How to Play On Mars - Official Tutorial from Gaming Rules!

Introduction

This tutorial provides a comprehensive guide on how to play the board game "On Mars," designed by Vitter Lacerta and published by Eagle Griffin Games. You'll learn the setup, gameplay phases, actions, and endgame scoring to help you effectively contribute to the colony's development on Mars while pursuing your private objectives.

Chapter 1: Setup

1. Gameboard Placement

   • Place the gameboard on the table, with the left side representing the Mars space station and the right side the colony on Mars.

2. Discovery Tiles

   • Place discovery tiles facedown in a stack next to the board and reveal the top tile.

3. Warehouse Supply

   • For a standard game, fill the warehouse with:
     • 3 Crystals
     • 3 Batteries
     • 3 Water
     • 3 Plants
     • 3 Oxygen
   • In a two-player game, place only 2 of each.

4. Take Tiles Setup

   • Set aside player color tiles. Shuffle the remaining tiles into two sets based on their backs and place them on the take grid. In a two-player game, place the second set back in the box.

5. Blueprint Cards

   • Separate into two decks (level 1 and level 3), shuffle, and place them in a single stack with level 1 on top. Reveal the top six cards.

6. Scientists Display

   • Place the scientists display with the six scientist cards showing their hiring costs.

7. Earth Contracts

   • Place the Earth contract cards facedown.

8. Starting Buildings Placement

   • Place starting buildings as indicated on the board, ensuring correct orientation.

9. Research and Mission Cards

   • Organize research tiles by type and place mission cards on indicated spaces with corresponding tracker cubes.

10. Player Boards and Components

    • Each player selects a color, takes a player board, and places shelter tiles and starting resources as per player count.

11. Private Goals and First Colonist Cards

    • Shuffle private goals and deal three to each player, keeping them secret. Deal one first colonist card to each player.

12. Determine First Player

    • The player who has seen "The Martian" the most times goes first.

Chapter 2: Game Overview

• The game consists of rounds with two phases:

  1. Colonization Phase: Players take turns performing one main action and an optional executive action.
  2. Shuttle Phase: The shuttle moves one space on its track, allowing players to hitch a ride.

• Players collaborate on shared missions, moving tracker cubes to complete missions and trigger the game's end when reaching colony level 5.

Chapter 3: Main Actions

1. General Rules

   • Only perform an action available on your side of the board.
   • If an action space has a red colonist, you must place a colonist from your living quarters to perform the action.

2. Actions Overview (Orbit Side)

   • Resupply: Take an item from the warehouse without the need for a colonist. You can boost by moving additional colonists.
   • Learn New Technology: Choose a tech tile, pay the cost, and gain benefits.
   • R&D: Move tech tiles to develop them using colonists and gain benefits.
   • Get a Blueprint: Pay the cost to take a blueprint and gain immediate benefits.
   • Landing Pod: Travel directly to the colony, skipping the discovery tile bonus.

3. Actions Overview (Colony Side)

   • Control Center: Instruct your bots and rover to move, collect resources, and discover tiles.
   • Construct Building: Add a new building or shelter, considering placement rules and costs.
   • Upgrade Building: Use blueprints to upgrade buildings, earning points and additional abilities.
   • Unlock Spaceship: Move a ship from the Depot to the hangar for new colonists or bots.
   • Hire Scientist: Hire a scientist for executive actions and endgame points.

Chapter 4: Executive Actions

• Available executive actions include gaining resources, moving bots or rovers, and using building actions of advanced buildings.
• You can perform one executive action per turn, potentially utilizing scientists for cost reductions.

Chapter 5: Shuttle Phase

• At the end of each round, the shuttle moves based on colony level.
• Players can hitch a ride to the colony or orbit, following specific steps for each.

Chapter 6: Missions and Private Goals

• Complete missions for rewards and track progress with cubes.
• Private goals offer secret objectives for additional points at the end of the game.

Chapter 7: End of Game

• The game ends after the last round when the large red cube moves off the track.
• Score points for buildings, ships, tech tiles, and completed private goals, with the player having the most points winning.

Conclusion

This guide summarizes the essential steps and rules to effectively play "On Mars." Familiarize yourself with the setup, phases, actions, and scoring to maximize your strategy and enjoy the game. For further details on each component and action, refer to the game’s reference book. Happy gaming!