Automobile

To set up the game, first lay out the game board. Place the turn marker on the '1st turn' space and the turn sequence marker on 'Draw tiles'. Randomize the initial player selection order using the colored discs, placing them on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd (for a three-player game) selection order spaces. Set out the executive decision markers: one closed factory marker, three advertising markers, and three discount markers. Create a supply of money (paper money or poker chips) and separate supplies for R&D cubes, closed factory markers, loss cubes, and loss discs. Each player starts with $2000, all of their car tokens, factory markers, a parts factory, salesman tokens, and a loan marker. The number of R&D cubes each player starts with depends on the player count: five for three players, four for four players, and three for five players. Place all demand tiles (numbered 2-5) into a bag.

The primary objective in Automobile is to accumulate the most money by the end of the game. Players achieve this by efficiently managing their car production, research and development, sales, and financial obligations over four turns.

Each turn begins with players drawing demand tiles from the bag (one in turn 1, two in turns 2-4), keeping them secret. Next, players select characters in the current selection order, gaining associated R&D cubes and special powers. The chosen characters determine the new turn order for the action rounds. There are three action rounds per turn, where players can build factories, produce cars, place salesmen in showrooms, shut down production spaces, or take R&D cubes. Actions can be repeated. Following the action rounds, players sell cars via the Howard character (if selected), then via distributors, and then make executive decisions (shutting down production, advertising, or discounting). Finally, cars are sold based on revealed demand tiles, losses are calculated for unsold cars and outdated factories, and loan interest is paid. The turn marker is then advanced.

Players earn money by selling cars in showrooms, through distributors, or directly via demand tiles. The selling price depends on the car type, market conditions, and any applied discounts. Money is lost for unsold cars (one black loss cube per car), outdated factories (one black loss cube per factory space behind current technology), and loan interest ($50 per loan per round). At the end of the game, all outstanding loans must be repaid at $600 each, and all remaining assets are converted to money. The player with the highest total money wins.

The game concludes after the fourth turn. At this point, all players must repay any outstanding loans at a fixed rate of $600 per loan. After loan repayment, players convert any remaining assets into money. The player who has accumulated the most money is declared the winner. In the event of a tie, the player who is earlier in the final selection order (determined by passing decisions during executive actions) wins.