TINYforming Mars Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Overview
• Components
• Setup
  • Optional Setup
• Map
• Project Cards
• Standard Projects
• Resource Tokens
• Parameters
• Generations (Gameplay)
  • G.1 Research Phase
  • G.2 Action Phase
  • G.3 Income Phase
• End Game Scoring
• Solitaire Play
• Project Card Reference
  • Tharsis-side cards
  • Elysium-side cards

Overview

Objective: Each player is attempting to terraform Mars by completing projects that fulfill one or more of Mars' parameters for sustaining life; those being: Heat, Oxygen (provided by Greenery), and Water. The player that is able to complete more projects towards this goal, while building cities on prime Martian real estate, will be the winner.

Game Flow: The game takes place over several rounds, known as Generations, in which players will alternate taking turns. First the players will draft Project Cards which describe Projects that they have access to. Then, on a player's turn, he can complete one of his own Project Cards, one of the Standard Projects, or pass. When both players have passed, the Generation is over and players collect income to begin the next Generation.

End Game: The three parameters: Heat, Greenery, and Water are represented by Red, Green, and Blue Cubes, respectively. The players will acquire or place these Cubes by completing Projects and Standard Projects. When the supply of at least 2 of the 3 types have been exhausted or there are no unoccupied hexes on the map, that Generation will be the final Generation of the game. Once that Generation is over, the players will count their scores. Highest score wins.

Components

1. Project Cards x14
2. Map Cards x2 (Tharsis and Elysium)
3. Credits x10 (Yellow Cubes)
4. Player Cubes: White x3, Black x3
5. Parameter Cubes: Heat (Red) x11, Greenery (Green) x7, Water (Blue) x4
6. Resource Tokens: Nature x2, Production x1, Science x1

Setup

1. Players will decide if they want to play the Tharsis Map or the Elysium Map and set it up in the center of the table.
2. Players will randomly determine who will be the White player and who will be the Black player. The White player starts the game and will be first in the odd Generations (rounds 1,3,5...) and the Black player will be first in the even Generations (rounds 2,4,6...). Each player takes the 3 Cubes that match the color they are playing.
3. Each player takes 5 Credit Cubes (Yellow).
4. The 3 types of Parameter Cubes (Red, Green, and Blue) are placed off to the side of the Map to create a supply.
5. The 4 Resource Tokens (Nature x2, Production, and Science) are placed off to the side of the Map to create a supply.
6. Take the 14 Project cards and shuffle them. Place them at the side of the board to create a Draw Deck. (Reshuffle discard pile to create new deck as needed during game)
7. The White player draws and flips over the first Project card and determines which side will face him and which side will face the Black player. The Black player draws and flips over the second Project card and determines which side will face him and which side will face the White player. Finally, the White player draws and flips over the third Project card and determines which side will face him and which side will face the Black player.
8. The Black player places one of his Black Cubes in any hex not reserved for water. This is the starting location of his first city. The White player then places one of his White Cubes in any hex not reserved for water and not adjacent to the hex occupied by the Black player's city. This is the starting location of his first city.

Optional Setup

If players want a more intense game, apply the following rule: During setup, arrange the Parameter Cubes in a straight line by type. First row: the 7 Greenery Cubes, placing 1 Heat Cube with the 4th Greenery Cube. Second row: the remaining 10 Heat Cubes, placing 1 Water Cube with the 8th Heat Cube. Third row: the remaining 3 Water Cubes.

When a Parameter Cube is taken from the supply, take the leftmost available Parameter Cube of its type. When a player places the 4th Greenery Cube, he also gets a Heat Cube. When a player gains the 8th Heat Cube, he also gets to place a Water Cube.

Note: If the 11th Heat Cube or 4th Water Cube is needed because of a Project or Standard Project, and it is still attached to the Greenery or Heat Cube, respectively, remove the needed Cube and the bonus placement will no longer apply to that Parameter.

Map

Each map of Mars is made up of 19 hexes. There are 14 hexes that can have Greenery or City Cubes on them, and five blue-tinted hexes that are reserved for Water Cubes.

Bonus Hex: A Bonus Hex has a Tag in the center and a thick border matching the color of the Tag. If a player has a city in a Bonus Hex, it counts as having one of that Tag for as long as his city is there. There are 5 Bonus Hexes.

Empty Hex: There are 9 Empty Hexes that offer no additional benefit.

Water Hex: A Water Hex has a light blue background. If a player places a Parameter Cube in a Water Hex containing a Resource Token icon, he immediately gains that token to his supply.

Project Cards

On a player's turn, if he meets all the requirements of one of his Project cards (the sides facing him), he can activate that Project in order to perform that card's ability. These abilities usually allow the player to gain a Heat Cube or place a Greenery or Water Cube on the Map. The effective use of Project cards will help win the game. A player can only activate each of his Project cards once per Generation.

Each Project card is made up of the following parts:

1. Project Name.
2. Cost in Credits. If the Cost has an * after the number, the cost can be reduced by an effect of the Project. When paying for a Project, the player must place 1 Credit Cube on the Project card to show he has used that Project this Generation. Additional Credits used to pay the cost are returned to the supply. If a player gains Credits during an Action Phase, he is not allowed to take any Credits that have been placed on Project cards.
3. Requirements: Beside the credit cost, each Project requires that you have access to a certain quantity and type of Tag. The Tags can come from any combination of: your Project Cards (see #6), your cities on bonus hexes, and from spending (discarding) Resource Tokens. In addition to the Tags, some Projects also require a certain number of Parameter Cubes. The Heat requirement refers to the combined amount of both players' personal supplies of Heat Cubes plus any Heat Cubes on the map. The Greenery or Water Cube requirement refers to Green/Blue Cubes on the Map.
4. Effect Icons: The ability of the project is depicted here for quick reference. Also, the background color of the card indicates which of the three parameters the project will help complete. Red/Heat, Green/Greenery, and Blue/Water. There is also Grey; this type will not complete parameters, but will offer some other ability.
5. Effect: The ability of the Project card is described in words to correspond with the Effect Icons. If there are no available Parameter Cubes that match the corresponding Project, that Project cannot be activated. IMPORTANT: The text of a Project card supersedes this rulebook.
6. Tags: Each Project card immediately offers 2 Tags on the side facing you that can be used to meet the requirements of your other Project cards or of a Standard Project. You do not have to complete the Project to gain the Tags the Project provides, this is automatic and you have them as soon as the cards are chosen at the beginning of each Generation.

The 5 Tag types are: Energy, Production, Nature, Science, Space.

Standard Projects

Once per Generation, a player can complete one of the five Standard Projects if he meets all requirements of the chosen one. When a player activates his Standard Project, he places one of his Player Cubes on the Standard Project spot to show that he cannot activate another Standard Project this Generation. Most of the Standard Projects have a cost and Tag requirement similar to Project cards.

• Sell Patent: Gains 1 Credit. There are no requirements or cost for this. If there are no Credits in the supply, a player cannot take this Standard Project.
• Build City: Place or relocate one Player Cube on the map as a city, observing these rules: a) A player is limited to 2 cities. b) A city must be placed in an unoccupied hex on the map. c) Players cannot place a city in a hex reserved for water (light blue background). d) Players cannot place a city adjacent to any other city. If a player has already placed his cities, he may take this Standard Project to relocate one of his cities to a new hex, observing all the same placement rules.
• Import Water: Place an available Water Cube from the supply onto an unoccupied hex reserved for water.
• Greenhouses: Place an available Greenery Cube from the supply onto an unoccupied hex not reserved for water.
• Energy Farms: The player gains an available Heat Cube from the supply.

Resource Tokens

When a Parameter Cube is placed in a space reserved for a Water Cube that has a Resource Token icon, that player gains a Token matching that icon from the supply. If there are no matching Resource Tokens available, the player gains nothing. A Resource Token can be spent by returning it to the supply when a player needs that matching Tag for a Project or Standard Project.

Some Projects offer the activating player their choice of an available Resource Token. When this ability is activated, the Resource Token comes from the supply. The three types of Resource Tokens are Nature (x2), Production and Science.

Parameters

The three Parameters, Heat, Greenery, and Water are how you terraform Mars. They are represented by Red, Green, and Blue Cubes, respectively. They are acquired by activating Card Projects and Standard Projects. When at least 2 out of the 3 parameter Cube types have been exhausted from the supply, the end of game has been triggered and that will be the final Generation.

• Heat: When a player gains a Heat Cube, he takes a Red Cube from the supply and adds it to his own personal supply. Each Heat Cube in a player's personal supply is worth 1 victory point at the end of the game. A Heat Cube on the map is worth -1 point to any city adjacent to that Heat Cube.
• Greenery: When placing a Greenery Cube, take a Green Cube from the supply and add it to an unoccupied land hex on the map (one not reserved for water). Each Greenery Cube adjacent to a city scores that city's owner 1 victory point — plus 1 additional VP if it is adjacent to only that player's city during end game scoring.
• Water: When placing a Water Cube, take a Blue Cube from the supply and add it to an unoccupied Water Hex on the map. A hex that is reserved for water has a light blue background. When placing a Water Cube, if the hex has a Tag, gain a matching Resource Token from the supply if there are any available. In addition, if the Water Cube is placed adjacent to any other Water Cubes, the placing player gains 1 Credit for each adjacent Water Cube. During the Income Phase of a Generation, a Water Cube adds 1 to the income of each adjacent city. Each Water Cube that is adjacent to only one of the two players is worth 1 victory point to that player at the end of the game.

Generations (Gameplay)

The White Player begins odd Generations and the Black Player begins even Generations. Each Generation (round) the following phases happen in this order:

1. Research Phase
2. Action Phase
3. Income Phase

G.1 Research Phase

The first phase of each Generation is the Research Phase. During this phase, the players will draw the Project cards that they will have access to that Generation. Starting with the Generation's start player, take a Project card from the draw pile, flip it over, and decide which Project will face you and which will face your opponent. The second player repeats this process for the second Project card. The starting player then repeats this process for the third and final Project card. At the end of the Research Phase, each player will have access to only the 3 Projects that are facing them.

G.2 Action Phase

The Generation's start player will either complete one of his Project cards, complete a Standard Project, or Pass. After he takes one action, the second player will take one action. Actions will be taken, one at time, between each player, until one player passes. After a player passes, he can no longer take any actions during that action phase. The player who has not passed can continue taking actions until he passes.

In order to play a Project or a Standard Project, the player must have the required Tags, Credits, and meet any Parameters listed. If a player cannot meet all the requirements, he cannot activate the Project or Standard Project. Note: He still has access to the Tags provided on the bottom of his Project cards whether the Project is activated or not.

Reminders: A player may never complete the same Project twice in the same Generation. A player may only complete 1 Standard Project per Generation.

If a player should gain Credits because of an action and there are not enough available from the supply, he receives as much as is in the supply and the rest are lost. Credits placed on Projects cannot be removed during the Action Phase.

When both players have passed, all Credits on Projects are returned to the supply. The Project cards for that Generation are returned to the bottom of the Draw Deck, face up, in the same order that they were drawn.

G.3 Income Phase

Starting with the Generation's start player, he will collect 1 Credit for each of his cities. He will also collect 1 Credit for each Water Cube adjacent to each of his cities. A Water Cube touching both of a player's cities counts for each of those cities.

After the start player has added his Income Phase Credits to any Credits he did not use during the Action Phase, he must return to the supply all Credits above 5 (Martian taxes are severe). The second player collects income following the same rules.

Check for End Game: If the supply of Parameter Cubes has not been exhausted from at least 2 of the 3 types and there is at least one unoccupied hex on the map, the next Generation begins and the start player will shift to the player who was not the start player during the current Generation.

If the supply of Parameter Cubes has been exhausted from at least 2 of the 3 types or there are no more unoccupied hexes, the game is over and final scoring takes place.

End Game Scoring

Once the last Generation has completed, the players will calculate their scores:

• Each City scores 1 point for every Greenery Cube adjacent to it. -1 point for every Heat Cube adjacent to it.
• Greenery & Water Cubes each score 1 Point to the owner of a city adjacent to it if it is only adjacent to one of the players' cities, not both.
• Heat Cubes score: 1 point for each Heat Cube in the player's personal supply.

If players tie, compare the following until one player has more than the other player in this order: 1. Points from Cities. 2. Points from Greenery Cubes. 3. Points from Water Cubes. 4. Points from Heat Cubes.

Solitaire Play

All the rules for a 2 player game are used with the following exceptions:

During Setup, place 1 of the Black Cubes and 5 of the Credit Cubes off to the side to keep track of the Generations.

Place opponent cities: After shuffling the Project Cards, flip and reveal one. Of the 2 Project costs shown, take the lower cost and, counting that number of spaces starting from the top leftmost hex, moving left to right, top to bottom (skipping spaces reserved for water), place 1 of the Black Cubes in that hex. Then, taking the higher cost, count that number of spaces starting from the bottom rightmost hex, moving right to left, bottom to top (skipping spaces reserved for water), place the other Black Cube in that hex. These are the dummy player's cities and will not move for the remainder of the game. Place the Project card that was used, face up, on the bottom of the Draw Deck.

You are the White player. You go first in every Generation and are strictly limited to 5 Credit Cubes.

During the Research Phase, you may look at all three Project cards and decide which Projects will face you.

During the Action Phase the dummy player automatically passes.

During the Income Phase, the dummy player collects no income.

GOAL: The player has 12 Generations to complete the goal of exhausting all 3 types of Parameter Cubes.

One way to keep track of the Generations, for the 1st-5th Generations, place 1 of the unused Credit Cubes on the Standard Project section of the map for each Generation. When you get to the 6th Generation, instead use the Black Cube. For the 7th-11th Generations, remove 1 of the unused Credit Cubes from the Standard Project section of the map for each Generation. For the 12th and final Generation, remove the unused Black Cube.

(Note that the CAM expansion includes a Generation Tracker and Mars token to use on it.)

Project Card Reference

There are 14 double-sided Project cards. Each physical card shows one Project on each side; when a card is drawn during the Research Phase, one side faces the drafting player and the other faces the opponent (see Project Cards, above). For each Project below, Requires lists the Tags and/or Parameter cube counts shown next to its cost, and Grants lists the 2 Tags shown on the card that the holding player has automatically, whether or not the Project is ever activated. Remember: the text of a Project card supersedes this rulebook.

Tharsis-side cards

• Power Grid (Cost 5; Requires: Production, Energy; Grants: Science, Nature) — Gain 1 Heat Cube. Gain 1 Credit for each city on Mars. Ice Cap Melting (Cost 3; Requires: Energy, Energy, Heat parameter 5 or more; Grants: Production, Nature) — Place 1 Water Cube. It must be placed in any unoccupied hex on the southern row.
• Solar Power (Cost 3*; Requires: Science, Production; Grants: Nature, Energy) — *Reduce the cost by 1 Credit for each city on the center row. Gain 1 Heat Cube. Artificial Lake (Cost 2; Requires: Production, Production, Heat parameter 4 or more; Grants: Nature, Nature) — Place 1 Water Cube. It must be placed on a water hex adjacent to a city.
• Lava Flows (Cost 2; Requires: Nature, Energy, Energy; Grants: Science, Production) — Place 1 Heat Cube in an unoccupied hex not reserved for water. Water From Europa (Cost 3*; Requires: Energy, Space; Grants: Production, Nature) — *Reduce the cost by 1 Credit for each additional Space Tag beyond one. Place 1 Water Cube.
• Fusion Power (Cost 2; Requires: Science, Science; Grants: Nature, Production) — Gain 1 Heat Cube and gain 1 available Resource Token of your choice. Ice Asteroid (Cost 3; Requires: Space, Space; Grants: Energy, Production) — Place 1 Water Cube. If this cube is placed onto a hex adjacent to one or more Greenery Cubes, return 1 of those Greenery Cubes to the supply.
• GHG Factories (Cost 3*; Requires: Production, Production; Grants: Science, Energy) — *Reduce the cost by 1 Credit for each Production Tag you have beyond two (minimum cost of 1). Gain 1 Heat Cube. Asteroid Mining (Cost 1; Requires: Space; Grants: Energy, Nature) — Gain 1 Credit for each Production and/or Space Tag you have on your Project Cards.
• Geothermal Power (Cost 3*; Requires: Nature, Production, Production; Grants: Space, Science) — *Reduce the cost by 1 Credit for every two Heat Cubes you have (minimum cost of 1). Gain 1 Heat Cube. Grass (Cost 2; Requires: Nature, Nature, Nature, Heat parameter 3 or more; Grants: Energy, Production) — Place 1 Greenery Cube. It must be placed in a hex adjacent to a city.
• Windmills (Cost 4*; Requires: Energy, Energy; Grants: Nature, Nature) — *Reduce the cost by 1 Credit for each unoccupied hex adjacent to one of your cities (minimum cost of 1). Gain 1 Heat Cube. Research Outpost (Cost 1; Requires: Production, Science; Grants: Energy, Space) — Place or Relocate one of your cities. If it's new hex is not adjacent to any others hexes with cubes, gain 1 available Resource Token of your choice.

Elysium-side cards

• Great Dam (Cost 3*; Requires: Water parameter 2 or more, Nature, Production; Grants: Science, Energy) — *Reduce the cost by 1 Credit for each Water Cube on Mars beyond two. Gain 1 Heat Cube. Lichen (Cost 2; Requires: Nature, Nature, Heat parameter 2 or more; Grants: Production, Production) — Place 1 Greenery Cube. It cannot be placed adjacent to a city.
• Nuclear Power (Cost 3*; Requires: Science, Production; Grants: Space, Nature) — *Reduce the cost by 1 Credit for each Energy Tag you have (minimum cost of 1). Gain 1 Heat Cube. Trees (Cost 2; Requires: Nature, Science, Heat parameter 5 or more; Grants: Space, Space) — Place 1 Greenery Cube. It must be placed on a hex adjacent to two other Greenery Cubes.
• Comet (Cost 3; Requires: Space, Energy; Grants: Nature, Nature) — Gain 1 Heat Cube. You may also place 1 Water Cube if you now have five or more Heat Cubes. Algae (Cost 2; Requires: Energy, Nature, Water parameter 2 or more; Grants: Science, Science) — Place 1 Greenery Cube. It must be placed on a hex adjacent to at least one Water Cube.
• Aquifer Pumping (Cost 4; Requires: Nature, Energy; Grants: Space, Production) — Place 1 Water Cube. Gain 2 Credits if this Water Cube was NOT placed on a hex adjacent to any other Water Cube. Moss (Cost 4; Requires: Nature, Nature, Water parameter 1 or more; Grants: Production, Production) — Place 1 Greenery Cube. Gain 1 Credit for each Water Cube adjacent to the placed Greenery Cube.
• Methane From Titan (Cost 2; Requires: Space, Production; Grants: Nature, Energy) — Gain 1 Heat Cube. If you spend an additional 2 Credits and have an additional Space Tag, you may gain an additional Heat Cube. Bushes (Cost 5*; Requires: Nature, Heat parameter 4 or more; Grants: Energy, Energy) — *Reduce the cost by 1 Credit for every Greenery Cube in a hex adjacent to one of your cities (minimum cost of 1). Place 1 Greenery Cube.
• Asteroid (Cost 4; Requires: Space, Energy; Grants: Production, Production) — Gain 1 Heat Cube. You may return 1 Greenery Cube from any Mars hex to the supply. Protected Valley (Cost 4; Requires: Nature, Nature, Heat parameter 2 or more; Grants: Energy, Energy) — Place 1 Greenery Cube. It must be placed in a space reserved for a Water Cube.
• Subterranean Reservoir (Cost 3*; Requires: Science, Nature; Grants: Energy, Energy) — Reduce the cost by 1 Credit for each additional Nature Tag you have beyond one (minimum cost of 1). Place 1 Water Cube. Insects (Cost 2; Requires: Nature, Science, Heat parameter 6 or more; Grants: Production, Space) — *Reduce the Heat Parameter requirement by 2 for each additional Science Tag you have beyond one. Place 1 Greenery Cube.