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Mysteries are in-game storylines that usually contain a potentially harmful or alien element. Only one Mars and one Asteroid mystery may take place during a game.
Mars mysteries start between 1 and 15 Sols after certain requirements are met. Every mystery will grant a random wonder technology if successfully completed. If all wonder technologies have been researched the mystery will grant a breakthrough instead.
Mystery
Objectives (effects)
Can be failed
Requirements
Difficulty
The Power of Three
Investigate the Mystery Cube anomaly (unlocks Dark Spectrometry technology)
Symbiotic coexistence. (random Wonder or Breakthrough technology, Light Traps produce Power)
Experiment upon them. (random Wonder or Breakthrough technology, Light Traps produce Research)
(optional) Investigate the Sinkhole anomaly (choice between 25 Polymers or 2500 Research)
No
100 Colonists
40%
The Last War
Decide whether Earth can change
Only united can we hope to conquer the void. (+5% War Tension)
Earth won't change. (50 Applicants, +10% War Tension)
Decide whether to land the 1st Refugee Rocket
Land (20 Colonists with the Refugee trait, -5% War Tension)
Wait until refugees die in orbit (+5% War Tension)
Decide whether to submit to the UN inspection
Submit to UN inspection. (-10 Morale)
Deny allegations. (+10% War Tension)
Brace for a temporary cutoff in rockets and recurring meteor bombardment to the colony
(optional) Deliver necessary resources to recurring incoming supply rockets for 30 Rare Metals (-10% War Tension for each rocket delivered)
Decide whether to land the 2nd Refugee Rocket
Land (50 Colonists with the Refugee trait, -10% War Tension)
Wait until refugees die in orbit (+5% War Tension)
Decide whether to land the 3rd Refugee Rocket
Land (100 Colonists with the Refugee trait, -20% War Tension)
Wait until refugees die in orbit (+5% War Tension)
Deliver necessary resources to the final supply rockets (-30% War Tension for each rocket delivered)
1st rocket: 100 Rare Metals
2nd rocket: 400 Metals
3rd rocket: 200 Electronics
4th rocket: 200 Machine Parts
5th rocket: 200 Food
(optional) Do not let 10 Colonists die of non-natural causes (else +5% War Tension)
Yes (War Tension reaches 100%)
150 Colonists
60%
Wildfire
Research the Wildfire Cure technology, every medical brings 5% research progress up to 50% ( Curetato Crop, medical buildings remove the Infected trait)
Cure all Colonists (50 Colonists with the Refugee trait)
Export Wildfire Cures to Earth (random Wonder or Breakthrough technology, $200 M Funding for each export after the infection is cured)
(optional) Investigate the crashed satellite anomaly
Yes (Infection reaches level 5)
100 Colonists
60%
Marsgate
Investigate the EsoCorp Rover anomaly
Decide what to do with the information
Expose EsoCorp (choice between Applicants with rare traits or $1500M Funding)
Research the Defense Turret technology ( Defense Turrets)
Defeat the first invasion wave ( Repaired EsoCorp Rovers)
Defeat the second invasion wave (random Wonder or Breakthrough technology)
Blackmail Esocorp (choice between $500M Funding, 30 Rare Metals or a breakthrough technology but 15% of the Colonists will become Renegades)
Keep the secret (can keep repairing EsoCorp rovers)
(optional) Repair the EsoCorp rovers ($500M Funding each)
Yes (Colony is destroyed)
100 Colonists
60%
Metatron
Investigate timed anomalies (10 Metal or 1000-1500 Research each)
Survive the Ion Storm (unlocks Ion Storm Prediction technology)
The Last War mystery features a mechanic called War Tension which measures how close the war on Earth is from becoming a nuclear war. It increases at a rate of 1% per Sol and can be increased or lowered by mystery choices. There are three possible outcomes of the mystery depending on War Tension:
If War Tension is reduced to 0%, the war ends with a peace treaty. Resupply becomes available at reduced costs, there is a spike in applicants, and one random technology is gained.
If War Tension doesn't reach 0% or 100% in 100 Sols, the war will end with the Second Cold War. Resupply becomes available but costs are increased by 50% for 50 Sols.
If War Tension reaches 100%, a nuclear war will start. Export, Research Outsourcing and Resupply will become unavailable. 50 Sols later contact with the remaining humans is reestablished. Passenger Rockets become available again but nothing else and all applicants will have the Refugee quirk.
Wildfire features a mechanic called Infection Level which measures how close the infection on Earth is from eradicating all humans. It increases every time an Earthsick Infected colonist leaves Mars and is reduced every time a Rocket loaded with the Wildfire Cure is sent to Earth. It goes through 5 levels, with the following effects:
Contained - initial stage
Endemic - export prices increase
Epidemic - applicant pool depleted
Pandemic - resupply costs increase
Extinction - most of Earth's population is dead and Export, Research Outsourcing and Resupply will become unavailable. 50 Sols later contact with the surviving humans is reestablished and Export, Research Outsourcing and Resupply become available again.
Between 10 and 30 Sols after the Marsgate trial if you exposed EsoCorp you will be notified that EsoCorp rovers are approaching Mars and gain access to the inexpensive Defense Turret Breakthrough. A few days later the first wave will arrive and EsoCorp rovers will descend all over the map. They will advance towards the colony and bombard anything within range with missiles, while Defense Turrets will counter them. It should be noted that Defense Turrets have greater range than EsoCorp rovers. The maintenance bar will act as a health bar. Once the first wave will be destroyed the second wave will approach but you will be notified that destroyed EsoCorp rovers can be repaired and used or salvaged for resources. Once the second wave is destroyed the mystery ends and you will gain the random Wonder or Breakthrough technology.
The Metatron mystery will eventually start creating ion storms, artificial disasters that disables all out-dome buildings within a certain radius. Metatron sends up to five ion storms at once and each one continues for several sols.