Board Game Arena

Hi everyone,

I’d love to get some advice on how to prepare for an in-store Terraforming Mars tournament.

I mostly play on BGA, mainly in ranked mode, so usually 1v1 with draft and Prelude, but I’ve actually played very little irl.

The tournament will use the following rules:
Base game, including Corporate Era
Prelude expansion
Drafting during research phases
3 to 5 players per table depending on attendance
Games limited to 2 hours maximum

So,

What kind of meta should I expect at 4 or 5 players compared with ranked 2 player games?

What advice would you give to prepare well for playing irl ?

What do you think about the 2 hour time limit?

It feels pretty short to me.

Thanks for your feedback!

Hopefully you won't be sat at a 5p table—this format is horrendous for tournaments. Pure luckfest if you ask me.

Expect a shorter game, by approx. 1 gen per additional player. Ergo: Milestones become more important, and awards now have a second place so you only gain 3 VP towards a specific opponent. Also expect varying player strength at the table so account for newbie plays.

GIA Deimo win you games in 5p.

Some advice on 4p: take fewer risks (don’t buy excess cards). Especially in the opener (corps/preludes played gen1 might steer the game into a path you weren’t expecting). I don’t think milestones are more important. To an extent — yes (the game is shorter and usually ends gen8). But they also work in a different way: loss that comes from not claiming one is relative only to the player who does so (contrary to 2p). This means there are times you shouldn’t prolong your development to stretch out for a milestone that will otherwise be claimed by the player you’re not competing against (sometimes weigh vs. gain; not vs. gain & loss).

xspuipuke wrote: ↑18 June 2026, 14:55 Also expect varying player strength at the table so account for newbie plays.

Well said.

I think MS is super important in higher players count games. Awards can get you free points from others, while MS takes points from the whole table. Then you account the faster tempo, mathematically speaking there are just no cards more efficient than MS in that sense. Get your milestones, and play less cards.

Lytical wrote: ↑18 June 2026, 20:21 I think MS is super important in higher players count games. Awards can get you free points from others, while MS takes points from the whole table. Then you account the faster tempo, mathematically speaking there are just no cards more efficient than MS in that sense. Get your milestones, and play less cards.

Whole-heartedly agree.

If you have a clear (and decent) path to do so — take it and don’t look back. I was trying to shed some light on a more in-depth mechanic.

In 2 or even 3p high elo games you can turn MS easily, but for 5p tournament securing an unnatural MS often worth the risk, there are too important for securing your 2nd and higher placing. 5p games are wild and can finish in a hurry, get the sure things.

I dont know your skill level, but if you are not so confident, in extreme side of my point, if you draw credicor, buy no cards sp greenery and cities for 2 quick MS on tharsis can win you an easy 5p games. It works.

Almost no chance you can finish under 2 hours especially with drafting in a 3-5p game.

2 hour limit?? what happens after 2 hours when the game is still in progress?