Do you re-determine player order in this exceptional case?

Question

Power Grid Rules:

At the beginning of the game draw lots for player order.

Because the player order is chosen randomly at the beginning of the game, the players re-determine the player order after auctioning the power plants (after phase 2). As no player has any cities at this time, the new player order is determined solely by the numbers of the power plants (see phase 1).

In our games, at this point, player order has seen rearranged. Then, at the start of the 2nd round, we never change the player order because nothing has changed.

However, the rules state that :

The players do not have to choose their starting cities in the first round. They can start their networks in later rounds to influence their positions in the playing order.

Question If I don't choose a starting city in round 1, does that mean that, at the start of Round 2, Phase 1 : Determine Player Order, which we always skip because everyone has usually placed a first city in round 1, do I get sent to the last place in the player order because I have no cities on the board?

Answer 1

If you are the only one to build no cities in round 1, you will go last in round 2.

The determine turn order step in round 2 is not straightforward at all; in most games I see, players build different numbers of cities in round 1, ranging from 1 to 3. That your play group has been skipping the turn order step in round 2 means you have probably been playing wrong in one way or another.

My best guess of the mistake you are making is it sounds like you are only allowing players to build a single city in round 1. Players can build multiple cities in round 1 (there is nothing in the rules that prevents you from buying more cities on the same turn you buy your starting city). Most players usually do buy multiple cities on round 1, as many of the early power plants can power more than one city. The adjusting of turn order in round 2 is an important mechanic to balance against this: players who buy a power plant that can only power one city in round 1 can then build only 1 city to get the a better turn slot on round 2 (later in turn order is better) to make up for their lost income.