Objective of the Game

Welcome, future Martian pioneers! In **On Mars**, you're not just building a colony; you're shaping humanity's biggest challenge. As a chief astronaut from a private exploration company, your ultimate goal is to develop the biggest, most advanced, and self-sustaining colony on Mars. This means carefully balancing vital resources like water, air, power, and food. The game is a race to earn the most **Opportunity Points (OP)**. You'll gain OP by completing DOME mission goals and your company's private agenda. The game ends once a total of three **Missions** have been completed. The player with the most OP at the end of the game is declared the winner! So, gear up, balance your resources, and prove your company is the best at colonizing the Red Planet!

Preparation (Setup)

Alright, let's get our Mars Base Camp ready! This might look like a lot, but we'll get through it together.

1. Place the **Main board** in the center of the table. The left side is the **Mars Space Station (Orbit)**, and the rest is the **Colony** on the surface.
2. Orbit Side Setup:
   • Shuffle the **Discovery tiles** face down, then place the top 2 face up on the Exploration space.
   • Place 3 of each of the following in the **Warehouse spaces**: **Crystals**, **Batteries**, **Water**, **Plants**, and **Oxygen**. (In a 2-player game, use only 2 of each.)
   • Take the **Tech tiles**. Set aside the 4 **Shelter Tech tiles** (one of each player color). Separate the rest into two sets by back color. Shuffle one set and place them face up on the **Tech Grid**. Shuffle the remaining 8 (non-Shelter) Tech tiles and place them face down in two stacks next to the Tech Grid. (In a 2-player game, use only 1 set of tiles and remove the second set.)
   • Separate the **Blueprint cards** into Level 1 and Level 3 decks. Shuffle each, then stack Level 1 on top of Level 3. Take the top 6 cards and place them face up in a display.
3. Colony Side Setup:
   • Place the **Scientist display** next to the Main board. Place the 6 **Scientist cards** in order (Geologist to Systems Engineer) on the top part of their spaces, covering the Crystal icon but leaving the cost visible. Place each **Scientist marker** on its matching card.
   • Place the **Earth Contract cards** face down in a deck on the Scientist display (no need to shuffle).
   • Take the starting **Mine** (with an 'S' on the back) and place it on its indicated space in the center of the board.
   • Take the remaining starting **Buildings** (with an 'S' on the back) and place them randomly on their indicated hexes, maintaining orientation (notch facing bottom).
   • Place the **Building display board** near the Scientist cards. Separate the rest of the **Buildings** by type into stacks, shuffle each, and place them face down on their corresponding spaces.
   • Separate the **Research tiles** by type (color and letter) and place them on their indicated hexes, keeping all of one type together in the same corner.
   • Divide the **Mission cards** into Short and Long decks. Shuffle each. For a short game, choose 2 Short and 1 Long. For a long game, choose 1 Short and 2 Long. (For your first game, the First Colonists variant is recommended.) Place the chosen Mission cards face up on their spaces. Place the matching **Mission marker** near the related action.
   • Place a **Mission tracker cube** near each Mission card, on the space appropriate for the number of players.
   • Place the **Remaining Missions marker** on space 3 of the Missions track.
   • Place all **Crystals** and **Resources** next to the board as a general supply.
4. Life Support System (LSS) Setup:
   • Place the **Colony level marker** on the left side of the second row.
   • Place the **LSS Track markers** on the appropriate spaces of the bottom row.
   • Shuffle the **LSS Reward tiles** and place 4 of them face up on the top spaces. Return the rest to the box.
5. Player Setup (Each player chooses a color and takes):
   • 1 **Player board**.
   • 1 **Player marker**.
   • 1 **OP marker**, placed on space 0 of the OP track.
   • 1 of each of the 5 **Resources**, placed in the corresponding spaces of your **Storage (A)**.
   • 1 **Crystal**, placed in your **Depot (E)**.
   • 1 **Shelter Tech tile** (set aside earlier), placed in the middle space of the 2nd column of your **Laboratory (B)**.
   • 5 **Ships**, placed in the 5 upper spaces of your Depot.
   • 5 **Shelter Building tiles**: 4 placed on the right side of your Player board, and 1 placed building-side-up on an initial Shelter position on the Main board (closest to your player for convenience).
   • 4 **Bots**: 3 placed next to your Player board, and 1 on your Shelter on the Main board.
   • 8 **Advanced Building markers**, placed next to your Player board.
   • 12 **Colonists**: 3 placed in your **Living Quarters (C)**, and the remaining 9 next to your Player board.
   • 1 **Rover**, placed next to your Player board. (Note: your Rover is actually at the starting Mine; you'll place it when you move it for the first time.)
   • 5 **Progress cubes**, 1 placed below each Resource.
   • 3 **Private Goal cards**: Shuffle and deal 3 face down to each player. Keep them secret. Return the rest to the box.
6. Determine the first player: The player who has seen "The Martian" the most times! In clockwise order, starting with the first player, each player places their **Player marker** on any empty **Turn Order space (1-8)** and immediately receives its benefit. The player with the highest numbered Turn Order space places the **Shuttle** on one of the Red Travel spaces (with a number 1), either on the Colony or Orbit side (their choice).

The Turn of Play

Alright, future Mars colonizers, let's talk about how a round unfolds! Each round of **On Mars** is divided into two exciting phases: the **COLONIZATION PHASE** and the **SHUTTLE PHASE**.

COLONIZATION PHASE

During this phase, players take turns in **Turn Order**, starting from the leftmost space on the Orbit side (1) and proceeding right to the rightmost space on the Colony side (8). On your turn, you *must* perform one **Main action**. You *may also* perform one **Executive action** either before or after your Main action. If you contribute to any **Mission cards**, you gain 1 or 2 **Crystals** as depicted on the card. Once your turn is complete, lay your **Player marker** down to show you're done. The actions you can take depend on where your **Player marker** is located:

• If your Player marker is on the **Orbit side** of the board, you can only take **Orbital Station Main Actions**.
• If your Player marker is on the **Colony side** of the board, you can only take **Colony Main Actions**.

Some actions have special icons:

• Red Colonist Icon: If you see this at the top of an action, you *must* place one of your **Colonists** from your **Living Quarters** onto an **Action slot** to perform the action. If other players' Colonists are already there, you pay an additional cost: 1 **Crystal** or move 1 Colonist from your Living Quarters to your **Working Area** for each *different color* of Colonist present. If all Action slots are full, the Colonists of the player(s) with the most Colonists on those slots are moved to their Working Area *before* you pay any cost. Actions without this icon can be taken without placing a Colonist.
• Teal Colonist Icon: This icon at the bottom of an action means you can boost its power by moving one or more Colonists to your Working Area.
• Crystal Icon: If this icon is at the bottom of an action, you can boost it by spending Crystals.

Let's dive into the specific actions:

Orbital Station Main Actions

These actions are your ticket to research, development, and resupply from Earth!

• Landing Pod: This action allows you to travel to the Colony. Follow the Shuttle Phase rules for travel, but skip placing a Discovery tile. After choosing a Turn Order space on the Colony side, lay your Player marker down. If the Shuttle travels from Mars to Orbit this round, you can travel with it for free.
• Obtain Blueprint: Take 1 **Blueprint card** from the display. These are crucial for upgrading Buildings later! Place the card face up next to your Player board, gain the **Resource** or **Crystal** depicted, and place one of your unused **Advanced Building markers** on the card. You cannot take a Blueprint if you have no Advanced Building markers left. The marker is removed when you upgrade a Building with the Blueprint.
  • Boosted action: For each Colonist you move to your Working Area, take an additional Blueprint.
• Learn new Technology: Take 1 **Tech tile** from the **Tech Grid** and place it on an empty space in the leftmost column of your **Laboratory**. The cost depends on its position: bottom spaces are free, middle spaces cost 1 **Battery**, top spaces cost 1 Battery and 1 **Resource** of your choice. You immediately gain the benefit shown on the space where you place the tile. You can only have one Tech tile of each type.
  • Boosted action: Move a Colonist to your Working Area to take a second Tech Tile.
• Research and Development (R&D): Develop **Tech tiles** in your Laboratory by moving them to the right. You can develop 1 Tech tile twice, or 2 Tech tiles once each. To develop, move a tile to an adjacent empty space to its right and pay the cost depicted above the column it's moving to. If you move it to a space with a graphic, you immediately gain that benefit.
  • Boosted action: For each Colonist you move to your Working Area, develop any 1 Tech tile in your Laboratory once. You can develop the same tile multiple times this way.
• Resupply: Take any 1 **Resource** or 1 **Crystal** from the **Warehouse** and place it in your **Storage/Depot**. Remember your limited storage capacity!
  • Boosted action: For each Colonist you move to your Working Area, take 1 additional Crystal or Resource from the Warehouse.

Colony Main Actions

These actions are all about expanding your presence on the Martian surface!

• Control Center: Move your **Bots** and **Rover**. You get 2 **Movement points** for your Bots and 2 for your Rover, which you can use in any order. Each Crystal in your Depot can be spent to gain 1 additional Movement point for either Bots or Rover.
  • Bots: If a Bot ends its turn on a **Discovery** or **Research tile**, the tile is destroyed. If it ends on a Crystal, return the Crystal to the general supply. The hex your Bot is on, and all adjacent hexes, form its **Building Zone**.
  • Rover: Your Rover starts at the central **Mine**. When moving it for the first time, place it there and count hexes from there. Your Rover collects Crystals by passing over them. If it ends its turn on a Discovery or Research tile, you can remove it to gain its benefit, provided you meet the conditions (no existing tile of that type, pay cost, able to take benefit).
  • Using Rover Technology: You can increase your Rover's range by using a related **Tech tile**. A Rover Tech tile can also grant additional Movement points equal to its level.
• Construct a Building: Add a new **Building** to Mars!
  • Choose a Building (from the display or a Shelter from your Player board).
  • Pay its cost (1 Oxygen for Shelters; see Building display for others). Mines require placing 1 Colonist from your Living Quarters onto the Mine instead of a Resource cost.
  • Place the new tile face down within the **Building Zone** of one of your Bots.
  • If you place a Building adjacent to an existing Building of the same type (creating or increasing a **Complex**), you *must* use a related **Tech tile** of a level equal to or greater than the total number of Buildings you're connecting to. If you place it exactly 2 hexes away from a Building of the same type, no Tech tile is needed, and it's not a Complex.
  • If the tile has arrows, place 1 Crystal from the general supply in each adjacent empty hex the arrows point to. Then, flip the tile face up.
  • Gain **Resources** matching the Building type equal to the new size of the Complex (or 1 Resource if standalone). If it's a Shelter, gain Crystals instead.
  • The first time you create or increase a Complex, move your **Progress cube** for that Building type to the **Progress area**. (Shelter Complexes do not grant Progress cubes.)
  • If you constructed an **LSS Building**, move its marker on the **LSS track** up by 1 space. This might trigger **LSS Rewards**.
  • Displacement Rule: If you build on a Crystal, Discovery/Research tile, Bot, or Rover, they are displaced.
• Upgrade a Building: Use a **Blueprint** to upgrade a Building on the map into an **Advanced Building**.
  • Each Building can only be upgraded once, and each Blueprint used once.
  • The Building must be in the Building zone of one of your Bots. Only your Shelters can be upgraded.
  • Pay 1 **Mineral**.
  • Take your **Advanced Building marker** from the Blueprint and place it on the Building tile you are upgrading.
  • If there was a Bot/Rover/Colonist on the tile, follow the Displacement rule or return the Colonist to their Living Quarters.
  • Using Upgrade Tech tile: If you use an Upgrade Tech tile (yours or another player's), you can repeat this process up to a number of times equal to the Tech tile's level.
• Hire a Scientist or Take an Earth Contract: This action has only one slot per player. You cannot take it if you already have a Colonist there. You still pay additional costs for other players' Colonists.
  • Choose a card from the display and pay its cost.
  • Take the card and place it face up in front of you. If you took a Scientist, also take its marker.
  • At the end of your turn, refill the slot with an **Earth Contract card** of your choice (place it on the lower half, covering the old Scientist cost).
  • Earth Contracts: These offer OP at the end of the game if completed (or lose OP if failed).
    • Delivery Contracts: Move depicted Crystals/Resources from your Player board onto the Contract at any time. All items must be on the card at game end.
    • Upgrade Contracts: At game end, you must have an Advanced Building marker on a Building of the depicted type that is part of a Complex of at least size 4.
  • Scientists: Scientists can work in matching Advanced Buildings (even other players'). Move the Scientist marker to the Blueprint card, and both the Scientist owner and Building owner can use that Building's Executive action for free. Scientists also grant OP at game end.
• Welcome a Ship: Move 1 of your **Private Ships** from your **Depot** to your **Hangar**.
  • Cost: 1 **Plant** and 1 **Water**.
  • Gain either: 1 **Colonist** and 1 **Bot**, or 2 **Colonists**. Place new Colonists in empty Living Quarters spaces. Place new Bots on one of your empty Shelters (or closest empty space if none are empty).
  • The total number of Ships you can remove from your Depot is equal to the current **Colony level**.
  • Ships in your Hangar are worth points at game end, but can be discarded during the Shuttle phase to travel.
  • Boosted action: For each Colonist you move to your Working Area, move 1 additional Ship. You pay the cost and receive benefits for each ship.

Executive Actions

Once per turn, either before or after your Main action, you may perform one **Executive action**. These are shown next to your Depot slots. An action is available if there's no ship on its space. Each Executive action has a Crystal cost. One Executive action is to use one of your own **Advanced Buildings** for 2 Crystals.

• Boosting Tech with Colonists: Some Advanced Building actions with the Teal Colonist icon allow you to send Colonists to your Working Area to temporarily add to the level of a related Tech when taking the action.

SHUTTLE PHASE

This phase is all about movement