Automa | Notion

This is an implementation of the solo variant created by Benjamin Schmauss (BGG: Inconmon) at https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3047985/2023-solomode-tfm-alternative-solo-mode-supports-a, playable on the community server.

Rules Reference:

SoloMode_v003_A4.pdf

Introduction

In this variant, the player has fewer rounds to terraform Mars (9 rounds by default), but the number of steps for the global parameters is approximately halved, and the bot also helps to do some terraforming by taking actions based on the tags on revealed cards. The player wins if Mars is fully terraformed AND they manage to beat the bot’s score.

Gameplay Changes

Milestones are included in the game. Claiming a milestone is free. At game end, the bot claims and scores all unclaimed milestones. Vitor’s first action is modified to claim a milestone instead of funding an award.
Drafting: The player will have the option to buy up to 1 of 3 cards. This process is repeated 4 times during each generation’s Research phase.
Corporation effects that trigger when your opponent plays a tag (e.g. Saturn Systems) resolve whenever the bot takes an action based on such a tag.
Cards that count the number of tags (or events) your opponent’s played use the follow- ing number: Number of Generations / 2 + 1 (rounded up).
The number of oceans required to terraform Mars is reduced from 9 to 6. For all other global parameters, some spots are blocked and will be skipped when raising that parameter, as though they do not exist.
1 ocean starts in play on the board covering the highest value placement spot. A neutral greenery is also placed on the board at the start of the game, instead of 2 neutral greeneries and 2 neutral cities.
The player starts with 20 TR instead of 14 TR.

Expansion / Variant Modifiers

63 TR	The player no longer needs to terraform Mars to win the game. Instead, they need to hit 63 TR and also beat the bot’s score.
Venus Next	Venus must be terraformed to win the game. 2, 6, 10, 14, 18, 22, 26, and 28% Venus spots are blocked. An additional milestone is included.
Prelude	The bot starts the game with +5 TR. The game lasts 1 generation less.
Colonies	The bot starts the game with +3 TR. At the start of each generation, the bot trades with the colony tile with the highest colony track position.
Turmoil	N.A. Not supported yet.
Ares Extreme	The game lasts 1 generation more.
The Moon	The game lasts 2 generations more if not using the 63 TR solo variant. All Moon tracks must be terraformed to win the game. Each Moon track has its 1, 3, 5 and 7 spots blocked.

Bot Turn

The bot takes its turn after the player has passed for the generation. It will take a number of actions equal to half the generation number, rounded up. The bot performs actions by revealing and discarding cards from the deck one at a time, and resolving each tag until it has taken all its actions for the generation. If the bot attempts an action that is impossible (e.g. placing an ocean after oceans are maxed), it gains 1 TR instead.

The bot actions based on tags are as follows:

Science / Power tag	Raise temperature 1 step
Animal / Plant / Microbe tag	Place a greenery tile and raise oxygen 1 step (if not maxed)
Earth tag	Place an ocean tile
Space / City tag	Place a city tile
Building tag	Gain 1 TR
Venus tag	Raise Venus 1 step
Event / Jovian / Wild tag	Perform the bot corporation’s action
Moon tag	Raise the lowest Moon rate 1 step (tiebreaker: Colony, Logistics, Mining)