Uploaded November 2018 | Updated September 2026, 9 hours ago
Some new players on the channel, and our first Italy 3-player game!
With coal being much more expensive at the start on Italy, the 04 shouldn't go for more than a couple bucks above list price in larger games. It's even worse in 3P, where i would let it go at cost. Got bid up here, though, and i was able to snag the 06 at cost. 06 is hands down the best starting plant on Italy and should generally go for $8-9 depending on game size and the early plant drops.
09 is also one of my favorite plants to pair with 06 on Italy, and you can buy it on turn 2 while other players wait for the 10 and the 13. The cheaper trash and more expensive coal help this little combo a lot.
The cheap builds on this map led to some fun plays, such as buying the 08 with exactly enough money to power 4 cities. Even though i only used it once, 08 still made a profit for me! 20 dropping out of nowhere after i paid a fair price for the 21 was a bit painful, but that dissipated over time as specialk outbid me on the 25 and got stuck in the coal vortex.
ligtreb, meanwhile, was the richest player and should have been in a good position, but they made some plant bidding mistakes that cost them in the end. Paying close to $35 for the 28 was actually reasonable here since fossil fuels got so expensive, but paying the same amount for the 29 cost them since the game was so close to Step 3 at that point. 29 didn't help them reach 17 total capacity and was thus pointless. Had i gotten stuck with that plant when i put it up for bid, i likely would've lost.
ligtreb did something similar in the endgame, by fighting me for the 32 after i put it up for bid. It was the only 6-capacity plant on the market, but 4/5 remaining plants in the deck had 6 or 7 capacity. Ended up with the godlike drop of 46 afterward, the only remaining 7-capacity plant in the game. ligtreb also built to the top of the turn order after this and was forced to buy the 34 on the last turn, since none of the bigger plants were safe for them.
This game has a number of instances where i had exactly enough money to make the plays i wanted to make, and the finish does not disappoint there!
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
Some new players on the channel, and our first Italy 3-player game!
With coal being much more expensive at the start on Italy, the 04 shouldn't go for more than a couple bucks above list price in larger games. It's even worse in 3P, where i would let it go at cost. Got bid up here, though, and i was able to snag the 06 at cost. 06 is hands down the best starting plant on Italy and should generally go for $8-9 depending on game size and the early plant drops.
09 is also one of my favorite plants to pair with 06 on Italy, and you can buy it on turn 2 while other players wait for the 10 and the 13. The cheaper trash and more expensive coal help this little combo a lot.
The cheap builds on this map led to some fun plays, such as buying the 08 with exactly enough money to power 4 cities. Even though i only used it once, 08 still made a profit for me! 20 dropping out of nowhere after i paid a fair price for the 21 was a bit painful, but that dissipated over time as specialk outbid me on the 25 and got stuck in the coal vortex.
ligtreb, meanwhile, was the richest player and should have been in a good position, but they made some plant bidding mistakes that cost them in the end. Paying close to $35 for the 28 was actually reasonable here since fossil fuels got so expensive, but paying the same amount for the 29 cost them since the game was so close to Step 3 at that point. 29 didn't help them reach 17 total capacity and was thus pointless. Had i gotten stuck with that plant when i put it up for bid, i likely would've lost.
ligtreb did something similar in the endgame, by fighting me for the 32 after i put it up for bid. It was the only 6-capacity plant on the market, but 4/5 remaining plants in the deck had 6 or 7 capacity. Ended up with the godlike drop of 46 afterward, the only remaining 7-capacity plant in the game. ligtreb also built to the top of the turn order after this and was forced to buy the 34 on the last turn, since none of the bigger plants were safe for them.
This game has a number of instances where i had exactly enough money to make the plays i wanted to make, and the finish does not disappoint there!
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
