Terraforming Mars: Turmoil
Official Description:
Turmoil, the fifth expansion to Terraforming Mars, takes players back to Mars and the struggle for control and progress of human society on a big and dangerous planet. The expansion introduces the Terraforming Committee, where players must navigate political factions and global events that can change the course of the game. Players assign delegates to different parties, influence the committee, and prepare for upcoming global events that can either help or hinder their progress.
The new mechanics add a layer of strategic depth, as players must balance their own corporate interests with the shifting political landscape. The committee's decisions and the outcome of global events can impact resources, project opportunities, and the overall pace of terraforming. This requires players to anticipate changes and adapt their strategies accordingly.
Turmoil is designed for experienced players seeking a more complex and dynamic gameplay experience. It emphasizes long-term planning, adaptability, and interaction between players, making each game unique as the political climate and global events evolve throughout the course of play.
Turmoil sits in the collection as a specialist’s expansion—its appeal is rooted in the added political layer and the committee’s shifting agendas, which push Terraforming Mars to its most complex and interactive form. The expansion’s core hook is the constant negotiation for influence, where players jockey for party control and brace for global events that can upend long-term plans. This is not a casual add-on; it’s a deliberate escalation for groups who want to wrestle with both the board and each other. After years of managing tables, I see Turmoil as a legacy piece: respected, occasionally requested by the most strategy-hungry regulars, but rarely the default pick for mixed-experience groups.
From a logistics standpoint, Turmoil is a commitment. The extra committee board and the dual-layer player boards add both tactile appeal and setup time, pushing the game firmly into main-event territory. Expect at least 15 minutes to get everything sorted, especially if you’re using the Big Box upgrades for visual impact. The expansion’s footprint and session length (plan for 2.5 hours minimum) mean it’s not a gap-filler or a warm-up—it’s the headline act for the night. Wrangling the components and keeping the committee phase running smoothly requires a host who’s comfortable with multi-layered systems and doesn’t mind a bit of table sprawl.
Teaching Turmoil is a technical exercise. The committee phase, TR tax, and shifting global bonuses all demand a careful walkthrough, and the teach doesn’t end after the first round—expect to field questions as the political climate evolves. This isn’t a game you can set in motion and walk away from; the high level of player interaction and the potential for direct interference keep the room lively, but also mean you’ll need to monitor for missed steps or confusion. For groups that thrive on negotiation and tactical pivots, Turmoil delivers a rewarding challenge, but for most regular nights, its overhead and learning curve make it a selective, rather than essential, addition.
Category
Tactical & Strategy
My score
7
Our Total Plays
1
Last PLayed
25 Jul 21
🏛️ Legacy
Player Count
1-5
Playtime
150 mins
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