Terraforming Mars - Base Game Corporations Tier List

!IMPORTANT!
There's an updated version of this tier list that reflects the new meta as well as my increased knowledge at the game. So if you want to know what base-game corps are the best to play in 2024, check it out here:

I go over the 12 base game corporations, as well as the three promo corps and rank them in the usual tier list format. Of course, these are just my opinions, but I always try to explain my thoughts behind the placement. In future videos, I will expand the tier list by the expansion corporations and will also adjust the ranks of the base game corps, if their performance changed due to the expansion changes.

I hope you enjoy the video and if you do, please leave a like and consider subscribing :)

Intro: (0:00)
Arcadian Communities: (0:36)
Credicor: (2:13)
Ecoline: (3:15)
Helion: (4:56)
Interplanetary Cinematics: (6:02)
Inventrix: (7:32)
Mining Guild: (8:50)
Phobolog: (9:52)
Recyclon: (11:06)
Saturn Systems: (12:18)
Splice: (13:24)
Terractor: (15:08)
Tharsis Republic: (16:16)
Thorgate: (18:19)
UNMI: (19:22)
Outro: (21:01)

[marsexpert]

!IMPORTANT!

There's an updated version of this tier list that reflects the new meta as well as my increased knowledge at the game. So if you want to know what base-game corps are the best to play in 2024, check it out here:

[benabaxter]

As the designer of Arcadian Communities----I based it off Land Claim---I am so happy that it makes such an impression.

[kirksellman]

I have the game and want to start playing it soon. Your video will help me learn it quicker. Thank you.

[goranmajnaric]

Agree with everyting for base game. But we also balance, and boost week corps, so you can always enjoy playing.
Some corps are very dependent on number of players.
Also strat for mining guild is to buy only 3-4 cards on start, and build an ocean to get bonus, and if lucky to play one more card for metal.

[iantaylor]

Agreed with this list. Thorgate and UNMI are often flipped on other tier lists but here I think you got it right. Cheers

[MatteoCoppolaNeri]

Ecoline is for sure NOT tier C. it’s been banned in all tournaments in my city because of how easy it is to win with it. Planting a forest is worth 2 points at the end of the game, plus you can put cities around them. And getting a steady stream of points early in the game really helps your economy.

[zacharyadler]

Nice list. The cool part is that all these corps can be great in the right scenario (except maybe the F tier ones I've never played with those)

[definitelynotthequestion]

Hey, that heat into muneh is my favourite!
Still good content though.

[ormstunga]

15 cards/st.projects with a cost of 20 or more? You say in a standard game, but did you perhaps mean ’corporation era’ game?

[dptch]

I think the worst thing about phobolog is that there are only like 6 titanium production cards in the game (IO, AM, Mining Rights, Vesta, Titanum Mine, Phobos SH). So once you use up that 63 cash (only 6 more than Credicor, mind you), you will be kind-of hosed. Titanium production is more important than titanium targets, unless you get media group and/or optimal, in which case a space event hold strategy is probably viable.

[AwesomeAxolotlt]

Eco is at least A in 3p and S in 2p in base game judging on stats of high level play.

[MJSkyewalker]

Why do you have several additional starting corps in your base game then I have in mine? I purchased mine a few months ago.

[picivyvortac]

I think tharsis is A+ even with expansions. 22 mc/generation (counting the refund) nets you 2 mc production/generation. This combined with most city cards providing additional MCp makes this player VERY wealthy VERY quickly, even ignoring other game mechanisms gor scoring. Additionally it helps make city placement preludes better.

ESPECIALLY S++ tier if you start with imigrant city and/or rovers. With those 2 cards 3 mc/city you build with the standard action and a 5 mc refund. Absurd. Within about 5-7 generations, even without good cardplay, you can have locked down the board, locking everyone out of plant points and leaving ludicrous point value in your court. Then youve got 45+ money production to just buy plants every turn.

The absolute wealth of this corp also plays into a late game where you draft literally everything you want and can afford it, especially if you put a little focus in metal productions (which also happens to help with planet cities and space cities)

Unreal.

[canceledlogic]

Recyclon should be something like place two or remove three to be good without microbe add cards

[fedjavuckovic]

I think u should have taken preluds comboes in reconcideration as well. My friends and I play the basic game (without Venus) on 3 diffrent maps with preluds. So I think there are some terrific company preluds comboes, such as Phobolog and prelud that guarante u 6 titanium and u draw cards until u get two space cards. Or Tharsis with prelud that guarantee u plant production and to place a city tile(basicly u start with 2 city tiles immedatly as Tharsis) I think concidering preluds something might change, but overall kinda agree on the lsit. Also we do not have ur F tier companies and the first one in our game. But we have Vitor, Cheung Shing, Point Luna, Value Trust and Robinson in our game. So kinda intrested in what u think about those companies. Between ourselves we concider Robinson, Value Trust and Point Luna as pretty garbage tier, but Cheung Shing and Vitor as pretty good companies like A tier at least, maybe even S tier. But would like to hear a professional oppinion on those corporations

[erickpinheiro]

I only play with ALL expensions, so, for me ecolyne os broken. (I'm for Brazil, I'm dont speak english Very much, so Sorry for orthographic 😅

[fbasicst]

What about Beginner corporation? 10 free cards is not that useless imho