Uploaded January 2019 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
Now this is a pretty strong 4er! Underrepresented map on this channel, too.
This time Bode got his starting build punished, with amitss building behind him in the cheapest part of aqua. Left me with a bunch of fairly cheap cities in purple & blue *and* bottom in the turn order!
With the 25 lurking, i decided not to bid for the 11 (remember, uranium starts out real cheap on France!) and paid for it dearly as a dud came immediately after. Things immediately turned around on turn 4, though, with 18 (won by Bode at the bottom for $24) followed by 22 followed by 25. Ended up bidding wishmaker a bit above my ideal level for 25 since i knew they could afford it with their cheap cities, and passing rewarded me with a free 29! Immediately built to 4 and stalled there for the rest of Step 1.
The next big decision was the auction for 32. Came down to me vs. Bode for that one, and i got it for just under $50 with oil pretty cheap at the time. My thinking was that having a 4-cap plant made a 6 worth far more than a 5 to me, since i could get to 17 with just one more plant after that. Unfortunately wishmaker immediately triggered Step 2 after that auction, bringing a bunch of big plants on the next turn. We got 26 (killing my oil), then 33, then a 34 that i couldn't afford to touch at all. The market closed off after that until Step 3.
Meanwhile amitss got the 31 at cost during Step 1, followed by the 26 at a fairly high price. Built as much as i could ASAP, then waited for others to build above me before Step 3. A couple of them did, so i wasn't in a bad spot.
When Step 3 arrived, i decided to pass on the 50 and wait for a 7-cap plant. Sure enough there was 38 with loads of cheap trash, and amitss & i went to town on it! Ended up bidding one time too many (close to $80!), allowing amitss to buy a cheap plant and just end the game at 16 capacity. Was worried i wouldn't be able to hit 18 cities with two 6's since those were in short supply, but the 30 dropped immediately after 38 when i could've gotten that at cost. Likely would've won the game with that drop, but not sure if i would've beaten amitss had i been forced to buy 40 and stay low so that 42 would be safe for me. That was still a lot better than overpaying for 38 though!
If you'd like to learn more about Power Grid, please check my blog for strategy articles on each power plant as well as a guide to 2-player games:
maninmotiongoingnowhere.wordpress.com/power-grid-strategy-individual-plant-articles
Now this is a pretty strong 4er! Underrepresented map on this channel, too.
This time Bode got his starting build punished, with amitss building behind him in the cheapest part of aqua. Left me with a bunch of fairly cheap cities in purple & blue *and* bottom in the turn order!
With the 25 lurking, i decided not to bid for the 11 (remember, uranium starts out real cheap on France!) and paid for it dearly as a dud came immediately after. Things immediately turned around on turn 4, though, with 18 (won by Bode at the bottom for $24) followed by 22 followed by 25. Ended up bidding wishmaker a bit above my ideal level for 25 since i knew they could afford it with their cheap cities, and passing rewarded me with a free 29! Immediately built to 4 and stalled there for the rest of Step 1.
The next big decision was the auction for 32. Came down to me vs. Bode for that one, and i got it for just under $50 with oil pretty cheap at the time. My thinking was that having a 4-cap plant made a 6 worth far more than a 5 to me, since i could get to 17 with just one more plant after that. Unfortunately wishmaker immediately triggered Step 2 after that auction, bringing a bunch of big plants on the next turn. We got 26 (killing my oil), then 33, then a 34 that i couldn't afford to touch at all. The market closed off after that until Step 3.
Meanwhile amitss got the 31 at cost during Step 1, followed by the 26 at a fairly high price. Built as much as i could ASAP, then waited for others to build above me before Step 3. A couple of them did, so i wasn't in a bad spot.
When Step 3 arrived, i decided to pass on the 50 and wait for a 7-cap plant. Sure enough there was 38 with loads of cheap trash, and amitss & i went to town on it! Ended up bidding one time too many (close to $80!), allowing amitss to buy a cheap plant and just end the game at 16 capacity. Was worried i wouldn't be able to hit 18 cities with two 6's since those were in short supply, but the 30 dropped immediately after 38 when i could've gotten that at cost. Likely would've won the game with that drop, but not sure if i would've beaten amitss had i been forced to buy 40 and stay low so that 42 would be safe for me. That was still a lot better than overpaying for 38 though!
If you'd like to learn more about Power Grid, please check my blog for strategy articles on each power plant as well as a guide to 2-player games:
maninmotiongoingnowhere.wordpress.com/power-grid-strategy-individual-plant-articles
