On Mars

Introduction

Following the success of robotic rover missions, the United Nations established the Department of Operations and Mars Exploration (DOME). The first settlers arrived on Mars in the year 2037. In the decades after the Mars Base Camp was established, private exploration companies started working towards the creation of a self-sustaining colony.

As a chief astronaut from one of these enterprises, you want to be a pioneer in developing the biggest, most advanced colony on Mars by achieving both DOME mission goals as well as your company’s private agenda.

In the beginning, you are very dependent on supplies from Earth, and have to travel a lot between the Mars Space Station and the surface of the planet. As the colony expands over time, you will construct mines, power generators, water extractors, greenhouses, oxygen condensers, and shelters. The aim is to become a self-sufficient colony, independent of any terrestrial organization. This will require carefully balancing the importance of water, air, power, and food — the things we need to survive.

Do you dare take part in humankind’s biggest challenge?

Game Overview

The game is played over several rounds, each consisting of two phases:

• The COLONIZATION PHASE
• The SHUTTLE PHASE

During the COLONIZATION PHASE, each player takes a turn, during which they take actions. The actions a player is able to take depends on the side of the board they are on:

• If players are on the Space Station in orbit, they can take blueprints, buy and develop technologies, and take supplies from the warehouse.
• If players are at the colony on the surface of the planet, they can construct buildings with their bots, upgrade these buildings using blueprints, hire scientists and take new contracts, welcome new ships, and explore the planet’s surface with their rover.

In the SHUTTLE PHASE, players may travel between the colony and the space station in orbit.

All buildings on Mars have a dependency on each other and some are required for the colony to grow:

• Building shelters for colonists to live in requires oxygen
• Generating oxygen requires plants
• Growing plants requires water
• Extracting water from ice requires power
• Generating power requires mining minerals
• Mining minerals requires colonists

Upgrading the colony’s ability to provide each of these resources is vital. As the colony grows, more shelters are needed so that the colonists can survive the inhospitable conditions on Mars.

During the game, players are trying to complete missions. Once a total of three missions have been completed, the game ends.

To win the game, players must contribute the most to the development of the first colony on Mars. This is represented during the game by players gaining Opportunity Points (OP). The player with the most OP at the end of the game is declared the winner.

List of Components

• 1 Main board
• 4 Player boards
• 1 Reference book and 4 Player aids
• 5 Starting Building tiles
• 30 Building tiles
• 20 Shelter Building tiles (5 in each player color)
• 1 Building tiles display
• 1 Scientists and Earth Contracts Board
• 8 Research tiles and 19 Discovery tiles
• 16 Tech tiles and 4 Shelter Tech tiles
• 3 Mission tracker cubes and 1 Remaining Missions marker
• 3 Mission markers
• 8 LSS Reward tiles
• 1 Shuttle and 1 Colony level marker
• 12 First Colonist cards and 6 First Colonist tiles
• 6 Scientist markers
• 20 Resource tiles of each type and 30 Crystals
• 4 LSS Track markers
• 48 Colonists (12 in each player color)
• 4 Rovers (1 in each player color)
• 20 Ships and 20 Progress cubes (5 in each player color)
• 16 Bots (4 in each player color)
• 4 Player markers and 4 OP markers (1 in each player color)
• 32 Advanced Building markers (8 in each player color)
• 24 Blueprint cards
• 6 Scientist cards
• 12 Earth Contract cards
• 16 Private Goal cards
• 9 Mission cards
• 12 Solo cards

Note: All game components are limited except Resources and Crystals. If you run out of either of them during the game, please use a substitute.

Main Board Setup

Place the game board in the middle of the table. The board is divided into two sections. The left side of the board represents the Mars Space Station in orbit above Mars [Orbit]. The rest of the board represents the Colony on the planet’s surface [Colony].

The main board represents a computer display where the colonization of the planet can be monitored in real time from satellites in orbit.

Orbit Side

1. Discovery Tiles: Shuffle the Discovery tiles and place them face down in a stack beside the board. Turn the top 2 tiles face up and place them on the Exploration space.
2. Warehouse: Place 3 of each of the following in the Warehouse spaces, one per space: Crystals, Batteries, Water, Plants, and Oxygen. (Note: In a 2-player game: Place only 2 of each.)
3. Tech Tiles: Take the Tech tiles and set aside those that depict a Shelter (one in each player color). Separate the rest into two sets based on the color on the back. Shuffle one set and place them at random face up on each of the spaces in the Tech Grid. Shuffle the 8 remaining Tech tiles (not including the Shelters) and place them face down in two stacks next to the Tech Grid. (Note: 2-player game: Use only 1 set of tiles. Remove the 2nd set from the game.)
4. Blueprint Cards: Separate the Blueprint cards into two decks based on their backs: Level 1 and Level 3, shuffle each deck separately and place them face down near the board with the Level 1 cards stacked on top of the Level 3 cards. Take the top 6 cards from the deck and place them face up in a display along the side of the board.

Colony Side

5. Scientists: Place the Scientist display next to the main board. Place the 6 Scientist cards in the spaces on the board in the following order from left to right: Geologist, R&D Engineer, Hydrologist, Biochemist, Geochemist, and Systems Engineer. Place the cards on the top part of each space, covering the Crystal icon and leaving the bottom section of each space (showing the cost) visible. Then place each Scientist marker on its matching card.
6. Earth Contracts: Place the Earth Contract cards face down in a deck on the Scientist display. There is no need to shuffle them.

7. Starting Mine: Take the starting Mine (the one with an S on the back) and place it in the indicated space in the center of the board.
8. Starting Buildings: Take the remaining starting Buildings (with an S on the back) and place them at random on the indicated hexes of the board, as per the setup image. Ensure that the orientation of the tiles is the same (the notch should be facing the bottom of the board). Note: the Shelters will be placed during player setup.
9. Building Display Board: Place the Building display board near the Scientist cards. Separate the rest of the Buildings by type into stacks. Shuffle each stack separately and place them with the image of the building face down on the corresponding spaces.
10. Research Tiles: Take the Research tiles and separate them by type (color and letter). Place them on the indicated hexes of the map (keeping all of one type together in the same corner of the map).
11. Mission Cards: Take the Mission cards and divide them into two decks based on their type: Short and Long. Shuffle each deck separately and choose:
    • 2 Short and 1 Long at random (for the short game), or
    • 1 Short and 2 Long (for the long game).

    Note: for your first game, it is recommended to use the First Colonists variant. Place the Mission cards face up on the indicated spaces on the board. For each Mission, take the Mission marker for that space and place it near the action relating to the Mission card.

12. Mission Tracker Cubes: For each Mission card, place a Mission tracker cube near the Mission card, on the appropriate space according to the number of players in the game.
13. Remaining Missions Marker: Place the Remaining Missions marker on space 3 of the Missions track.
14. General Supply: Place all Crystals and Resources next to the board to make a general supply.

Life Support System (LSS) Setup

15. Place the Colony level marker on the left side of the second row.
16. Place the LSS Track markers on the appropriate spaces of the bottom row.
17. Shuffle the LSS Reward tiles and place 4 of them at random face up on the top spaces. Return the rest to the box, they will not be needed for this game.

Player Board & Player Setup

Player Board Anatomy

Your Player board represents a display of your main Shelter, and it is divided into different sections:

• A. STORAGE: Your Resources will be stored here. There are five different Resources in the game: Minerals, Batteries, Water, Plants, and Oxygen. The number of Resources of each type you can store on your Player board is equal to the number of Shelter tiles you have on the map plus one. (e.g. if you have one Shelter, you can store two of each Resource). The order in which each Resource appears on your board is very important: a Resource to the left of an arrow is needed to build the Building of the type to the right of the arrow. For example, you need power (the Battery Resource) to build a Water Extractor, then you need Water to build a Greenhouse, and so on.
• B. LABORATORY: Here is where you will place and develop technologies you research.
• C. LIVING QUARTERS: Your Colonists will go here. At the beginning of the game, you have space for 4 Colonists, and 3 of the slots are occupied. 2 more slots become available for each additional Shelter you build.
• D. WORKING AREA: Colonists can be sent here to boost some of the actions you take. There is no limit to the number of Colonists you can have in your Working Area.
• E. DEPOT: There are 8 spaces in your Depot for storing Crystals. At the beginning of the game, however, you only have 3 slots available as your Ships are taking 5 of the slots.
• F. HANGAR: Your Private Ships are moved from your Depot to here during the game.

Player Setup Steps

Each player chooses a color and takes the following:

1. 1 Player board.
2. 1 Player marker.
3. 1 OP marker, placed on the 0 space of the OP track.
4. 1 Resource of each of the 5 types, placed on the matching spaces of your Storage (A).
5. 1 Crystal, placed in the Depot (E).
6. 1 Shelter Tech tile (set-aside earlier), placed on the middle space of the 2nd column in your Laboratory (B).
7. 5 Ships, placed on the top 5 Depot spaces.
8. 5 Shelter Buildings: 4 placed in their positions on the right side of your Player board, and 1 placed building-side up in one of the Shelter starting positions according to the number of players (in the indicated hexes on the main board). Shelters should be placed in a position nearest to their respective players for convenience.
9. 4 Bots: 3 are placed beside your Player board, and 1 on your Shelter on the main board.
10. 8 Advanced Building markers, placed beside your Player board.
11. 12 Colonists: 3 are placed in the Living Quarters and the remaining 9 are placed beside the Player board.
12. 1 Rover, placed beside your Player board.
13. 5 Progress cubes, 1 placed below each of the Resources.
14. 3 Private Goal cards: Shuffle the Private Goal cards and deal each player 3 of them face down. Players should look at their own cards but keep them secret from the other players. Place the rest back in the box.

Determining First Player and Turn Order

The player who has seen the film “The Martian” the most times is the first player.

In clockwise order, starting with the first player, each player places their Player marker in any empty Turn Order space (1-8) and may immediately receive the benefit of that space.

The player whose Player marker is on the highest numbered Turn Order space places the Shuttle on one of the Red Travel spaces (with a number 1 in it), either on the Colony or Orbit side (their choice).

Resources & Crystals

Minerals

Minerals are a much needed Resource on the surface of Mars. They are used for a variety of things, and can also be used instead of any other Resource (not Crystals). The exception to this is completing an Earth Contract.

Mars Crystals (Marsinum)

At the start of the game, you have space in your Depot to store 3 Crystals. This can be increased by Welcoming new Ships. Crystals are needed to pay for Executive actions.

Reminder: Any Crystals gained are placed in the space below your Depot; you cannot spend them on the turn you gain them.

Important Terms

• Supply vs Warehouse: Whenever you gain something during the game, it is taken from the general supply. Only take it from the Warehouse on the Main board if specifically told to do so and the Warehouse icon is depicted.
• Storage limit: Resources are placed in your Storage (up to your limit).
• Living Quarters capacity: Colonists are placed in your Living Quarters (if there is an available slot). The capacity of your Living Quarters is 4, plus 2 for each additional Shelter you have constructed. Any Colonists that would be placed in the Living Quarters when there is not enough space, are placed next to your Player board instead.
• Gaining Crystals: Any Crystals gained are placed in the space below your Depot; you cannot spend them on the turn you gain them. At the beginning of your next turn, move these Crystals to your Depot. If there is not enough space, place any excess back in the supply.
• Paying Costs: Whenever you must pay a cost of something (Resource or Crystal), remove it from your Player board and place it back in the general supply.
• Building Complex: A group of connected Buildings of the same type is known as a Building Complex. The number of Buildings within the Complex indicates its size. A single Building not connected to another one of the same type is not a Complex.
• Turn Order: Anything that is done in Turn Order means that you follow the order of the Player markers on the Turn Order spaces, starting with 1 and ending with 8.
• Empty Hex: An empty hex is a hex on the board with nothing in it at all.
• Hex Stacking Limit: No hex may contain more than one piece at the end of any player’s turn. (Pieces are Bots, Rovers, Colonists, or Advanced Building markers.)

Action Modifiers & Placement Rules

There are a number of different Main actions you can take on the Main board. If your Player marker is on the Orbit side of the board, only the Orbital Station actions are available to you. Similarly, if your Player marker is on the Colony side of the board, only the Colony actions are available to you.

Some of the actions depict action modifiers:

• TEAL COLONIST: This icon can be found at the bottom of some of the action icons and indicates that one or more Colonists may be moved to your Working Area to boost the power of the action. Any Colonists in your Working Area are returned to your Living Quarters at the end of the round if you travel.
• CRYSTAL: If this icon is printed at the bottom of the action, it means the action can be boosted by spending Crystals.
• RED COLONIST: This icon can be found at the top of some action icons and indicates that in order to perform the action, you must place one of your Colonists from your Living Quarters onto one of the Action slots.
  • If there are currently no Colonists of other players on the Action slots for this action, there is no additional cost to take the action.
  • Otherwise, for each other player color of Colonists already present, you must either pay 1 Crystal or move a Colonist from your Living Quarters to your Working Area. The number of Colonists of each color does not matter, only the number of different colors present. If two or more other colors of Colonists are present, you can combine paying Crystals and/or Colonists.
  • 2-player game: The additional cost to take the action is 1 Crystal / Colonist for each Colonist (both yours and your opponent’s) already on Action slots.
  • Full slots rule: If all Action slots are filled, before you take the action, remove all Colonists of the player or players with the most Colonists on those Action slots (which could be your own). Place the Colonists in their respective player’s Working Area. Then pay any cost based on the Colonists still there.
• Actions without this icon: mean that you may take the action without placing a Colonist. Simply declare that you are taking the action and then resolve it.

Round Structure

Each round is divided into two phases:

1. COLONIZATION PHASE: In turn order, each player takes a turn during which they perform 1 Main action and optionally 1 Executive action.
2. SHUTTLE PHASE: The Shuttle either travels between Orbit and the Colony, or it moves closer to traveling.

Colonization Phase Structure

In this phase, all players take one turn. The order in which players take turns is determined by the order of the Player markers on the Turn Order spaces, starting with the leftmost space on the Orbit side (1) and proceeding right, ending at the rightmost space on the Colony side (8).

On your turn, you must perform one Main action. You may also perform one Executive action either before or after your Main action.

If you contribute to any of the Mission cards, you gain 1 or 2 Crystals as depicted on the card.

When your turn is complete, lay your Player marker down as a reminder that you’ve finished your turn. The next player then takes their turn.

Orbital Station Main Actions

Landing Pod

Landings using the pod are slow, painful, expensive, and lonely, but sometimes your best option. Proceed at your own risk!

This action allows you to travel to the Colony.

1. Follow the rules as described for the Shuttle Phase but skip step 1 (placing a Discovery tile).
2. After you have chosen a Turn Order space on the Colony side, lay your Player marker down to indicate that you have already taken your turn this round.
3. If the Shuttle travels from Mars to Orbit this round, you may travel with it as normal.

Obtain Blueprint

Earth sends blueprints to improve the buildings and make them more effective. More blueprints become available when the Colony grows in size and more funding becomes available.

This action allows you to take 1 Blueprint card from the ones available in the display. These Blueprints are required for upgrading Buildings, which will provide new Executive actions.

1. Place the card face up next to your Player board and gain the Resource or Crystal depicted in the bottom right of the card.
2. Place one of your unused Advanced Building markers on the card. If you do not have any Advanced Building markers remaining, you cannot take the Blueprint. Do not draw a replacement card.

Note: As long as the Advanced Building marker is on the card, the depicted action cannot be used. The marker is removed when you upgrade a Building using the Blueprint.

Boosted action: For each Colonist you move to your Working Area when taking this action, you can take an additional Blueprint, following the same rules as above.

Learn New Technology

Technology tiles allow you to perform or enhance certain actions. The more developed they are, the more powerful they become. Tech tiles are also worth points at the end of the game.

1. Take 1 Tech tile from the Tech Grid and place it on an empty space of the leftmost column in your Laboratory. If both of these spaces already have a tile on them, you may not take this action.
2. The cost to take a tile depends on its position in the Tech Grid:
   • Taking a tile from one of the bottom spaces is free.
   • Taking a tile from one of the middle spaces costs 1 Battery.
   • Taking a tile from one of the top three spaces costs 1 Battery and 1 Resource of your choice.
3. Tech tiles are not refilled until the Colony level increases.
4. After placing the tile in your Laboratory, you may immediately gain the benefit shown by the graphic printed on that space. Some of these benefits also show a Teal Colonist icon, meaning that the action can be boosted by using additional Colonists as normal.

Boosted action: You may move a Colonist to your Working area when performing this action to take a second Tech Tile following the same rules as above.

Note: Each player may only have 1 Tech tile of each type.

Research and Development (R&D)

All technological developments are carried out on the Space Station orbiting Mars. These technologies will be put into good use on the surface of the planet.

This action allows you to develop Tech tiles on your Player board by moving them to the right. You may develop 1 Tech tile twice or 2 Tech tiles once each. If you develop only 1 tile twice, treat each of the movements separately.

1. To develop a Tech tile, move it to an adjacent empty space to the right of the tile’s current position and pay the cost depicted above the column to which the tile is moving.
2. If you move a Tech tile to a space with a graphic on it, you may immediately gain the benefit of that space.

Note: If a development provides you with Resources, you can use those Resources to pay for another development.

Note: The number above each column is the technology level of each tile in that column. At the end of the game, each of your Tech tiles is worth OP depicted below the column.

Boosted action: For each Colonist you move to your Working Area when taking this action, develop any 1 Tech tile in your Laboratory once. You may develop the same tile multiple times in this way, and you may develop a tile even if you didn’t develop it with the Main action.

Using Tech Tiles

At various times in the game, such as when performing an action or gaining a benefit, if there is a related Tech tile (with a matching icon) owned by any player, the effect of that action / benefit can be made more powerful. The greater the level of the Tech tile, the more powerful the effect.

• Each time you use Tech, you may use any one Tech tile, belonging to you or another player.
• If you use another player’s Tech tile, that player takes 1 Oxygen from the general supply and places it at the top of their Player board.
• At the end of your turn, that player has the option to immediately develop the Tech tile that was used, at no cost (including getting the benefit of a space they move the tile to). If they do, the Oxygen taken earlier is placed back to the general supply. If they cannot or do not wish to develop the Tech tile, they gain the Oxygen.

Resupply

Resources from Earth are in short supply and there is limited space in the warehouse. More resources will arrive as the colony grows.

This action allows you to take any 1 Resource or 1 Crystal from the Warehouse and place it in your Storage/Depot.

Boosted action: For each Colonist you move to your Working Area when taking this action, take 1 additional Crystal or Resource from the Warehouse.

Reminder: You have limited capacity for storing Crystals (the number of empty spaces in your Depot) and Resources (equal to the number of Shelters you have, plus one). You cannot take something from the Warehouse if you do not have the capacity to store it.

Colony Main Actions

Control Center

The first robotic rover that successfully landed on Mars was Sojourner in July of 1997. Later, the Spirit and Opportunity Rovers landed on Mars in January 2004. Curiosity landed in 2012 and is still operating. Rovers are responsible for most of the information and data we have gathered from the surface of the planet.

This action allows you to move your Bots and your Rover. You have 2 Movement points to use for moving your Bots and 2 Movement points to use for moving your Rover. You can do this in any order (e.g. move one Bot 1 hex, then your Rover, then another Bot or the same one). Each Movement point allows you to move the Bot / Rover to an adjacent hex.

Each Crystal you have in your Depot prior to taking this action may be spent to gain 1 additional Movement point for either your Bots or your Rover.

Note: Bots and Rovers can pass through, but not end the turn on, a hex containing an Advanced Building, Colonist, another Bot, or another Rover.

Bots

Bots are cleaners and builders.

• If a Bot ends its turn in a hex with a Discovery or Research tile, the tile is destroyed and removed from the game.
• If a Bot ends the turn in a hex with a Crystal, return the Crystal back to the general supply.
• The hex the Bot is in and all adjacent hexes are classed as that Bot’s Building Zone. This is relevant for constructing and upgrading Buildings.

Rover

Rovers travel around the map collecting Crystals by simply passing over them, or Discovery tiles and Research tiles if they end the turn on them.

• At the start of the game, your Rover starts at the starting Mine in the center of the board. When you move your Rover for the first time in the game, place your Rover on the starting Mine and count hexes from there.
• You can use a Rover Tech tile to gain additional Movement points equal to the level of the Tech tile.
• You may collect any Crystals on hexes you pass through or land on. Place them in the space below your Depot (cannot be spent this turn).
• After performing all movement, if there is a Discovery or Research tile on the hex where your Rover is, you may remove that tile from the board to gain the benefit, provided:
  • You must not have already taken a Research tile of that color and letter.
  • You must pay any cost associated with the benefit.
  • You must be able to take at least some of the benefit. If you cannot, your Rover cannot end its movement on that hex.
• If you gain a tile, resolve it immediately by paying any associated cost, then place it in your play area (Discovery tiles face down).

Construct a Building

Construction of critical Buildings is essential to the development of the Colony and the arrival of new ships, welcoming more colonists to the planet. Production levels of power, water, food, and oxygen must be increased to sustain the necessary conditions for the self-sufficiency of the inhabitants on Mars. Companies that contribute to these improvements will be rewarded with resources and recognition.

This action allows you to add a new Building on Mars. You can place a Building:

• Adjacent to an existing Building of the same type (creating a Complex – this requires the use of a Tech tile), or
• Exactly 2 hexes away from an existing Building of the same type (and not adjacent to another existing Building of the same type).

Note: Your Shelters and your opponents’ Shelters are considered to be Buildings of different types.

Steps to Construct:

1. Choose which Building you want to construct: One of the tiles next to the board (Mine, Generator, Water Extractor, Greenhouse, Oxygen Condenser) or the Shelter in the lowest position on your Player board.
2. Pay the cost: As shown on the Building display board. For Mines, see special rules below. For Shelters, the cost is 1 Oxygen.
3. Place the tile: Place the new tile face down (in the same orientation as other already-placed tiles) on a hex that currently does not contain a Building and is within the Building zone of one of your Bots (on the Bot’s hex, or adjacent to the Bot).
   • If placed adjacent to one or more Buildings of the same type (creating or increasing the size of a Complex), you must use a Tech tile of the related type and level.
   • If placed exactly 2 hexes away from a Building of the same type, no Tech tile is needed. This does not count as creating a Complex.
4. Spawn Crystals: If the Building tile you placed has arrows on it, place 1 Crystal from the general supply in each adjacent empty hex that the arrows are pointing to. Then, flip the tile face up, ensuring the correct orientation is maintained.
5. Gain Resources: Gain a number of Resources matching the type of Building equal to the new size of the Complex (i.e. the number of contiguous hexes consisting of tiles matching the tile you just placed). If the Building placed is not adjacent to any other Buildings of the same type, gain 1 Resource. (If you placed a Shelter, gain Crystals instead of Resources.)

Additional Construction Rules:

• Progress Cubes: The first time in the game that you create or increase the size of a Complex, move your Progress cube from the bottom of your Player board for the corresponding Building and place it on the slot of your color below the corresponding building in the Progress area. (Note: Standalone buildings and Shelter complexes do not allow you to move a Progress cube.)
• Mines: If you placed a Mine, you must place 1 Colonist from your Living Quarters onto the Mine. If you do not have any Colonists in your Living Quarters, you cannot build a Mine. That Colonist is now considered a Miner and will produce Minerals when you travel to Orbit.
• LSS Buildings: If you constructed an LSS Building (Generator, Water Extractor, Greenhouse, Oxygen Condenser), move the corresponding marker on the LSS track up by 1 space, if able. This may trigger LSS Rewards.

Displacement Rule

• If you construct or upgrade a Building on top of a Crystal, return it to the general supply.
• If you construct or upgrade a Building on top of a Discovery or Research tile, return it to the game box.
• If you construct or upgrade a Building on top of a Bot or Rover, that piece must be moved away from its current position by its owner to the closest available hex (either an empty hex or a Building with no other piece on it).

Using Technology to Construct

If you construct a Building which creates or increases the size of a Complex (i.e. placing a Building adjacent to a Building of the same type), you must use a related Tech tile (e.g., to place a Greenhouse adjacent to another Greenhouse, you need a Greenhouse Tech tile).

The level of the Tech tile used must be equal to or greater than the total number of Buildings that you are connecting to. If connecting to an existing complex of Buildings, each Building in that Complex counts as 1 Building, even if not directly connected to the new Building.

Mines

Resource mining will be one of the most lucrative industries on Mars. Private companies will compete for the rights to mine the most profitable regions of the planet.

• Mines are not part of the LSS and the Minerals they produce cannot be acquired from the Warehouse.
• Mines are built in the same way as other Buildings, but instead of paying a Resource to place the tile, you must place 1 Colonist from your Living Quarters on the Mine after it has been placed.
• Each of your Colonists on a Mine also produces 1 Mineral every time you travel to Orbit.
• Creating or increasing the size of a Mine Complex allows you to place your Progress cube in the Progress area as normal.
• Even if a Colonist is working in a Mine, the mine is not owned by any player. Therefore, any player may upgrade a mine with another player’s Colonist on it.

Life Support System (LSS) Tracking & Rewards

The LSS represents the essential buildings needed to maintain survival on Mars and allow more Colonists to arrive. It also shows the current Colony level, which is the row below where the Colony level marker is. At the start of the game, the marker is on the second row, so the Colony level is 1.

• Each column represents a subsystem of the LSS and tracks the number of constructed Buildings of the corresponding type on the map.
• Each time a Building tile is placed on the board, move the marker in its column 1 space up, unless it is already at the top of the column.
• First time bonus: The first time an LSS Building of each type is built (moving the marker from the bottom row to the next row up), the player who built that Building scores 2 OP.
• LSS Rewards: If the marker was below the row where the Colony level marker is before it was moved, the player who advances the marker gains two additional benefits:
  1. OP according to the LSS Reward tile at the top of the column the marker is in (do not remove the LSS tile).
  2. One of the benefits shown in the top-left of the LSS.

Colony Status Update

Whenever all of the markers advance to the row with the Colony level marker (or higher), the Colony Status is updated at the end of your turn. Follow these steps:

1. Advance Level Marker: Move the Colony level marker up one row.
2. New Blueprints:
   • If the colony has just reached Level 2: remove all remaining Blueprints from the display (place them back in the box), add the top 12 cards from the Blueprint deck to the display (the remaining 6 Level 1 cards and 6 Level 3 cards).
   • If the colony has just reached Level 3: remove all Level 1 Blueprints from the display (place them back in the box), add the remaining 6 Level 3 cards from the deck to the display.
3. Refill Tech Grid: Refill any empty spaces in the Tech Grid with new Tech tiles from the stack (fill spaces from bottom to top). (Note: Skip this step in a 2-player game.)
4. Refill Warehouse: Refill the Warehouse with Crystals and Resources from the general supply until there are 3 of each. (Note: In a 2-player game, refill only 2 of each.)
5. Progress Area Scoring: The first two times the Colony Status is updated, each player gains 1 / 2 / 4 / 7 / 11 points for having 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 cubes in the Progress area.
6. Check Remaining Missions: If the Colony Level is now at 3 or higher, move the Remaining Missions marker one space to the right. If the Remaining Missions marker was already on space 1, the end of the game is triggered.

Upgrade a Building

The only way to have a self-sustaining colony on Mars is by upgrading the basic buildings to advanced ones using the latest terrestrial and Martian technology.

This action allows you to use a Blueprint you have previously taken to upgrade one of the Buildings on the map into an Advanced Building.

• Each Building can only be upgraded once.
• Each Blueprint can only be used once.
• Advanced Buildings produce Resources when you travel to Orbit and also have a special action which can be used as an Executive action.
• A level-1 Blueprint can be used to upgrade any of the corresponding Buildings.
• A level-3 Blueprint can be used to upgrade a corresponding Building as long as it is part of a Complex of size 3 or greater.
• To upgrade a Building, it must be in the Building zone of one of your Bots. When upgrading a Shelter, you can only upgrade your own Shelter.

Upgrade Procedure:

1. Choose a Blueprint and matching Building.
2. Pay 1 Mineral to the general supply.
3. Take your Advanced Building marker from the Blueprint and place it on the Building tile that you are upgrading.
   • If there was a Bot or Rover on the tile, follow the Displacement rule.
   • If there was a Colonist on the tile, move that Colonist back to the owner’s Living Quarters (or general supply if no room).

Using Upgrade Tech: If you use an Upgrade Tech tile (yours or another player’s) when performing this action, you may repeat this process up to a number of times equal to the level of the Tech tile used (e.g., level 2 tech allows up to 3 upgrades).

Welcome a Ship

Once sustainable conditions are created on the colony, new ships arrive with the next generation of colonists and machines to help the colony expansion.

This action allows you to move any 1 of your Private Ships from your Depot to your Hangar. The cost of doing this is 1 Plant and 1 Water.

When you do this, gain either:

• 1 Colonist and 1 Bot, or
• 2 Colonists.

Placement rules:

• Place new Colonists in empty spaces in your Living Quarters, if able.
• Place a new Bot on one of your Shelters that is currently empty. If none of your Shelters are empty, place the Bot on the closest available empty space to one of your Shelters.

Limit: The number of ships in total that can be removed from your Depot is equal to the current Colony level.

Boosted action: For each Colonist you move to your Working Area when taking this action, move 1 additional Ship. You must pay 1 Water and 1 Plant for, and receive the benefits from, each ship as normal. (Note: You cannot boost this action with Colonists you just gained this turn.)

Ships in your Hangar are worth points at the end of the game, but you can discard one during the Shuttle phase to travel.

Hire a Scientist or Take an Earth Contract

It’s a mistake to try to build a sustainable colony on a distant planet without any scientists. The knowledge and study of the unknown is in their hands. In fact, these will be the leaders of all expeditions on Earth or on any distant planet.

At the start of the game, only the 6 Scientists are available in the display. As they get taken, they will be replaced by Contract cards.

This action has only one available slot per player. You cannot take this action if you already have a Colonist there. You still pay any additional cost to take this action based on Colonists of other colors on Action slots.

Note: Unlike other actions, these Action slots do not clear when they are all full. You must retrieve your Colonists by other means (such as when you travel).

1. Choose a card on the display and pay the indicated cost: Shown on the display board (the cost to take the Geologist is moving 2 Colonists from your Living Quarters to your Working Area).
2. Take the card: Place it face up in front of you. If you took a Scientist, also take the Scientist marker on the card.
3. Refill the slot: At the end of your turn, refill the slot on the display with a Contract card of your choice. You may freely look through them and choose the one you want. Place the Contract on the lower half of the space (covering over the old Scientist cost, leaving the Crystal on the space visible).

Earth Contracts

Cost to take: 1 Crystal. If you complete a Contract at the end of the game, gain the OP depicted. If you fail to complete it, you lose the OP depicted instead.

• Delivery Contracts: Once you have one of these contracts, you may move Crystals and Resources of the depicted types from your Player board onto the Contract at any time during the game. Anything you gain that is required by the Contract can be placed directly on the card, bypassing your Player board. To complete this Contract, all depicted items must be on the card at the end of the game. Minerals cannot be used as another type of Resource for completing a Contract.
• Upgrade Contracts: To complete this type of Contract, at the end of the game you must have an Advanced Building marker on a Building of the depicted type that is part of a Complex of at least size 4.

Executive Actions Overview

Once per turn, before or after your Main action, you may perform one of the Executive actions available to you.

Your Executive actions are shown next to the slots in your Depot. An action is available to you as long as you do not have a ship on that space (i.e. at the start of the game, you only have access to the bottom 3 Executive actions in your Depot). Each action has a cost in Crystals associated with it, and you must pay that amount of Crystals to perform the action.

Scientists and Advanced Buildings

One of the Executive actions is to use one of your own Advanced Buildings at a cost of 2 Crystals. However, if you have a Scientist, you can put them to work in an Advanced Building that matches their specialty, even a Building belonging to another player.

• Move the Scientist marker from wherever it currently is to the Blueprint card you wish to use, and then proceed with the appropriate Executive action.
• As long as a Scientist is working in a Building, both the owner of the Scientist and the owner of the Building may perform the Executive action of that Building at no cost.
• A Scientist must stay working in a building until they are moved out to work in another Building.
• Scientists also grant OP at the end of the game based on the number of Advanced Buildings on Mars of the indicated type.

Boosting Tech with Colonists

Some Advanced Building actions depict the Teal Colonist icon at the bottom. This means that you may send Colonists to your Working Area to temporarily add to the level of the tech when taking the action.

Missions

During Setup, 3 Mission cards are placed on the board. Each Mission card depicts an objective for the colony. If you contribute to that objective:

1. Gain the Crystals shown on the card for each contribution and place them below your Depot.
2. Move the Mission tracker cube down 1 space.

Once the requirements of the Mission are fully met (the cube reaches the space with the checkmark), remove the card from the game and move the Remaining Missions marker 1 space to the right.

Once a total of 3 Missions have been completed collectively by all players, the end of the game is triggered.

Colony Level Acceleration

• If the Colony reaches level 3, the number of completed Missions required to end the game is 2.
• At Colony level 4, the number of completed Missions required to end the game is 1.
• At Colony level 5, the end of the game is triggered immediately, even if no Missions have been completed.

In each case, advance the Remaining Missions marker one space to track how many more are still needed.

Private Goals

You start the game with 3 Private Goal cards, each of which depicts the requirements necessary to complete it.

• During your turn in the Colonization phase, if at any point you meet the requirements of the card, you may complete the Goal by placing it face up next to your player board and taking one of the rewards depicted.
• Each player can only complete one Private Goal during the game.
• On your turn, you may discard a Private Goal from your hand (return it unseen to the box) and use it as if it were a Crystal. You may do this before and after completing your Private Goal (or use all cards as Crystals). Note: You discard the card and use it as a Crystal; you do not take a physical Crystal piece.

Shuttle Movement & Travel

At the start of this phase, move the Shuttle one space towards the middle of the board following the arrows. If the Shuttle is already on the red Travel space closest to the middle of the board, it travels instead.

• If the Shuttle travels, move it to the Travel space on the opposite side indicated by the current Colony level.
• Then in turn order, all players decide if they will travel or not. All players may travel in this phase, whether the Shuttle itself traveled or not.
• Cost to travel:
  • If the Shuttle travels, and your Player marker is on the side that the Shuttle moved from, you can catch a lift with the Shuttle and travel for free.
  • Otherwise, you may still travel, but you must remove a ship from your Hangar (place it back in the game box).
• If you decide not to travel, stand your player marker back up. You do not get the bonus of the Turn Order space again.

Travel to the Colony

1. Move Player marker to Exploration space:
   1. Place 1 of the face-up Discovery tiles from the Exploration space on an empty hex exactly 3 spaces away from your Rover (if not yet on the map, measure from the starting Mine). If no valid hex, skip.
   2. Replace the tile with a new one from the top of the stack, face up.
2. Move Player marker to Retrieve Colonists space:
   1. Move all of your Colonists from Action slots on the Colony side of the board back to your Living Quarters.
   2. Move all Colonists in your Working Area back to your Living Quarters.

   Note: If there are not enough slots in Living Quarters, return excess to your personal supply.

3. Move Player marker to any empty Turn Order space on the Colony side: You may gain the bonus printed on the space.

Travel to Orbit

1. Move Player marker to Production space:
   • Each of your Advanced Buildings on Mars produces 1 Resource corresponding to the type of building.
   • Each Advanced Building you have on a Shelter produces a Crystal.
   • Each of your Colonists/Advanced Buildings on the mines produces 1 Mineral.
2. Move Player marker to Retrieve Colonists space:
   1. Move all of your Colonists from the Orbit side of the board back to your Living Quarters.
   2. Move all Colonists in your Working Area back to your Living Quarters.

   Note: If not enough slots, return excess to personal supply.

3. Move Player marker to any empty Turn Order space on the Orbit side: You may gain the bonus printed on the space.

Game End Trigger

At the end of the Colonization phase, if the Remaining Missions marker has reached the end of its track (which may be caused by completing 3 missions, progressing the colony to a high level, or a combination of both), the end of the game is triggered.

When triggered: play until the end of the current round, and then play 1 more round. Skip the Shuttle phase in the final round. Each player moves any Crystals gained in the last round into their Depot as normal.

Final Scoring

Calculate each player’s Opportunity Points (OP):

• Progress Cubes: 1 / 2 / 4 / 7 / 11 OP for having 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 Progress cubes in the Progress area.
• Ships in Hangar: 3 OP for each ship in your Hangar.
• Colonists: Return all Colonists from the side of the board where your Player marker is, and from your Working Area, back to your Living Quarters (filled from bottom to top; excess to personal supply). Score OP according to the number next to your highest located Colonist.
• Tech Tiles: Each Tech tile in your Laboratory scores OP indicated below the column it is in.
• Advanced Buildings: 3 OP for each Level 1 card, 5 OP for each Level 3 card. Lose 3 OP for every unbuilt Level 1 Blueprint, and lose 5 OP for every unbuilt Level 3 Blueprint.
• Scientists: Each Scientist scores 3 OP for each Advanced Building of the indicated types on Mars, no matter who owns it.
• Earth Contracts: Gain or lose OP for each Earth Contract card based on whether you completed it or not. (You may transfer Resources/Crystals to contracts at this time.)

The player with the most Opportunity Points is declared the winner.

Tie-breakers

1. Most Crystals.
2. Most Advanced Buildings.
3. Most Progress cubes in the Progress area.
4. If still tied, players share victory.

2-Player Game Rules

1. During setup, place only 2 Crystals and 2 of each Resource in the Warehouse.
2. During setup, return the 8 remaining tech tiles to the box.
3. Follow page 6 for the starting layout of Shelters.
4. The additional cost to place a Colonist on an Action slot is equal to the number of Colonists already on Action slots for the chosen action (of both you and your opponent).
5. Skip the refill of the Tech Grid since there aren’t any more tiles to do so.
6. When refilling the Warehouse with Crystals and Resources from the general supply, add up to 2 of each.

First Colonists Variant

When playing for the first time, it is recommended to use the 3 specific Mission cards, First Colonist tiles, and First Colonist cards.

1. Mission cards: Place Mission markers on Obtain a Blueprint, Hire a Scientist, and Control Center.
2. First Colonist tiles: Instead of choosing a Turn Order space, shuffle tiles and deal one at random to each player to place their marker and gain the benefit.
3. First Colonist cards: Deal 1 secret ‘A’ card to each player. When you construct any one of the 4 depicted buildings, reveal it, discard it, and draw 2 secret ‘B’ cards. Each ‘B’ card depicts a task; when completed, reveal it, gain the reward, and return it to the box (max 1 completed task per turn).

Space Oddity Variant

When the end of the game is triggered, play only until the end of the current Colonization phase (the game ends immediately if triggered by the last player in turn order).

Overview & Setup

In the solo game, you compete directly with one opponent: Lacerda. Play with 2-player rules with specific exceptions.

• Setup both Player boards and main board as for 2 players.
• Lacerda does not get Private Goal cards.
• Place Lacerda’s Bot on the Mine icon in the Progress Area (not on his Shelter).
• Shuffle the solo deck face down.
• Determine Lacerda’s starting Turn Order space with a random First Colonists tile; pick your own Turn Order space. The Shuttle starts in the red space on Lacerda’s side.

Solo Phases

Colonization Phase

Reveal the top card of the solo deck on Lacerda’s turn. He performs the indicated action, then discard the card. When empty, reshuffle to make a new deck. After shuffling the deck once (2nd pass through the deck), additionally move the indicated Mission tracker cube down one space each turn, awarding Lacerda Crystals as normal.

Shuttle Phase

• Lacerda travels with the Shuttle unless the most recent solo card depicts an X next to the cube at the top.
• When Lacerda travels, choose an available Turn Order space at random.
• Traveling to Orbit: Lacerda skips both steps.
• Traveling to Colony: Skips retrieve Colonists, but places the leftmost Discovery tile 3 spaces away from his Rover (as far as possible from your Rover). Then he constructs a Building.

Extra Rules for Lacerda

• Lacerda always has all Colonists he needs (Living Quarters count as full for scoring).
• Does not take Executive actions.
• When Colony levels up: builds a Shelter (Complex if possible) and Welcomes a new Ship (never spends ships).
• Never collects or stores Resources, never pays Resources.
• Collects and stores Crystals in his Depot.
• When building an LSS building: retrieves his Colonist from Hire a Scientist slot if present; otherwise gains a Crystal.
• Always uses Tech if available (you gain Oxygen if he uses yours).
• Bot movement follows LSS sequence: Mine > Generator > Water Extractor > Greenhouse > Oxygen Condenser > back to Mine.
• Colonist costs paid with Crystals. If illegal move or cannot pay, he moves his Rover instead towards the closest valid Discovery/Research tile.

Lacerda Actions Detail

Orbit Side:

• Action 1 (Obtain Blueprint): Takes Blueprint matching his Scientists. Tie-breaker: leftmost card from row with most cards.
• Action 2 (Learn New Tech): Takes cheapest, leftmost. Places in top space first.
• Action 3 (R&D): Develops most-developed Tech once, then least-developed once. Bottom tile on tie.
• Resupply: Only taken via turn order track or lab tile benefit.
• Landing Pod: Never takes it.

Colony Side:

• Action 1 (Construct Building): Builds the Building corresponding to the icon his Bot is on, only if its LSS marker is below the Colony level marker. Otherwise advances in sequence. Always builds a Mine if next in sequence. Aims for largest Complex. Moves Bot to next icon in sequence.
• Action 2 (Upgrade Building): Upgrades a Building using his Blueprints (prefers those scoring his Scientists), using Upgrade Tech if available.
• Action 3 (Hire Scientist / Take Contract): Hires Scientist scoring most OP. Once he has 2 Scientists, takes highest OP Contract instead (automatically completed).

Solo Goals

• Lvl 1 – First Colonists: Reach Colony level 3; complete at least 1 Contract; complete 1 Private Goal; have a level 6 Tech tile; beat Lacerda in OP.
• Lvl 2 – Next Generation: Reach Colony level 3; complete at least 2 Contracts (1 of each type); complete 1 Private Goal; have at least 2 Research tiles; have at least 4 Shelters built; beat Lacerda by 10+ OP.
• Lvl 3 – Hunky Dory: Reach Colony level 4; complete at least 2 Contracts (1 of each type); complete 1 Private Goal; have Colonists/Advanced Building markers on at least 3 Mines; have at least 5 Advanced Buildings; beat Lacerda by 20+ OP.
• A Martian Potato Survival Scenario: Reach Colony level 3; complete size 4 Greenhouse Contract; complete Delivery Contract #11; take Biochemist; have at least 3 Greenhouse advanced buildings; expand Greenhouse Complex to 5+; have 5+ Plants in storage; 2+ Research tiles; Greenhouse Tech at level 6; finish game in Orbit; beat Lacerda by 30+ OP.

Game Design: Vital Lacerda
Game Art: Ian O’Toole
Graphic Design & 3D Illustrations: Ian O’Toole
Rulebook & 3D Illustrations: João Tereso, Vital Lacerda
English Rules Writing: Johnny Hollander, Paul Grogan, Vital Lacerda
English Rules Editing: Paul Grogan – Gaming Rules!
Official Rules Video: Gaming Rules!
Proofreading: Brendan Irvin, Chris Spath, David Digby, Graham Charlton, Ori Avtalion, Phil the Sheep
Project Managers: Randal Lloyd, Rick Soued

©2019 FRED Distribution Inc. Eagle-Gryphon Games. All Rights Reserved.