Mars

Basic Information

Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System. Often called the "Red Planet" due to its reddish appearance caused by iron oxide on its surface. Mars is a primary target for human colonization in the game, with 25 habitation sites available.

Gallery

HemisphereProjectionHab surfacePhoto

Additional Information

Exploration Tech

The Global Technology Mission to Mars is required research to enable sending probes to this planetary system.

Mission to Mars

Scientists study exploration and colonization of the red planet.

---

"It takes so very little for one tribe of humanity to look upon a second tribe as The Other. Think of what will happen once hundreds of millions of kilometers lie between us."

Chancellor Li Qingzhao, the Academy

"Distributed Humanity"

Though it is scarcely an appealing home, there is no better prospect within our solar system for eventual colonization than our crimson neighbor, Mars. It lacks a breathable atmosphere, the radiation risk from both galactic cosmic rays and solar energetic particles is extreme, the soil is flooded with toxins, and the low gravity will weaken both bones and muscles and cause cardiovascular problems. Then there is the cold, and the minimal supply of water... And with travel each way also taking months, at least until such time as we have made profound progress in spaceflight technology, only the bravest and hardiest pioneers would dare take this chance. Yet if humanity is ever to explore the stars, or settle on further-out planets, or to trace our alien visitors to their own homeworld, there is simply no choice other than Mars. In terms of temperature, sunlight, and simple proximity, no other planet in our system comes close. Our scientists are now confident that the settling of a limited number of highly-trained personnel will be possible, thanks to a combination of highly complex life-support systems and certain cyanobacteria capable of photosynthesis even on Mars' hostile surface. The latter, grown at sufficient scale, can generate both food and oxygen locally, and allow the propagation of more complex organisms. It is from these starting blocks that long-term life on Mars will begin.

–Allows sending probes to Mars and inner-system asteroids and the construction of habitats at those locations
–Allows exploration and construction at the Sun-Earth Lagrange Points and asteroids in the Earth orbital region
–The number of habitat mining modules we can support without paying a Mission Control cost increases by 6
–Factions that contributed more to this tech will complete scans of the space body faster

Mining Sites

Notes:

• Negative values are not a bug, the game actually sets the median to a negative value to make it incredibly unlikely for the site to have a positive mine output. But note that the actual mined amount cannot actually be negative.
• Blank values indicate that the site can never produce this resource. In contrast, 0 indicates that there is still up to 50% chance for the site to produce the resource.
• Values shown do not take into account the final capping of the Noble Metals output to just 1/2 or 1/3 of the Base Metals output.
• Top 50% Mean is the average value of the top 50% of possible rolls. It is also a much looser estimate than the median because it cannot handle edge cases such as where the mininum value is too close to the median value.

MedianTop 50% Mean

Site Name	Parent Body	Mining Profile	Max Hab Tier	Median Resources (after Mass/Density Modifiers)
Schiaparelli Crater	Mars	Martian Lowlands	4	10	15	30	5	0
Terra Sabaea	Mars	Martian	4	20	20	20	0	0
Argyre Planitia	Mars	Martian South Polar	4	50	20	10	0	0
Noctis Labyrinthus	Mars	Martian Lowlands	4	10	15	30	5	0
Xanthe Terra	Mars	Martian	4	20	20	20	0	0
Daedalia Planum	Mars	Martian	4	20	20	20	0	0
Tempe Terra	Mars	Martian	4	20	20	20	0	0
Scylla Scopulus	Mars	Martian	4	20	20	20	0	0
Olympus Mons	Mars	Martian Volcanic	4	10	25	40	15	0
Aonia Terra	Mars	Martian South Polar	4	50	20	10	0	0
Arcadia Planitia	Mars	Martian North Polar	4	50	20	10	0	0.2
Tyrrhena Terra	Mars	Martian	4	20	20	20	0	0
Terra Sirenum	Mars	Martian	4	20	20	20	0	0
Noachis Terra	Mars	Martian	4	20	20	20	0	0
Arabia Terra	Mars	Martian	4	20	20	20	0	0
Hellas Planitia	Mars	Martian	4	20	20	20	0	0
Promethei Terra	Mars	Martian South Polar	4	50	20	10	0	0
Utopia Planitia	Mars	Martian North Polar	4	50	20	10	0	0.2
Valles Marineris	Mars	Martian	4	20	20	20	0	0
Tantalus Fossae	Mars	Martian North Polar	4	50	20	10	0	0.2
Isidis Planitia	Mars	Martian	4	20	20	20	0	0
Elysium Planitia	Mars	Martian	4	20	20	20	0	0
Acidalia Planitia	Mars	Martian North Polar	4	50	20	10	0	0.2
Ares Valles	Mars	Martian Lowlands	4	10	15	30	5	0
Tharsis Montes	Mars	Martian Volcanic	4	10	25	40	15	0
Total: 25 Hab Sites				660	495	500	45	0.8

Site Name	Parent Body	Mining Profile	Max Hab Tier	Estimated Top 50% Mean Resources (after Mass/Density Modifiers)
Schiaparelli Crater	Mars	Martian Lowlands	4	11.25	17.5	40	6.111	0.429
Terra Sabaea	Mars	Martian	4	20.556	22.5	33.333	2.5	0.536
Argyre Planitia	Mars	Martian South Polar	4	52.5	22.5	12.5	0.556	0.429
Noctis Labyrinthus	Mars	Martian Lowlands	4	11.25	17.5	40	6.111	0.429
Xanthe Terra	Mars	Martian	4	20.556	22.5	33.333	2.5	0.536
Daedalia Planum	Mars	Martian	4	20.556	22.5	33.333	2.5	0.536
Tempe Terra	Mars	Martian	4	20.556	22.5	33.333	2.5	0.536
Scylla Scopulus	Mars	Martian	4	20.556	22.5	33.333	2.5	0.536
Olympus Mons	Mars	Martian Volcanic	4	10.556	27.5	46.429	17.5	0.429
Aonia Terra	Mars	Martian South Polar	4	52.5	22.5	12.5	0.556	0.429
Arcadia Planitia	Mars	Martian North Polar	4	52.5	22.5	12.5	0.556	1.057
Tyrrhena Terra	Mars	Martian	4	20.556	22.5	33.333	2.5	0.536
Terra Sirenum	Mars	Martian	4	20.556	22.5	33.333	2.5	0.536
Noachis Terra	Mars	Martian	4	20.556	22.5	33.333	2.5	0.536
Arabia Terra	Mars	Martian	4	20.556	22.5	33.333	2.5	0.536
Hellas Planitia	Mars	Martian	4	20.556	22.5	33.333	2.5	0.536
Promethei Terra	Mars	Martian South Polar	4	52.5	22.5	12.5	0.556	0.429
Utopia Planitia	Mars	Martian North Polar	4	52.5	22.5	12.5	0.556	1.057
Valles Marineris	Mars	Martian	4	20.556	22.5	33.333	2.5	0.536
Tantalus Fossae	Mars	Martian North Polar	4	52.5	22.5	12.5	0.556	1.057
Isidis Planitia	Mars	Martian	4	20.556	22.5	33.333	2.5	0.536
Elysium Planitia	Mars	Martian	4	20.556	22.5	33.333	2.5	0.536
Acidalia Planitia	Mars	Martian North Polar	4	52.5	22.5	12.5	0.556	1.057
Ares Valles	Mars	Martian Lowlands	4	11.25	17.5	40	6.111	0.429
Tharsis Montes	Mars	Martian Volcanic	4	10.556	27.5	46.429	17.5	0.429
Total: 25 Hab Sites				689.583	557.5	733.69	89.722	14.621

Bombard Values

Bombardment Values for Mars

Weapon	Damage at Altitude			Anti-PD Value at Altitude			Cost per Ammo
	200km	400km	600km	200km	400km	600km
Heavy Coil Cannon Mk3	109.689	110.383	111.03	234.378	235.861	237.244	0.00075	0.003	0.00375
Light Rail Cannon Mk1	9.369	9.613	9.841	6.406	6.573	6.729	0.0003	0.0015	0.0012
Spinal Railgun Mk1	58.422	59.372	60.258	39.947	40.596	41.202	0.0012	0.006	0.0048
Light Coilgun Battery Mk2	5.969	6.075	6.174	10.612	10.801	10.976	0.0001	0.0004	0.0005
Alien Mag Battery	13.723	14.041	14.338	40.66	41.604	42.482	0.0003	0.0018	0.0009
Spinal Siege Coiler Mk1	369.614	378.684	387.141	246.409	252.456	258.094	0.01	0.04	0.05
Heavy Coilgun Battery Mk2	38.522	38.917	39.285	68.483	69.185	69.84	0.0004	0.0016	0.002
Enhanced Alien Light Mag Cannon	30.6	30.985	31.343	107.605	108.957	110.218	0.0004	0.002	0.0016
Alien Light Mag Battery	5.366	5.532	5.686	19.081	19.669	20.216	0.00015	0.0009	0.00045
Heavy Railgun Battery Mk1	17.468	17.914	18.329	15.527	15.923	16.292	0.00048	0.0024	0.00192
Spinal Siege Coiler Mk2	451.998	461.671	470.692	430.474	439.687	448.278	0.01	0.04	0.05
Enhanced Alien Heavy Mag Battery	65.41	66.071	66.687	201.883	203.923	205.824	0.0006	0.003	0.0024
Coil Cannon Mk2	41.859	42.286	42.683	71.554	72.283	72.962	0.0005	0.002	0.0025
Heavy Coilgun Battery Mk3	51.112	51.543	51.945	113.582	114.54	115.433	0.0004	0.0016	0.002
Light Railgun Battery Mk1	3.505	3.625	3.737	3.115	3.223	3.322	0.00012	0.0006	0.00048
Heavy Siege Coiler Mk1	262.381	269.187	275.533	174.921	179.458	183.688	0.0075	0.03	0.0375
Railgun Battery Mk3	12.276	12.54	12.786	32.737	33.44	34.095	0.00024	0.0012	0.00096
Enhanced Alien Spinal Mag Cannon	340.678	342.192	343.605	499.162	501.381	503.45	0.0016	0.008	0.0064
Railgun Battery Mk2	9.182	9.425	9.651	12.243	12.567	12.868	0.00024	0.0012	0.00096
Light Coil Cannon Mk3	27.457	27.694	27.914	58.67	59.175	59.645	0.00025	0.001	0.00125
Light Coil Cannon Mk2	16.811	17.028	17.231	28.737	29.108	29.454	0.00025	0.001	0.00125
Spinal Siege Coiler Mk3	628.708	639.287	649.152	838.278	852.383	865.535	0.01	0.04	0.05
Heavy Coilgun Battery Mk1	29.342	29.713	30.059	39.122	39.617	40.078	0.0004	0.0016	0.002
Light Coilgun Battery Mk1	4.386	4.487	4.58	5.849	5.982	6.107	0.0001	0.0004	0.0005
Enhanced Alien Mag Cannon	84.061	84.822	85.532	246.332	248.563	250.642	0.0008	0.004	0.0032
Light Rail Cannon Mk2	12.2	12.46	12.702	12.513	12.779	13.028	0.0003	0.0015	0.0012
Coilgun Battery Mk3	20.8	21.02	21.225	46.221	46.711	47.166	0.0002	0.0008	0.001
Heavy Coil Cannon Mk1	53.993	54.589	55.145	69.222	69.986	70.699	0.00075	0.003	0.00375
Alien Mini Mag Cannon	16.842	17.207	17.547	44.42	45.381	46.277	0.0004	0.0024	0.0012
Enhanced Alien Heavy Mag Cannon	184.361	185.499	186.56	360.169	362.392	364.464	0.0012	0.006	0.0048
Alien Heavy Mag Battery	34.434	35.059	35.642	85.021	86.566	88.006	0.0006	0.0036	0.0018
Enhanced Alien Light Mag Battery	8.851	9.024	9.184	39.338	40.105	40.819	0.00015	0.00075	0.0006
Rail Cannon Mk1	23.122	23.602	24.049	15.81	16.138	16.444	0.0006	0.003	0.0024
Rail Cannon Mk3	46.766	47.324	47.843	95.931	97.074	98.14	0.0006	0.003	0.0024
Coil Cannon Mk3	66.355	66.82	67.253	141.783	142.777	143.704	0.0005	0.002	0.0025
Heavy Siege Coiler Mk2	312.274	319.532	326.3	297.404	304.316	310.762	0.0075	0.03	0.0375
Alien Light Mag Cannon	16.842	17.207	17.547	44.42	45.381	46.277	0.0004	0.0024	0.0012
Light Railgun Battery Mk2	4.087	4.214	4.333	5.449	5.619	5.777	0.00012	0.0006	0.00048
Spinal Railgun Mk2	85.881	86.894	87.838	88.083	89.122	90.09	0.0012	0.006	0.0048
Alien Spinal Mag Cannon	159.28	160.712	162.046	175.033	176.606	178.072	0.0016	0.0096	0.0048
Heavy Siege Coiler Mk3	435.653	443.59	450.991	580.871	591.453	601.321	0.0075	0.03	0.0375
Spinal Railgun Mk3	125.209	126.315	127.347	256.838	259.108	261.225	0.0012	0.006	0.0048
Heavy Railgun Battery Mk2	22.719	23.192	23.634	30.291	30.923	31.512	0.00048	0.0024	0.00192
Advanced Alien Mag Battery	67.503	68.092	68.64	291.906	294.45	296.821	0.00055	0.00275	0.0022
Advanced Alien Spinal Mag Cannon	2031.478	2036.844	2041.849	4823.071	4835.813	4847.695	0.00589	0.02945	0.02356
Coilgun Battery Mk2	15.42	15.622	15.811	27.413	27.773	28.108	0.0002	0.0008	0.001
Advanced Alien Heavy Mag Cannon	725.182	727.869	730.375	2324.303	2332.915	2340.945	0.00294	0.0147	0.01176
Advanced Alien Mag Cannon	239.068	240.415	241.671	1076.477	1082.543	1088.199	0.00147	0.00735	0.00588
Spinal Coiler Mk3	157.491	158.415	159.275	336.52	338.493	340.332	0.001	0.004	0.005
Advanced Alien Light Mag Cannon	84.892	85.569	86.201	489.76	493.668	497.311	0.00074	0.0037	0.00296
Coil Cannon Mk1	31.893	32.293	32.666	40.888	41.402	41.88	0.0005	0.002	0.0025
Heavy Rail Cannon Mk2	54.994	55.756	56.466	56.405	57.186	57.914	0.0009	0.0045	0.0036
Light Railgun Battery Mk3	4.891	5.029	5.157	13.044	13.411	13.752	0.00012	0.0006	0.00048
Light Coil Cannon Mk1	12.598	12.803	12.993	16.152	16.414	16.658	0.00025	0.001	0.00125
Advanced Alien Light Mag Battery	23.375	23.674	23.952	124.668	126.262	127.746	0.00028	0.00138	0.0011
Light Rail Cannon Mk3	16.802	17.085	17.348	34.465	35.045	35.586	0.0003	0.0015	0.0012
Light Coilgun Battery Mk3	8.211	8.325	8.432	18.246	18.501	18.738	0.0001	0.0004	0.0005
Heavy Coil Cannon Mk2	70.255	70.891	71.483	120.094	121.18	122.193	0.00075	0.003	0.00375
Alien Mag Cannon	43.38	44.1	44.771	95.341	96.923	98.398	0.0008	0.0048	0.0024
Railgun Battery Mk1	7.904	8.133	8.345	7.026	7.229	7.418	0.00024	0.0012	0.00096
Advanced Alien Heavy Mag Battery	185.564	186.732	187.821	668.7	672.908	676.832	0.0011	0.0055	0.0044
Heavy Rail Cannon Mk3	81.538	82.37	83.145	167.257	168.963	170.554	0.0009	0.0045	0.0036
Enhanced Alien Mag Battery	24.52	24.855	25.167	90.815	92.056	93.212	0.0003	0.0015	0.0012
Coilgun Battery Mk1	11.548	11.739	11.916	15.398	15.652	15.888	0.0002	0.0008	0.001
Heavy Railgun Battery Mk3	31.251	31.768	32.249	83.336	84.714	85.998	0.00048	0.0024	0.00192
Rail Cannon Mk2	31.001	31.512	31.988	31.796	32.32	32.808	0.0006	0.003	0.0024
Alien Heavy Mag Cannon	89.575	90.651	91.653	131.246	132.822	134.291	0.0012	0.0072	0.0036
Spinal Coiler Mk2	102.032	102.877	103.665	174.414	175.858	177.204	0.001	0.004	0.005
Heavy Rail Cannon Mk1	39.077	39.792	40.459	26.719	27.208	27.664	0.0009	0.0045	0.0036
Spinal Coiler Mk1	78.933	79.725	80.464	101.196	102.212	103.159	0.001	0.004	0.005

Strategic Value

Mars represents the first major colonization effort beyond the Earth-Moon system. Its numerous habitation sites and relatively hospitable conditions make it a crucial stepping stone for further solar system development.

Narrative Events

Journey to InSight

InSight lander site visited.

With our presence on Mars firmly established, a small research team has taken the time to seek out NASA's InSight lander, which had spent several years studying the red planet's seismography before going dark in December 2022. The data it gathered was instrumental in finding suitable prospective sites for our manned bases.

1. Establish a memorial site.

   Astronauts working for {targetFactionName} have built a memorial to the InSight lander.

2. Clean it up, make a few repairs, and let it continue its mission.

   Engineers with {targetFactionName} have put the InSight lander back to work.

3. Scrap it, and sell the parts to the highest bidder.

   Supporters of {targetFactionName} are selling mementos of the InSight lander.

Lone marine defeats alien infiltration

One marine "fights through hell."

Attempts by the Aliens to infiltrate {targetHabName} on Mars were foiled after a lone marine escaped the preliminary destruction of the barracks there, then went on a one-man rampage through the Alien combat team. As one of the emergency responders commented, "He ripped 'em a new one. Really tore them apart!"

The marine, known to be a fan of heavy metal, declined to comment.

Olympus Mons

A scientific expedition from {targetHabName} has begun exploring Olympus Mons.

More than twice the height of Mount Everest on Earth, Olympus Mons is the tallest mountain in the Solar System and one of the largest volcanoes. It is so large that an observer standing on the peak would be unable to tell they were on a tall mountain, as the gentle downwards slope extends well beyond the horizon.

The awesome size of Olympus Mons is thought to be due to the lack of mobile tectonic plates on Mars. Fixed over a stationary hotspot, the volcano was able to discharge lava for an extremely long time, creating its massive dimensions.

1. A quick survey is all we need.

   {targetFactionName} endorses a quick survey of Olympus Mons.

2. Set up camp and collect as much information as possible.

   {targetFactionName} endorses a detailed survey of Olympus Mons.

Real world statistics & trivia

• Olympus Mons is the largest volcano in the solar system and arguably the tallest mountain (contended by a recent unnamed discovery on Máni and Rheasilvia on Vesta). At nearly 20 km high, it is about 2.5 times the elevation of Mount Everest.
• Mars has distinctive polar ice caps which are not depicted in Terra Invicta. Mars is cold enough to freeze CO₂, which can form layers up to 8m thick at the southern pole. In winter, this measurably depletes the planet's already thin atmosphere.