Mission Red Planet

Mission Red Planet is a game for 2-6 players designed by Bruno Faidutti and Bruno Cathala and published by Fantasy Flight Games.

The GM requires a copy of the game to run postally, and there is a F2F rules summary for the benefit of the players.

These postal rules prepared for Variable Pig 2016.

Postal Play

The game takes place over 10 turns, although additional turns may be required for the three production rounds.

The GM randomly determines the initial start player and draws the initial ships from the deck (one ship per player).

At gamestart each player is sent two mission cards from which he much choose one to keep.

Orders for each round are a choice of character and orders (including provisional orders) for the actions associated with each character.

Charaters are played in "countdown" order, starting with no. 9 (Recruiter). If two or more players play the same character, then the start player or closest to the left (top to bottom postally) of the start player will go first, then the next and so on

The GM then resolves their effects (there may also be some effects carried forward to next turn, for example when a Discovery card is drawn the details are sent privately to the player who must place it as part of his next turn's orders).

Start player moves to the person playing the lowest character card as per the F2F rules. Details of the ships and planet sectors are reported (see example turn report).

Character Descriptions

9. Recruiter: Place 1 astronaut in a docked ship AND return all your character cards to your hand. (Note that you will have to play this at least once in the game).

8. Explorer: Place 1 astronaut in a docked ship AND make up to 3 moves on Mars with your astronauts.

7. Scientist: Place a total of 2 astronauts in 1 or 2 docked ships AND draw either 1 event card or look at 1 discovery card in play.

6. Secret Agent: Place a total of 2 astronauts in 2 different docked ships AND force one ship that is not yet full to launch.

5. Saboteur: Place 1 astronaut in a docked ship AND destroy 1 docked ship.

4. Femme Fatale: Place 1 astronaut in a docked ship AND, in one zone where you have at least one Astronaut, replace 1 opponent's Astronaut with one of your own astronauts.

3. Travel Agent: Place 3 astronauts in the SAME docked ship. If there is not at least one docked ship with room for 3 astronauts, ignore this effect.

2. Soldier: Place 1 astronaut in a docked ship AND kill 1 astronaut on Phobos or an outer zone of Mars AND move up to 3 of your astronauts from Phobos to any zone(s) on Mars.

1. Pilot: Place a total of 2 astronauts in one or two docked ships AND place a destination token on 1 ship (either launched or docked)

Sample Turn Report

The Countdown

9 – No recruiters are played.

8 – No explorers are played.

7 – Richard and John play Scientists. Richard places 2 astronauts on the Syrtis Major Ship that then launches, and draws and event card. John places 2 astronauts on the ship bound for Mare Tyrrhenum and draws an event card.

6 – Andy plays a Secret Agent; he places one on the Mare Tyrrhenum ship,that is full and launches and the other in the Phobos ship. The Secret Agent then forces the Phobos ship to launch.

5 – No Saboteurs are played

4 – No Femme Fatales are played

3 – Nobody is brave (stupid?) enough to play a Travel Agent in the first turn

2 – No Soldiers are played.

1 – Brad plays a Pilot and has to play his 2 astronauts onto the one remaining ship and chooses Hellas as it’s destination.

Ships Launch

The three ships launched in the first phase all land safely, depositing Andy’s one and John’s two astronauts on Mare Tyrrhenum where they discover Sylvanite. Andy’s other astronaut lands on Phobos and finds Celerium. Finally, Richard’s two astronauts land on Syrtis and discover Celerium. The Hellas ship is not full so does not launch. Three more ships are added – Sinus Sabeus (2), Hellas (4) and Valles Marineris (4).

Please send orders for your second character placement next turn – Brad is still first player should players play the same card. John and Richard will place their event cards before next turn starts – players may make their orders conditional upon where these are placed if they wish. The four ships available are going to Hellas (5 – contain 2 of Brad’s astronauts), Sinus Sabeus (2), Hellas (4) and Valles Marineris (4). Please remember to include details of all the characters' actions – Andy did not specify which ship the Secret Agent would launch, so I chose the Phobos ship for him.

Syrtis Major and Valles Marineris are inland zones on Mars and not affected by the Soldier or Event Cards

Charatcter Cards

Map

A4 size map here