Overview

In Factory Manager, each player manages a factory, trying to earn as much money as possible over 5 rounds. Players use workers to acquire machines, robots, storage, and optimization tiles from a central market, then operate their factories to generate revenue while managing energy costs. The player with the most money after 5 rounds wins.

Components

• 5 factory boards
• 1 storage board (with energy price track)
• Money in Elektro
• 106 factory tiles: 35 storage, 27 machine, 18 working robots, 9 personnel robots, 9 control tiles, 8 optimization tiles
• 35 workers (7 per player)
• 10 seasonal workers (2 per player)
• 15 markers (3 per player)
• 8 energy price tiles
• 12 player order tiles
• 1 energy price marker
• 10 shut-down tile markers
• Rules and overview sheet

Setup

1. Each player takes a factory board, workers, seasonal workers, markers, and starting money.
2. Set up starting tiles on factory boards.
3. Prepare the market on the storage board based on player count.
4. Set the energy price to starting level.
5. Determine initial player order.

Turn Structure

Each of 5 rounds has these phases:

1. Determine Player Order

Players bid workers to select their order tiles, which determine when they act in the market phase.

2. Market Phase

In player order, each player uses their workers to acquire tiles from the central market. Workers are your currency for buying tiles. Each tile has a worker cost. Available workers include permanent workers and seasonal workers.

3. Factory Operations

Each player operates their factory:

• Machines produce goods worth money.
• Robots can replace human workers.
• Storage affects capacity.
• Energy is consumed based on factory operations.
• Revenue = production value - energy costs.

4. Energy Price Adjustment

The energy price may increase based on drawn energy price tiles.

Actions

• Acquire tiles: Spend workers to buy machine, robot, storage, control, or optimization tiles.
• Place tiles: Add acquired tiles to your factory board.
• Operate factory: Generate revenue based on machines minus energy costs.
• Manage workers: Balance permanent workers with seasonal workers and robots.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

After 5 rounds, the player with the most money wins. Each round’s revenue (production minus energy costs) accumulates. Careful planning of energy consumption is critical as prices rise throughout the game.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• The game lasts exactly 5 rounds; each error significantly impacts chances.
• Worker availability is the key constraint for acquiring tiles.
• Player order mechanism creates a dilemma between acting early and conserving workers.
• Energy prices rise over time, making efficiency increasingly important.
• Robots can replace workers, freeing them for market purchases.
• For first games, recommended maximum 4 players due to player order complexity.

Player Reference

Round Phase	Action
1. Player Order	Bid workers for turn order
2. Market	Spend workers to buy factory tiles
3. Operations	Run factory; earn revenue minus energy
4. Energy	Adjust energy price

Game length: 5 rounds. Win: Most money at end.