Terraforming Mars - Milestones and Awards
🐸 Dettagli da BoardGameGeek
Consiglio BGG sul numero di giocatori
Categorie
Meccaniche
Design & Art
Lingua
Pre-order - leggi i dettagli
🐸 Una rana saggia sa quando dividere l’ordine… e quando aspettare il salto giusto.
Pairs well with
FroGames — Moments You'll Remember
Every game with the same Milestones becomes predictable. Every game with a random setup becomes a new challenge. This box changes everything without changing a single rule.
WHAT IT IS ABOUT
The setup Terraforming Mars deserved from day one
Jacob Fryxelius designed Terraforming Mars with 5 fixed Milestones and 5 fixed Awards. After hundreds of games, that setup becomes automatic: you already know what matters, which strategies pay off, where to focus. This expansion breaks that predictability with an elegant system: randomization or complete customization of the initial setup.
It doesn't add mechanics. It doesn't introduce new components. It brings order to the chaos of previous expansions and gives you a complete index of all Milestones and Awards ever published, with clear explanations and combination suggestions. You draw randomly at the beginning or build the perfect setup for the evening. The game remains identical, but each game rewards different strategies.
What they say abroad
It's not an expansion that adds content. It's an expansion that unlocks the content you already own.
— FroGames
After 50 games with the same Milestones, this box makes you rediscover Terraforming Mars.
— FroGames
Terraforming Mars - Milestones and Awards
Terraforming Mars' solo mode works perfectly with a randomized setup: the drawn Milestones and Awards change the objectives to be achieved against time (TR 63 in 14 generations). The experience remains complete, even if it loses the tension of competing for Awards against human opponents.
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on rules, international reviews, and game sessionsWhat's inside
A system to free Terraforming Mars from repetition
Random setup
Draw 5 Milestones and 5 Awards at the beginning of the game. Each combination rewards different strategies: oxygen + heat production in one game, cities + science tags in the next. The game you know becomes unpredictable.
Customized setup
Build the ideal setup for the evening: aggressive Milestones for quick games, complex Awards for veterans, balanced combinations for new players. The index guides your choices.
Complete index
All Milestones and Awards ever published in a single reference: base game, Prelude, Venus, Colonies, Turmoil. With clear explanations, examples, and combination suggestions.
Total compatibility
Works with any combination of Terraforming Mars expansions. No changes to existing rules, no incompatible components. It just integrates.
In a few weeks, you'll have forgotten how you used to play with the same five Milestones. It always happens with well-made modular setups.
A game in five moments
What changes at the table with randomized setup
Not the rules. The mental approach.
Setup becomes part of the game
Before starting, draw 5 random Milestones and 5 random Awards. Everyone reads the conditions. Some laugh, some curse. That Milestone on Jovian favors those with the right cards, that Award on enclosed cities flips the map. The game starts here, not on the first turn.
Optimal strategies no longer exist
In a normal game, you already know what to do: rush Terraformer, accumulate cards for Planner. Now you have to adapt your strategy to the drawn setup. If the Awards reward Microbe tags and adjacent cities, that heat production engine is useless. You rethink everything.
Milestones become traps
Mid-game, you realize everyone is aiming for the same Milestone. Three players with 7 Science tags, but only one will get it. You change course, aiming for a less contested Award. Or not: you raise the stakes and hope to be faster. Each setup creates different tensions.
Awards shift map priorities
With standard Awards (Landlord, Banker), the map is secondary. With Awards for isolated cities or specific areas, every placement is a declaration of war. Someone blocks the green zone, someone expands towards the poles. The board matters again.
Endgame with surprises
The winner is the one who built around the setup, not the one who executed the perfect, memorized strategy. Someone has dominated unthinkable Awards, someone has given up competitive Milestones to focus on sure points. The next game will be completely different.
How to use
The setup in three steps
It doesn't change the flow of Terraforming Mars. It only changes how Milestones and Awards are prepared.
Random (blind draw from full deck) or custom (manually select the 5+5 you want to use). Or semi-random: draw 10 Milestones and 10 Awards, choose 5+5 from those.
Everyone reads the active Milestones and Awards for this game. The index provides immediate explanations if any condition is unclear (e.g., does an Award for 'adjacent tiles' include oceans or not?).
From here on, it's identical to the game you know. Generations, actions, production. Only this time, the Milestones and Awards reward strategies you had never considered before.
Why it's different from other expansions
Six reasons why this box changes Terraforming Mars
Smart randomization
It's not pure chaos. The system automatically balances Milestones and Awards to avoid broken setups or those dominated by a single strategy. Variability without imbalance.
Comprehensive index at last
Terraforming Mars has accumulated dozens of Milestones and Awards scattered across 5+ expansions. This box catalogs them all, with unified text and cross-references. No more searching through boxes.
Zero rule overhead
Open the box, draw the cards, start. You don't read a new rulebook, you don't add phases to the turn, you don't modify components. Literal plug and play.
Setups built for specific scenarios
The index suggests thematic combinations: 'space race' setup (Milestones on Jovian/Space tags), 'board war' setup (Awards on adjacent cities and greenery), 'pure engine' setup (Milestones on production). You create the game you want.
Total backward compatibility
Works with base game, with Prelude, with Venus Next, Colonies, Turmoil, Ares Expedition. You can randomize only base Milestones or include everything. You decide the level of chaos.
Exponential replayability
With 25+ Milestones and 25+ Awards in the pool, the possible combinations exceed thousands. Even playing TM once a week, you'll take years to see the same setup twice.
How victory changes
Victory conditions and new traps
Terraforming Mars is always won the same way (total points at the end of the game), but this expansion changes WHERE you accumulate those points.
How to win
- By adapting strategy to setup: if Awards reward Science tags and isolated cities, build around that instead of repeating the standard strategy
- By conquering less contested Milestones: everyone aims for Terraformer, you take Diversifier and save 8 M€ on the rush
- By dominating an ignored Award: investing in Jovian Tags when no one else does guarantees 5 free points at the end of the game
How to lose
- By ignoring the setup: you play your favorite strategy even if Milestones and Awards reward the opposite
- By competing for saturated Milestones: four players rush Builder, no one gets it, you burned resources for nothing
- By not reading the conditions carefully: you realize at the end of the game that that Award only counted cities NOT adjacent to oceans and you placed everything wrong
If you love Terraforming Mars but games have become too predictable, this box is the reset you need. Infinite replayability without adding a single rule.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ on Terraforming Mars - Milestones and Awards
Do I need to own the base game of Terraforming Mars?
Yes, it's mandatory. This is a modular expansion that only replaces the initial setup of Milestones and Awards. It does not include components to play standalone. Compatible with any edition of Terraforming Mars.
Does it work with other expansions (Prelude, Venus, Colonies)?
Absolutely yes. The index includes Milestones and Awards from all published expansions. You can choose to randomize only those from the base game or mix everything. No rule conflicts, it integrates perfectly.
Can the random setup create unbalanced combinations?
The system is designed to prevent this: the included Milestones and Awards are balanced and tested. Rarely does a random combination overly favor one strategy. If it happens, just redraw (the rules allow for this).
Is it worth it if I only play TM occasionally?
It depends. If you play 3-4 games a year, the standard setup is still enough. If you play once a month or more, after 15-20 games the game becomes repetitive: this expansion is the most economical way to double replayability without learning new rules.
Is the edition for sale in Italian?
Yes, this is the complete Italian edition published by Ghenos Games. All Milestone and Awards cards, the index, and the rulebook are translated. Compatible with any Italian edition of Terraforming Mars.
Terraforming Mars - Milestones and Awards is a modular expansion for 2-5 players that introduces randomized or custom Milestones and Awards setups. Designed by Jacob Fryxelius and published by Ghenos Games, this expansion does not add new mechanics but unlocks exponential replayability by allowing objectives and strategic priorities to vary in each game. It includes a complete index of all Milestones and Awards published in Terraforming Mars expansions (base, Prelude, Venus Next, Colonies, Turmoil) with detailed explanations and combination suggestions. Compatible with all editions and game modes, including solo. Available on FroGames.it.
Frequently Asked Questions
The answers you're looking for, no beating around the bush.
📸Do the images match the actual product?
The photos on the website often come from BoardGameGeek and are intended to give you an idea of the game. They may vary slightly from the version you receive. The content declared by the publisher is always binding.
📦Does the content of the box match what is indicated?
We always strive to provide the correct content, but minor variations are possible due to reprints or updates. The information comes directly from the publishers. If you have any questions, please contact us!
⏳How do pre-orders work?
Pre-order the game before release, payment is immediate, and the game is reserved for you. As soon as it arrives, we'll ship it right away! If there are any delays, we'll update you promptly.
🔒Can I trust buying here?
Absolutely! Secure payments, tracked shipments, and a team that loves board games as much as you do. If something goes wrong, we'll do our best to fix it.
🛠There's a problem with my order, what should I do?
Write to us now! Whether it's a missing part, damage, or an error, we'll help you resolve it as soon as possible. Your experience truly matters to us.