What game did you play last?

[Droolinggimp]

Over the last 10 days or so, I have managed to bang 6 games of Terraforming Mars with the expansions (no Turmoil though, yet). Its just been myself and my wife. Some great games, high scoring, low scores, fully terraformed, hardly terraformed. Best thing about this game is the replayability. I can't get enough of it. Just finished a game of it and I could easily set it back up for a second game.

Such a good game. Its on Board Game Arena now too, in Beta.

I managed to bag 8 discount cards tonight. My Space tags ended up being 10MC discount, that really helped out.

 

[nands]

@Droolinggimp that got me inspired and a shiny new Terraforming Mars arrived this morning.

Will give it a run or two over the weekend.

 

[nands]

Just played a first round of Terraforming Mars and loved it! We had watched a how to play video but had the rule book open. Decided to not use Milestones and Awards for the first go as there was enough going on!

Might have time for another round later.

 

[Droolinggimp]

did you use Starter corps and no Corp era cards?

 

[nands]

Yes, took ages to sort the Corp cards out of all of the other cards, I did assume that they would be separate.

Going to play a few more times before introducing them.

 

[Droolinggimp]

Yes, took ages to sort the Corp cards out of all of the other cards, I did assume that they would be separate.

Going to play a few more times before introducing them.

I would suggest stick the corp era project cards in and use the normal corps cards plus corp era corp cards. Get rid of the beginner corps cards. You will learn more by doing that. I know its easy for me to say that with 100+ plays but it will open your mind up when it comes to new synergies and different ways to play the game. Oh and always draft the 4 projects cards at start of each Generation. Its in the rule book as a variant, but it is a standard addition to play the game.

Also there are loads of easy mistakes to make when playing and I see the same questions pop up on BGG on a weekly basis.

A few things to remember:
Blue project cards with a red arrow. Can only be used ONCE per Generation. If two red arrows, choose 1 of the two actions to use. Same, Once per Generation. Basically, once a blue red arrow card has been used, it cant be used again. Place a player coloured cube on it to say you have used that card already. Take it off when starting a new generation.

Water Tiles. When placing a tile next to water tile that has been placed, you gain 2MC per water tile. This applies to placing water next to water too. You DONT get 2MC when placing water next to your tiles already placed

Project card to play requirements: when a card has xxMAX OXygen/Heat/Water you can only play it when there equal or less than that MAX requirement. If the card says 4%Oxygen, -16oc or 3 water, you can only play it when Oxygen is at 4% or MORE, or -16oc or MORE or only 3 or MORE water on the board.

When playing a card that says gain x, lose x place x etc and Place a XX resources on ANY card, you dont have to place any resource. If you dont own a card that has lets say, lets you place microbes on it and you get a card that says place microbes on any card, you dont have too. You could be kind and place it on a card belonging to another player, but thats just silly

You can play cards that raise Global requirements even when they are maxed out, BUT you don't gain any TR rating, as you have not actually performed any terraforming.


Probably more simple things that new players miss, If I remeber them Ill post or if you got any questions, just @ me

Also, a rule we overlooked until a few days ago, City tiles can be placed anywhere within restrictions, but Greenery tiles must be placed next to a tile you already own unless you cant, then you can place it anywhere within restrictions. We played adding city tiles next to other owned tiles since I got the game, only found out by a question on BBG and re-checked the rule book. Its a game changer lol.

 

[nands]

Thanks for the post @Droolinggimp!

We had figured most of that out but not sure what you mean by-

Oh and always draft the 4 projects cards at start of each Generation. Its in the rule book as a variant, but it is a standard addition to play the game.

 

[Droolinggimp]

Thanks for the post @Droolinggimp!

We had figured most of that out but not sure what you mean by-

Oh and always draft the 4 projects cards at start of each Generation. Its in the rule book as a variant, but it is a standard addition to play the game.

oh right yeah. Whne you draw 4 cards at the start of a generation, in the standard rules, you get to buy 0-4 of those cards and discard what you dont buy. With drafting, (its listed as a variant in the later pages of the rule book) you choose 1 card and pass the remaining 3 to the player to your right/left depending on if its even or odd numbered generation, you get 3 cards from the player to your right/left, you choose 1 and pass the remainign 2, repeat till you have 4 cards then you choose what ones you want to buy. This way you get to see more cards, keep cards that will help you or 'hate' draft by keeping cards you opponents want and you discard them.

We dont play without drafting anymore.

E: if you do play with corporate era cards and corporations, make sure you dont start with any production (MC, plant, energy heat etc) unless the corporation cards states other wise. It makes for a longer game but directs you to make a certain engine with your project cards,

 

[Rising]

E: if you do play with corporate era cards and corporations, make sure you dont start with any production (MC, plant, energy heat etc) unless the corporation cards states other wise. It makes for a longer game but directs you to make a certain engine with your project cards,

I would recommend the Prelude expansion. It gives some starting resources/benefits/tags and basically speeds the start of the game up.

Terraforming Mars: Prelude

Terraforming Mars: Prelude, FryxGames/Stronghold Games, 2018 — sample cards (image provided by the publisher)

boardgamegeek.com

 

[Droolinggimp]

I would recommend the Prelude expansion. It gives some starting resources/benefits/tags and basically speeds the start of the game up.

Terraforming Mars: Prelude

Terraforming Mars: Prelude, FryxGames/Stronghold Games, 2018 — sample cards (image provided by the publisher)

boardgamegeek.com

@nands I second this quoted post. Prelude is a great expansion for kickstarting the game.

 

[nands]

Thanks gang! It's a bit early for expansions but I'll look into it.

Second game played this afternoon and it flowed more smoothly.

 

[Droolinggimp]

Thanks gang! It's a bit early for expansions but I'll look into it.

Second game played this afternoon and it flowed more smoothly.

Prelude expansion is a must really. All it is, is a 5 new corps, a handful of project cards and the new preludes cards which 2 of 4 are chosen at the start of a game for each player, and played before anything else. They really help.

 

[HungryHippos]

TFM is my absolute fav board game, when my mini group gets together we always play it.

I like playing random corp rules, so you get given a corp and you have to play it. We took out a couple of crap ones though, and ecoline as it was too good, whoever got ecoline usually wound up winning. The only other rule we had here was if you get the same corp twice in a row you have to do another.

For anyone who doesn't have better boards, these are a big upgrade from the basic ones you get: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Smonex-Player-Boards-Compatible-Terraforming/dp/B081RZV1ZD

You can play cards that raise Global requirements even when they are maxed out, BUT you don't gain any TR rating, as you have not actually performed any terraforming.

Might be wrong but typically we don't allow playing of cards where you can't do the action, i.e. if you have a card that says place an ocean tile and raise TR one step, if there is no ocean tile left to play, you can't play the card. Similar to what you said, we'd also typically say you can't raise temp if temp is already maxed out.

 

[HungryHippos]

oh right yeah. Whne you draw 4 cards at the start of a generation, in the standard rules, you get to buy 0-4 of those cards and discard what you dont buy. With drafting, (its listed as a variant in the later pages of the rule book) you choose 1 card and pass the remaining 3 to the player to your right/left depending on if its even or odd numbered generation, you get 3 cards from the player to your right/left, you choose 1 and pass the remainign 2, repeat till you have 4 cards then you choose what ones you want to buy. This way you get to see more cards, keep cards that will help you or 'hate' draft by keeping cards you opponents want and you discard them.

We dont play without drafting anymore.

Personally found it extended the game too much, especially when people aren't 100% focused. We tend to stick with the draw 4 cards and you can buy 0 - 4 of them for 3M each.

 

[Droolinggimp]

Personally found it extended the game too much, especially when people aren't 100% focused. We tend to stick with the draw 4 cards and you can buy 0 - 4 of them for 3M each.

We found it knocked a chunk of time off the game,. You are getting cards you need or at least can make use off or better still, depriving cards for other players.

 

[HungryHippos]

We found it knocked a chunk of time off the game,. You are getting cards you need or at least can make use off or better still, depriving cards for other players.

With 4 of us we tried this it just took too long, everyone has to evaluate all of the new cards they just got, etc.

Maybe with only 2 this works better, but found quickest route to playing was not drafting here.

 

[Droolinggimp]

With 4 of us we tried this it just took too long, everyone has to evaluate all of the new cards they just got, etc.

Maybe with only 2 this works better, but found quickest route to playing was not drafting here.

I agree it takes that bit extra deciding what cards you want to keep but in my experience, you keep what you can make use of which makes the general game quicker. theres been games where I played without drafting and all 5 of us didnt keep any cards for a number of generations, maybe 1 card at most due to them not being any good for our engines/strategy. This extended the game a fair bit.

 

[Jay85]

Delete wrong thread!

 

[LostCorpse]

I like hte idea of Terraoring Mars, but the play length puts me off. I'll stick with TM:AE that still has plenty of replay calue for me :/

 

[nands]

After playing Terraforming Mars again and accidentally knocking the play mat we ended buying some layered player mats to stop the cubes shifting.