<p>Generally, we decide as a group whether we want to use the more-dense or the less-dense areas of the map (at least on the U.S. map).  It's all about whether we feel like making everybody pay those high connection prices in the west.</p>

CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-11-19T19:28:04.230Z
2010-11-19T19:28:04.230Z
keithjgrant
<p>I don't think it really matters so much.  But you could randomize it, or else agree to rotate through each of the possibilities on a game-by-game basis, to create as much variety as possible.</p>

<p>Many connoisseurs seem to think that Power Grid is much better for 3-5 players, mind you, so if the lack of hard-and-fast rules for how to set up the 2 or 6 player games is bugging you, it might not be a bad idea to try not to play with that many players, so far as possible!</p>

CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-11-19T07:54:06.350Z
That's funny, it's one of the games we always pull out when we have six players.  Guess I'll have to play it more with less to see if it's better that way.
Lance Roberts
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-11-19T15:04:20.137Z
@Lance Roberts -- agreed!  As soon as our gaming group hits six players, there's a good chance Power Grid comes out.
LittleBobbyTables - Au Revoir
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-11-19T22:52:39.877Z
There are so many games that only take up to 5 players, that when your group is 6 large, you're delighted to find anything that will accommodate everyone!  But just because a game *can* take 6, doesn't mean it will be best with 6, alas...
thesunneversets
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-11-20T13:13:00.650Z
the lack of hard-and-fast rules doesn't bug me, I was just curious what peoples' answers were.
LittleBobbyTables - Au Revoir
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-11-19T06:08:09.023Z
2010-11-19T06:08:09.023Z
thesunneversets
<p>We just let the guys who go first pick the areas one at a time.</p>

CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-11-19T09:15:11.007Z
2010-11-19T09:15:11.007Z
Lance Roberts
<p>I have always done it either a) randomly or b) let the newest player pick, which often leads to the same results as randomly.  :)  I have never had a case of only 2 players, but with 6 that seems to work pretty well.</p>

CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-11-19T15:55:26.883Z
2010-11-19T15:55:26.883Z
aperkins
<p>We use the system where player 1 picks an area to keep, player 2 picks an adjacent area, etc. until we have the right number of areas. I'm nearly positive this is how the designer, Friedemann Friese, taught us. If not then we picked it up from the earlier version of the game, the crayon-based Funkenschlag.</p>

<p>One tip: when the new (current) edition came out I had a chance to play with the designer explaining the rules. We used the pick-an-adjacent-area rule to pick our staring zones and were using the Germany map. With six players we picked five zones, and the one left out was the center zone, leaving a ring-shaped map. Friedemann immediately exclaimed, "We never playtested it that way!" </p>

<p>It turns out that's a pretty poor map to play on since you're restricted to expanding through other people's territory much earlier in the game than you normally would. The result was an extra-long game that frankly wasn't as fun.</p>

<p>So the tip: if you play the Germany map with 6 players, do <em>not</em> eliminate the center territory.</p>

CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-11-21T14:37:47.427Z
great answer, and great anecdotes!  Were you one of the original playtesters?
LittleBobbyTables - Au Revoir
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-11-22T02:23:34.470Z
Unfortunately I was not. My first play was shortly after it was introduced at the Nuremberg International Toy Fair. I have had the opportunity to playtest some of Friedemann's games since then, though. Great fun to see how his brain works!
Matthew Frederick
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-11-21T06:58:51.357Z
2010-11-22T02:21:16.220Z
2010-11-22T02:21:16.220Z
Matthew Frederick
<p>Pretty straight-forward question here: In the 2- and 6-player versions of <strong>Power Grid</strong>, you are instructed to use only <strong>3 areas</strong> and <strong>5 areas</strong> respectively, but it doesn't say <em>how</em> to pick the areas, leaving it up to the players.</p>

<p>What are good recommendations for determining which areas are in/out?</p>

<power-grid>
Determining which areas to use in 2- or 6-player Power Grid
LittleBobbyTables - Au Revoir
# Determining which areas to use in 2- or 6-player Power Grid

(Asked by: username_0 on 2010-11-19)

Pretty straight-forward question here: In the 2- and 6-player versions of **Power Grid**, you are instructed to use only **3 areas** and **5 areas** respectively, but it doesn't say *how* to pick the areas, leaving it up to the players.

What are good recommendations for determining which areas are in/out?

**Tags:** power-grid


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## 5 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2010-11-21. Score: 8 | Accepted answer

We use the system where player 1 picks an area to keep, player 2 picks an adjacent area, etc. until we have the right number of areas. I'm nearly positive this is how the designer, Friedemann Friese, taught us. If not then we picked it up from the earlier version of the game, the crayon-based Funkenschlag.

One tip: when the new (current) edition came out I had a chance to play with the designer explaining the rules. We used the pick-an-adjacent-area rule to pick our staring zones and were using the Germany map. With six players we picked five zones, and the one left out was the center zone, leaving a ring-shaped map. Friedemann immediately exclaimed, "We never playtested it that way!"

It turns out that's a pretty poor map to play on since you're restricted to expanding through other people's territory much earlier in the game than you normally would. The result was an extra-long game that frankly wasn't as fun.

So the tip: if you play the Germany map with 6 players, do *not* eliminate the center territory.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: great answer, and great anecdotes!  Were you one of the original playtesters?  
> **username_5**: Unfortunately I was not. My first play was shortly after it was introduced at the Nuremberg International Toy Fair. I have had the opportunity to playtest some of Friedemann's games since then, though. Great fun to see how his brain works!  

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### Answer by username_1 on 2010-11-19. Score: 2

Generally, we decide as a group whether we want to use the more-dense or the less-dense areas of the map (at least on the U.S. map). It's all about whether we feel like making everybody pay those high connection prices in the west.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2010-11-19. Score: 2

I don't think it really matters so much. But you could randomize it, or else agree to rotate through each of the possibilities on a game-by-game basis, to create as much variety as possible.

Many connoisseurs seem to think that Power Grid is much better for 3-5 players, mind you, so if the lack of hard-and-fast rules for how to set up the 2 or 6 player games is bugging you, it might not be a bad idea to try not to play with that many players, so far as possible!

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: That's funny, it's one of the games we always pull out when we have six players.  Guess I'll have to play it more with less to see if it's better that way.  
> **username_0**: @username_3 -- agreed!  As soon as our gaming group hits six players, there's a good chance Power Grid comes out.  
> **username_2**: There are so many games that only take up to 5 players, that when your group is 6 large, you're delighted to find anything that will accommodate everyone!  But just because a game *can* take 6, doesn't mean it will be best with 6, alas...  
> **username_0**: the lack of hard-and-fast rules doesn't bug me, I was just curious what peoples' answers were.  

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### Answer by username_3 on 2010-11-19. Score: 1

We just let the guys who go first pick the areas one at a time.


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### Answer by username_4 on 2010-11-19. Score: 1

I have always done it either a) randomly or b) let the newest player pick, which often leads to the same results as randomly. :) I have never had a case of only 2 players, but with 6 that seems to work pretty well.


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