Guide to Terraforming Mars – Rules, Strategy & Playing Instructions

Introduction

Terraforming Mars is a tile-based board game where you play as a corporation working on making Mars livable. It’s a mix of strategy and science fiction, and it’s been super popular since it came out in 2016. The game was designed by Jacob Fryxelius and has won a bunch of awards and has an enduring popularity among avid gaming communities I frequent. The goal is to get the most points by building cities, greening areas, and raising the oxygen and temperature of Mars. It’s a game for 1 to 5 players and can take a couple of hours to play.

The game is set in the 2400s, and players are in charge of giant corporations sponsored by the World Government on Earth, aiming to increase the habitability of Mars so that it can support human life. You do this by using cards that represent different projects and managing resources. The game ends when Mars has enough ocean tiles, the temperature is high enough, and the oxygen level is just right. Then, players add up their points from cities, greening Mars, and other achievements to see who’s the best at terraforming!

Rules for playing Terraforming Mars

Alright, let’s get into the rules. Each player starts with a corporation card and a bunch of resources. You’ve got mega credits (money), steel, titanium, plants, energy, and heat. The game board shows Mars, with spaces for ocean tiles, greenery tiles, cities, and special areas. There are also tracks for oxygen, temperature, and your terraform rating, which is kind of like your score.

Players take turns doing 1 or 2 actions like playing a card, using a standard project, claiming a milestone, funding an award, or converting plants into greenery tiles. Cards can do all sorts of things like add tiles to Mars, give you resources, or change how you get points. You pay for cards with mega credits or sometimes steel or titanium if the card is about building or technology.

There are three phases in each turn: player actions, production, and research. In the player actions phase, you do your actions. In the production phase, you get resources based on your production levels. In the research phase, you draw cards to get new projects. The game keeps going until enough ocean tiles are placed, the temperature is maxed out, and the oxygen level is at 14%.

When the game ends, you add up points from your terraform rating, cities, greenery, and cards. There are also awards and milestones that can give you points. The player with the most points wins!

Equipment and Setup for Terraforming Mars

For equipment, you need the game board, resource cubes, cards, player boards, and special tiles for oceans, greenery, and cities. You can buy the game, or if you’re crafty like some players I know, you could make some DIY versions of the pieces.

For setup, put the game board in the middle of the table. Each player gets a player board to track their production and resources. Shuffle the project cards and deal some to each player. Place the special tiles and resource cubes where everyone can reach them. Decide who goes first, and you’re ready to start!

The types of tiles in Terraforming Mars are important. Ocean tiles are placed on specific spots and raise the temperature and your terraform rating. Greenery tiles can be placed next to your other tiles and increase oxygen. City tiles give you points based on greenery tiles around them at the end of the game.

The game board contains specific areas where tiles can be placed, but there are limitations to consider. Tiles must adhere to placement restrictions and specific rules outlined on the cards or in summaries provided. Here’s a breakdown of the tile types and their placement details:

• Ocean Tile:

• Only goes on designated ocean areas on the map.
• Placing an ocean tile boosts your TR by 1 step.
• Each ocean tile on the board offers a 2 M€ placement bonus for future tiles placed adjacent to it.
• If you place a city tile next to multiple ocean tiles, you earn 2 M€ for each adjacent ocean tile.

• Greenery Tile:

• Ideally placed adjacent to tiles you already own.
• If you lack available adjacent spaces, you can place it anywhere.
• Increases the oxygen level if possible and also raises your TR.
• Fails to boost TR if unable to raise the oxygen level.
• Grants 1 VP at the game’s end and adds 1 VP to any nearby city tile.

• City Tile:

• Cannot be placed next to another city, except for specific exceptions.
• Each city tile earns 1 VP for each adjacent greenery tile at the game’s end.
• Noctis city has a reserved placement area.

• Special Tiles:

• Rules and restrictions dictated by the respective card.
• Place the tile according to the card’s instructions and mark ownership with a player marker.

Understanding these placement rules and bonuses for specific tiles is crucial for strategizing tile placement, considering adjacency bonuses and maximizing the benefits each tile can offer.

How to Play Terraforming Mars and Game Mechanics

Now, how do you actually play? Here’s a breakdown:

1. Key Game Mechanics: You use cards to build stuff on Mars and manage your resources. Your actions can affect the game board and your score.
2. Setup: Choose a corporation, get starting resources, and place your starting tiles if your corporation says so.
3. Gameplay: Take turns doing actions, producing resources, and getting new cards.
4. End of the Game: The game ends when Mars is fully terraformed. Add up points to see who wins.

During each turn, you go through these phases:

Player Order Phase:

• The first player marker moves 1 step clockwise, and the generation marker advances by 1 step. Skipped in the first generation.

Research Phase:

• Each player draws 4 cards and chooses which ones to purchase for their hand (costing 3 M€ per card). They can buy 0-4 cards and discard the rest face down.
• No hand limit exists. Skipped in the first generation (refer to setup).

Action Phase:

• Players take 1 or 2 actions each turn or may pass. Actions can be combined and include:
• A) Playing a card from the hand.
• B) Using a standard project.
• C) Claiming a milestone.
• D) Funding an award.
• E) Using the action on a blue card.
• F) Converting 8 plants into a greenery tile for an oxygen increase.
• G) Converting 8 heat into a temperature increase.
• Players can choose 1 or 2 actions. If they pass, they’re out for the round.
• The phase ends when all players pass.

Production Phase:

• Players simultaneously perform this phase:
• Convert all energy into heat.
• Gain M€ based on terraform rating and M€ production (can be negative).
• Acquire other resources based on production indicated on the player board.
• Mark used action cards for reuse in the next generation.

This sequence of phases cycles through each generation of the game, providing players with opportunities to strategize, acquire resources, and advance their terraforming efforts.

Ending the Game / Final Scoring

When all three global parameters (ocean, temperature, and oxygen) reach their objectives, the game concludes at the end of that generation. After the production phase, players gain one extra opportunity, in player order, to convert plants into greenery tiles. This action may trigger placement bonuses or other effects. Subsequently, the final scoring occurs. To ensure accuracy, assigning one player to manage scoring while others oversee the process is recommended.

Final Scoring:

1. Terraform Rating (TR): Your TR at game end serves as your base score. As you accumulate VPs from subsequent scoring, progress your marker accordingly on the TR-track.
2. Awards: The leading player in each category gains 5 VPs, and the runner-up receives 2 VPs (except in a 2-player game). In case of ties, players at the same level receive equal VPs for 1st or 2nd place. Add these points to the TR-track.
3. Milestones: Each claimed Milestone holds a value of 5 VPs.
4. Game Board: Players earn VPs from the map on the game board. Each greenery tile fetches 1 VP, and each city tile gains 1 VP for each adjacent greenery tile, regardless of ownership. Count these points in player order to ensure clarity.
5. Cards: Begin by tallying all VPs on cards that accumulate resources. Then, gather all remaining cards, including played events, and count the VPs. Jovian cards may need separate counting.

The player with the highest total score emerges as the victor! In the event of ties, the player with the most M€ takes precedence.

How to Win at Terraforming Mars

Winning is all about getting points. You get points from your terraform rating, which goes up when you raise the temperature, add oxygen, or place ocean tiles. You also get points from greenery and cities on Mars, and from certain cards. Milestones and awards can give you a big point boost, so keep an eye on those.

Beginner players should focus on understanding how different cards work together and how to build a good resource engine. Intermediate players can start looking for combos and planning their moves ahead of time. Advanced players will be thinking about their opponents’ strategies and trying to block them while maximizing their own points.

Best Strategies for playing Terraforming Mars game

For the best strategies, think about your corporation’s strengths and build on them. Some corporations are good at getting certain resources, so use that to your advantage. Try to get cards that work well together to make powerful combos. And don’t forget about terraforming! It’s easy to get caught up in building your engine, but remember, you need to terraform Mars to win.

Also, keep an eye on what your opponents are doing. If someone is close to claiming a milestone or funding an award, you might want to beat them to it or focus on something else to get points. And sometimes, sneaky tactics like holding onto a card that you know an opponent wants can give you an edge.

Scenarios

Let’s talk about some scenarios you might find yourself in:

If you’re behind on terraforming, focus on projects that let you place tiles or raise the global parameters. If you have a lot of resources but not many points, look for cards that give points at the end of the game or try to claim milestones.

If you’re ahead, watch out for other players trying to catch up. You might need to change your strategy to block them or secure your lead with awards.

Frequently Asked Questions about playing Terraforming Mars game

Here are some common questions:

Q: How many cards can I play on my turn?

A: You can play 1 or 2 actions per turn, and playing a card is one action.

Q: Can I build a city anywhere?

A: No, cities have to be placed not adjacent to other cities unless a card says otherwise.

Q: What happens when the temperature reaches the maximum?

A: You can’t raise the temperature anymore, but you can still get points from other actions.

Q: Can I keep plants and heat from one turn to the next?

A: Yes, you can save them to use later.

Q: How do I get more cards?

A: You can draw cards during the research phase or by playing certain project cards.

External Links

For more info on Terraforming Mars, check out these links:

Official Rulebook for Terraforming Mars [PDF]
FryxGames Official Website – Terraforming Mars