Boardgames

Terraforming Mars: Prelude

Jumpstart terraforming with Prelude cards, new corporations and projects, plus a dedicated solo goal for Terraforming Mars.

120
minutes

1 - 5
player(s)

12+

Medium

Download official rules (EN) Buy on Amazon
Terraforming Mars: Prelude board game cover

About this expansion

Terraforming Mars: Prelude is an expansion for 1–5 players that adds an early-game setup layer to Terraforming Mars, with a play time of about 120 minutes.

As the mega corporations prepare to begin the terraforming process, each player chooses from new Prelude cards at the start of the game. These cards can jumpstart the terraforming process or boost a corporation’s engine, helping establish the direction of your corporation and its future on Mars.

The expansion also adds content that fits the early stages of developing a new planet. The new cards and corporations can broaden the game even when you are not using the Prelude card system.

  • Prelude cards for an accelerated start or an improved corporation engine
  • 5 new corporations
  • 7 new project cards
  • A new solo mode with a different objective

In the new solo mode, your goal is to reach 63 TR before time runs out, rather than completing the global parameters. This gives solo play a distinct target while using the familiar Terraforming Mars setting.

Terraforming Mars: Prelude can be combined with any other Terraforming Mars expansions or variants. Released in 2018, it focuses on the decisions made before the greatest terraforming endeavors begin, offering a thematic way to shape the opening of your game.

Expansion for

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Useful links

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Board Game Rules for
Terraforming Mars: Prelude

Download official rules (EN)

Component Setup

During setup, you shuffle the 7 project cards into the main project card deck, and the 5 corporations into the corporation deck. This icon Prelude expansion at the lower left of the cards indicates that they belong to the Prelude expansion. The remaining 35 Prelude cards are shuffled into a deck of their own, and these are the only ones we refer to when we say Prelude cards.

Dealing & Playing Prelude Cards

  1. When you deal cards in the setup (see main game rulebook page 7, step 5), you also deal 4 Prelude cards to each player.
  2. The players choose 2 Prelude cards to keep at the same time as choosing corporations and project cards (step 6). The Prelude cards do not cost anything to keep.
  3. After all corporations have been played and cards paid for (step 7), there is an extra round (step 7b) where each player plays their pair of picked Prelude cards in player order, and discards their remaining 2 Prelude cards. They work like green cards, and stay in play with their tags visible.
  4. After this, the first player begins the action phase (step 8). Note that the whole setup counts as part of generation 1.

Setup Variants

  • Deal each player 1 corporation from Prelude, and 1 from the other corporations.
  • If you want to play a game without the Prelude cards, you may still keep the 7 project cards and the 5 corporations in the game.

Wild tag Wild Tag

After being played, when you perform an action, the wild tag is a tag of your choice. This means it does not trigger when being put into play. Nor does it count for awards, but you can use it in an action to, for example, claim a milestone.

Playing Solo with Prelude

When using the Prelude cards in a solo game, you only have 12 generations to complete terraforming.

Mark this with a gold cube at generation 12.

TR Solo (New Solo Variant)

This new solo variant may be used with any expansion.

  • Goal: Your goal is no longer to complete the global parameters, but to reach a Terraform Rating of 63 in 14 generations (or 12 generations if playing with the Prelude cards). Mark 63 with a gold cube on the TR track.
  • Buffer Gas: In TR solo, a new standard project is introduced, BUFFER GAS, which costs 16 M€ and gives 1 TR.
  • All other rules apply as for a normal solo game.
supply_drop_artwork
supply_drop_artwork

Credits

  • Game design: Jacob Fryxelius
  • Graphic design: Isaac Fryxelius
  • Rulebook cover: Aquifer turbines by Bill Bricker

Megacredits

to our dedicated publishing partners and artists, especially Bill Bricker for his images. To mom and dad, and to our betatesters: Florian Ruckeisen, Sebastian Stückl, Cornelius Cremin, Jorrit Sminia, Mikael Hansson, Jan-Fredrik Wahlin, Tomas Gjäls & Mikael Wicktor, and Trollet Eriksson, as well as their gaming groups – a million thanks for dedicated playtesting and feedback!

Gigacredits

to the Creator of our solar system.
May we always be good stewards of His worlds!

Setup & Prelude Cards

Component Setup

During setup, you shuffle the 7 project cards into the main project card deck, and the 5 corporations into the corporation deck. This icon Prelude expansion at the lower left of the cards indicates that they belong to the Prelude expansion. The remaining 35 Prelude cards are shuffled into a deck of their own, and these are the only ones we refer to when we say Prelude cards.

Dealing & Playing Prelude Cards

  1. When you deal cards in the setup (see main game rulebook page 7, step 5), you also deal 4 Prelude cards to each player.
  2. The players choose 2 Prelude cards to keep at the same time as choosing corporations and project cards (step 6). The Prelude cards do not cost anything to keep.
  3. After all corporations have been played and cards paid for (step 7), there is an extra round (step 7b) where each player plays their pair of picked Prelude cards in player order, and discards their remaining 2 Prelude cards. They work like green cards, and stay in play with their tags visible.
  4. After this, the first player begins the action phase (step 8). Note that the whole setup counts as part of generation 1.

Setup Variants

  • Deal each player 1 corporation from Prelude, and 1 from the other corporations.
  • If you want to play a game without the Prelude cards, you may still keep the 7 project cards and the 5 corporations in the game.

Special Rules: Wild Tag

Wild tag Wild Tag

After being played, when you perform an action, the wild tag is a tag of your choice. This means it does not trigger when being put into play. Nor does it count for awards, but you can use it in an action to, for example, claim a milestone.

Solo Modes & Variants

Playing Solo with Prelude

When using the Prelude cards in a solo game, you only have 12 generations to complete terraforming.

Mark this with a gold cube at generation 12.

TR Solo (New Solo Variant)

This new solo variant may be used with any expansion.

  • Goal: Your goal is no longer to complete the global parameters, but to reach a Terraform Rating of 63 in 14 generations (or 12 generations if playing with the Prelude cards). Mark 63 with a gold cube on the TR track.
  • Buffer Gas: In TR solo, a new standard project is introduced, BUFFER GAS, which costs 16 M€ and gives 1 TR.
  • All other rules apply as for a normal solo game.
supply_drop_artwork
supply_drop_artwork

Credits

Credits

  • Game design: Jacob Fryxelius
  • Graphic design: Isaac Fryxelius
  • Rulebook cover: Aquifer turbines by Bill Bricker

Megacredits

to our dedicated publishing partners and artists, especially Bill Bricker for his images. To mom and dad, and to our betatesters: Florian Ruckeisen, Sebastian Stückl, Cornelius Cremin, Jorrit Sminia, Mikael Hansson, Jan-Fredrik Wahlin, Tomas Gjäls & Mikael Wicktor, and Trollet Eriksson, as well as their gaming groups – a million thanks for dedicated playtesting and feedback!

Gigacredits

to the Creator of our solar system.
May we always be good stewards of His worlds!

Other expansions for
Terraforming Mars