<p>In later revisons of Power Grid phases are used to describe the difference phases of a turn. Steps are used to describe the 3 different game states that happens when a player builds 7 cities or pull the card in OP post from the top of the power plant pile.</p>

<p>The card does say "Step 3" in the later revisions that I played.</p>

<p>For more information check the <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/wiki/page/Power_Grid_FAQ#toc46">Power Grid FAQ</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-08-22T23:23:16.720Z
This is correct, I believe it was a simple mistranslation on the card. Personally, I think they should have fixed it the other way – making the game have three "phases" and outlining the five "steps" of each turn, but what's done is done. :)
ghoppe
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-08-23T08:34:22.497Z
Thanks for clarifying that, FuleSnabel.  @ghoppe: I'd agree that in English it would make more sense for the phases to be the longer period!  Thanks for mentioning the translation issue - I see that indeed in Funkenschalg, each round is made up of 5 Phasen, and the 3 periods that the game is divided up into are Stufen.
Mark Longair
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-08-22T20:42:15.580Z
2011-08-22T20:42:15.580Z
Just another metaprogrammer
<p>My copy of Power Grid has an strange reversal of terminology between the cards:</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/ScQVS.png" alt="Power Grid &quot;Phase 3&quot; and summary cards"></p>

<p>... and the rules:</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/J9MCr.png" alt="Power Grid rules excerpt"></p>

<p>Obviously this isn't a huge deal, but I just wonder which is correct in terms of the other editions of the game available?</p>

<hr>

<p><em>Update:</em> after the answer below confirmed that the cards are wrong rather than the rules, I contacted <a href="http://www.riograndegames.com/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Rio Grande Games</a> to ask about getting replacement cards.  They directed me to the <a href="https://boardgamegeekstore.com" rel="nofollow noreferrer">BoardGameGeek store</a>, which sells a Power Grid promotional pack called <a href="https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/88491/power-grid-bgg-promo-card-set" rel="nofollow noreferrer">"Power Grid: Theme Park (BGG Promo Card Set)"</a>.  This contains a replacement Step 3 card, but sadly no replacement player summary cards...  If anyone knows how to get them, that would be great to know.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-05-17T02:24:12.160Z
Power grid's terminology is totally backwards from what it should be.  Phases should be bigger than steps.  I would love to have cards that refer to phases rather than steps because it would make the game so much easier to explain.
Zags
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-08-09T10:02:07.497Z
@Zags It's simply a bad translation. The German word *Stufe* can be translated into English as *step* or *stage* - whoever translated the rules should have picked the second one instead of the first.
Volker Landgraf
<power-grid><terminology>
In Power Grid, what are the phases and what are the steps?
Mark Longair
# In Power Grid, what are the phases and what are the steps?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2011-08-22)

My copy of Power Grid has an strange reversal of terminology between the cards:

![Power Grid "Phase 3" and summary cards](https://i.sstatic.net/ScQVS.png)

... and the rules:

![Power Grid rules excerpt](https://i.sstatic.net/J9MCr.png)

Obviously this isn't a huge deal, but I username_3 wonder which is correct in terms of the other editions of the game available?

---

*Update:* after the answer below confirmed that the cards are wrong rather than the rules, I contacted [Rio Grande Games](http://www.riograndegames.com/) to ask about getting replacement cards. They directed me to the [BoardGameGeek store](https://boardgamegeekstore.com), which sells a Power Grid promotional pack called ["Power Grid: Theme Park (BGG Promo Card Set)"](https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/88491/power-grid-bgg-promo-card-set). This contains a replacement Step 3 card, but sadly no replacement player summary cards... If anyone knows how to get them, that would be great to know.

**Tags:** power-grid, terminology

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Power grid's terminology is totally backwards from what it should be.  Phases should be bigger than steps.  I would love to have cards that refer to phases rather than steps because it would make the game so much easier to explain.  
> **username_2**: @username_1 It's simply a bad translation. The German word *Stufe* can be translated into English as *step* or *stage* - whoever translated the rules should have picked the second one instead of the first.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2011-08-22. Score: 10 | Accepted answer

In later revisons of Power Grid phases are used to describe the difference phases of a turn. Steps are used to describe the 3 different game states that happens when a player builds 7 cities or pull the card in OP post from the top of the power plant pile.

The card does say "Step 3" in the later revisions that I played.

For more information check the [Power Grid FAQ](http://boardgamegeek.com/wiki/page/Power_Grid_FAQ#toc46)

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: This is correct, I believe it was a simple mistranslation on the card. Personally, I think they should have fixed it the other way – making the game have three "phases" and outlining the five "steps" of each turn, but what's done is done. :)  
> **username_0**: Thanks for clarifying that, FuleSnabel.  @username_4: I'd agree that in English it would make more sense for the phases to be the longer period!  Thanks for mentioning the translation issue - I see that indeed in Funkenschalg, each round is made up of 5 Phasen, and the 3 periods that the game is divided up into are Stufen.  

---

