Terraforming Mars: Colonies Game Rules

Hey there! Ready to dive into the exciting world of terraforming Mars? I’m here to guide you through the rules of the fascinating game called Terraforming Mars: Colonies. As we embark on this adventure, get ready to explore new territories, establish colonies, and shape the Red Planet into a livable environment.

First things first, let’s talk about the goal of the game. The objective here is to accumulate as many victory points as possible. Think of victory points as your currency for success. The more victory points you have, the greater your chances of emerging victorious.

Now, let’s talk about the colonies themselves. A colony can be formed in a specialized area of Mars, giving you the opportunity to utilize its resources and reap the benefits. Each colony is unique, offering different advantages and opportunities to enhance your gameplay.

To establish a colony, you’ll need to consider a few key factors. Resources play a vital role in building and expanding your colonies. You’ll need to carefully manage your resources to ensure a steady growth rate. Utilize your production capabilities and strategic thinking to make the most of what Mars has to offer.

But it’s not just about colonies; you’ll also need to navigate the complex world of politics. Diplomacy and negotiation will be crucial in forming alliances and securing valuable resources. Keep an eye on your opponents and be prepared to adapt your strategy accordingly.

Remember, the Martian environment is unpredictable and challenging. You’ll encounter various events and obstacles along the way. Embrace these challenges as opportunities for growth and adaptation. A flexible mindset and quick thinking can make all the difference in your journey to terraform Mars.

As you progress in the game, you’ll unlock new technologies and advancements. These advancements will give you an edge over your opponents, allowing you to make groundbreaking discoveries and shape the future of Mars.

So, are you ready to embark on this thrilling adventure? The fate of Mars lies in your hands. Establish colonies, accumulate victory points, and reshape the Red Planet. May the best colonizer win!

Welcome to the exciting world of the outer solar system! It’s a whole new frontier waiting to be explored. Colonies are starting to thrive on the moons of Saturn, and we’re even reaching the once-unreachable clouds of Jupiter. And let’s not forget about Pluto – it has its own importance for us humans.

Now, here’s where things get really interesting. This is a chance for corporations to make a splash. They can trade with the colonies, gather valuable resources, and even establish their own colonies!

What’s Involved

What’s in the Box?

So, you’re interested in this game and want to know what you’ll get when you open the box? Well, let me break it down for you. Firstly, you’ll find 49 project cards that will be your key to success in this game. These cards will help you develop your colonies and gain resources.

In addition to the project cards, you’ll also receive 5 corporation cards. These cards represent the different corporations you can choose to play as. Each corporation has its own unique abilities and strategies, so choose wisely!

Now, let’s move on to the board itself. You’ll find 11 Colony tiles that will form the playing area. These tiles represent different locations on Mars where you can establish your colonies. They are essential for expanding your influence and gaining control over the planet.

Next up is the Trade fleets tile. This tile represents the trade routes between Earth and Mars. It’s important to keep an eye on these routes as they can greatly impact your ability to trade with Earth and generate income.

To help you keep track of your progress, the game includes 8 Trade fleets. These fleets represent the ships that transport goods between Earth and Mars. You’ll need to strategically position these fleets to maximize your trading opportunities.

To mark your progress on the Colony track, you’ll receive 8 Colony track markers. These markers will help you keep track of your score and see how well you’re doing compared to the other players.

And last but not least, the game comes with a Rulebook. This rulebook contains all the information you need to learn how to play the game. It’s important to read and understand the rules before diving into the gameplay.

So, that’s what you’ll find in the box. With these components, you’ll have everything you need to embark on an exciting journey to colonize Mars. Are you ready?

When you play this expansion to Terraforming Mars, you get to explore various moons! These moons are represented by Colony Tiles. On these moons, you have two exciting options: you can either establish colonies or trade to gain unique benefits!

Preparing the Game

Hey there! Let’s get started on setting up the game board for an exciting trading adventure. Follow these steps:

First, grab the Trade Fleets Tile and place it right next to the game board. Don’t forget to take one trade fleet for yourself. Place it on the Trade Fleets Tile, making sure your player marker is inside it. Check out the image for reference.

Next, grab the Colony Tiles and give them a good shuffle. Draw a number of tiles equal to the number of players plus 2. However, if there are only 2 players, then draw 5 tiles instead. Place the drawn tiles next to the main game board.

Look for the highlighted second step on each Colony Tile track. Place a white cube on that step. This cube tells you what rewards you can get from trading at that particular location.

Here’s a special rule for Titan, Enceladus, and Miranda. Their starting position is already marked on the moon picture itself. And whenever a card comes into play that can collect their resources, their markers will be placed on the highlighted second step of the track.

Just remember, you can’t establish a colony or trade at a location until their marker is there. Patience is the name of the game!

When it comes to setting up your game, you need to make sure that all the project cards, including the main game project cards and the Colony corporation cards, are shuffled together. You should also shuffle the Colony corporation cards with the other corporation cards.

Here’s a variant you can try: Give each player one Colony corporation card and one other corporation card to choose from.

How to Build a Colony (standard Project)

If you want to start a colony, you can take action.

It’s a regular project, but it costs 17 MC. Just put your player marker on the lowest available spot on the Colony Tile track. If needed, move the white marker up one step.

You’ll also get a bonus for placing your marker, based on the symbol printed on the track. For example, if you’re on the Callisto tile, your green marker will boost energy production by one step.

Remember, each Colony Tile can only hold a maximum of three colonies. And each player can only have one colony on each tile, unless a card says otherwise.

Trading with a Colony Tile (a different kind of action)

If you want to trade with a Colony Tile, you have the option to use one of your actions. But first, you must pay the cost: either 9 M∞, 3 energy, or 3 titanium. Once you’ve paid the cost, you can move your Trade Fleet from the Trade Fleets Tile to any available Colony Tile – except for the Colony track. Just look at the image to see what I mean.

Now, here’s the thing: a Colony Tile can only hold one trade fleet at a time. So, if it’s already occupied, you’ll have to try your luck elsewhere. Choose an empty one, where you can comfortably place your fleet.

Once you’ve moved your Trade Fleet to the selected Colony Tile, it’s time to follow the instructions. This is where things get interesting. Check the Colony Tile track to see how much trade income you’ll receive. And don’t forget to give the local colony owners their well-deserved bonus. They’ve earned it!

Let me give you an example to make things clearer. Imagine you’re the blue player, and you have your eyes set on trading with Callisto. So, you decide to spend 3 titanium resources for this exciting opportunity. After making the trade, you move your trade fleet from the Trade Fleets Tile to Callisto, where you’ll be collecting your trade income.

Now, here’s the exciting part. The trade income you’ll be receiving is a whopping 10 energy resources. That’s a pretty good deal, wouldn’t you say? But wait, there’s more! All the colonies that have been built on Callisto will also receive a bonus. In this case, the green player will be getting 3 energy as a little extra reward. It’s a win-win situation!

After I finish trading, I move the white marker all the way to the left, right next to my player colonies or at the bottom of the track. In the example above, I move the marker to the second step of the track.

When the generation comes to an end, the trade fleets return from the Colony Tiles to the Trade Fleets Tile. At the same time, all the white markers on the Colony track move up one step. This happens during the solar phase, specifically in step 3.

So here’s the thing. Those moons and dwarf planets you see? They may look small, but don’t be fooled. They’re actually much bigger than they appear. Well, kind of. You see, the scale we used for these celestial bodies is about one third of the scale we used for Mars. So, while they may seem tiny compared to Mars, in reality, they’re not that far off in size.

The Solar Phase: Transforming the World and Building Colonies

Once we finish the production phase, we move on to the Solar phase. This phase has a big impact on the world we are trying to create and the colonies we are building.

Step 1: Checking for the End of the Game

First, we need to check if the game is coming to an end. We do this by looking at the temperature, oxygen, and oceans. If all three have reached maximum levels, then the game ends. At this point, we start the final scoring and convert any remaining plants. We don’t need to do anything else in the Solar phase if the game has ended.

Step 2: Terraforming with the World Government

(This step is only if you are playing with the Venus Next expansion)

Now, we move on to Step 2, which is all about the World Government and their efforts to terraform Venus while still working on Mars. The World Government wants to make sure both planets are progressing smoothly.

The first player, who hasn’t changed yet, takes on the role of the World Government. As the World Government, they have a choice: they can either increase one of the global parameters that hasn’t reached maximum levels, or they can place an ocean tile. This decision helps move the terraforming process forward.

When it comes to bonuses in the game, it’s important to note that all of them go to the WG. Unfortunately, the first player doesn’t receive any TR or other bonuses. However, it’s possible for other cards like Arctic Algae or the Venus corporation Aphrodite to be triggered by this. So, while the first player may not benefit directly, there could still be some indirect advantages.

If you want a longer game, there is a variant where you can choose to skip this step.

Step 3: Colony Production

The third step in the game is called Colony Production. In this step, all Trade Fleets from the Colony Tiles are returned to the Trade Fleets Tile. Additionally, the white marker on each Colony Tile is moved up one step on the Colony track.

It’s worth noting that the Solar Phase will have further significance in future expansions, as it will introduce more steps to the game.

Solo With Colonies

If you’re playing solo with colonies, you will follow all the normal solo rules for the main game and expansions. However, there are a few adjustments to be made. To begin with, you will reduce your M� production by two steps. Then, you will draw four Colony Tiles and choose three of them to have in play.