"Gaming Scenarios On Mars: A Virgin Or Terraformed Planet?" Topic

Which do YOU prefer for gaming?

1) Mars as it is now, with an unbreathable atmosphere and no UV protection, which means everyone wears EVA suits,
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or;

2) A Mars that has gone through a partial or full terraforming* process
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Dan
* And, if you think terraforming can be done quickly, think again:
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Depends on terrain and minis available.

Has to be a hostile environment to make it fun. If fully terraformed, just seems to be too Earth-like. Humans in space suits chased by Martian bugs/natives/hostile organization/ across rocky/sandy wastes until they reach a cave/mine/outpost, etc….--yummy and fun.

John Carter, Warlord of Mars never had any great trouble breathing.

Depends if you are doing Sci Fi or VSF I guess.

I'm with Martin, my Mars gaming involves four-armed Green Martians and the Black Pirates of Barsoom, so neither an airless nor a terraformed Mars, but an alternate-reality Mars…

Depends on which Mars it is. There's potential for many varieties. The real Mars is probably slightly harder to game simply because there are so few spacesuited figs on the market, although I suppose many power armor types would do instead. I did some "real moon" gaming ten years back and enjoyed it – and real Mars wouldn't be quite as lethal, since a suit penetration wouldn't be deadly quite as quickly.

Mars, as it is now.

Actually, RAFM has a very nice selection of space-suited minis, as do GZG. Rebel also has their Earth Force Marines, so you can do 3 – 4 factions (Light and Heavy GZG spacesuits), if desired, without resorting to Power Armor.

I would like to see more spacesuited poses from GZG, but they have a decent number of figs.

The others have a slightly larger number of them, so you really don't need many duplicates in your squad forces.

The moon Callisto, and some of the others in the solar system might be fun to game on. Callisto apparently has a thin CO2 and O2 atmosphere, so a lighter spacesuit could apparently be worn there.

I've always played the 'alternate' Mars, usually presuming an older Martian civilization(s) either decayed/decaying or having evolved an alternate technological approach. In either case, the planet is drier, bleaker and more of a high desert type with some free water.

Would probably prefer at least a partiallly terreformed Mars – not a big fan of gaming in space suits

I would be happy either way:

Human vs really alien in our future would give red sand, very strange fauna and exotic gases to cope with while for a VSF setting I would go with red sand / fauna but human breathable gases.

Odd thing is that I do not see any clash between the two and would never see them mixing.

Andrew
blog.kings-sleep.me.uk
2mmwars.blogspot.com

I'd also go for Alternate Mars (say Mars 10 million years ago, when it had some air, some water, and cool four-armed aliens).

Otherwise, I'd have to go with the Mars teraformed the way it was described in Red Mars, Green Mars, Blue Mars. It was still a Martian surface, but with a thin (but breathable)atmosphere and a variety of plants scattered around.

Here is something interesting I stumbled on a few years ago… looks like the rules never got off the ground, but I could see "realistic" space combat on the moon or mars being very difficult.

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Of course there is also the Soviet space gun:
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Personally, I go ERB all the way for my Mars.

Wow. Very cool, Patrick!

Guys, you might enjoy what starts at 1:50 in this clip:

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And at 5:55 on this clip:

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And SPECIALLY at 2:10 here:

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Dan

not a big fan of gaming in space suits

It is pretty hard to handle the minis and roll the dice with those gloves on!

And then you're getting Cheeto dust all over the visor….

For speculative political maps of a Terraformed Mars:

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Dan

I'm inclined to go with gaming Mars as it is now, in fact I'm in the process of slapping together a quick-n-easy Martian battleboard(I'll be posting a "how-to" article with photos on FIREBASE 15mike-mike soon).

Spartan 117

I liked the setting for Ghosts of Mars (the movie). The planet is partially terraformed and it had a Wild West rugged feel to it. Small towns linked by trains and aircraft if the weather permitted was rather cool and perfect for skirmish gaming. I really thought about using it as a back drop for all my scifi games and wish I had. Instead I have been investing in winter terrain and painting miniatures for it. Some day I will showcase what I have done when it is presentable… I am like you Dan too many good ideas only you are more productive!

Depends on which Mars it is. There's potential for many varieties. The real Mars is probably slightly harder to game simply because there are so few spacesuited figs on the market, although I suppose many power armor types would do instead. I did some "real moon" gaming ten years back and enjoyed it – and real Mars wouldn't be quite as lethal, since a suit penetration wouldn't be deadly quite as quickly.

Depends if you're wearing skintights or the pressurised gasbags we wear now. Mars is also easier to walk; 1/6 gee is just below the threshold for being able to balance correctly.

I think Mars would probably be terraformed in chunks, in domed colonies and then roofed-over craters and the like. So some scope for action in both settings.