When you connect a new city with a house to your power grid immediately update your position on the scoring track for connected cities. That track and the empty spaces at the top of your company board always show the number of your connected cities in your network.

b) Expand your company

To use your purchased power plant and shelter cards, you must place them on the unlocked card spaces of your company board. You can do this any number of times with this action.

Shelters: Place a shelter card from your supply on each of your unlocked card spaces. Each shelter offers living quarters for the listed number of workers, who will work permanently for you.

You can also exchange shelters from your company board with shelter cards from your supply that offer more living quarters for your workers.

You can also exchange power plants from your company board with other power plant cards from your supply to either produce more electricity or to need less workers.

c) Employ workers

As explained in “The cards in Power Grid: Outpost”, you need the requested number of workers to run your power plants. This can be permanent and seasonal workers.

Seasonal workers: If you do not have enough permanent workers to run your power plants, you can employ workers for one-time work.

So you pay the lowest prices for seasonal workers, determine the number of places on your shelters, both empty spaces and spaces occupied by permanent workers:

If there are at least as many spaces as you need to run the power plants, fill all empty spaces free of charge with workers from the labor market. This can be more than you currently need to run the power plants.
If there are not enough spaces to run the power plants, FIRST place the missing number as seasonal workers from the labor market next to your company board and pay their cheapest costs to the bank. You can only employ the missing needed number as seasonal workers to run the power plant, not more! Then fill all empty spaces free of charge in your shelters.

After all players finish this phase, move all houses on the player order track back to the left row.

Phase 4: Bureaucracy

Produce electricity and supply cities in your power grid to earn cash. Then dismiss the seasonal workers and place them back on the labor market.

1. Earn cash

2. Dismiss seasonal workers

The more workers live in your shelters, the more expensive the available workers on the labor market are.

3. Update the card market

a) Discounts: Place discount tiles on the 4 cards in the current market in each of the first to fifth rounds. There can be several discount tiles on the same card.

b) Remove the biggest card: Follow these rules:

Step 1 and Step 2: place the biggest card from the future market face down below the card stack. Draw a new card to replace it, and rearrange the power plant market appropriately. If the new card goes into the current market, leave all discount tiles on the other cards.

Exception: If you must move a stack of cards with the same number from the current to the future market, keep the cards in a stack. If you draw more cards with that number, place them on the stack instead of placing them separately.
Step 3: Do not remove any cards from the card market!

Phase 4 and the whole round are now complete. A new round starts with phase 1.

The 3 Steps

The steps during the game determine how many players can connect a city with houses to their power grid. Building power plants or shelters is not restricted by the steps.

Important rules for the steps to follow:

Step 1

The game starts with Step 1. Each city can only be connected with a house to the power grid of 1 player (only one house may stand in each city). The building cost for the first house is 10 Elektro.

Step 2

Players	2–5	6
Connected cities	7	6

At the start of Step 2 (and just this once) place the lowest numbered card from the current market into the game box and replace it with a new one from the card stack.

Step 3

This can happen in one of two ways:

If you draw the Step 3 card in Phase 2 (Auction cards), treat the card as the highest power plant for the remainder of this phase and place it at the end of the future market. Shuffle the card stack with the remaining cards and place it again face down. Continue the auction of cards and draw replacements as necessary until all players have their chance to purchase a new card or passed. Step 3 starts at the beginning of Phase 3 (Expand the network and company). Place the Step 3 card together with the lowest card into the game box. Do not draw replacements!
If you draw the Step 3 card in Phase 4 (Bureaucracy), immediately place it together with the lowest card in the current market into the game box. Do not draw replacements. Shuffle the card stack as described above and place it again face down. Step 3 starts at the beginning of the next round in Phase 1 (Determine player order).

Exception: If there is a stack of lowest cards in the current market, place the whole stack (with discount tiles, if any) together with the Step 3 card into the game box.

During Step 3, there are only 6 spaces in the card market. From now on you can bid on all available cards. There is no future market.

Game End and Winning the Game

Players	2	3–4	5	6
Connected cities	18	17	15	14

You may connect additional cities beyond the number needed to end the game, if you need them to win.

If there is a tie, the player with the most remaining money wins.

Power Grid: Outpost for 2 Players: “Against the Trust”

Introduction

When challenging a single opponent, you are confronted with the schemes of a huge Trust. This Trust blocks cities, snags the most attractive cards, and even employs workers to run its power plants.

The Trust uses its own company board and must unlock the card spaces as well to use its power plants and shelters.

All rules of the base game are in effect. Below you find all ADDITIONAL rules that let the Trust interfere in your game.

Preparation (2 Players)

The Trust needs its own space next to the game board. It takes its own company board, 4 power plants, 4 shelters, and 16 houses in its player color, plus one additional house for player order. The trust does not place a house on the scoring track for connected cities. The Trust does not get any money.
Randomly determine who of the two players is first player and place one of their houses on the first space of the player order. Place the additional house of the Trust on the second space and a house of the other player on the third.
Place 6 houses of the Trust on the 10 Elektro spaces of 6 adjacent cities: The first player places 1 Trust house on any one city of their choice. The other player places 2 houses, one at a time, adjacent to an already placed Trust house. Then the first player places the next 2 Trust houses, followed by the other player placing the last house, using the same rules. Place the remaining 10 houses of the Trust on the spaces 7 to 16 at the top of its company board.

Playing the Game (2 Players)

General rules

Phase 1: Determine player order

During the whole game, the Trust is ALWAYS second in player order!

Phase 2: Auction cards

The Trust never participates in the auctions.

Phase 3: Expand the network and company

The Trust prefers an empty space in a city, that it already connected with a house to its power grid.
If there is no empty space in these cities, the Trust takes a space in a city adjacent to its whole network with the lowest connection costs.

Then the Trust places the new power plant or shelter card on the unlocked space.

If it has already unlocked all the respective card places and purchases a better card, it exchanges that for the worst card:

Power plants: The Trust uses the most effective power plants that produce the most electricity with the least number of workers.
Shelters: The Trust uses the shelters with the most spaces for workers.

After expanding the company, the Trust takes all needed (new) permanent workers and seasonal workers from the labor market.

Phase 4: Bureaucracy

The Trust places the matching number of workers on its shelters and all seasonal workers back on the labor market (at max 3 per space).

Game End

The game ends immediately after phase 3 (Expand the network and company) when at least one player has connected at least 18 cities with houses to their power grid.

The Trust cannot win – it only offers many possibilities to place obstacles in the way of the players.

Glossary: Technologies

Use the technologies for your advantage!

Power Grid: Outpost offers you several exclusive technologies. Their effects can give you decisive advantages.

If you purchase technologies, place them face up next to your company board. With the exception of the “Moon Base” you can use the effects of the technologies ASAP and until the end of the game.

The following technologies are available:

10 “Data Library”: If you make the highest bid, pay 5 Elektro less for the card.
16 “Ecoplants”: When hiring seasonal workers, pay 3 Elektro less for each worker.
21 “Robots”: Place a worker on this card once per round in phase 3 (Expand the network and company) to produce 1 robot. Take 1 robot from the supply next to the bank and place it next to the shelters on your company board. Each robot counts as a permanent worker, but does not need a space on a shelter. Use the robots together with workers to run power plants or on this card to produce more robots; thus, for each robot you need 1 less worker. You can have at max 9 robots.
24 “Nodule”: Each shelter card on your company board offers space for 1 additional worker.
30 “Outpost” – 2 cards: Place 1 house, 1 power plant, and 1 shelter for 0 Elektro each on this card during phase 3 (Expand the network and company). You can do this in different rounds. If you place a house, you connect this card as another city to your power grid; update your position on the scoring track for connected cities. You must supply this city with electricity the same as all other cities in your power grid in phase 4 (Bureaucracy) to earn cash.
35 “Laboratories”: Each power plant on your company board produces 1 additional electricity.
46 “Moon Base”: This card is both a shelter AND a power plant. To use this card, you must place it in phase 3 (Expand the network and company) on any unlocked card space of your company board. This card offers space for 3 permanent workers, who produce 4 electricity in phase 4 (Bureaucracy).

Summary: The Phases of a Round

Phase 1: Determine player order

Rearrange the order of the houses in the left row of the player order.

First player: the player with the most cities in their network.
In case of a tie: the player with the biggest card. If all cards have the same numbers, exchange your relative position in turn order.

Phase 2: Auction cards

Play this phase in player order beginning with the first player.

a) Choose a card for auction

Choose one of the four cards in the current market.
Bid in clockwise order. The minimum bid matches the number of the card.
Each player may buy at most 1 power plant per round. You can own any number of cards.
If there are discount tiles on a card, reduce the minimum bid on this card by the total discount; minimum bid of 1 Elektro.

b) Pass the auction

If you pass in this phase, you cannot bid on any auction and do not get any card in this round.
During the first round each player must buy 1 card and may not pass! In the first round after the first auction as a once off determine player order again. Then, immediately perform a second auction.

Phase 3: Expand the network and company

Play this phase in reverse player order beginning with the last player.

a) Expand the network

Establish a network with your structures.
Choose your starting city anywhere in the contiguous playing zone!
Build all desired structures at once.
Connect the cities with houses to your power grid. Build power plants and shelters in the cities to place the matching cards on the unlocked card spaces of your company board.
Costs: connecting costs between the cities plus building costs in the city.

b) Expand the company

Place shelter or power plant cards on your unlocked card spaces of your company board or exchange cards on these spaces for cards in your supply.

c) Employ workers

Employ workers from the labor market.
First pay the cheapest costs for seasonal workers.
Place permanent workers free of charge on your shelters.

Phase 4: Bureaucracy

Earn cash — Earn cash from the bank based on the number of cities you power as shown on the payment summary card.
Dismiss seasonal workers — Place all permanent workers on your shelters. Place all seasonal workers back into the labor market.
Update the card market
- First to fifth round: Place 1 discount tile each on the 4 cards in the current market (First round: 1 Elektro and so on). If the discount at least equals the minimum bid, place the card with all discount tiles into the game box and draw a replacement card.
- Step 1 and Step 2: Place the biggest power plant in the future market below the power plant stack and draw a replacement card.
- Step 3: Do not remove a card from the card market.

Summary: The 3 Steps of the Game

Step 1

The game starts with Step 1.
Every city can only be connected with a house to the power grid of 1 player. The building cost for the first house is 10 Elektro.

Step 2

Step 2 starts at the beginning of Phase 4 after at least one player connected a certain number of cities with houses to their power grid in phase 3.
At the start of Step 2 (and just this once) place the lowest numbered card from the current market into the game box and replace it with a new one from the card stack.

Exception: If there is a stack of lowest cards in the current market, place only the topmost card (with discount tiles, if any) into the game box. Leave the remaining stack in the current market. Do not draw a new card.
Every city can be connected with a house to the power grids of 2 players. The building cost for the second house is 15 Elektro.

Step 3

If you draw the Step 3 card in Phase 2, place it as the highest card in the future market. Place the Step 3 card at the beginning of Phase 3 together with the lowest card into the game box.
If you draw the Step 3 card in Phase 4, immediately place it together with the lowest card in the current market into the game box.

Exception: If there is a stack of lowest cards in the current market, place the whole stack (with discount tiles, if any) together with the Step 3 card into the game box.
From now on there are only 6 spaces in the card market. You can bid on any card in the market.
Every city can be connected with a house to the power grids of 3 players. The building cost for the third house is 20 Elektro.
Extremely rarely, Step 3 may begin before Step 2. In this case, first perform all changes for Step 2 and then for Step 3.

Credits

Author: Friedemann Friese

Illustration & Graphic: Lars-Arne »Maura« Kalusky

Proofreading: Jay Tummelson, Linus Wolf, Ronald Hrkać, Christian Frank, Claudia McHarg, Fraser McHarg

Editing and Realization: Henning Kröpke

Cities	Elektro	Cities	Elektro	Cities	Elektro
0	10	7	82	14	129
1	22	8	90	15	134
2	33	9	98	16	138
3	44	10	105	17	142
4	54	11	112	18	145
5	64	12	118	19	148
6	73	13	124	20	150

Cities	Elektro	Cities	Elektro	Cities	Elektro
0	10	7	82	14	129
1	22	8	90	15	134
2	33	9	98	16	138
3	44	10	105	17	142
4	54	11	112	18	145
5	64	12	118	19	148
6	73	13	124	20	150

Cities	Elektro	Cities	Elektro	Cities	Elektro
0	10	7	82	14	129
1	22	8	90	15	134
2	33	9	98	16	138
3	44	10	105	17	142
4	54	11	112	18	145
5	64	12	118	19	148
6	73	13	124	20	150

Cities	Elektro	Cities	Elektro	Cities	Elektro
0	10	7	82	14	129
1	22	8	90	15	134
2	33	9	98	16	138
3	44	10	105	17	142
4	54	11	112	18	145
5	64	12	118	19	148
6	73	13	124	20	150

Cities	Elektro	Cities	Elektro	Cities	Elektro
0	10	7	82	14	129
1	22	8	90	15	134
2	33	9	98	16	138
3	44	10	105	17	142
4	54	11	112	18	145
5	64	12	118	19	148
6	73	13	124	20	150

Cities	Elektro	Cities	Elektro	Cities	Elektro
0	10	7	82	14	129
1	22	8	90	15	134
2	33	9	98	16	138
3	44	10	105	17	142
4	54	11	112	18	145
5	64	12	118	19	148
6	73	13	124	20	150