How to Play Terraforming Mars: Utopia & Cimmeria

Game Objective

In Terraforming Mars: Utopia & Cimmeria, players explore two new regions of Mars with unique characteristics. The goal is to transform the planet through the strategic placement of tiles, construction of colonies, and activation of resource productions. Each map offers placement bonuses, ocean areas, and new specific milestones and awards.

Refer to the manual for details on this section.

Setup

To begin, choose one of the maps: Utopia Planitia or Terra Cimmeria. Each has distinct settings:

• Utopia Planitia: Lava plain with plant bonuses and Viking 2 and Beagle 2 landing sites (gain 2 extra cards when colonizing).
• Terra Cimmeria: High region rich in steel and titanium, with specific volcanic areas for certain tiles.

Refer to the manual for details on the complete setup.

Game Flow

The game follows the standard flow of Terraforming Mars, with turns divided into actions. Players can:

• Place tiles in strategic areas.
• Build colonies (if using this expansion).
• Activate resource productions such as plants, steel, and titanium.

Refer to the manual for details on specific phases.

Actions and How to Play

Map-Specific Actions

• Utopia Planitia: Tiles like Noctis City and Lava Flows can be placed in any unreserved area, as there are no volcanoes.
• Terra Cimmeria: Volcanic tiles can only be placed in the 4 specific volcanic areas (e.g., Albor Tholus). Noctis City also has no restrictions here.

Milestones and Awards

Each map has exclusive milestones and awards:

• Utopia: Examples include Manager (3 special tiles) and Botanist (higher plant production).
• Cimmeria: Examples include Planetologist (Earth, Venus, and Jupiter icons) and Electrician (more energy icons).

Refer to the manual for details on other actions.

End of Game and Scoring

The game ends when the terraforming conditions are met. Scoring is based on:

• Milestones achieved.
• Awards won.
• Resource production and tile placement.

Refer to the manual for details on the exact victory criteria.

Tips to Win

1. Explore placement bonuses: In Utopia, prioritize Viking 2 and Beagle 2 landing sites to gain extra cards.
2. Take advantage of unique productions: In Cimmeria, focus on steel and titanium to achieve the Metallurgist milestone.
3. Build your strategy around milestones: Choose milestones that complement your cards and productions on the selected map.