Wasserkraft: Das Sammelbecken Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Overview
• Die China-Herausforderung: The China Challenge
  • Components
  • Landscapes
  • Natural Lakes
  • Branching Conduits
  • Setup
  • Building Landscapes
  • Chinese Company: "China"
• Die Übersee-Unternehmen: The Overseas Companies
  • Components
  • Japan
  • Brazil
  • Interactions and Effects
• Duell: Duel
  • Components
  • Rules for the New Board
  • Rules for the Duel Board
  • End of Game
  • Condition Tiles
  • Reward Tiles
• Der Geofaktor: The Geological Factor
  • Components
  • Setup
  • Geological Tokens
  • Effects of the Geological Tokens
• Appendix 1: Landscape Tiles (The China Challenge)
• Appendix 2: Yield Tiles (The China Challenge)
• Appendix 3: Advanced Technology Tiles (The China Challenge)
• Appendix 4: Third-Party Orders (The China Challenge)
• Appendix 5: New Private Building, Winch
• Appendix 6: Bonus and Target Tiles
• Appendix 7: Duel Tiles
• Appendix 8: New Chief Engineers
• Appendix 9: Older Chief Engineers

Overview

The rules below cover every module in this box, in the order the rulebook prints them:

• The China Challenge (the Yellow River board, landscape tiles, the China company)
• The Overseas Companies (the Japan and Brazil companies)
• Duel (the two-player board and the Duel board)
• The Geological Factor (mini-expansion)
• Appendices (landscape tiles, reward tiles, advanced technology tiles, third-party orders, Winde, bonus and target tiles, Duel tiles, and the chief engineers)

Components not used by a given module are noted in that module's section. The Leeghwater Project and the 5-player modules are not part of this box.

Die China-Herausforderung: The China Challenge

The China Challenge is an expansion for Wasserkraft. It contains the new board "Yellow River". The base game is required to play. You can also play this expansion with the Leeghwater Project.

The China Challenge introduces the following new elements:

Components

General components

• 1 new board, "Yellow River"
• 18 landscape tiles
• 18 yield tiles
• 2 neutral Powerhouses
• 3 advanced technology tiles
• 4 simple technology tiles "Landscape"
• 1 private building tile "Winch" (Winde)
• 3 third-party orders
• 1 bonus tile
• 1 target tile

China company components (1 set)

• 1 company board and 1 player aid
• 1 company tile
• 1 Planner extension
• 12 workers
• 5 Conduits
• 4 Powerhouses
• 5 Bases
• 5 Elevations
• 5 buildings
• 5 simple technology tiles
• 1 turn order marker
• 1 Energy marker
• 1 Victory Point marker

Landscapes

Along with the existing structures (and the private buildings used with the Leeghwater Project), a new building option is added. These "landscapes" are already printed on the board. At the start of the game they are covered with landscape tiles, showing that they are still under construction. To build a landscape, remove the corresponding tile from the board, which reveals the structure underneath. By building a landscape you receive the reward of the corresponding area (mountains, hills or foreland).

There are different types of landscape, each with its own effects. They can change the board (for example by adding new source tiles, river arms, construction spaces for Dams, Conduits and Powerhouses), add new action spaces, or give you permanent bonuses. Each player starts the game with the new simple technology tile "Landscape", which works like the usual technology tiles.

Natural Lakes

The new board has 2 natural lakes. When a Water Drop flows into one of these lakes, it is held there and placed on a free Water Drop space. If all spaces are full, the Water Drop continues to flow as usual.

Example: 3 Water Drops flow into the valley shown, which contains a red Dam with Capacity level 1. This Dam can hold only 1 Water Drop, so 2 Water Drops flow on into the natural lake. The lake can hold up to 3 Water Drops. Since it already holds 2, only 1 Water Drop stays in the lake and the 3rd flows on.

Branching Conduits

Some landscape tiles cover Conduits with branches. This means you can use the same Conduit with both Powerhouses connected to the branches.

Example: Jade (white) decides to build the landscape "New Underground Powerhouse" (left picture), and so adapts the board. By building the landscape she also places a neutral Powerhouse (right picture) on the space. She can now use the Conduits with production value 4 and 3, both with the Powerhouse she had already connected and with the new neutral Powerhouse (which all players may use).

Setup

Set up the game as described in the base game rulebook, with the following changes and additional steps:

1. Use the new "Yellow River" board instead of the base game board.
2. Place the 18 landscape tiles face up on the corresponding spaces on the board. Matching tiles and spaces have the same code, which makes placement easier.
3. Shuffle the 18 yield tiles face down and place 1 face up at random on each space next to the areas, matching the colour (green, yellow, red). With 3 players, do not place tiles on spaces showing the number 4. With 2 players, do not place tiles on spaces showing the numbers 4 and 3+.
4. Shuffle the new bonus tile together with those of the base game and draw 5 at random, as in the base game. (You may use the new bonus tile in any game.)
5. Shuffle the new target tile together with those of the base game and draw 1 at random, as in the base game. (You may use the new target tile in any game.)
6. Add the new advanced technology tiles to the base game technology tiles. Sort them by their backs and shuffle the 3 stacks face down. Draw 1 tile from each stack and return it to the box. (This gives a different selection of technology tiles in each game.)
7. If you play with the Leeghwater Project, shuffle the 3 new third-party orders together with those of the expansion. Draw 5 tiles and sort them by the letter on their back (A, B or C). (You may use the new third-party orders in any game.)
8. If you play with the Leeghwater Project, shuffle the new private building tile together with those of the expansion and draw 5, as described in the expansion. (You may use the new private building tile in any game.)
9. Draw 3 of the remaining target tiles at random and place them face up next to the board, beside landscape tile A2. Return the remaining tiles to the box.

[Transcriber's note: step 9 prints "A2". The landscape that uses these three target tiles is A5, "High-Mountain Operations Centre" (see Appendix 1), so A2 is probably a misprint for A5. It is transcribed as printed here; check the printed sheet before relying on it.]

10. Give each player 1 simple technology tile "Landscape".
11. Place the 2 neutral Powerhouses next to the board.

Building Landscapes

To build a landscape you must use the matching technology tile and pay the stated costs on your Construction Wheel. In addition, you must already have at least 1 of your structures (Base, Elevation, Conduit or Powerhouse) in the area where you want to build the landscape.

Each time you build a landscape, remove the matching landscape tile. This permanently changes the landscape structure of the board. Place the tile in front of you.

If the landscape tile shows an immediate bonus, the player who built the landscape receives it immediately.

The landscape tiles show the costs in Excavators (3 / 5 / 7) or Concrete Mixers (2 / 3 / 4). To build the landscape you must pay these costs. Place the stated number of machinery on your Construction Wheel as usual.

After building a landscape, take 1 yield tile of the area in which you built, in the colour of the landscape tile (green, yellow, red).

A landscape cannot be built if no yield tiles of the matching colour remain in the area. (In a game with fewer than 4 players, not all landscapes can therefore be built.)

Yield tiles give immediate effects, permanent bonuses, or Victory Points (VP) at the end of the game (see the appendices). The action spaces revealed by building some landscapes may be used by everyone.

Built landscapes count for all purposes as a built structure in the relevant area. The area in which a landscape is built can be identified by the code on the tile: A = mountains, B = hills, C = foreland.

Example: Juliet (green) has already built a Powerhouse in the hills and a Conduit in the mountains. She can therefore build a landscape in these two areas. She wants to build a yellow landscape, but no yellow yield tiles remain in the mountains (it is a 3-player game in which a yellow landscape has already been built in the mountains). She therefore builds a yellow landscape in the hills (highlighted in yellow). This costs her 3 Concrete Mixers. She carries out a Construction action, placing the "Landscape" technology tile and the 3 Concrete Mixers on her Construction Wheel. She takes the landscape tile from the board and chooses 1 yellow yield tile in the hills. The landscape tile has an immediate effect (2 Water Drops flow at once from the neighbouring lake). The yield tile gives Victory Points at the end of the game (2 VP for each landscape built in the hills).

Chinese Company: "China"

China is a new company that can be played together with the base game and other expansions, like every other company. This company has new special abilities that set it apart from the base game companies:

• Your Conduits produce 1 additional Energy unit.
• The 2nd, 3rd and 4th Powerhouses each grant an individual bonus when used.

Pressure Pipelines

The production value of all Conduits built by this company is increased by 1. Building them therefore requires 1 additional Concrete Mixer alongside the corresponding Excavators. The increase in production value also applies when other players use the Conduits, and works as usual (pay 1 Hydro for each Water Drop to the owning company, which receives 1 VP per Water Drop that flows through). After you build the 2nd Conduit, these costs rise by 1 Hydro (so 2 Hydro in total per Water Drop). After you build the 4th Conduit, you also receive 1 VP when other players use them (so 2 VP per Water Drop in total).

Example: Cody (violet) has just built his 4th Conduit (he paid 1 Concrete Mixer in addition to the usual costs). Juliet (green) wants to use Cody's new Conduit to produce 10 Energy units from the 2 held Water Drops. Because of the Pressure Pipeline effect of the Chinese company she must pay Cody 4 Hydro. Cody also receives 4 VP.

Powerhouses

The 4 Powerhouses of this company have different shapes and abilities. You may build them in any order.

• 2 Concrete Mixers = no additional ability.
• 3 Concrete Mixers = the production value of THIS Powerhouse is increased by 2.
• 4 Concrete Mixers = when THIS Powerhouse is activated, gain 1 VP for every 2 Energy units produced.
• 5 Concrete Mixers = the production value of THIS Powerhouse counts as if 1 additional Water Drop had been used.

Die Übersee-Unternehmen: The Overseas Companies

The Overseas Companies are an expansion for Wasserkraft. The base game is required to play. You can also play this expansion with the Leeghwater Project.

This expansion contains rules for two new companies, which can be used in addition to all the other companies. These two companies have unique properties that set them fundamentally apart from the other companies, both in game mechanics and in materials.

The Japanese company uses Bases and Elevations inspired by "earth dams". On the one hand, Elevations can be used like Bases, so that more Dams can be built; on the other hand, their Capacity levels, and therefore their capacity, are limited. Building Elevations requires Excavators instead of Concrete Mixers.

The Brazilian company is versatile: Bases, Elevations and Conduits can be built in any order on its company board, with a greater choice of income bonuses. This does, however, lead to the permanent loss of one or more machines.

Both companies activate a unique special ability when you have built your third Powerhouse.

Components

• 2 new company boards
• 1 Planner extension for each of the 2 companies
• 2 company tiles
• 1 player aid for each of the 2 companies, plus 8 Mixer Excavators for Elon Audia
• 10 Elevations
• 10 Bases
• 8 Powerhouses
• 10 Conduits
• 10 buildings
• 24 workers
• 2 turn order markers
• 2 Victory Point markers
• 2 Energy markers
• 10 simple technology tiles

Half of the parts belong to each of the 2 companies: pink for Japan and yellow for Brazil.

Japan

The Japanese company follows the same rules as the base game companies, with the following adjustments:

• Costs for Elevations: To build an Elevation, place 2, 3 or 4 Excavators on your Construction Wheel, according to the cost of building an Elevation in the foreland, in the hills or in the mountains.
• Elevations without a Base: You may build an Elevation directly on an empty construction space, without a Base. A Dam built this way has Capacity level 1 and can hold 1 Water Drop. The placement rules of the base game apply:
  • You cannot build 2 of your own Dams in the same valley.
  • Building on a construction space outlined in red costs 3 Hydro.
• Capacity levels of Elevations: You cannot build an Elevation on top of another Elevation. The maximum Capacity level (and therefore capacity) of a Dam of this company is 2 (1 Base + 1 Elevation). A Dam that consists of only 1 Elevation (see the previous point) cannot have another Elevation built on it; it always has Capacity level 1.
• Income from Elevations: Each of the five Elevations unlocks more income. As usual, you must build the parts of your company board from left to right.

Note box: To build an Elevation without a Base you need the technology tile "Elevation", as usual. Elevations also count as Elevations when built without a Base underneath.

Special ability: Connections and Connection Chains

A connection chain consists of 2 or more production systems that are linked together. They are linked when the Powerhouse (of your own) of the current system, which lies higher up in the valley, is in the same valley as the Dam of the next system that follows it.

With the action "Energy production" (or any effect that activates it) you can produce Energy by choosing a starting Dam (as usual, your own or neutral) that is linked, either by a Conduit (as usual, from any company) or by a connection chain, directly to the activated Powerhouse.

The shaded valley shows a possible connection chain with a Powerhouse-Dam-system. With its special ability Japan (pink) can produce Energy in different ways by using the 2 Water Drops of the neutral Dam.

1. With the usual action "Energy production", Japan can produce 6 Energy units with the Powerhouse at top left (2 Water Drops × Conduit with production value 3).
2. With the special ability, Japan can produce 10 Energy units with the Powerhouse at top right (2 Water Drops × Conduit with production value 3, which then flow on through the next Conduit with production value 2).
3. With the special ability, Japan can also produce 12 Energy units with its Powerhouse at bottom left, by paying Brazil 2 Hydro (2 Water Drops × Conduit with production value 3, which then flow on through Brazil's lower Conduit with production value 3).

When this Powerhouse uses Water Drops, they flow directly to the next Dam. If you use a connection chain, the total production value equals the number of Water Drops multiplied by the sum of the production values of all Conduits used between the activated Powerhouse and the Dam from which the water flowed. Note:

• The Dam whose Water Drops you use may, as usual, be your own or a neutral Dam.
• The Powerhouses and Dams that make the connections between the different systems must be your own.
• A Dam belonging to another player that lies in the upper part of a valley, and so is between a Powerhouse and the Japanese Dam in the lower part of the valley, breaks the connection.
• For all Conduits used that belong to another player, you pay as usual.
• Water Drops held behind your Dams between the systems of a connection chain are not affected and do not affect the production (that is, you cannot take them and use them for the current production).

Brazil

The Brazilian company follows the same rules as the base game companies, with the following adjustments:

• Additional production costs: To build Bases, Elevations and Conduits from the 3rd, 4th and 5th columns of your company board, you must return the stated number and type of machinery to the general supply. They are permanently lost. You lose:
  • Parts of the 3rd column: -1 Excavator.
  • Parts of the 4th column: -1 Concrete Mixer.
  • Parts of the 5th column: -1 Excavator and -1 Concrete Mixer.
• Income: For all five columns of Bases, Elevations and Conduits, income is unlocked. For some incomes you must first pay the stated Hydro (both at the moment of unlocking and at the start of each following round). If you do not pay these costs, you also do not receive the income. You may choose not to pay the costs and so not receive the income. You may pay the cost of an income with Hydro received from another income.
• Build order: You may build Bases, Elevations and Conduits (but not Powerhouses) in any order, for example you may build the part of the 2nd column before the first.

Note box: The costs for the machinery you lose apply in addition to the costs for the machinery you place on your Construction Wheel. To build a part you must be able to pay the additional costs. Pay these before you receive the income. You must also pay the additional costs when you build a part without cost through an effect (for example a Contract or a third-party order).

Special ability: Negotiation

After the action "Energy production" (that is, after the activation of one of your own Powerhouses to produce Energy, whether through the action or an effect), you may place 1 worker in the Notary to fulfil 1 Contract (green, yellow or red) directly from the available row on the Management board, instead of a Contract from your supply or a National Contract. Do not place your worker on an action space of the Notary; place it next to the action spaces.

If you fulfil a Contract in this way, immediately receive the stated reward. Then place the Contract tile with your other fulfilled Contracts. At the end of your turn, reveal new Contracts of the same colour as usual, so that again 2 Contracts of each colour are available. To use the special ability you must place 1 worker (activating the special ability is voluntary; you may also fulfil Contracts from your own supply, National Contracts, or none, as usual).

You may activate the special ability several times in the same round.

Interactions and Effects

Brazil + effects that allow building parts: You must pay the additional costs for machinery that you return to the general supply, including for parts from the 3rd, 4th and 5th columns built by effects.

Japan + Bridges (The Colorado Connection): You may build bridges on Dams with Capacity level 2 (1 Base + 1 Elevation) and on Dams with Capacity level 1 (1 Base or 1 Elevation). The usual rules and restrictions apply.

Japan + advanced technology tiles:

• Joker I: If you use this tile, you do not have to pay money to build an Elevation without an underlying Base on a red-outlined construction space.
• Base I: If you use this tile, Elevations you build without an underlying Base do not count as Bases.
• Elevation I (special case): If you use this tile, for the effect of this tile, Elevations you build without an underlying Base do not count as Elevations.
• Base II: If you use this tile, Elevations you build without an underlying Base do not count as Bases.

[Transcriber's note: the printed text for "Base I" and "Base II" is the same, transcribed as printed.]

Japan + The Geological Factor: four Geological tokens interact with Japan's Elevations. They are identified only by their symbols on the printed page (listed here in print order, top to bottom, left to right); the printed rule text for each is:

• Token 1: You do not have to pay the additional costs if you build an Elevation without an underlying Base.
• Token 2: You do not have to pay the additional costs if you build an Elevation without an underlying Base.
• Token 3: You must pay the additional costs, even if you build an Elevation without an underlying Base.
• Token 4: You must pay the additional costs, even if you build an Elevation without an underlying Base. The water-drop effect also applies if you build an Elevation without an underlying Base.

[Transcriber's note: the printed page identifies these four tokens only by symbol and the symbols do not survive text extraction, so the tokens are numbered here by position. The numbering is a transcriber's aid, not printed text. Check the printed page to match each rule to its token.]

Duell: Duel

Duel is an expansion for Wasserkraft. The base game is required to play. You can also play this expansion with the Leeghwater Project.

This expansion contains a new board, designed for a game with two players, and the Duel board, which introduces a new game mechanic that makes the two-player experience even more exciting.

You can play Wasserkraft Duel in two ways: use only the new board for more competition in a two-player game, or use it together with the Duel board and the other new components. The latter changes the rules of the game!

The new board has fewer valleys, and the costs of some construction spaces are higher. To add variety, the construction spaces are variable and change in every game. The Duel board adds three varying conditions to the game, for which you and your opponent compete in every game. In the Check Phase, the player who best meets a condition moves the corresponding Duel marker towards their side. Keep a close eye on your opponent, because the rewards of the Duel board can be decisive!

Components

• 1 new board
• 1 Duel board
• 8 Duel Headstream tiles
• 5 company tiles: France, USA, Germany, Italy, Netherlands
• 8 preparation tiles (1 neutral Base; 1 neutral Base with a neutral Elevation; 2 Powerhouses; 2 Bases; 2 Conduits)
• 8 Reward tiles I
• 6 Reward tiles II
• 8 Positional tiles
• 6 condition tiles
• 3 Duel markers

[Transcriber's note: the printed component list says "8 Aufbauplättchen" (preparation tiles). The reward tiles II are listed as 6 on the component page, but their effects are not printed in this rulebook; see the note under "Reward Tiles" below.]

Rules for the New Board

Setup

If you use only the new board, then in addition to the base game setup, do the following:

1. Use the Duel board instead of the base game board.
2. Use the Duel Headstream tiles instead of the base game Headstream tiles. Shuffle them face down and place 4 at random face down on the spaces provided at the top of the board.
3. Place the 8 preparation tiles with their brown back face up next to the board.
4. Shuffle the 8 Positional tiles face down, then turn 1 at random face up (number up) under each preparation tile.
5. Each Positional tile shows a number corresponding to a position on the board (see the printed figure). All construction spaces for Dams and Conduits are outlined in red, all construction spaces for Powerhouses are outlined in green.
   • Place 1 neutral Base on the lower construction space of the valley matching the Positional tile. Place 1 neutral Base with 1 neutral Elevation on the lower construction space of the valley matching the Positional tile. Place 1 Water Drop, as usual, behind each neutral Dam. Then return the leftover neutral preparation tiles (the remaining neutral Base and the 2 remaining neutral Elevations) to the box. They are not needed in this variant.
   • Place the preparation tiles for the 2 Bases and the 2 Conduits face up directly on the matching construction spaces (top/bottom, left/right) that correspond to the Positional tiles.
   • Place the preparation tiles for the 2 Powerhouses face up directly on the matching construction spaces (top/bottom) that correspond to the Positional tiles.
   • At position 8 you cannot place Powerhouses. If a Powerhouse preparation tile is next to Positional tile 8, do not place it on the board; return it to the box.

Additional rules

Use all the rules of the base game. The only difference is the function of the preparation tiles. You cannot build on construction spaces on which preparation tiles lie.

Rules for the Duel Board

Use all the rules needed for the base game and the new board, as described above.

Setup

Then:

1. Place the Duel board in view of both players, for example next to the Energy Track.
2. Shuffle the condition tiles and place 1 face up on the matching space of each row of the Duel board. If you play without the Leeghwater Project, first remove the condition tile with the third-party order (hammer). Return the remaining condition tiles to the box.
3. Shuffle the reward tiles I and place 1 face up on each of the 3 "I" spaces of the Duel board. Return the remaining 2 reward tiles I to the box.
4. Place 1 reward tile II face up on each "II" space of the Duel board.
5. Place 1 Duel marker on the central space of each of the 3 Victory Point tracks of the Duel board.
6. After you have chosen a company, each player places the matching company tile on the right or left of the Duel board (the company tile is placed to the right for one player and the left for the other).

Additional rules

Gameplay is the same as the base game with the following changes:

• Between the phases "Water Flow" and "Scoring", a new phase is played: the Check Phase.
• In this phase, the player who better meets the condition (set by the condition tile) receives rewards.

Check Phase

Check all three rows of the Duel board from top to bottom.

Look at the condition on the condition tile in the centre of the row.

Work out how many times each of you has met this condition. The player with the higher result moves the Duel marker towards their company tile by the difference between their result and that of the other player.

In case of a tie, do not move the marker.

If a Duel marker reaches a reward tile I or II, the corresponding player immediately receives the stated reward, and then removes that reward tile from the game.

If a Duel marker reaches the end of the Victory Point track, ignore the remaining steps. In the next round the Duel marker can move back towards the other company, provided that company meets the condition better.

[Transcriber's note: "Duellplan" is rendered "Duel board" and "Duellplättchen" "Duel marker", to match the English Duel rulebook in this app.]

Example of a Check Phase during a game in which the Duel markers have already moved:

Check the first row: Tommaso has 5 Hydro, Simone has 10. Tommaso meets the first condition (3 Hydro) 1 time, Simone 3 times. Simone moves the Duel marker 2 spaces (3 − 1 = 2) towards his side. This takes the Duel marker to reward tile I, and Simone receives 2 machinery. He adds them to his supply and then removes the reward tile.

Check the second row: Simone now has (together with the reward just received) 3 Excavators and 2 Concrete Mixers, which makes 2 pairs. Tommaso has only 1 Concrete Mixer and so no pair. Simone meets the second condition 2 times (pairs of 1 Concrete Mixer and 1 Excavator in his supply) and moves the Duel marker 2 spaces (2 − 0 = 2).

Check the third row: Simone has fulfilled only the starting Contract (white), which is worth 1 point. Tommaso has fulfilled a yellow and a red Contract, which together are worth 5 points. Tommaso meets the condition (value of all fulfilled Contracts) better and moves the Duel marker 4 spaces towards his side (5 − 1 = 4). This takes the Duel marker to reward tile I, and he receives 5 Hydro. He then removes the reward tile.

End of Game

The player on whose side each Duel marker lies receives the Victory Points shown on the Victory Point track at the position the marker has reached. If the Duel marker is in the middle of the Victory Point track, nobody receives Victory Points for that track.

Example of final scoring on the Duel board:

On the first track, the Duel marker is on Tommaso's side, and Tommaso plays Italy. The marker has reached the 2nd space, so Tommaso receives 2 VP.

The Duel marker of the second track is in the middle, so nobody receives VP for it.

The Duel marker of the third track is on Simone's side, and Simone plays France. It lies on the last space of the track, so Simone receives 15 VP.

Condition Tiles

The condition tiles are listed in full in Appendix 7.

Reward Tiles

Reward tile I effects are listed in Appendix 7.

[Transcriber's note: the effects of the six reward tiles II are not printed in this rulebook. The printed text says only that each reward tile II is placed on its "II" space and that a Duel marker that reaches it gives the stated reward. The reward tile II artwork shows icons only, and no text explains them. These effects are therefore not transcribed. Check the printed reward tiles II before playing with the Duel board.]

Der Geofaktor: The Geological Factor

The Geological Factor is a mini-expansion for Wasserkraft. It brings new challenges and variety.

Each valley has a special requirement when building certain structures, and offers unique effects when using the structure.

This expansion can be played with all game boards and all released expansions.

Components

• 13 Geological tokens (8 with effects, 5 blank)

Setup

After setting up the base game, do the following:

1. Shuffle all the Geological tokens. (If you are not playing with the 4–5 player board, first return 3 of the blank tokens to the box.)
2. Place the tokens at random on all valleys of the board, over the upper Dam.
3. Remove the blank tokens from the board. These valleys have no additional rules.
4. Remove all tokens showing the crossed-out mountain symbol that lie on valleys in the mountains.

Geological Tokens

On the left side of each Geological token is the symbol of a structure (Base, Elevation, Conduit or Powerhouse). Below the structure on the left are additional costs or replacement costs. On the right side is the effect associated with the structure.

You must pay the costs even if you build the structure shown on the token through an effect (for example a Contract or a third-party order) instead of a Construction action. Note the following points:

• If the costs are machinery (Excavators or Concrete Mixers), you must place them in the open segment of your Construction Wheel, without turning the wheel.
• On a later construction, place the new machinery as usual in the open segment (next to the machinery already placed) and turn the Construction Wheel. If the costs are additional workers, place them on your company board.
• Costs and effects apply to both Dams of a valley, to both Conduits, and to all Powerhouses of the valley.

Effects of the Geological Tokens

The tokens are listed in the order they appear on the printed page (left column top to bottom, then right column top to bottom). Their symbols do not survive text extraction, so the structure and cost of each are given as printed in the cost and effect text.

Token 1 (Base)

• Costs: You must pay an additional 3 Hydro to build a Base in this valley.
• Effect: For each Water Drop held by your Dam in this valley, you receive 1 Hydro from the general supply.

Token 2 (Base)

• Costs: You must place an additional 2 Excavators on your Construction Wheel to build a Base in this valley.
• Effect: As soon as you have built a Base, and in each following Income phase at the start of each round, you may place 1 Water Drop behind the Dam in this valley.

Token 3 (Conduit)

• Costs: You must use an additional 2 workers to build a Conduit in this valley.
• Effect: For each Water Drop that flows through a Conduit into this valley, the player who owns that Conduit receives 1 VP.

Token 4 (Elevation)

• Costs: You must pay an additional 3 Hydro to build an Elevation in this valley.
• Effect: As soon as you have built an Elevation in this valley, you receive the water-drop effect for each Elevation of the Dam (that is, the effect for the first Elevation and the effect for the second Elevation).

[Transcriber's note: the water-drop effect of Token 4 refers to a drop symbol that is not legible in the text extraction. It is transcribed as printed; check the printed token.]

Token 5 (Powerhouse)

• Costs: You must place an additional 2 Excavators on your Construction Wheel to build a Powerhouse in this valley.
• Effect: When you produce Energy through a Powerhouse in this valley, add 2 Energy units to the Energy produced.

Remove this tile from the board if it was placed on a valley in the mountains during setup.

Token 6 (Conduit, replacement costs)

• Costs: Instead of the usual machinery costs, you must place Excavators and Concrete Mixers equal to the value of the Conduits in this valley to build in this valley.
• Effect: The production value of the Conduits in this valley is increased by 1 (for example, a Conduit with value 3 now has value 4).

When you build a Conduit through an effect instead of a Construction action, treat it as if its production value were increased by 1. (For example, an effect that lets you build a Conduit with value 3 allows you to build it in this valley only on construction spaces with production value 2 or less.)

The special ability of the Chief Engineer Jill McDowell can be used to build in a valley with this tile. In that case treat the production value of the Conduit as increased by 1. (For example, if you build a Conduit with value 3 you must use 4 Concrete Mixers.)

Token 7 (Elevation, additional cost of 1 Concrete Mixer)

• Costs: You must place an additional 1 Concrete Mixer on your Construction Wheel to build an Elevation in this valley.
• Effect: As soon as you have built an Elevation in this valley, you receive 3 Hydro from the general supply.

Token 8 (Powerhouse, no cost)

• Costs: None.
• Effect: When you produce Energy through a Powerhouse in this valley, add 4 Energy units to the Energy produced. If you produce Energy through a Powerhouse in this valley, you cannot fulfil a Contract with that Energy.

Remove this tile from the board if it was placed on a valley in the mountains during setup.

[Transcriber's note: the tile numbering above is the transcriber's, by printed position. The printed tokens are identified by symbol, and the cost and effect text for Tokens 5 and 7 and the "Remove this tile" notes were matched to the printed layout. Check the printed tokens if in doubt.]

Appendix 1: Landscape Tiles (The China Challenge)

The area of each landscape is given by its code: A = mountains, B = hills, C = foreland.

• A1 High-Mountain Channels: The 2 Sources indicated by the arrows immediately receive 1 additional Water Drop, and again at the start of each following round. The Water Drop placed immediately also flows immediately.
• A2 High-Mountain Conduit: Two new construction spaces for Conduits are now available: one Conduit with production value 2 and one with production value 3. The building costs of these Conduits are reduced by 2 Excavators.
• A3 High-Mountain Bases: A new construction space for a Dam in the mountains is now available. A Dam built on this space can hold 1 more Water Drop than usual. Building a Base on this space costs an additional 3 Hydro (in addition to the usual costs for red-outlined construction spaces).
• A4 New Source: A new Source is now available. As soon as you build this landscape, you may place up to 2 Water Drops on Source tiles of your choice, which flow immediately. As usual, the Source is refilled with the stated number of Water Drops in the corresponding round.
• A5 High-Mountain Operations Centre: At the start of the game, place 3 of the remaining target tiles next to the board beside this landscape tile. When you build this landscape, choose 1 of the 3 target tiles and place it on the empty space. Score this target tile additionally at final scoring. The player who best meets its condition at the end of the game receives 15 VP. Second place receives 10 VP and third place 5 VP (for ties see the base rules).
• A6 River Diversion: The river is diverted as shown. As soon as you build this landscape, you may immediately place up to 2 Water Drops on Source tiles of your choice, which flow immediately.
• B1 Mountain Management Centre: As soon as you have built this landscape, place the following Contracts on the space, from bottom to top: 1 National Contract (from the ones not in use, taken from the box), 1 red, 1 yellow and 1 green Contract (each from the stacks of the display). If a player uses a Powerhouse in the hills, they may fulfil the topmost revealed Contract on this space. When you fulfil a Contract this way, take the corresponding tile and reveal the next one.

Appendix 2: Yield Tiles (The China Challenge)

The printed key lists three kinds of reward: permanent bonuses (∞), immediate effects (⚡), and Victory Points for specific conditions at the end of the game (→|).

Permanent bonuses (∞)

• Pay 1 Hydro less for red-outlined spaces (both construction spaces and action spaces).
• Pay 1 Excavator less when building.
• You need 1 worker less for Construction actions of the 3rd and 4th columns.
• Pay 1 Concrete Mixer less when building.
• You need 2 Energy units less to fulfil a Contract.
• Pay 2 Hydro less for all actions (the costs for placing workers or building on a red-outlined space remain unchanged).

Immediate effects (⚡)

• Build an Elevation in the foreland without paying building costs.
• Receive 5 Hydro.
• Build a Conduit with production value 3 or less without paying building costs.
• Carry out a Construction action immediately, without placing a worker (use the corresponding technology tile and the corresponding machinery as usual).
• Turn your Construction Wheel 3 segments and receive 6 Hydro.
• Place 3 Water Drops on Source tiles of your choice. They flow immediately. Receive 6 Hydro.

Victory Points at the end of the game (→|)

• Receive 1 VP for each Excavator you hold at the end of the game.
• Receive 1 VP for each structure you have built in the foreland.
• Receive 2 VP for each Concrete Mixer you hold at the end of the game.
• Receive 2 VP for each structure you have built in the hills.
• Receive 3 VP for each landscape you have built.
• Receive 3 VP for each structure you have built in the mountains.

[Transcriber's note: the printed page places the reward tiles in a grid, with each column of the grid headed by one of the three reward types. The grouping above follows that layout, one column at a time.]

Appendix 3: Advanced Technology Tiles (The China Challenge)

Tile 1: When you use this tile, you may build 1 landscape and move on the Energy Track by the amount of the machinery cost of that landscape.

Tile 2: When you use this tile, you may build 1 landscape and immediately carry out 1 additional Construction action, without placing a worker for it (place the technology tile and the machinery as usual on your Construction Wheel).

Tile 3: When you use this tile, you may build 1 landscape. Receive 2 VP multiplied by the machinery cost of the landscape.

Appendix 4: Third-Party Orders (The China Challenge)

Setup step 7 describes these tiles.

• I: Build a yellow landscape without paying building costs.
• II: Receive 3 VP for each landscape built.
• III: Build 2 landscapes of your choice without paying building costs.

Appendix 5: New Private Building, Winch

Setup step 8 describes this private building.

• Winch: For each landscape you have built, receive 1 machinery of your choice.

Appendix 6: Bonus and Target Tiles

Bonus tile: Receive 4 VP for each landscape you have built so far.

Target tile: All pairs of Base + landscape, Conduit + landscape and Powerhouse + landscape in the areas of the board (mountains, hills or foreland). Elevations do not count.

The target tile shows the scores 15 / 10 / 5 for first, second and third place; see landscape A5 in Appendix 1.

Appendix 7: Duel Tiles

Condition tiles

• Hydro: For every 3 Hydro you hold.
• Dam water: For each Water Drop in your Dams.
• Contracts: The value of all Contracts you fulfilled in this round. Starting Contracts and green Contracts are worth 1 point, yellow Contracts are worth 2 points, red Contracts are worth 3 points, and National Contracts (violet) are worth 4 points. If this condition tile is in play, place the Contracts you fulfilled this round as a reminder next to your company tile. Take them back after the Check Phase.
• Energy: For every 4 spaces your Energy marker has moved forward on the Energy Track.
• Pairs: For each pair of 1 Excavator and 1 Concrete Mixer in your own supply. Machinery on your Construction Wheel does not count.
• Third-party orders: For each machinery you used this round to carry out a third-party order. If this condition tile is in play, place the third-party orders you fulfilled this round as a reminder next to your company tiles. Take them back after the Check Phase.

Reward tiles I (8)

• Move your Energy marker 2 spaces forward on the Energy Track and receive 1 Concrete Mixer.
• Receive 3 Victory Points and 1 Excavator.
• Receive 1 Excavator and 1 Concrete Mixer.
• Move your Energy marker 4 spaces forward on the Energy Track.
• Turn your Construction Wheel 2 segments.
• Receive 3 Hydro and turn your Construction Wheel 1 segment.
• Place 2 Water Drops on Source tiles of your choice. They flow immediately.
• Receive 5 Hydro.

[Transcriber's note: the printed reward tiles I are shown with icons, and the text above follows the printed captions in the order they appear on the page, left to right, top to bottom. The effects of the six reward tiles II are not printed in this rulebook and are not transcribed.]

Appendix 8: New Chief Engineers

Each chief engineer gives your company a special ability. Combined with the different companies, new combinations arise again and again.

Elon Audia

• Setup: You start the game without Excavators and without Concrete Mixers. Instead you receive 8 Mixer Excavators. You may use these special machines both as Excavators and as Concrete Mixers. You may still buy machinery in the machinery row and use it for various effects. You may place Mixer Excavators on your Construction Wheel and combine them with the usual machinery. You may also use Mixer Excavators to pay for third-party orders; in that case remove them from the game.
• Copying: If you copy this special ability as Mahiri Sekibo in your turn, your machinery counts as Mixer Excavators until the end of this round.
• Use: You may use your Mixer Excavators to pay the additional costs for Excavators and Concrete Mixers.

Automa rules: When building or carrying out a third-party order, Automa always prefers using Excavators and Concrete Mixers over Mixer Excavators.

Wu Fang

• Special action space: You have 1 special action space. In your Action phase you may place 1 worker on the special action space to produce Energy units equal to the number of Water Drops held behind your Dams, immediately and without moving them. Do not add any bonuses to this production. You may use these Energy units to fulfil 1 Contract and to advance on the Energy Track.
• Copying: If you copy this special ability as Mahiri Sekibo in your turn, use it by placing 1 of your workers on the bank and carrying out the action. You receive no money for this.

Automa rules: Before checking which action (or actions) Automa carries out (Automa tile), you must check whether it controls a number of Water Drops at least as high as the Energy it needs to fulfil a Contract shown in the production section. If so, it places a worker on the special action space as its action and produces Energy units equal to the number of Water Drops it controls. It then fulfils the best possible Contract (in case of a tie, the one furthest to the right).

Also, before checking whether and which structure Automa can build, Automa has the correct technology tile and the required machinery; it preferably builds a Base (or, as second choice, an Elevation) instead of the structures shown on the Automa tile.

Dr. Octavius

• Ability: When you produce Energy by activating one of your Powerhouses, you may use Water Drops from 2 or more of your Dams (and/or neutral Dams) that are connected to the activated Powerhouse.
• German company: If you play with the German company and use this special ability (2 consecutive production actions), you may apply the special ability only to the first production.
• Copying: If you copy this special ability as Mahiri Sekibo in your turn, use it by applying it to a production action.
• Water flow: You may let Water Drops from 1 or more Dams (your own or neutral) flow through 1 or more production systems that are used together for Energy production with 1 active Powerhouse (with the restrictions printed for Japan).

Automa rules: When calculating the amount of Energy that can be produced, Automa tries to find the best possible production, taking into account all possible sources of Water Drops. When choosing where to place a Base, Automa prefers, among the available options, a construction space connected to its own Powerhouse (through a built or unbuilt Conduit).

Gennardo Grasso

• Special action space: You have 1 special action space, which requires 2 workers and allows you to build 1 additional structure. You may use it once per round. The usual Construction rules apply. You may therefore carry out at most five Construction actions per round.
• Copying: If you copy this special ability as Mahiri Sekibo in your turn, you may carry out a Construction action by placing 2 of your workers on the bank and carrying out the build. You receive no money for this.

Automa rules: Automa does not use the special action space of Gennardo Grasso. [Transcriber's note: the printed Automa rule spells the name "Gennaro Grasso"; the printed label on the chief engineer's card is "Gennardo Grasso". Both are transcribed as printed.] Automa checks its action in this adjusted order: first the 2nd column (building), then the 1st column (Energy production, income and Source water), and last the 3rd column (other actions). The first Construction action of each round always costs 1 worker fewer than stated (place the worker used, as a reminder, on the special action space. When building a private building tile, place 1 Hydro on the special action space as a reminder).

Amir Zahir

• Ability: When you place Water Drops on Source tiles, you may let them flow immediately. You may decide individually for each Water Drop. If you may place Water Drops that flow immediately, you may instead place them behind one of your Dams with the corresponding capacity. You may decide individually for each Water Drop.
• Copying: If you copy this special ability as Mahiri Sekibo in your turn, you receive this special ability until the end of this round.

Automa rules: When Automa places Water Drops on Source tiles, it always lets them flow immediately. If Automa is to place Water Drops that flow immediately on Source tiles, it tries to place them behind its Dams instead. The first choice is a Dam that is part of a complete own system of Dam, Conduit and Powerhouse (if several options, it chooses the Conduit with the highest production value). The second choice is a Dam already connected by a Conduit of another player (if several options, the Conduit with the highest production value). The third choice is a Dam that may possibly be connected to an already built Powerhouse. If several options are equal, Automa follows the code at the end of the Dam row on the criteria side of the Automa tile.

Franz de Lasse

• Ability: When you carry out a production action and fulfil a Contract with a lower production value than the Energy you produced, move your Energy marker forward on the Energy Track only by the value of the excess Energy. If you fulfil a Contract of the same value as your production value, do not move the marker at all. At the end of the round, move your Energy marker back on the Energy Track to the lower limit (the purple-outlined space) of the section for the current round, if you have reached it. Otherwise do not move your marker back.
• Copying: If you copy this special ability as Mahiri Sekibo in your turn and fulfil a Contract with a production action, move your Energy marker only by the difference of the excess Energy on the Energy Track, and keep the Contract. Move your Energy marker at the start of the next round by the value of the Contract.

Automa rules: If Automa carries out a production action and its Energy marker is not yet in the area of the current round, Automa fulfils the available Contract with the lowest value (in case of a tie, the one furthest to the right).

Angelo Alberti

Angelo Alberti can only be played with the Geological Factor expansion and is not compatible with the Automa rules.

• Special action space: You have 1 special action space. You may replace the additional costs or replacement costs on the left side of the Geological tokens with 1 of your workers. You may use the special ability 2 times each round, by placing the workers used for it on the special action space. (For your main action in your turn you must still place workers.)
• Copying: If you copy this special ability as Mahiri Sekibo in your turn, you may bypass the additional costs or replacement costs of a Geological token. You do not have to place any worker other than the worker for activating its special ability.

Appendix 9: Older Chief Engineers

Base game

Wilhelm Adler

• Ability: Your Bases always cost 3 Excavators, regardless of the area in which you build them. The costs of your Elevations remain unchanged, depending on the area in which you build them.
• Note: The costs for Elevations remain unchanged, even if you build them without a Base.

Graziano Del Monte

• Ability: Your Dams with Capacity level 3 can hold up to 4 Water Drops. With Dams of Capacity level 1 or 2 you can still hold 1 or 2 Water Drops as before.
• Note: The ability to hold 4 Water Drops applies to your next action and afterwards, until you produce Energy with the additional Water Drops.
• Note: Your Dams with Capacity level 2 (1 Base + 1 Elevation) can hold up to 3 Water Drops.

Viktor Fiesler

• Ability: If you would produce less than 4 Energy, you instead produce 4 Energy, before bonuses and penalties. If the result of the number of Water Drops multiplied by the value of the Conduit is less than 4, change the value to 4. Bonuses or penalties from the action space or from your company board are added afterwards.

Jill McDowell

• Ability: You may pay for Conduits with Concrete Mixers. If you do, pay as many Concrete Mixers as the value of the Conduit. You may not combine Excavators and Concrete Mixers when paying.

Solomon P. Jordan

• Ability: When building a structure, you may pay 3 Hydro instead of 1 machinery. You may replace any number of machines with money. Return the Hydro to the general supply, not onto the Construction Wheel.
• Note: You cannot pay the additional costs for machinery with money.

Anton Krylov

• Setup: At the start of the game take the depicted special technology tile. When you use this technology tile, copy 1 other technology tile on your Construction Wheel with it. You copy the type of structure and, where applicable, the special ability.
• Ability: You may copy 1 technology tile on your Construction Wheel. Build without placing a technology tile in the top segment of your Construction Wheel. Place the required machinery as usual.

Mahiri Sekibo

• Ability: You have 2 special action spaces, each requiring 1 worker. The second space costs an additional 3 Hydro. When you use the space, you immediately carry out another action, and in that action you may copy the special ability of 1 other chief engineer.

Margot Fouche

• Ability: You have 1 special action space, which requires 1 worker. If you use this space, you may use the action of one private building you have activated. You may still use this building action through a normal action space (and so use the same building action twice in one round). You may use the action of a private building you have activated by placing 1 of your workers on the bank. You receive no money for this.

Simone Luciani

• Ability: You may have up to 4 open Contract tiles. With each Energy production you may also fulfil 2 or more Contracts, as long as the total Energy produced is at least the sum of the Energy required by all the Contracts.
• Note: If you take Contracts at the Patent Office with your further action, you may keep up to 4 Contracts after that action, until you fulfil 1 of them. After that the normal limit of 3 Contracts applies to you again. If you produce Energy with your further action in Power Plant Control, you may fulfil several Contracts with this Energy production.
• Note: You may also fulfil, with the same Energy production, 1 Contract that you received from the Notary display through your special ability.

Tommaso Battista

• Setup: Replace 1 of your 12 workers with the Architect at the start of the game. The Architect is a special worker. When you use an action space that requires exactly 1 worker with the Architect, you may immediately carry out another action. Do not activate this special ability if you use the Architect together with 1 or more other workers.
• Note: You may use one of your workers as if it were the Architect.

Leeghwater Project

Leslie Spencer

• Setup: At the start of the game take the depicted special technology tile. When you carry out a third-party order, you may place the required machinery together with this technology on your Construction Wheel, as if you were carrying out a Construction action. Then turn your Construction Wheel 1 step. You receive the machinery and the technology tile back once they have completed a full turn of the Construction Wheel. You must place workers on the action space for the third-party order, but not on a Construction action space. You may not use this ability while the special technology tile lies on your Construction Wheel.
• Note: You may copy the special ability without using the special technology tile. Place the required machinery in the top segment of your Construction Wheel and then turn it 1 step.

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End of rulebook. Credits and publisher information have not been transcribed.