Game Objective: Terraform Mars and Achieve Victory!

Welcome, future colonizers! In Terraforming Mars: Ares Expedition, you take on the role of major corporations with an ambitious mission: to make Mars habitable and, of course, extremely profitable! Prepare to invest your megacredits (M$) in innovative projects that will directly or indirectly drive the terraforming process of the Red Planet.

The main objective is to accumulate the maximum Terraforming Rating (TR) and Victory Points (VP). Your TR will increase as you raise Mars' global parameters: the number of oceans, the oxygen level, and the temperature. Besides being a measure of your progress, TR also defines your basic income, and at the end of the game, each TR point is worth 1 VP. But make no mistake, additional VPs and robust production capacity will be gained by building projects and performing strategic actions throughout the game.

The game ends when Mars is ready to be inhabited: 14% oxygen, 9 oceans, and the temperature at +8°C. The player with the most VPs at the end of the game will be the grand winner and the hero of Martian colonization!

Preparation (Setup): Setting Up Base on Mars

Let's set up the table and prepare your corporation for the journey to Mars!

1. Place the central board in the middle of the table. It is the heart of your operation, with the oxygen level, temperature, and terraforming rating tracks, as well as spaces for the ocean tiles.
2. Position the phase markers next to the central board, with the closed door side facing up.
3. Keep the forest tiles and resource cubes (copper, silver, and gold) within everyone's reach. Remember: copper is worth 1, silver is worth 5, and gold is worth 10.
4. Place a translucent cube on the -30°C space of the temperature track and another on 0% of the oxygen level track.
5. Each player receives a player board and 13 player cubes of their color.
   • Place one cube on the '0' space of each of the six production tracks on your board.
   • Place one cube on the '5' space of the TR track on the central board.
   • The remaining cubes will be used to mark productions/efficiencies above 10.
6. Shuffle the 9 ocean tiles face down (blue side) and place them in the designated spaces on the central board.
7. For your first game, separate the 16 green project cards with a star. Shuffle them and deal 4 to each player, discarding the rest. Then, shuffle the remaining project cards (without a star) and deal 4 more to each player. You will keep all these cards in your hand. Separate the rest of the deck into two accessible piles.
8. For your first game, deal 2 corporation cards with a star to each player. Each player chooses one to play and discards the other. Unused corporation cards return to the box.
9. Each player receives the starting resources and abilities of the corporation they chose. For example, Helion starts with 3 heat production and 28 M$, and can use heat as M$. Ecoline starts with 1 plant production and 27 M$, spending 1 less plant when creating forests.
10. Give each player a set of 5 phase cards of the corresponding color.
11. Start the game!

The Game Turn: Expanding Your Corporation on Mars

A round in Terraforming Mars: Ares Expedition is dynamic and full of simultaneous decisions! It is divided into three main stages:

A. Planning Phase

All players simultaneously choose a phase card from their hand and place it face down. An important rule: you cannot choose the same phase in two consecutive rounds! The phase card you chose in the previous round returns to your hand, and you choose a new one. Once everyone has chosen, the cards are revealed. The selected phases will determine the actions of the round. Flip up the corresponding phase markers on the central board and rotate the chosen cards 90° to indicate they have been used.

B. Phase Resolution Phase

The chosen phases are resolved in numerical order, from I to V, and all players act simultaneously in each phase. If a phase was not chosen by any player, it is simply skipped. If multiple players chose the same phase, it is still resolved only once. The player who chose the phase receives a special bonus, indicated at the bottom of their phase card.

1. PHASE I: DEVELOPMENT
   • Standard Action: Each player may play 1 green project card from their hand, paying its cost. Green cards usually have passive or production effects.
   • Bonus (if you chose this phase): Gain a 3 M$ discount on the green card you play this phase.
   • Game Tip: Remember to adjust the corresponding efficiency or production on your player board after playing a green card.
2. PHASE II: CONSTRUCTION
   • Standard Action: Each player may play 1 blue project card (action) or red project card (immediate event) from their hand, paying its cost.
   • Bonus (if you chose this phase): You may draw 1 project card (before or after playing a card this phase) OR play 1 additional blue or red card this phase.
   • Game Tip: Cards with a construction icon ( ) have their cost reduced by 2 M$ for each steel you possess. Cards with a space icon ( ) have their cost reduced by 3 M$ for each titanium you possess. The cost can never be less than zero.
   • Important: At any time, you may discard a project card from your hand to receive 3 M$. This can be done to pay costs or simply to gain money.
3. PHASE III: ACTION
   • Standard Action: Each player may resolve the "Action:" ability of each of their blue cards in play once. Additionally, you may use any number of standard projects as many times as you wish.
   • Bonus (if you chose this phase): You may use the "Action:" ability of one of your cards in play again.
   • Standard Projects (available on your player board):
     • Spend 8 plants to gain 1 forest tile (1 VP) and increase the oxygen level by 1.
     • Spend 20 M$ to gain 1 forest tile (1 VP) and increase the oxygen level by 1.
     • Spend 8 heat to increase the temperature by 1.
     • Spend 14 M$ to increase the temperature by 1.
     • Spend 15 M$ to flip 1 ocean tile. When flipped, receive the reward shown on the back (blue side).
   • Crucial Reminder: Whenever you increase the oxygen level, temperature, or flip an ocean tile, you gain 1 TR!
   • Important Rule: At the end of the action phase, if you have enough heat or plants to perform a standard project, you must do so as many times as you can, unless the associated terraforming parameter has already reached its maximum.
4. PHASE IV: PRODUCTION
   • Standard Action: Each player collects resources (heat, plants, M$) and draws cards according to their production on green cards, corporation card, and their TR. Your TR adds M$ to your income.
   • Bonus (if you chose this phase): Receive 4 extra M$.
   • Game Tip: Use the copper, silver, and gold cubes on your player board to track your resources.
5. PHASE V: RESEARCH
   • Standard Action: All players draw 2 project cards, keep 1, and discard the other.
   • Bonus (if you chose this phase): Draw 3 additional cards and keep 1 additional. In total, you draw 5 cards and keep 2, discarding the rest.
   • Important: If the project card deck runs out, shuffle the discarded cards to form a new deck.

C. End of Round Phase

It's time to organize your hand and prepare for the next round!

• Each player must have a maximum of 10 cards in hand. Discard excess cards, and for each card discarded this way, you gain 3 M$.
• Flip all phase markers back to the closed door side.
• Start the next round!

End of Game and Scoring: The Conquest of Mars

The game ends when all three Mars terraforming conditions are met:

1. All 9 ocean tiles have been flipped (blue side up).
2. The temperature has reached +8°C.
3. The oxygen level has reached 14%.

As soon as the last of these conditions is met, the current phase is completed, but any remaining phases that were chosen for the round do not occur. For example, if Mars is terraformed in the Construction Phase, the Action and Production Phases will not be played.

Final Scoring

Final scoring is calculated as follows:

1. 1 VP for each TR point you accumulated on the TR track.
2. VP equal to the VPs shown on your forest tiles (usually 1 VP per tile, but some may be worth 5 VP).
3. VP equal to what is printed on your played project cards, including cards with variable VP (indicated by an asterisk *).

The player with the most VPs wins the game! In case of a tie, the tiebreaker is determined by summing the remaining amount of M$, heat, and plants. The player with the highest total of these resources wins.

Tips for Winning: Strategies for a Prosperous Martian Future

1. Balance Global Development with Your Corporation's Growth: Remember that every time you increase the temperature, oxygen, or flip an ocean, you gain 1 TR. TR not only gives you VP at the end but also increases your M$ income in the Production phase. Prioritizing projects that contribute to global terraforming is essential for maintaining a healthy cash flow and a high score.
2. Take Advantage of Phase Bonuses and Card Synergy: Choosing the right phase in the Planning Phase can give you a significant advantage. For example, if you have many green cards to play, choosing the Development Phase with its 3 M$ discount is a great choice. Additionally, pay attention to your cards' icons (construction, space, etc.) and invest in steel and titanium efficiency to reduce costs and play more projects.
3. Don't Underestimate Standard Projects: Especially in the Action Phase, standard projects are a reliable way to increase global parameters and gain TR, even if you don't have specific project cards in hand. Keep an eye on your heat and plant resources, as the rule forces you to use them in standard projects if the associated parameter has not yet reached its maximum. This ensures the game continues to progress and you maximize your TR.