Martian Rails Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Game Parts
  • Epic Railroad Building on the Red Planet of Science Fiction
• Board and Map
  • Wrap-Letters
  • Locomotive Cards
• Crayons
• Load Chips
• Cards
  • Demand Cards
  • Event Cards
• Preparation
  • The Start (Martian Rails specifics)
  • The Finish (Martian Rails specifics)
• How to Play
• Building Railroads
  • Building Costs (Martian Rails)
  • Right to Enter Major Cities
  • Limits on Building from Major Cities
  • Limits on Entry into Medium and Small Cities
  • No Credit / No Loans
  • Renting Track
• Martian Rails Specific Building Rules
  • Terrain Mileposts
  • Canals & Lakes
  • Major Cities
  • Initial Building Phases
• Hauling Freight
  • Starting Your Train
  • Running the Train
  • Picking Up Loads
  • Delivering Loads
  • Expanding Track
  • Operations Example
  • Planning Routes
  • Losing Turns
• Event Card Effects
  • General Effects
  • Common Event Cards
• Martian Rails Events
  • Economic Event Cards
  • Track Cost Event Cards
  • Space Elevator Sabotage
  • Full Event Card List
• How to Win
• Courtesy in Play
• Variant Rules
  • Four Card Start (Martian Rails)
  • Ares Railroad Passenger Corporation ("ARTRAK") (Martian Rails)
  • Red–Green Enmity (Martian Rails)
  • Insurance (Martian Rails)
  • The Inter-Planetary Road Shows (Martian Rails)
  • Empire Builder Series Variations
    • Mercy
    • Fast Trains
    • Fast Game
    • Special Tournament Rule — Time Limits
    • Crossgrading
    • Challenge Game
• Reference Charts
  • Available Loads
  • Cities
• Appendix
  • Canals
  • Commodities
  • Trains
  • Cities
  • Railroading on Mars
  • Acknowledgments
• Credits

Game Parts

Martian Rails contains:

• 1 puzzle-cut board (map)
• 100 load chips
• 2 decks of cards, including:
  • 138 demand cards
  • 24 event cards
  • 18 loco (locomotive) cards
• 1 pack of crayons
• 6 pawns
• 1 pack of money
• 1 Empire Builder Series rules booklet
• 1 Martian Rails Specific rules booklet

If any of these parts are missing from your new game, please write (identifying the missing part) to: Empire Builder Parts, Mayfair Games, 8060 St. Louis Ave. Skokie, IL 60076, or send a message to [email protected]. If you have any questions about these rules, or any Mayfair Games product, please send a message to our rules guru at [email protected].

Epic Railroad Building on the Red Planet of Science Fiction

Mars has been the subject of science and story for hundreds of years. The results are wondrous tales of noble savages, strange beasts, exotic alien cities, lost cultures, a dying world, and two hurtling moons. As our knowledge of the Red Planet grew, Barsoom changed into a cold, high-altitude desert, then an airless craterland. Concurrently, the stories about Mars changed too. Fortunately, the fiction can mutate beyond the facts. Terraforming could modify Mars. Humans could live there. Furthermore, the currently known terrain is pretty exciting. Mars sports an 80,000 foot volcano and a 2,500-mile long, 4-mile deep canyon. Two ice caps wax and wane with the seasons.

Martian Rails combines these story elements. What if eight-legged Thoats, warring natives, Solar CDs, Blue Beer, and Rayguns existed? They would need a cheap, efficient means to be transported from one place to another. What better way is there than a railroad?

Martian Rails allows you to build a rail network linking the fictional settlements, towns, cities and spaceports of a thousand stories. It allows you to pick up and deliver the commodities found in those stories and make money doing so. Can you build the best rail network and be the first to amass a fortune?

The game depicts the terrain that was believed to be correct at different times during the study of the planet. Maybe certain features were figments of an astronomer's imagination. Maybe some of the civilizations were merely plot elements for a science fiction writer. Wouldn't it be wonderful if they could exist simultaneously? They can, in this tribute to the classic science fiction stories! Playing Martian Rails is a great way to learn about planetary astronomy, literature, shipping, and transportation while having loads of fun with friends and family.

Board and Map

The central feature of the board is a map of Mars. The map has a grid of round, triangular, and star-shaped dots, called mileposts. The mileposts regulate rail building and train movement. In scale, they are approximately 300 kilometers apart.

The map shows 47 cities, including 6 major cities. Near each city are symbols representing the goods available for pickup in that city.

Wrap-Letters

The "wrap-letters" along the edge of the Mars map allow representation of the planet's spherical shape. A wrap-letter consists of a letter and additional symbols: plus (+), minus (-), prime ('), starred (*), or no symbol. The color of the circle around the wrap-letter also serves as a designation for differentiation purposes.

A player may build to any wrap-letter at zero cost. This route automatically links to the identical wrap-letter along the edge of the other section. This track segment has a zero cost also. Then the player must build from that wrap-letter back onto the map at normal cost.

• Each wrap route may only link with an identical wrap-letter (letter, symbol, and color).
• Routes wrap around Mars east and west, not north and south.
• Players may not build from one wrap-letter to a different wrap-letter.
• Players may not build from opposite directions to connect at a wrap-letter (thereby minimizing the construction costs).
• Only one track segment may link to, from, or between any one wrap-letter set and the adjacent map mileposts.
• Three (or more) track segments may not link at a wrap-letter. (Wrap-letters may not be used as track junctions.)
• The wrap-letters fit the normal hexagonal pattern with the usual restrictions regarding which mileposts are adjacent.
• The ±D' and ±D* wrap-letters are singular but track may be built through them as if each were a paired wrap letter.
• The ±B and y (Equator) wrap-letters are shown connected to a half-milepost terrain symbol. Each of these mileposts is the same milepost as its corresponding twin on the opposite edge of the map. The wrap-letters merely note that the half-mileposts are one. So, the total cost for both halves combined is 1M.

Example: A player builds from existing track to a "-G" wrap-letter (0M), then to a clear milepost adjacent to the matching "-G*" (1M), and finally to an Alpine milepost (5M).*

Locomotive Cards

Each player has one loco card, showing the player's type of train, its maximum speed, and its load capacity. In Martian Rails, there are five different levels of trains. This level determines which trains are available for upgrades.

Each player starts with the level I train (the Tweel) that may carry up to 2 loads and may travel up to 10 mileposts per turn. When upgrading, he may choose any available train of the next higher level. There are two types of trains at each of levels II, III, IV; but only one each at levels I and V. If there are no trains of the type desired at the next level, you can either upgrade to the other type or wait until the type you desire becomes available.

It only costs 10 million to upgrade a train one level. Upgrades count against the 20 million limit for construction per turn. Therefore if no track construction is performed, two train upgrades may be done in one turn. Trains may also be upgraded during the initial building turns.

Level	Name	Load Capacity	Max. Speed
I	Tweel	2	10
II	Dejah Thoris	2	12
II	John Carter	3	10
III	Spirit	2	14
III	Opportunity	3	12
IV	Sojourner	2	16
IV	Pathfinder	3	14
V	Viking	3	16

Crayons

Special wipe-off crayons let players draw on the board during play and clean the board afterwards. Players should not use any marker other than those supplied unless it is first tested for erasability on a section of the board away from the playing area. The crayons in this game are plastic based, not wax based.

Important: The board is covered by a thin plastic coating to allow for easy cleanup between games.

• Do not use abrasive cleaners to clean the board. Use a dry paper napkin or towel. Using water will not speed cleanup.
• Do not use other markers than those recommended. Pencils, pens, regular crayons, and dry markers will permanently color the playing surface and ruin the board.
• Whenever using any marker other than those provided, first mark the board away from the playing surface and leave it overnight. If the mark can then be wiped off without leaving a stain, the marker is usable. Each individual color has to be tested. Keep the special wipe-off crayons away from direct heat.
• Always clean the board immediately after play!

Load Chips

Each load chip represents a load which can be carried on a player's train. To show that a load is being carried, place the load chip on the player's loco card.

The unused loads remain in the tray, where players can see what loads are available for pickup. When a player delivers a load, drops a load without delivering it for payoff, or loses a load due to an event card, the load chip is returned to the tray.

The load chips are limited to those provided in the game — additional load chips should not be made (except as replacements). Charts showing the loads available and the cities where they can be picked up are in the Reference Charts section below.

Cards

There are three types of cards: demand cards, event cards, and loco cards. Before playing, separate the loco cards from the other cards. Shuffle together the demand cards and event cards to make the draw deck. Place the loco cards and the face-down draw deck near the board.

Demand Cards

Each demand card shows demands for three cities, and each demand shows:

1. The city needing the goods.
2. The money payable on delivery of the goods to that city.
3. The goods needed.

If a player has fewer than three demand cards, he must draw a replacement demand card immediately, even if it is not his turn.

Event Cards

Event cards can affect normal game play. When drawn, an event card is immediately shown to all players and immediately takes effect. General event card effects are described in the Event Card Effects section below. After an event is resolved, the drawing player continues to draw until he has three demand cards in his hand.

Preparation

Before beginning, each player should have:

• 3 demand cards (face up)
• 1 Tweel locomotive card
• 60 million in cash
• 1 pawn and 1 crayon of the same color

Note: To help locate the cities and sources of goods, reference sheets are included on the middle four pages. You should remove these pages and cut (or tear) them into four separate half-page sheets (reproduced in this document as the Reference Charts below).

The players sit around the board. One player acts as banker who manages the loco cards and load chips.

After shuffling the draw deck, deal three demand cards face up to each player. Any event cards dealt are discarded and replaced until each player has three demand cards.

Note: Event cards are discarded only at the beginning of the game—event cards drawn later in the game are displayed and immediately take effect.

Each player now looks at his demand cards and finds the single largest payout for a demand. The player who has the largest single payout goes first (break ties based on the next largest payout).

Before beginning play, shuffle the discarded event cards back into the draw deck, and place the draw deck on the board. If the draw deck runs out during the game, reshuffle the discard pile and form a new draw deck.

The Start (Martian Rails specifics)

• Starting Cash: 60 million
• Number of Building Turns: 2
• Switchback Start: Yes

The Finish (Martian Rails specifics)

• Ending Cash: 250 million
• Number of Major Cities Connected: 5
• Equal Turns: Yes

How to Play

A game turn is divided into two phases:

• The first is the operations phase, where the player's train moves (paying user fees if needed), loads and unloads goods, and collects payoffs.
• The second is the building phase, where the player may spend up to 20 million either to build track or to upgrade his train.

Note: The first two turns for each player are devoted to building track — there are no operation phases during those turns (see Initial Building Phases below).

Instead of taking his normal turn, a player may discard his entire hand and draw three new cards, resolving and replacing any event cards drawn. Event cards drawn take effect immediately. A player who loses his turn because of an event card may not discard his hand during the lost turn.

A player must always have three (3) demand cards. If a player has fewer than three demand cards, he must draw a replacement demand card immediately, whether or not it is his turn.

A player ends his turn by paying the bank any money spent or by declaring that he is not spending any money that turn. Then the player to his left takes his turn.

Building Railroads

During a player's turn, he may spend money to build track between mileposts on the board. When a player's track connects the appropriate cities, he is able to run his train on his track to deliver loads and make money.

A player builds his railroad by drawing a line with his color crayon from one milepost to the next. For each section of track, the player must pay the cost for the milepost to which he is building.

Building Costs (Martian Rails)

Milepost Type / Terrain	Cost
Clear	1M
Desert	1M
Forest	2M
Mountain	2M
Jungle	3M
Marshland	3M
Volcano	5M
Wrap-Letter	0M
Half Milepost & Wrap-Letter	0.5M
Small City (maximum 2 players)	3M
Medium City (maximum 3 players)	3M
Major City (see Major Cities below)	5M
Major City: Adjacent Spoke Tips	5M
Impassable	not allowed
Train Upgrade	10M

Canals:

Canal Type	Additional Cost
Underground	+0M
Dry	+1M
Wet	+2M
Lake	+3M

Beginning Construction — A player may build track from any major city milepost or from any milepost to which the player has already built track.

Right of Way — Only one section of track may be built between any two mileposts.

Rivers/Canals — The cost for building track across a river or canal is in addition to the regular building cost.

Example: Blue builds westward from New York to Toronto — to four clear mileposts (1M each), to a clear milepost across a river (1M+2M), and finally north into Toronto, a medium city (3M). Blue's total cost so far is 10M. He also builds south into Buffalo (3M) for a total of 13M.

Example: Yellow decides to build southeast from New York to Pittsburgh — first south into Philadelphia (3M), to two clear mileposts (1M each), into Washington (3M), to a clear milepost (1M), to a mountain milepost (2M), and finally into Pittsburgh (3M). Yellow's total cost so far is 14M.

Right to Enter Major Cities

Every player has the right to build at least one segment of track to each major city. No track may be built which blocks any player from connecting all the major cities. No track may be built in the red area of a major city.

Limits on Building from Major Cities

During his turn, a player may not build more than two track segments from major city mileposts. These mileposts may be from the same major city, or from multiple major cities.

However, a player may build an unlimited number of track segments into major city mileposts at a cost of 5 million each. With proper planning, players can avoid building track into major cities (and the 5M expense!).

Example: On his turn, Blue builds track out of New York to Buffalo. Blue also builds from New York to Philadelphia. Blue would like to build between New York and Boston, but he should wait until his next turn because he has already built twice out of New York this turn.

Limits on Entry into Medium and Small Cities

Only three players may build track into a medium city (squares), and only two players may build track into a small city (circles). No player may build more than three track sections to a medium or small city. No track may be built which would prevent a second player from building at least one segment of track into a small city, or which would prevent a second or third player from building track into a medium city.

No Credit / No Loans

A player may not build track for which he cannot immediately pay. Track drawn which cannot be paid for is immediately erased.

Renting Track

A player pays nothing to run his train on his own track. A player may run on an opponent's track, but must pay 4 million per turn to each opponent upon whose track his train will run. A player may not use an opponent's track unless he has the cash to pay before using it. These fees do not count toward the spending limit in the building phase of the turn.

Martian Rails Specific Building Rules

There are a number of non-standard milepost types and special terrain features in Martian Rails. The costs are summarized in the Building Costs table above and on the map's terrain key.

Terrain Mileposts

There are 5 types of non-standard terrain mileposts: desert (1M), forest (2M), jungle (3M), marshland (3M), and volcano (5M).

Canals & Lakes

The rules for building across canals and lakes is similar to the standard rules for building across rivers. You pay an additional +1 million for dry canals, +2 million for wet canals, and +3 million for lakes. Building across underground canals costs nothing extra.

Major Cities

Major cities have 6 spokes in Martian Rails. All standard major city rules apply, except that it costs 5 million to build from one spoke tip to an adjacent spoke tip and it counts as building out of a major city one time.

Initial Building Phases

The board begins without any track on it. At the start of the game, each player takes two turns with no operation phase to start building his rail empire. Each player may spend up to 20 million (of his initial money) in each of his two turns to build track or upgrade his train.

For the first round, the first player takes his turn, and play progresses clockwise. After completing the first round, the player who played last in the first round goes first in the second round. The order of play then continues counterclockwise until the last player (the original first player) takes his turn. (This is known as the Switchback Start.) From this point, players will take normal turns, starting with the first player, with play continuing in a clockwise direction.

Hauling Freight

Starting Your Train

At the beginning of the game, a player may start his train (represented by his pawn) in any city on the map.

Note: A player must begin building track from a major city, but he may begin his train at the beginning of the game in any city.

Running the Train

A player moves his train by traveling on track built on the board and counting the mileposts reached, up to the maximum movement of the train. A train's speed is shown on its loco card (see the Locomotive Cards table above). The type of milepost does not matter — each milepost costs one movement point to move to, regardless of terrain.

There is no limit to the number of trains that may end a turn on one milepost or use the same track. A player's train does not block another player's train movement; two trains may pass each other on the same track (it is assumed that there are sidetracks available).

A train may only reverse direction if it is in a city (including all major city mileposts). A train may change direction at a junction during its move. A train may change direction in this way as many times as a player wishes each turn, as long as it still has movement points remaining.

Each player may treat the red areas of the major cities as his track. This represents local belt or terminal rail systems. Any train may travel across the city using the red area as its own track. Loads may be picked up or dropped off at any milepost in the major city. The center milepost is counted for movement.

Picking Up Loads

A load may be picked up by a train passing through a city where the load is available. If there is no load chip of that type available, then a player may not pick up that load until one is returned to the bank.

Trains may carry up to two or three loads, depending on the type of loco card the player has. The maximum number of loads that can be carried at one time is shown on the loco card. Trains may carry different types of loads, or multiples of the same type.

A train may pick up and carry loads whether or not there is a demand for those loads. It may be profitable to carry such loads in case a demand card for them is drawn.

A load may be dropped without payoff at any city. A player picking up or dropping off a load incurs no movement penalty and may still travel up to his full movement allowance. During the Operation Phase, a player may load, unload, and move his train any number of times in any order. Movement is limited only by the type of train and any event cards in play. A train may not move more than its maximum movement during the Operation Phase, regardless of the number of starts and stops it makes.

Delivering Loads

When a player delivers a load to a city with a demand for that load on one of his demand cards, the player must then:

1. Return the load chip to the stock of available loads.
2. Receive from the bank the amount stated on the card.
3. Discard the demand card. Only one load can be delivered for payoff with each demand card.
4. Draw a new demand card. If an event card is drawn, it takes effect immediately, and another card from the deck is drawn. The event may prevent the player from making other deliveries.

Important: Only one demand is filled on a demand card.

After delivery, the player continues his turn, including, if he can: delivering another load for payoff, dropping a load, picking up a load, and moving. The player may continue until his movement allowance is used up.

When making multiple deliveries to the same city, each load must be resolved separately. A player must complete all of the above steps for each load delivered, before making the next delivery.

Expanding Track

After finishing movement, a player proceeds to the Building Phase of his turn. A player may spend up to 20 million to build track or to upgrade his train. Adding new track follows the rules described in Building Railroads above.

Operations Example

Blue starts his turn with his "freight" train in Norfolk, along with three demand cards (A, B, C) and the track shown on the board. Blue picks up Imports bound for Cincinnati (card-B) and moves 3 mileposts to Raleigh. In Raleigh he picks up Machinery bound for Pittsburgh (card-A) — his train is full. Blue moves 6 more mileposts to Pittsburgh and delivers his Machinery, collecting 6M as indicated on card-A. He also discards card-A and draws card-D. His movement for the turn is over since his train may only move 9 mileposts each turn.

On Blue's next turn, he moves his train 6 mileposts to Cincinnati where he delivers his Imports and collects 11M as indicated on card-B. He discards card-B and draws another demand card. He picks up a load of Coal to take back to Raleigh (card-C). Blue uses the rest of his movement for the turn to move 3 mileposts back towards Pittsburgh.

On Blue's next turn, he moves his train 3 mileposts to Pittsburgh where he picks up Steel, which he hopes to eventually deliver to New York (card-D). Blue uses the rest of his movement for the turn to move 6 mileposts to Raleigh where he delivers his Coal and collects 10M as indicated on card-C. He discards card-C and draws another demand card.

Planning Routes

Before building any track, each player should look at the nine demands on his three demand cards — finding where the loads are available for pickup by looking on the chart and matching each of them to the corresponding city on the board. The player should then plan a route for his railroad to connect the cities where the loads can be delivered for payoff. The player begins to build track.

Important: Only one demand is filled on a demand card.

Note: To help locate the cities on the map, and where different demand goods may be found, handy quick reference sheets are provided in the Reference Charts section below, to help find the resources needed to fulfill demands.

Note: Keep in mind that a player will only be able to deliver one demand on each card. When filled, the demand card is discarded and replaced. So try to fill demands on more than one card if possible.

Losing Turns

A player may not move his train, deliver or pick up any loads, or build track or upgrade a loco on a lost turn. A player may also not discard all his demand cards and draw new ones on a lost turn.

A player who draws an event card that causes him to lose his turn, loses the rest of the current turn and all of his next turn. For this reason, it is important to resolve any event drawn right away. If a player was trying to deliver two loads to the same city, and an event caused him to lose his turn after he delivered the first load, then he would have to wait until after his next turn before he could deliver the second load.

Event Card Effects

An event card takes effect immediately when it is drawn. Some event cards remain in play until the end of the drawing player's next turn (in the next round) and affect all players. Some events stay in play until the requirements on the card are fulfilled. Players must obey the directions on all event cards while they are in effect.

General Effects

Explanations of general effects that are common to a variety of event cards:

Counting Mileposts — Mileposts are counted the same way train movement is counted. To count mileposts from a major city, count from the city center and not from the outer mileposts. To count mileposts from a seacoast, count from the milepost nearest the seacoast.

Half Rate — When trains move at half rate, the train's remaining movement is halved, rounding all fractions up.

Lost Loads — When a train loses a load, the player operating the train chooses which load is lost from those the train is carrying. The event card does not affect any loads picked up after the card is drawn.

Common Event Cards

Here are more complete explanations of the effects of various common event cards found in most Empire Builder series games:

Derailments — Each derailment card lists a number of cities on the map. If a train is within 3 mileposts of one of the cities listed, the player owning the train must return one load of his choice that is on the train to the bank. The player also loses his next turn.

Floods — Each flood card indicates which rivers are flooded by that event. Flood cards usually have two effects:

1. All bridges built over the indicated flooded rivers are destroyed. Erase all the bridges over those rivers.
2. The rivers continue to flood until the end of the drawing player's next turn. No one may build any track over a flooded river, and no one may move his train over a flooded river, until the event leaves play.

When a river floods, each player must be given an opportunity to rebuild his bridges once the flood ends. A player may not build where another player's bridge was located until after that player has had one turn to rebuild it.

Rail Strikes — A Rail Strike makes it impossible to pick up or deliver any loads at mileposts touching the affected border. Strikes usually last until the end of the drawing player's next turn.

Martian Rails Events

Martian Rails has a number of special rules that apply to one or more event cards:

Economic Event Cards

Four of the event cards create bonus demands to specified cities. One event card calls for a bonus demand to a non-city destination. The event card names the commodities. Each player, in turn, may attempt to deliver the commodity to the destination. The commodities delivered may not also fulfill other demand cards. Only one player is paid for the delivery. Discard the card after delivering the listed commodity.

Example: The Terrans Cometh! — Sam Parkhill of Sam's Hot Dogs, Inc. expects a "fleet of rockets filled with hungry customers" — the refugees from Earth's disaster — to arrive on Mars. The first player to deliver Bachelor Chow and Soylent Green simultaneously to Hinkston Creek (-B1) will earn 30 million.

Tamoioz Reservoirs — This event calls for a bonus demand of Fish to be delivered to any one of the five weather-control reservoirs. The blue triangular reservoirs are located on the hexagonal pattern and three payout mileposts are clearly closer than any other mileposts. This event card uses the common Economic Event rules. The difference is that the payout occurs at a non-city location. Nevertheless, a train may turn around without restrictions after delivering a load to this location.

Track Cost Event Cards

Two event cards change the cost to construct track to certain terrain. Such a change continues for the remainder of the game. It is suggested that the new costs be noted in the terrain key on the map. The Secret of Sinharat event card reduces the cost to build to forest mileposts.

The Repelatron Railway Bridge event card allows players to build track across the impassable borders of the Mariner Valley. It does not connect to the mileposts within the valley. The cost is 4M per track segment, ignoring the cost of all intervening mileposts except the final bridge milepost on the opposite side of the valley.

Space Elevator Sabotage

This event permanently eliminates Skyhook's commodities. Tourists, Colonists, and Imports are not available for pickup at Skyhook for the remainder of the game. It is suggested that those symbols on the map be crossed out with a neutral colored crayon. Skyhook will still request commodities as shown on the demand cards. The falling elevator cable destroys all track immediately north of the Equator. It takes time for the debris to be removed. The track can be rebuilt after the drawing player's next turn.

Full Event Card List

The event deck includes the following named events, each with its own flavor and effect:

• 139 The Terrans Cometh! — The hungry refugees from Earth need to be fed. Sam Parkhill, CEO of Sam's Hotdogs, will pay for the first delivery of Bachelor Chow and Soylent Red to the corporate headquarters in Hinkston Creek.
• 140 Starfleet Relief Mission! — There is a critical food shortage on the planet, Kasei IV. Starfleet will pay for the first delivery of Quintitriticale and Roddenberries to their planetside headquarters in Utopia.
• 141 Lake of the Sun! — The Mars government is stocking the Tamoioz Reservoirs. The government will pay for the delivery of Fish to any one of the blue, triangular reservoirs. The delivery must be made to one of the three mileposts closest to a reservoir. After delivery, the train may reverse direction.
• 142 Mars Needs Women! — Almost all the Martian babies hatched are males. Additionally, since conditions on this frontier world are harsh, the human males vastly outnumber the females. Peaceful means are being attempted to lure human females to Mars.
• 143 Sabotage in Space! — The greed of the corpor-nationals on Mars and Earth lead to a quality of life plunge in the Martian towns. The situation results in a violent revolution. During these troubles, the space elevator is sabotaged. The falling cable destroys all track immediately north of the Equator. With the elevator gone, no commodities are available at Skyhook for the remainder of the game. Deliveries, to maintain the population and rebuild the elevator, continue.
• 144 Rebels of the Red Planet! — Periodically, the Red and/or Green Martians revolt against the harsh Earthman's rule. In their anger, they ravage most train loads that they seize. The rebels are subdued after the drawing player's next turn. Trains that are warned will stay out of the dangerous area. The natives will cross Impassable Terrain on a Repelatron Railway Bridge.
• 145 War of the Worlds! — The Martians are preparing for war. They will pay for the first delivery of Rayguns and either Red Martians or Green Martians to the interplanetary cannons at Syrtis Major.
• 146 Mars Fever! — An outbreak of Mars fever has transmitted fear throughout the land. To halt the spread of the plague, the government prohibits movement to or from the jungles and to Small or Medium Cities. No track laying crews may enter these areas.
• 147 White Mars – South! — Southern Winter. It is difficult to move trains through the deep snows of a Martian winter. It is impossible to lay track in these conditions.
• 148 White Mars – North! — Northern Winter. It is difficult to move trains through the deep snows of a Martian winter. It is impossible to lay track in these conditions.
• 149 Blue Mars – Canals! — Canal Improvements. As money and political ambitions allow, the government rebuilds some of the ancient Martian canals that have fallen into disrepair. Once repaired, these canals are treated as blue canals for the remainder of the game.

How to Win

The Empire Builder Series rules apply, except that the winner must have a continuous line of track connecting five out of the six major cities (instead of "6 of 7").

When a player declares victory, play continues until the current round ends, that is, once each player has completed an equal number of turns. If two or more players all declare victory in the same round, the one with the most cash wins. In the event of a tie, the cash requirement is raised by 50 million (to 300 million). Play then continues, with all players still eligible to win. Both requirements still need to be fulfilled in order to win.

Courtesy in Play

A player's demand cards and loco cards (together with the load chips on the loco cards) must be face up in front of the player for all to see. In most Empire Builder series games, a player need not show his money until after a Rail Tax event card (or similar card) appears, after which the amount of each player's money is also public information.

Variant Rules

Here are some optional rules. All players must agree to any optional rules that are used before the game begins.

Four Card Start (Martian Rails)

Each player begins the game with four demand cards. Each player must discard one card before the first player begins the track building phase. This increases the chances that everyone will have a good start.

Ares Railroad Passenger Corporation ("ARTRAK") (Martian Rails)

The Martian government has offered a 15 million prize to the first company to connect all six Major Cities. The prize is awarded immediately upon completion of the route.

Red–Green Enmity (Martian Rails)

The two major races of ancient Mars — Red Martians and Green Martians — have been at war for millennia. Each fights whenever they are in the presence of the other. No train may carry both Red and Green Martians unless a UN Peacekeeper is also present. If Red and Green Martians are on the same train without a Peacekeeper, both Martians eliminate the other. No train may carry Red or Green Martians through the opposing home city. No player may connect track to both U-Gor and Helium.

Insurance (Martian Rails)

A player may purchase insurance for 1 million per turn, beginning at the start of the game (pay before moving each turn). If he does so, any event that causes the loss of track will have the minimum rebuild cost reimbursed. Any event that causes the loss of a commodity load will be reimbursed at 5 million per load. Insurance payouts will occur the turn following the loss. If a premium payment is missed, insurance permanently lapses and may not be reinstated. Note: The insurance payment does not count against the 20 million per turn build limit.

The Inter-Planetary Road Shows (Martian Rails)

Two road shows are making the annual Grand Tour of the Solar System traveling Sunward from Pluto. This year the two featured attractions are the Holywelkin Orchestra and a venerable broadway musical. The Orchestra is a machine that reproduces the sounds of all known musical instruments. The musical is Brooks' ageless masterpiece — his long-running adaptation of My Favorite Martian. The current producer is Roger Torraway.

At the start of the game, put the Orchestra in Olympus and the musical's road company at Ares University. A road show remains in a city until it is picked up by a train. Any train in a city with a road show can pick up that road show load, but only if it has a demand card for the road show.

Each demand card with a number divisible by 10 (e.g., 20, 30, ..., 110, 120, 130) is modified by changing the lowest-payoff demand(s); that demand becomes 20 million to deliver a road show to that city.

The demand card then works normally, but when a road show is delivered to a city, it remains there until picked up and delivered again. If a road show is already in the city calling for the demand, there is no payout. A player may not pick up a road show unless he has a demand card for a road show; however it may be dropped without payoff at any city, and if it is lost from a Derailment event card, it is placed at the nearest city.

Empire Builder Series Variations

Here are some optional rules that players might want to try when playing Empire Builder series games. All players must agree to any optional rules that are used before the game begins.

Be Alert: Some of these optional rules radically alter the play of the game.

Mercy

Sometimes new players will find themselves trapped and unable to move or build to make money. Sometimes, the solution comes from merely discarding the player's hand and getting new cards; more often the position is untenable. To let the player continue enjoying the game, try one of these rules:

• Borrowing — A player may take a loan up to 20 million from the bank. He must repay twice the borrowed amount as soon as he has the money to do so.
• Late Payment of Use Fee — A player may use another player's track and pay the track usage fee from delivery payoffs obtained by delivering loads while on the other player's track.
• Backtracking — A player may reverse his train's direction on any milepost (not just a city milepost) at the cost of losing one full turn. A train which backtracks can move in any direction in its next turn. A train may not backtrack when the player has discarded his cards during the same turn; a train may backtrack if it cannot move for any other reason (e.g., derailment). A player whose train backtracks while on an opponent's track is assessed the use fee for that turn.

Fast Trains

Note: Recommended for beginners.

New players (or old hands who want a quicker game) can play with fast trains. When using this rule, freight and heavy freight trains can move up to 12 mileposts per turn. Fast freight and super freight trains can move up to 16 mileposts. Half Rate is 6 and 8 mileposts respectively. (This text is reproduced verbatim from the shared Empire Builder Series rules booklet, which uses the North American game's generic train-class names in its examples; in Martian Rails, apply the equivalent increase to whichever locomotive level a player currently owns, by agreement of the players.)

Fast Game

To speed up the play, use the Fast Trains rule above and/or any or all of the following rule changes:

• Each player starts with 70 million and 3 pre-movement turns.
• Discard the event cards dealt during the initial deal; do not shuffle them into the deck.
• The Excess Profits Tax event card has no effect and is removed prior to play.
• Deal 5 cards to each player at the beginning of the game, replacing event cards normally. After completing the first 2 building turns, each player discards 2 demand cards, and then play continues normally.

Special Tournament Rule — Time Limits

During tournament play, it may be necessary to enforce a time limit for each game. All players should be made aware of the time limit before the game begins. If any player wins before the time limit is reached, then he is the winner. Otherwise, play continues until the stated time limit is reached. Once time has expired, play continues for one last round (so all players get an equal number of turns). The player who has a continuous line of track that connects the required major cities, and who has the most cash on hand, is the winner. If no player's track connects enough major cities, the player with the most cash wins. If the tournament awards second or third place, then having the required connection takes precedence over having the most money for those positions as well.

Crossgrading

A player may crossgrade from a fast freight to a heavy freight, or vice versa, for 5 million. When a player crossgrades, he may also spend up to 15 million to build track in the same turn. There is no limit to the number of times a player may crossgrade. Money spent on crossgrading does not count towards the upgrade to a superfreight.

Challenge Game

To create a more challenging game for experienced players, use any or all of the following rule changes:

Open Contracts — Whenever a player discards his hand, the discarded demand cards are not placed on the discard pile, but are placed on the board.

• These cards are open contracts available to all players. The first player to deliver a load on an open contract picks the card from the table, discards it, and receives the payoff for the delivery in the usual way.
• Only four open contracts may be face up on the table at any time; additional cards are immediately discarded.

Field Warehousing — Loads dropped off in a city without a payoff remain at that city for 4 turns. During that time, any player may pick up that load by passing through the city and picking it up normally. At the end of the dropping player's fourth subsequent turn, the load is returned to the tray.

Cost to Move — Each player must pay 1 million per turn that his train moves on its own track. The 4 million cost for moving on the other players' track remains the same.

Cost to Load — Each player uses one milepost of movement to pick up or drop off one load. For example, if a player both picks up 1 load and drops off 1 load, or if a player picks up 2 loads, the player has used 2 mileposts of movement.

Reshuffle — When the "Tax" card is drawn, reshuffle the deck and remove the "Tax" card from the game.

Selling and Trading Track — Instead of building track, a player may purchase track from another player for whatever price both players agree to. The purchase may take place only in the purchasing player's turn. Players can agree to trade track for track, with no money involved. In both trading and selling, the selling player replaces his colored lines with lines of the new owner's color.

Additional Trains — Each player starts with two trains, a freight and a fast freight, which may be upgraded in the usual way. Both move and may move in the same turn. Players may (by mutual agreement) have four demand cards instead of three.

Reference Charts

The following reference charts are reproduced from the middle four pages of the Martian Rails specific rules booklet, intended to help players locate cities and sources of goods on the map. The number in parentheses after each load name is the number of that load type's chips available in the game. Coordinates: the "± Letter" corresponds to the wrap-letters. The "y" symbol represents the Equator. The number refers to the section of the map: 1 = left, 2 = center, and 3 = right.

Available Loads

Load	Available	Cities (Coordinate)
Airweed (3)	3	Labyrinth (-C1), Margaritifer (-C2)
Alien Artifacts (3)	3	The Face (+K2)
Arms (3)	3	Isher (-W3), U-Gor (-H2)
Bachelor Chow (3)	3	Mutchville (+F2), Port Lowell (-A2)
Blue Beer (3)	3	Bottomos (-N3), Port Schiaparelli (+D3)
Bricks (3)	3	Botany Bay (+P1), Drywater (-G2)
Colonists (3)	3	Burroughs Landing (-Q1), Hellasport (-H3), Skyhook (y1)
Eco-Biotiques (3)	3	Mariner (-A1), Melas (-C1)
Fish (3)	3	Meldilorn (-B3), Solis Lacus (-G1)
Green Martians (3)	3	U-Gor (-H2)
Hydroponics (3)	3	Hellasport (-H3), Xanthe (+I1)
Imports (3)	3	Port Goddard (+R2), Port Schiaparelli (+D3), Skyhook (y1)
Iron (3)	3	Bitter Waters (+D3), Botany Bay (+P1), Drywater (-G2), Fort Arcadia (+M1), Hinkston Creek (-B1), Mutchville (+F2), The Face (+K2)
Iron Rations (3)	3	Bitter Waters (+D3), Botany Bay (+P1)
Machinery (3)	3	Helium (-K2), Utopia (+M3)
Memnonia Gum (3)	3	Atmosphere Plant (-V2), Boreale Base (+V1), Ylla (-H1)
Nanotech Bots (3)	3	Charax (-P3), Port Goddard (+R2)
Neural Jacks (3)	3	Crater 47 (-Q2), Ether Relay (+U3)
Pulcho (3)	3	Barrakesh (-G3), Inner Nest (+C1)
Quintitriticale (3)	3	Argyre City (-M2), Clarketown (+B2), Makian Farms (-K3), Wingrad Domes (-B3)
Radio-Meds (3)	3	Arsia (-C1)
Rayguns (3)	3	Isher (-W3)
Red Martians (3)	3	Helium (-K2)
Replicants (3)	3

Cities

City	Coordinate	Goods Available
Ares University	y2	—
Argyre City	-M2	Quintitriticale, Zorinta
Arsia	-C1	Radio-Meds
Atmosphere Plant	-V2	Memnonia Gum
Barrakesh	-G3	Pulcho
Barsoom	+F2	Thoats
Bitter Waters	+D3	Iron, Iron Rations
Boreale Base	+V1	Memnonia Gum
Botany Bay	+P1	Bricks, Iron, Iron Rations
Bottomos	-N3	Blue Beer
Bradbury Point	+I3	Roddenberries
Burroughs Landing	-Q1	Colonists, Soylent Red
Charax	-P3	Nanotech Bots
Clarketown	+B2	Quintitriticale
Crater 47	-Q2	Neural Jacks
Drywater	-G2	Bricks, Iron
Ether Relay	+U3	Neural Jacks
Fort Arcadia	+M1	Iron, UN Peacekeepers
Helium	-K2	Machinery, Red Martians, Thoats
Hellasport	-H3	Colonists, Hydroponics
Hinkston Creek	-B1	Iron, Zorinta
Inner Nest	+C1	Pulcho
Isher	-W3	Arms, Rayguns
Labyrinth	-C1	Airweed
Makian Farms	-K3	Quintitriticale
Margaritifer	-C2	Airweed
Mariner	-A1	Eco-Biotiques
Marsport	+H1	Soylent Red, Tourists
Melas	-C1	Eco-Biotiques

Appendix

This section contains the source and descriptive material on the world of Martian Rails.

Canals

When early astronomers viewed Mars through a telescope, some saw straight markings crossing the surface. In 1877, Giovanni Schiaparelli observed Mars night after night. He saw dark lanes on the planet which he called channels. The Italian word for channel is canali. Within a few more observation cycles, Schiaparelli was naming these channels. Camille Flammarion, a French astronomer and author, with Eugène Michel Antoniadi, a Greek astronomer, prepared a general map of Mars in 1901 showing many canals. The American astronomer, Percival Lowell established a private observatory to perform his own observations of Mars. By 1905, Lowell had mapped even more canals than Schiaparelli claimed. He asserted that with increasing telescopic power, more and more canals could be observed until most of the surface was crisscrossed by them. He had named almost 200 of the largest canals. The human names given to the canals are a pastiche from all these sources. (The Martian names were typically ignored by the men from Earth.) Martian Rails depicts only the largest canals. As Lowell predicted, smaller canals lie almost everywhere. Most have fallen into disrepair. The constant wind has drifted dust and sand into many canals until they are hardly noticeable. Only the depicted ones are significant to rail building. Of course, many of these flood when the Spring melts overfill them.

Commodities

• Airweed — A native plant of Mars that converts oxygen from the soil and thin atmosphere. The plant then stores the oxygen in pods. The plant was discovered near the Equator but is being introduced to areas away from the Equator.
• Alien Artifacts — Over the millennia, Mars has been visited by and temporarily housed beings from beyond our Solar System. The Face is a huge artificial construct marking their presence. Excavations occasionally discover objects from these ancient visitors.
• Arms — Mars was named after the Roman god of war. Blood red in color, it has lived up to its name. The various inhabitants of Mars have been in a state of war throughout its history. Certain tribes excel at weapon production and make a living by selling weapons of death to others.
• Bachelor Chow — A tasty, nutritious, all-in-one food for the man who doesn't have time for traditional meals. From the makers of Dog Chow, Monkey Chow, Alien Chow, Thoat Chow, Banth Chow...
• Blue Beer — Made from native Martian Blue Grain and stomach juices. This Russian / Martian hybrid beer is indistinguishable from the finest Pilsner.
• Bricks — Made from the desert regolith of Mars. Certain geographical areas have the material to make superior bricks.
• Colonists — To escape the pressures of overpopulation, depleted minerals, crime, pollution, ecological disasters, constant wars, and ennui on Old Earth, and to fill the vast emptiness of Mars, workers and sometimes their families flock to the frontiers of Mars.
• Eco-Biotiques — Bioengineered plants utilized to terraform and change the ecology of Mars. Technicians began with modified algae and lichen. As the atmosphere thickened, they progressed to flowering plants. The earliest and henceforth hardiest flora, came from isolated settlements deep in the Mariner Valley.
• Fish — Crossbred Martian and Earth water creatures that live in the canals. They are food sources for humans. The native Martian fish were rare and not particularly nutritious but they could survive the harsh climate.
• Green Martians — Members of the most uncivilized tribes of native Martians. They are fifteen feet tall, four-armed, and equipped with tusks. Their largest city is U-Gor. Historically, they have been at war with the Red Martians for eons. Note: The Green Martians of U-Gor should not be confused with the Greens, a human political party that believes in the complete terraforming of Mars.
• Hydroponics — The growing of plants in nutrient solutions under an artificial environment. A way to grow fresh fruits and vegetables on Mars before the soil and atmosphere has been sufficiently terraformed to support them.

Trains

(Level, Speed-Loads)

• Tweel — Level I (2-10): Named for the truly alien extraterrestrial encountered on Mars by the first human expedition. Tweel was not from Mars but indicated he/she/it was from another star system.
• Dejah Thoris — Level II (2-12): Named for the Princess of Helium that loved and was loved by John Carter.
• John Carter — Level II (3-10): Named for the Confederate military officer who traveled to Barsoom and experienced many exotic adventures.
• Spirit — Level III (2-14): Named for the U.S. (NASA) Martian rover, launched in 2003 on Mars Exploration Rover-A. It first showed humans the terrain around Meridiani Planum.
• Opportunity — Level III (3-12): The name of the U.S. (NASA) Martian rover, launched in 2003 on Mars Exploration Rover-B. It first showed humans the terrain in Gusev Crater.
• Sojourner — Level IV (2-16): Named for the U.S. (NASA) Martian rover, launched in 1996 on the Mars Pathfinder spacecraft. It was named for the American slave, abolitionist, and activist, Sojourner Truth. This rover was the first man-made vehicle to navigate successfully on the Red Planet for an extended period.
• Pathfinder — Level IV (3-14): Named for the U.S. (NASA) Martian lander, launched in 1996 that carried Sojourner. This vehicle bounced to a landing in Ares Vallis. It took over 16,500 photographs and beamed them back to Earth.
• Viking — Level V (3-16): Named for the twin U.S. (NASA) Martian orbiters and landers, launched in 1975. Viking 1 landed on July 20, 1976, in Chryse Planitia. Viking 2 landed in September in Utopia Planitia. The landers successfully transmitted data for an extended period from the Martian surface to the Earth. They sent thousands of photographs and daily weather data until contact was lost in 1982 and 1980, respectively. The orbiters transmitted thousands of photographs before their batteries failed.

Cities

Many of the fictional Mars city names were based on actual areological features on Mars. The albedo features are based on the light and dark regions. Those names date from the maps prepared by Giovanni Virginio Schiaparelli in 1877-88. The most spectacular geographical features were discovered only after the fly-by of the United States' Mariner 4, 6, and 7 probes in 1964, 1969, and 1969 respectively. The photographs from orbit by Mariner 9 in 1971 were better yet. The Viking 1 and 2 orbiters and landers in 1976 returned more detailed photographs and allowed naming smaller features. The names used in the science fiction stories were often based on the most recently discovered and most sensational features.

• Ares University — A small university settlement at the intersection of the Equator and the Prime Meridian. There is no "center" on a planet's surface. However, the intersection of the two principal great circles seems fitting, for this is the center of learning on Mars. "Ares" is the Greek name for the planet Mars.
• Argyre City — A medium town in the south central section. The town is located in and named for the Argyre Basin, a large impact basin in the southern deserts.
• Arsia — A small settlement on the caldera of the Arsia Mons volcano in the southwest section.
• Atmosphere Plant — A small settlement near the South Pole in the south central section. The facility dissociates water ice and frozen carbon dioxide to maintain the breathable air.
• Barrakesh — A small, low canal-side settlement in the southeast section. All sorts of crime, sins, and evil can be found here. Earthmen aren't welcome.
• Barsoom — A small settlement in the north central section. Edgar Rice Burroughs determined that it was the name for Mars in the Martian language.
• Bitter Waters — A medium sized desert town in the northeast section.
• Boreale Base — A small settlement within Boreale Chasma adjacent to the permanent North Polar Cap. Originally, this was a research station to explore on and under the polar ice fields.
• Botany Bay — A medium sized town in the northwest section. It was originally "settled" by prisoners from Russia (Botany Bay Gulag). It has grown into a mining and manufacturing center but it still retains its rough and tumble characteristics.
• Bottomos — A small settlement in the southeast section. Jerome Bixby named it as a pun for the third moon of Mars. When a settlement was founded in the deepest part of the deepest impact basin, Bottomos seemed the natural name.
• Bradbury Point — A small settlement on the escarpments of the northeast section. It was named for Ray Bradbury, one of the prominent science fiction authors of the 20th century, Earth. A seminal collection of his stories was titled The Martian Chronicles. His name was commemorated in numerous other science fiction works set on Mars.
• Burroughs Landing — A large city in the southwest section. One of the original cities and spaceports. It was, of course, named for Edgar Rice Burroughs. Carl Sagan, the noted 20th century space scientist and science populist, claimed that Burroughs's stories inspired many scientists that worked on the Viking spacecraft program.
• Charax — A medium town in the southeast section. The name was first used by Percival Lowell on his maps and was adopted by human colonists. In the early days, the climate here was too harsh for permanent settlement. The early colonists only lived here during the southern hemisphere's summer.

Railroading on Mars

By M. Robert Stribula

The venerable astronomer had signed up for a shift on the ancient telescope. Serious work was no longer done at the Lowell Observatory telescopes. The real observing was done at a computer screen after the raw data was transmitted from the Hubble II satellite. Other deep space images were made at the Moon's Farside Observatory. Still, many of the scientists lived and worked in Flagstaff, Arizona on Earth. Once again, Earth-based telescopes were pointed at Mars. Just like in the old days, a human eye can see amazing detail during fleeting glimpses of good seeing. Of course, better live pictures from the Mars weather satellites or from the Deimos Dome were available on the InterPlanetaryNet. Tonight, Mars was at opposition. This was the Red Planet's closest approach to Earth in over fifteen years. It seemed appropriate that the Senior Astronomer was behind an eyepiece and sketching Mars. The seeing was excellent. Percival Lowell had chosen a good site. Tonight, it almost seemed possible that there really were canals on Mars. Lowell had certainly thought so. During his lifetime, other astronomers had begun to question his theories about the canals. Primitive spectroscopes showed that Mars's atmosphere didn't contain much water. Even now, with terraforming underway almost 100 years, water was too precious to hazard in open canals. In Lowell's time, the days of Earth's canal building were already over. A much better means of moving people and goods had replaced them. Lowell never considered that fact. Look! The shimmering disk of Mars snapped into momentary sharp focus. There appeared to be a spider web of lines running across the planet's surface. But, they weren't canals. The new Martians were too advanced for that outdated technology. These Martian markings were railroads!

— Interlude —

Mankind had taken a long time coming to Mars. When men finally left the confines of their home world, the Moon was the obvious first step. However, Luna could never be another Earth. It was a dead place. The Moon was a way stop — a place to learn. It was a place to try new techniques; a stepping stone. The romance of building a new frontier on the Moon was short-lived. An ambitious race had to look outward. The next closest object was the planet Venus. Unfortunately, Venus was a hellhole. Metals would flow on its surface. Water, even as superheated steam, was unknown. The crushing carbon dioxide atmosphere "rained" sulfuric acid. Looking in the other direction, the next closest planet was Mars. Mars had always been considered a probable second home. Mars had inspired dreams and, sometimes, nightmares. When humans finally gained a foothold on the planet, they immediately started to modify Mars. Just like on Earth, man changes his environment. And, just like on Earth, slowly the environment changes man. Most visitors to Mars still thought of themselves as Earthmen. However, some few settlers already considered themselves Martians. It was these Martians that began to solve the problems of their adapted planet. One big problem was how to move about their home. Serious minds realized that a solution from Earth's past would help with Mars's future. Railroads provided the economical, energy-efficient means of moving men and material.

Mars has always been the planet of mystery. For centuries, early man watched the bright points of light in the night sky. Most of the lights were unchanging, at least during a man's lifetime. These were the fixed stars. Some lights seemed to move slightly every night — the wanderers. Most of the lights were white. Some had a faint color. One of the wanderers was a brilliant red — blood red. Red was a bad omen. It meant sickness and death or worse: war. The five wandering objects were collectively called the planets. The ancients attributed great powers to the planets. Perhaps they were the home of gods. Perhaps they were the gods. The Greeks named the red planet after their god of war — Ares. The Romans used the name of their god of war — Mars. The early fiction pertaining to Mars, later to be known as science fiction, paralleled the scientific discoveries about the planet. The earliest beliefs were that the heavens were more perfect than anything here on Earth. The planets existed in heaven, so their inhabitants must be perfect creatures. Godlike or at least angelic, the early fictional Martians were often used in a moralistic allegory.

From early times, men kept records of the skies. Usually, the planets behaved in regular, predictable patterns. Each night they moved a little against the fixed stars. Mars behaved differently. When it was brightest, it abruptly reversed direction. It moved retrograde for a while; then it reversed direction again. Afterward, it behaved normally for the rest of that passage across the skies. What was this mystery? Early mathematicians tried to describe these motions. They were hampered by their Earth-centered models. From the time of the ancient Greeks, it was believed that the planets traveled in perfect circles about the Earth. As better measurements were made, the circles became more complex. Eventually, it required multiple circles, cycles, and epicycles to describe the observed motions. In the 1500s, the Danish astronomer Tycho Brache observed Mars. Without a telescope, he measured the positions of the planets — especially Mars — with unprecedented accuracy. Johannes Kepler came to Copenhagen to study with Tycho. After ten years of calculations, he discovered an elementary but fundamental truth of nature. The planets travel in elliptical orbits; the Sun is one of the foci. Kepler worked with data from Mars because it had the most enigmatic path through the skies. No other naked-eye planet has an orbit approaching the eccentricity of Mars. The mystery of Mars's orbit directly led to these discoveries.

The eccentricity of Mars's orbit means that sometimes it is much closer to the Sun and the Earth than at other times. An opposition is defined as the moment when the Sun, the Earth, and an outer planet lie in a straight line. At that time, the planet is opposite the Sun, as seen from Earth. It is well placed for observing all night. Approximately every 25.5 Earth-months, the orbits of Earth and Mars bring them into opposition. The two planets can be fairly distant during some oppositions. The best occur when Mars is at perihelion — closest to the Sun. During one of every 7 or 8 oppositions, the planets approach to within 56 million kilometers. During the close opposition of 1877, Asaph Hall was conducting research with the newest 26-inch telescope at the U.S. Naval Observatory. He discovered two Martian moons. These two objects — Deimos and Phobos — are only seen under the best conditions using 21st century equipment. Nevertheless, Hall merely confirmed the writing of Jonathan Swift from 1726. In Gulliver's Travels, Swift proclaimed that Mars had two moons. How was this possible? No telescope from that era could see the tiny, irregular moons. Wait. Don't call for Scully and Mulder yet. It is thought that the logic of the time was Swift's rationale. Mercury and Venus had no moons. Earth had one. Jupiter had four visible moons. Since Mars lies between Earth and Jupiter and since the heavens are ordered, Mars must have two moons. Of course, an alternative and often believed explanation is that the moons really are ancient, alien spacecraft. Perhaps Swift was abducted and taken to Mars!

Giovanni Schiaparelli turned his telescopes toward Mars during the same favorable opposition of 1877. Using an 8-inch telescope, Schiaparelli observed Mars night after night as it was overtaken and passed by the Earth. He saw channels or natural grooves in the dark markings on the planet. The Italian word for channel is canali. This quickly transformed into the English "canals," meaning a manmade water course. Percival Lowell, the scion of a rich Boston industrialist, became intrigued. He established a private observatory to perform his own observations of Mars. By 1905, Lowell and his staff had mapped even more canals than Schiaparelli claimed. An expert at public relations, Lowell made periodic announcements of new discoveries about the Red Planet. Soon, the public was convinced that the Martians were in a desperate struggle to save their dying planet. On the basis of these pronouncements, H. G. Wells wrote his classic story that the Martians invaded Earth to improve their plight. Of course, their solution would have worsened our situation significantly. Edgar Rice Burroughs also began his renowned fiction series about this time. His fictional Mars was populated by the noble savage. This paralleled how the Europeans thought of the native Americans. Older, wiser Martians had overcome the baser emotions and motivations. Theirs was a harsh world. Time and nature had worn out the planet. Water was scarce. The land was barely habitable but there was a desolate beauty to the terrain. Brave warriors and comely princesses ruled the lands. A Martian never went back on his word. He fought side-by-side with a friend until victory or death. Ancient technology and high minded ethics helped them in their unending struggles in their contest with nature. Sun-bronzed Earthmen, clad only in leather harnesses, battled alongside the native Martians. The science (and PR) of Lowell and the fiction of Burroughs and his imitators would reverberate in the Martian collective conscience for over 70 years.

Better equipment and patient work slowly added to the knowledge about Mars. Spectroscopes put upper limits to the amount of oxygen and water in the Martian atmosphere. Albedo measurements and energy balance equations refined the probable surface temperatures. By the 1950s, it was realized that Mars was a very cold high-altitude desert, at best. The science fiction of the day reflected these visions. Fictional explorers wore thermal cloaks and breathed with the aid of respirators or supplemental oxygen. In 1964, the Mariner 4 spacecraft zoomed past Mars and took two dozen blurry photographs of a very small region of the Martian southern hemisphere. It showed a cratered landscape looking more like the Moon than the Earth. The romantic images of Mars took a hard blow. In 1968, Mariner 6 and 7 added 200 photographs to our collection as they also raced beyond Mars. These photographs showed a surface covered with craters. They also showed vast, featureless plains. Near the poles, carbon dioxide ice was detected. "Fog" was seen within some craters. The desired water ice didn't materialize. Unfortunately, not a single canal was seen. Certainly, no Barsoomian cities and absolutely no roaming thoat herds were photographed. It looked as if Mars was not a very friendly place for humans. But, like life itself, the expectations for life die hard. Maybe low shrubs or burrowing animals could exist there. Mars had more mysteries to stage. Mariner 8 was lost on launch. Six different Soviet / Russian Mars probes became frustrating failures. One became the first object to hard-land (a.k.a., crash) on the planet. One satellite performed flawlessly until it was time to enter orbit. Then all communication was lost. The spacecraft was never heard from again. A Russian mission to soft-land a probe was ruined when the site selection photos were obscured by a planet-wide dust storm. That was another mystery Mars had in its bag of tricks. Skeptics even speculated that something around Mars didn't want humans there. Finally Mariner 9 broke the string of bad luck. In 1971, this spacecraft entered orbit around Mars. It waited out the same planet-enveloping dust storm that claimed the Russian lander. Slowly the dust settled. First to emerge were the peaks of four mountains. One, Olympus Mons is 27 kilometers high. It is the tallest shield volcano in the entire Solar System. Mariner 9 revealed its namesake canyon system, the 5,000 kilometers long Valles Marineris. It disclosed varied terrain from high plateaus to deep canyons and basins. It showed cratered and chaotic land. Again, no water or life was detected. It was obvious that the air was thin — much thinner than thought earlier. Now hopes were downgraded to the possibility of hardy moss or lichens. The science fiction reflected the changed scientific opinions. Fictional travelers needed pressure suits like 1960's era jet fighter pilots.

The year 1976 was a particularly exciting time for Mars exploration. Viking 1 and 2 entered orbit and successfully placed landers on the planet. The two orbiters took thousands of high resolution photos and radioed telemetry back to Earth for years. Again, no water was observed on the planet. However, it was clear from the photos that vast floods had surged across the surface in the not too distant past. Another mystery; where had the water gone? The landers carried rudimentary weather stations and biological detectors! No less an authority than Carl Sagan, part of the Viking design team, said that Edgar Rice Burroughs affected the real science that went to Mars. The Viking engineers grew up reading John Carter of Mars. They knew that life would be found there. Unfortunately, the results were not that spectacular. The experiments' explanations were ambiguous. Later, the disappointing results were duplicated by non-biological means. Super-oxides, created when the sterile soils had been irradiated by harsh ultraviolet light, gave off similar chemical signatures. Apparently, the thin atmosphere of Mars and the lack of a magnetic field allow deadly solar wavelengths to reach the planet's surface. Even surface vegetation was being ruled out. The post-Viking fiction required that men wear full space suits. Only in underground structures would men be safe. Mars was no more habitable than was the Moon. The fiction turned bitter and grim. Often Mars was depicted as a prison world or a gulag camp. Botany Bay became a typical name for a fictional settlement written about post-Viking Mars.

Mars saw no robotic explorers from the third planet for over twenty years. Extensive analysis of the wondrous Viking photographs revealed additional mysteries. In the northern wastes of Cydonia, scientists discovered a giant face looking out into space. Photo enhancement revealed that this face was carved from solid rock. It was a prehuman face, similar to that of the apes that roamed the African savannas thousands of years ago — when the face was presumably created. Was this a signal to us? Richard C. Hoagland thought so. Mathematical analysis of the surrounding terrain found other interesting "monuments" built by the ancient Martians. Science fiction authors worked this revelation into new stories.

In the late 1990s, exploration resumed. Mars Pathfinder and the Sojourner rover repeated Viking's negative biological finding. The Mars Global Surveyor debunked the "Face on Mars" theory. It was just another wind-worn mesa. Martian fiction didn't stay gloomy for long. It turned to realistic portrayals of the first manned missions and the later colonization. Ecological disasters at home, nanotechnology and cyberpunk, bioengineering of man, terraforming of the planet, interplanetary diseases, and the ever present politics of man became dominant issues. The epic Mars trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson covered all these topics starting with the second expedition to Mars through the independence of the world. After modifying the planet, man was again able to live in a shirtsleeves' environment on the surface of Mars. The stories had come full circle.

Themes run through the Mars fiction of the last 100 years. Compared to the total length of human existence, the explosion of knowledge during these years is extraordinary. The technical details included in the fiction have changed just as rapidly. However, the mythology of Mars is fairly constant. It is a planet of ideals and mystery. It is an ancient world. Worn down by time and nature, the natives and the terrain reflect the age. Long ago, a great technological empire ruled Mars. Over the eons, most of this knowledge was lost. Remnants of the greatness resurface in various artifacts. The natives have regressed and can neither explain nor duplicate these devices. Legends claim that somewhere a lost city of the ancients exists. The natives are fierce, brave, loyal, moral, and combative. Their planet is dying. Mars is cold, desolate, dry, windswept, lonely, and barren. Even the mountains are worn down. Once, like Earth, seas covered much of the planet. The vast, empty plains are the ancient sea bottoms. The canals were dug by the Old Ones while they still possessed the necessary technology. The channels are used to bring water from the poles to the dry, dusty equatorial regions. The atmosphere is thin but breathable. A strong Earth man, or one enhanced by implants or altered microbiology, can survive. Earth is a vile, overcrowded, toxic wasteland running short of space, resources, ideas, and time to save itself. Humans come to Mars to exploit the natives and the minerals. Earth technology quickly overwhelms the natives. Only Earthmen's greed and duplicity prevent them from completely subjugating the planet. Yet there are always altruistic humans willing to assist the Martians with their fight for their planet. Sometimes, a depressing, melancholic, pessimistic aura hangs over Mars. It can be overcome. An enterprising, self-sufficient, ambitious person can succeed on Mars. Men journey to Mars seeking independence and freedom. Eventually, the human settlements on Mars will revolt from the authoritarian bureaucracy of Earth.

— Resume Story —

Mars has made another fifty orbits around the Sun since the Senior Astronomer observed Mars from the Lowell Observatory. On Mars, the additional years of terraforming have shown progress. Orbiting solar mirrors incrementally raised the ambient temperatures. Ice from the poles sublimed. Underground permafrost melted. Redirected comets from the Oort cloud burned up in the atmosphere, releasing more water. Specially engineered fluorocarbons, discharged into the upper atmosphere, increased the global warming. The additional water vapor contributed to a greenhouse effect. Eventually the atmosphere reached saturation. Then the rains began. During the colony's early years, railroad track was laid directly on the Martian regolith. Little maintenance was necessary. After the precipitation started, more construction was required. The right-of-way needed to be graded differently. Drainage needed to be improved. Ditches were dug to carry the run-off away. The bioengineered vegetation found a home in the new drainage ditches. Slowly the growth adapted and spread outward from the tracks. Now, the color of the land changed with each season. From space, the railroad track had been too slender to see. Nonetheless the expanding vegetation's color changes were more obvious. Occasionally, the glint of sunlight from the parallel waterways was observed. In a sense, the canals of Mars had finally arrived.

Years ago, the Tharsis Limited raised a red cloud of dust as it sped across the ocher desert. Today, the level tangent track still reaches for the too close horizon. The right-of-way lies on a carpet of blue-green growth. Twin mini-channels of liquid water parallel the steel rails. As usual, this evening the Express is on time. Its cab signal shows "clear." As the train races toward Elysium, a mist of water is left suspended in its wake. The setting Sun refracts that mist into a rainbow — a Martian rainbow.

— Martian Rails —

Will this future happen? Six Large Cities with integral spaceports highlight the map of Mars. You have 60 million and inspiration. Add to that a brand new Tweel locomotive and a demand for transportation services. Can you turn that into a fortune and a better tomorrow for Mars?!?

Acknowledgments

The designer would like to express his appreciation to the many people who contributed to this game over the years of its development. Versions of Martian Rails were play tested by numerous participants. They include but are not limited to: Eric Baskin, Claire Brosius, Steve Cameron, Tom Dunning, Barbara Flaxington, Bob & Chuck Foster, Inger Henning, Grant LaDue, Steve Okonski, Bill Peeck, and Mike Yatsko. Uncountable members of the Eastern Pennsylvania Gaming Society (EPGS) also endured innumerable play test sessions. Additional playtesters were recruited at the World Boardgaming Conventions, Niagara Boardgaming Weekends, Rochester Gamers, and the Central Pennsylvania Game Club. Finally, special thanks need to be extended to the librarians at The Margaret R. Grundy Memorial Library in Bristol, PA who helped me borrow almost 300 items published about Mars over the previous century!

— Bob Stribula

Credits

• Game Design: M. Robert Stribula
• Line Editor: Larry Roznai
• Cover Art: Mark Zug
• Rules Editors: Larry Roznai, Peter Bromley, Coleman Charlton
• Graphic Design: Pete Fenlon, Peter Bromley, Morgan Dontanville, Drew Perkett
• Production: Pete Fenlon, Coleman Charlton, Drew Perkett

The Team: Bill and Elaine Wordelmann; Marty McDonnell; Joe, Barb, Loren & Bridget Roznai; Sue Balmes; Brian Steffen; Don Glass; Jim Jewell; Alex Yeager; Robert T. Carty, Jr.

Copyright © 1982, 1988, 1991, 1996, 2009 Mayfair Games, Inc. "Martian Rails," "Empire Builder," the Mayfair Shield logo, and the round Empire Builder Brand Logo are trademark properties of Mayfair Games, Inc. All rights reserved. Made in the U.S.A.

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