Smartphone Inc. is a game about the developmental stages of any large business. You need to think about logistics and production, track your competitors, and do your best to match global standards. But, this is not all it takes to be a successful businessman!
The world keeps changing. Different countries around the world—intentionally or otherwise—create surprises in the form of new laws, while global convulsions horrify your PR managers and Department Heads.
However, a legion of GR managers are already ringing civil servants’ phones off the hook. Lobbyists are rubbing the carpets in high offices to dust. Hundreds of managers are developing anti-crisis measures for you day and night.
All of them are waiting for your decisions!
Note: The ‘Lobbying’ Scenario cannot be used with the Artificial Intelligence ‘Steve.’
Scenario Contents
For this scenario, you’ll need markers from the Scenario pack. The markers have different fronts and backs, namely:
1.
numbers from 1 to 12 with ‘+1’ on the back - 12 pcs
2.
‘Yes’ Vote Markers, with ‘No’ on the back – 5 pcs
3.
‘Asterisk’ Markers, with ‘Ban’ on the back - 12 pcs
4.
‘Max’ Marker, with ‘Min’ on the back
5.
‘-1’ Markers, with ‘Marketing Token’ on the back - 12 pcs
Preparing for the Scenario
1.
Take the markers with numbers from 1 to 12.
2.
Shuffle the markers with numbers from 1 to 9 together and lay out 4 random markers on the I-IV spaces of the Round Track, face down
3.
Shuffle the markers with numbers 10, 11, and 12 together and randomly lay one of them on the round V space, face down
4.
Put the remaining 7 markers with numbers near the game board, face down — you might need them later.
5.
Hand a
to each player.
6.
Place the rest of the markers near the game board.
Gameplay
1.
At the start of each round, before the Planning Phase, turn over the marker above the current round. The number on the marker matches the number of an Event. Read the Event out loud. Now the players will have to decide which result they are going to vote for.
2.
Players can discuss whether they are going to vote ‘for’ or ‘against’ the Event.
3.
Then, each player decides whether they are going to vote ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ by putting their Voting Marker with the corresponding side up behind their screen.
4.
The Marker itself is worth zero votes. Each player can add votes to their choice by committing Improvements, Goods Tokens, and/or Mini-upgrades.
You can find the Mini-improvement in the Update 1.1 expansion, when playing with the New Technologies Module.
For this purpose, place the markers you are committing with your Voting Marker.
Be sure to place the markers you don’t want to use for adding votes clearly separate, also behind your screen.
How Many Votes Do You Get?
+1 vote for each 
;
+2 votes for each face-up Improvement (for example, 
);
+1 vote for each face-down Improvement (for example, 
);
+1 vote for each Mini-improvement;
You also automatically get votes from the game board:
+1 vote for each region where you have an 
.
5.
Once all players have decided how they will vote, remove your screens and reveal the Voting markers. Add up all the ‘yes’ votes and ‘no’ votes 
. The option with the most votes wins and gets accepted.
6.
Now, each player must pay for their votes with Victory Points (from now on: VP). You do not pay for votes from regions, but you must pay for all votes from your markers. The Voting Marker itself gives ‘0’ votes, so you don't pay for it, either:
For example, Ivan votes ‘Yes.’ He supports his position with one face-up Improvement (2), 2 Goods Tokens (1+1), and 1 Mini-improvement (1). Also, Ivan has 1 office in each of 3 regions on the board (1+1+1). In total, Ivan has 8 ‘Yes’ votes. He will have to spend 5 VP for his votes from Improvements, Goods Tokens, and Mini-upgrades (regions are free-of-charge).
In case of a tie, the ‘No’ option wins .
Important: After voting, all markers return to your pool. You may still use them normally during the round.
A note on the Events: In general, the effects of an Event are resolved only during the round they are revealed. Unless the Event says otherwise, any markers placed by an Event are removed at the end of the round (after Phase 8).
Event №1. State Subsidies
A crisis is brewing in China. Due to a booming economy over the last 5 years, manufacturing has gone up 32%. No longer able to hold production costs at the same level, major players in hi-tech are going to move production lines to countries in the South-Eastern region. This will lead to many companies having to search for new suppliers over the coming years. The Party is debating a Preferential Tax Treatment law for hi-tech companies.
All players get one Improvement each (chosen from the Improvement Block), starting with the first player and following the Priority Rule. After that, refill the Improvement Block.
All players must discard their Starting Improvements back into the box.
Event №2. Eco Tax
The UN is considering a proposal from Portugal and Spain to take away the ‘Net Tax’ placed a year ago. As a reminder, this tax is imposed on transportation companies if the number of diesel vehicles in their fleet exceeds 60%. The ongoing switch to alternative fuels has led to rising prices on passenger and cargo transportation for a year now
Each player, starting with the last one (i.e., the opposite of the Priority Rule), places 2 
in regions following the Logistics rules
During this round, in Phase 6, adding an to a new region costs 1 more than usual. Place a 
above Phase 6 as a reminder.
Event №3. State Procurement
US military forces are going to ultimately give up in-house development of personal communication devices. Their development and implementation has proven too costly for the US budget while their quality does not keep up with current demands. If this occurs, it promises large defense sector orders in the sphere of mobile communications, pocket computers, and smartphones.
Place the 
above Phase 8. Each player can sell up to
3 
here this round, but receives 1 VP less for each sold here.
All players immediately produce 3 each.
Event №4. Peak Sales
Sales of smartphones in the world are ranking towards the top. Many companies are reporting unprecedented sales growth. Under pressure from demand, several models have flown off the shelves. Global supplier of mobile chips Hi Electronics is ready to deliver 20% more processors for previous generation models, by transfering part of its personnel to the corresponding line. But will corporations go for it? The release of new showpieces is due soon. Should they invest money in old models and immediately dispatch them into retail or invest in future showpiece novelties?
During this round, Phase 7 will follow immediately after phase 4, and Phase 8 will be immediately after Phase 6. Place the 
between Phases 4 and 5 as a reminder
During this round, each player gets +1 in Phases 5 and 6. Place the between Phases 5 and 6 as a reminder.
Event № 5. New Advertising Laws
In the US, hearings for The Fair Competition Act are being held, which would forbid corporations from mentioning other brands or making comparative statements about their products in advertisements. The Act was proposed after a notorious incident when a smartphone of one popular brand was crushed by a bulldozer on air during a late night show
Each player, starting with the last one (i.e., the opposite of the Priority Rule), places an 
on any buyer without a price 
. This buyer will buy Goods at any price.
Each player, following the Priority Rule, places their 
in any region where they have an Office—after the 4th buyer in a small region or after the 6th buyer in a medium one. This token creates an additional buyer that only that player may sell to. There cannot be 2 in the same region.
Event №6. Bishop's Move
In India, the second-largest producer of graphite in the world, the Parliament is going to raise the statutory minimum wage 1.5 times (by 45%), which will inevitably lead to growth of prices for this key element in most smartphones. The reasons are clear: elections are just around the corner. The oligarch Indra Murti’s party has been campaigning against the decision and is gaining power in the country. Instead, they are offering incentives for the mining sector, where rumour has it that Murti holds assets. Your lobbyists are ready to support Murti, what about you?
Place a 
on the Price Block on the number 8. For the rest of the game, the maximum price for your products is 7.
Place a 
on the Price Block on the number 2. For the rest of the game, the minimum price of your products is 3.
Event №7. Bed, Breakfast, and Some More
While housing prices in developing countries are increasing, a popular online platform for short-term private rentals is planning to launch new business offerings, from office rentals to entire production facilities. The site is searching for investors.
Each player, following the Priority Rule, places one 
on one region with their . From now on, adding an in that region costs
1 less until the end of the game.
Each player, following the Priority Rule, places one on one region with their . From now on, adding an in that region costs
1 more until the end of the game.
Event №8. Patent Rights Hearings
Pear vs. GygaSoft: The case will take place in the coming month. Remember that Pear brought a case against GygaSoft, accusing them of stealing their touch screen technology. Supposedly, the company changed only the type of sensors used. Meanwhile, GygaSoft claim that they used their own development. The decision of the Court might impact all legislation in the patent rights sphere. The Association of IT companies has not voiced their position on this matter yet.
All Patent holders immediately gain 2 VP each for every on each Technology they hold the Patent for. Then, place a 
on all Patents remaining on the board. It is now impossible to get these Patents, but those Technologies can still be researched. The cost of these Technologies does not change after the first player completes them.
All players immediately get VP for their Patents and discard them. Also, discard all Patents from the game board into the box.
Event №9. Eco li-ion
A new way of assembling li-ion accumulators has been developed that allows them to be recycled up to 90%. Yet, corporations are reluctant to re-fit factories with costly new equipment to use the new technology. Engineers and designers are uniting under the motto ‘Li-ion alone, and nature alone.’ They are planning to boycott work.
Take a random 
from the box and place it near the Technologies on the game board. Each player puts one on it. Cover that with 
. All players can use the bonus of this Technology immediately, but selling the to your buyers is possible only after researching the matching Technology on the board.
Place the on Phase 5. In this round, Phase 5 is skipped.
Event №10. New Regulatory Agency
South Korea is introducing rules for regulating large businesses with an aim to combat monopolies. Several European countries are monitoring the Korean experience, ready to introduce regulators at their end. Regulators will make tax rates dependent on the company’s share of retail. How will producers respond?
During this round, players with equal prices sell 1 at a time each instead of all at once. Put 
on Phase 8 as a reminder.
During this round, in Phase 3, each player produces 2 less. Put on Phase 3 as a reminder.
Event №11. Copyright Debate
Costly legal processes in the ‘Authors Against All’ case have led to the bankruptcy of eight large dotcoms. This event has prompted a discussion of copyright principles (from now on: CP) in society. Switzerland is going to reconsider CP, possibly removing minimum CP durations following an authors’ death from the Berne Convention. IT corporations are insisting that they retain the principles, suggesting that copyright royalties should be increased, and WIPO is ready to support them.
Each player immediately gets +4 VP for each Technology they have researched and +4 VP for each Patent they hold.
During this round, Technology Bonuses cannot be used. Place on all Technology Bonuses as a reminder.
Event №12. Non-performing Apps
Congress is debating amendments to regulations for mobile application developers. For a long time, they have been burdened only with income tax and labor codes. This has allowed the market to grow by 3 times in the last 4 years. One of the amendments will require payments to install each application on a mobile device. Seemingly, lobbyists have done the impossible. Yet, they want to take it a step further and create a register of all mobile devices that fall under this amendment.
During this round, players who get VP for controlling a region (for 1st or 2nd place) get an additional 4 VP for each region they control. Put 
on Phase 8 as a reminder.
During this round, each player gets +2 VP for each region where they sold at least 1 . Put on Phase 8 as a reminder.
OUR TEAM
Cosmodrome Games is one of the biggest board game publishers in Russia & CIS. A team of passionate gamers and good friends who have invented, selected, and produced high-quality tabletop games with beautiful visuals since 2011.
We’re real fans of our games and are crazy about what we do. So we’re sure you will love Smartphone Inc as much as we do.
Thanks all of you for your support and for helping us to bring our lovely game to life.
