Watts Up

Story

Last week Brushfire Bend, your town, was refused electricity. Seizing a rare opportunity you threw down the last of your money for a generator and a few power lines. With a town this hungry for electricity you're bound to make a fortune!

But tonight at the saloon, things shifted. You overheard one of the cowboys mention a "generator" and "selling power". Looks like you have yourself some competition, and if there was one there might be more.

You pay your tab, put on your hat and walk through the saloon doors. For a moment you silently survey the dark town then stride off towards home. Well, there's not much time now, you think to yourself, time to get those watts up!

Overview

Although you and your wild west rivals are new to Brushfire Bend you've started building independent power lines, each hoping to turn a quick profit. During the next 8 months or rounds you'll be adding new power lines, cleverly changing your price, and getting paid by the intersections you power. The good news: these folks'll pay any price for electricity. The catch: if more than 1 company is connected to an intersection only the company with the LOWEST price gets paid!

But don't get too distracted by your growing empire, because in the end the MOST MONEY WINS!

Components

• 5 Denomination of Cash
• 90 Power Lines
• 6 Cowboys
• 6 Generators
• 6 Price Markers
• 18 Price Cards
• 1 Game Board
• 1 Instruction Booklet

Economic Concepts

For public, private, or home school teachers wanting to use this as a teaching tool

• Opportunity Cost (Where do I put my next power line?)
• Markets: Monopoly, Oligopoly (Where is the easiest place to make money?)
• Inputs: capital
• marginal revenue vs. marginal cost
• Diminishing Marginal Returns (When should I stop buying power lines?)
• Uncertainty (Where will my opponents place their power lines? What price with they choose?)
• Nondiscrimination Pricing (Why can't I charge different prices?)
• Game Theory in Price Setting (What price should I choose this round?)