Terraforming Mars - Automa
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Meccaniche
Design & Art
Lingua
Pairs well with
Expansion only — requires Terraforming Mars (base game) to play. Not a standalone game.
FroGames — Moments You'll Remember
On Mars, there's no room for slowpokes. MarsBot doesn't wait, doesn't make mistakes, doesn't forgive.
What it's about
An artificial opponent that brings Terraforming Mars to its full solo potential
Terraforming Mars' base solo game was a race against time: 14 generations to terraform the planet, without a true opponent. It worked, but something was missing. With Automa, designed by Nick Shaw and Dávid Turczi and distributed in Italy by Ghenos Games, that void is filled.
MarsBot is an artificial corporation that plays against you following algorithms and a dedicated deck of cards. It places cities and forests, accumulates victory points, and scales global parameters. It's not just a simple variant — it's a real opponent, with a physical presence on the board, its own corporation, and four difficulty levels ranging from Easy to Brutal.
The expansion is compatible with all existing Terraforming Mars expansions. Whether you want to add Prelude to speed up the game or explore Venus Next, MarsBot adapts without disrupting anything.
The FroGames Editorial
MarsBot doesn't bluff, doesn't tire, doesn't take breaks. It challenges you with the same relentless logic every generation — and that makes it the ideal sparring partner for those who truly want to improve.
The secret of Automa in one line
For the first time, Terraforming Mars allows you to experience the tension of "who gets there first" even when you're alone. That feeling of chasing someone — without anyone actually being there.
From the game experience
Terraforming Mars: Automa
Designed entirely for the single player. The MarsBot AI reconstructs the competitive pressure of multiplayer with 4 difficulty levels and full compatibility with all expansions.
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on rules, international reviews, and play sessionsWhat MarsBot does
The tools of the artificial opponent
Four mechanisms that transform a simulation into a true competitive challenge.
46 MarsBot corporations
MarsBot chooses a corporation at the start of the game. Each corporation has unique continuous effects that radically change the game.
31 Bonus cards
Every generation MarsBot draws 3 project cards and 1 bonus card, performing actions that emulate those of a human player — including placement.
Neural Instance Tile
A physical token represents MarsBot's presence on Mars. Its placement generates victory points and creates new strategic considerations for you.
4 difficulty levels
From Easy to Brutal. Normal level is already a good challenge for experienced players — Brutal is designed for those who truly want to test their strategy.
Terraforming Mars has been waiting for this moment for years. Now Mars is ready to test you alone.
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Components12 types · 85 cards + materials
A five-act game
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
Setup: you and MarsBot, the faceless opponent
You weigh your starting corporation, choose the difficulty level. Then you draw MarsBot's corporation — and you already understand how it will behave. You begin to build your strategy keeping in mind who you're up against. It's no longer a solitaire. It's a challenge.
The first generations: who terraforms faster?
Each generation MarsBot draws its cards and acts. It places forests. It raises the temperature. It scales the oxygen level. You feel the pressure build as every step MarsBot takes is a victory point slipping away. You begin to understand that on Mars there's no such thing as "playing slowly."
The Neural Instance: MarsBot marks its territory
The marker moves. MarsBot occupies areas you wanted for yourself. You have to change your plan — you can't place that city there anymore, that forest is worth less now. The AI doesn't think like you, but the result is the same: it forces you to play differently.
The countdown: victory points or terraforming?
The game is nearing its end. You take stock: are you ahead on victory points, or has MarsBot silently accumulated an advantage with its cards? The final generations are where every card played, every milestone reached, every tile placed can decide everything.
Final score: who won on Mars?
Terraforming completed. You count the points — yours and MarsBot's. If you won, you already know you want to increase the difficulty. If you lost, you understand exactly where you went wrong. In both cases, you want to start over. This is the sign of a good solo game.
How MarsBot works
The flow of each generation with Automa
Four repeating phases. You play, MarsBot responds. The pace is like multiplayer.
You and MarsBot both draw four cards. MarsBot receives three project cards and one bonus card. If you enable drafting, the AI also participates in the selection — making your choices even more competitive.
MarsBot performs its actions based on the tags of the cards drawn. Each action corresponds to something a human player would do: raise global parameters, place tiles, accumulate victory points.
You play normally, with all the mechanics of the base game and active expansions — milestones, awards, colonies, Venus. Nothing is removed from your turn to accommodate the AI.
At the end of the generation, the production of both is calculated. MarsBot scales its trackers. Keep an eye on the victory point gap — what you see now is the gap you need to close.
Why it's different from the base solo game
Six reasons why Automa changes everything
A real opponent, not a timer
The base solo game of TM is a race against time. Automa is a challenge against an entity that accumulates points, occupies space, and scales parameters. The pressure is different — it's personal.
Milestones and awards matter again
In the base solo game, milestones were often irrelevant. With MarsBot, you have to claim them before the AI does — or accept that they count for both of you. Every objective becomes a race.
Four difficulty levels
From Easy for learning to Brutal for those who truly want to be tested. You can grow with the game without ever feeling bored or overwhelmed.
Compatible with all expansions
Prelude, Colonies, Venus Next, Turmoil, Amazonis & Vastitas. MarsBot adapts to any combination of expansions you have on the table without requiring separate rules.
46 corporations for MarsBot
Each game MarsBot has a different corporation with unique effects. This means no session feels the same — and you learn to read your opponent even before you start.
The physical presence of the AI on the board
The Neural Instance Tile is not just a marker — it's a statement. MarsBot exists on Mars, occupies space, generates points. The game doesn't just happen in the cards but also on the map.
How it ends
Victory and defeat on Mars
The game ends when all global parameters have been met. At that point, victory points are counted — yours and MarsBot's.
Victory
- You have more victory points than MarsBot at the end of the game
- You contributed to terraforming at least as much as your rating required
- You achieved objectives and milestones before MarsBot asserted itself
Defeat
- MarsBot accumulated more victory points through tiles, cards, and global contributions
- You let the AI occupy key strategic positions
- But you understand exactly why you lost — and how to do it differently
Terraforming Mars: Automa is the expansion that transforms one of the best eurogames ever into a complete solo experience. Finally, Mars awaits you, even alone.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Terraforming Mars: Automa
Is Automa better than the base Terraforming Mars solo game?
For most players, yes. The base solo game reduces the experience to a race against time with many mechanics cut out — milestones, awards, and victory point cards lose their meaning. Automa reintroduces all the competitive tension of multiplayer: you have a true opponent that accumulates points, occupies the board, and adapts to expansions. The difference is substantial.
Do I need the base Terraforming Mars game to use it?
Yes, it's mandatory. Terraforming Mars: Automa is an expansion that cannot be played standalone — it requires the base Terraforming Mars game. It does not include the Mars board, standard project cards, resources, or corporations from the base game.
Is it compatible with all Terraforming Mars expansions?
Yes. Automa is designed to work with Prelude, Colonies, Venus Next, Turmoil, Amazonis & Vastitas, and other expansions in the line. The box already includes the Colonies and Venus Next boards for MarsBot, so integration is immediate without additional purchases.
How difficult is it to manage MarsBot during the game?
Managing MarsBot is simpler than it seems. Each generation follows a fixed sequence: cards are drawn, tags are read, corresponding actions are performed. With the reference sheets included in the box, after 2-3 generations the flow becomes automatic and does not slow down the game.
What are the difficulty levels and how do they work?
There are four: Easy, Normal, Hard, and Brutal. The main difference is how many actions MarsBot performs each generation and how aggressively it scales global parameters. The Normal level is already a real challenge for experienced TM players. Brutal is designed for sessions where you truly want to test the limits of your strategy.
Is it available in Italian?
Yes. This is the Italian edition distributed by Ghenos Games. Rulebooks, cards, and all materials are entirely in Italian — you can play without any language barriers.
Terraforming Mars: Automa is a solo expansion for the Terraforming Mars board game, designed for 1 player (ages 14+, duration 60–120 min). Designed by Nick Shaw and Dávid Turczi, published by Stronghold Games and distributed in Italy by Ghenos Games. It introduces MarsBot, an artificial opponent that simulates the behavior of a human corporation through 46 corporation cards and 32 bonus cards. Mechanics: resource management, tile placement, engine building in competitive solo mode. Includes Neural Instance Tile, triple-layered track, and compatibility with all Terraforming Mars line expansions: Prelude, Colonies, Venus Next, Turmoil. Four difficulty levels: Easy, Normal, Hard, Brutal. Italian edition. Available on FroGames.it.
Terraforming Mars - Automa
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