Mission Catastrophe Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Overview
• Components
• How to Play — Sole Survivor Mode
  • How to Escape
  • Setup the Game
    • Build the Ship
  • Select Your Alien
  • Choose Your Role
  • Boards and Cards
  • Initial Meteor Damage
• Player Turns
  • Damage Step
  • Action Step
• Player Actions
  • Move
  • Draw PIP Card
  • Use PIP Card
  • Repair Module
  • Use Module (once per turn)
  • View Escape Pod ID
  • Escape
  • Activate a Role Card Ability
  • Transfer (Team or Cooperative)
• Ship Modules
• Ship Damage
  • Module Damage
  • Cascade Failure
  • Lost Escape Pods
  • Goes Straight Through
  • Module Repair
• Module States
  • Fully Functional
  • Damaged But Working
  • Out of Power
  • Out of Oxygen
  • Jump to Safety
• PIP Cards
  • Resource Cards
  • Ability Cards
  • Equipment Cards
  • Interrupt Cards
• How to Play — Solo/Co-op Modes
  • Co-op Escape
  • Player Turns
• Meteorites & Marauders
  • Setup
  • Marauder Turns
  • New PIP Card Plays
  • Additional Loss Conditions
• The Mind Mold
  • Setup
  • How Mold Works
  • Mold Repairs & Status
  • Additional Win/Loss Conditions
• How to Play — Team Mode
  • Setup
  • Team Escape
  • Player Turns
• How to Play — Hard Level
  • Ship Power Failure
  • Ship Life Support Failure
  • Facing Death
• How to Play — Under Pressure Option
  • Setup
  • Equip a Spacesuit
  • Suit Integrity
  • Oxygen Level
• Play Examples
  • Didn't See That Coming (An Example of Card Play/Interrupts)
  • Curse Your Inevitable Betrayal (An Example of a Repair to a Cascade)
• Role Cards
  • Captain
  • First Mate
  • Pilot
  • Engineer
  • Communications Officer
  • Quartermaster
  • Botanist
  • Teleport Controller
  • Ship Doctor
  • Science Officer
  • Rig Operator
  • Janitor
• Credits

Overview

Mission Catastrophe is a game for 1-6 alien crew (YOU) scrambling to keep the ship functional as a group long enough to get yourself into a working Escape Pod. The game ends when you escape or when the Ship Integrity is fully compromised and the ship explodes, sending everyone into space.

The game can be played in three different Modes:

• Sole Survivor: 2-6 alien crew compete to reach the one working Escape Pod
• Team Play: 4/6 alien crew split into teams and work to get their group off the ship
• Solo/Cooperative: 1-6 alien crew work together to avoid Marauders or Mind Mold and get off the ship

We'll first describe how to play in Sole Survivor Mode (through page 9) followed by the additional rules for Solo/Cooperative and Team Modes of play. Plus other Levels and Options to play!

Components

• Location Modules x12
• Number Tokens x12
• Asteroid Dice Roller by Gametrayz x1
• Damage Dice x2
• Escape Pods x6
• Action/Module Reference Cards x3
• Solo/Co-op Mode Reference Cards x3
• Marauder Standees x2
• Crew Miniatures & Crew ID Cards x6
• Role Cards x36
• Personal Information Program (PIP) Cards x81
• Status Cubes x42
• Charge Cubes x18
• Mold Cubes x12
• Fuse Cubes x6
• Oxygen Cubes x6
• Suit Cubes x6
• Fuse Board x1
• Ship Integrity Board x1

How to Play — Sole Survivor Mode

It's a good crew - you're going to miss them. To miss them, however, YOU have to be alive.

In Sole Survivor, the first player to escape wins, but if the ship blows up first then all players are awarded second place (and die in the cold vacuum of space).

How to Escape

To use an Escape Pod you will need to do the following:

1. Collect the 4 key resources
   • Oxygen Tank - in Life Support
   • Food Rations - in Greenhouse
   • Power Pack - in Engine Room
   • Navigation Codes - in Navigation
2. Set the Fuse. Set to the Escape Pod of choice. Preferably one you know about!
3. Make sure the ship has Power (the Engine Room is powered).
4. Get to the Escape Pod. Use the Escape action to board the Escape Pod without being stopped!

If you have done all of the above, you live (and win).

Setup the Game

Your spaceship is actually composed of many individual modules that through advanced alien technology can be reassembled each game in a number of unique ways!

More fun configurations can be found online at www.CardboardAlchemy.com/Mission Catastrophe

Build the Ship

For the core game experience, we recommend the standard ship configuration, referred to as 'Casimir 1'.

Each module features a number in the upper right, and matching Number Tokens are provided 1-12.

For your first games, we recommend you use the default module numbering. Later you can rearrange the module numbering using the Number Tokens.

Place 3 red Status Cubes on every module, covering up the lower left icons.

Shuffle the Escape Pods, and randomly place them (letter side down) around the ship in the designated spots as shown on the Casimir 1 configuration. Place 1 Status Cube on each Escape Pod.

NOTE: Ship modules that share a border are considered "connected" for gameplay. Modules that are diagonally placed from each other are not connected.

Select Your Alien

Each player chooses a Crew ID card and places the matching miniature on the Crew Quarters Module (marked with 1 and central in the default layout) to start the game.

If you're playing with the "Under Pressure" option (page 12), use the ID card side that shows tracking bars for oxygen level and suit damage.

Expendable Assets Space Ventures, Inc. recognizes that crew members come in all shapes and sizes (not to mention smells) but each is capable of serving in any role on one of our certified-safe mining ships (all ID Cards are the same).

Choose Your Role

In the chaos of the meteoroid impact, you may have forgotten your exact job on the ship. Never fear... captain? Fearless pilot? Now you can choose your new role on the ship!

Each player takes an entire set of 3 Role Cards and then chooses one of these cards to play face-up near their Crew ID Card. Return the other 2 cards and any unused Role Cards to the game box.

These cards will give you a special ability during the game and may allow you to bend the rules laid out in this book.

Anatomy of a Role Card: each card shows the role active during the ship phases indicated, specific conditions such as your turn vs any turn, 3 charges or 1x use per turn, etc., a triggering event in green text (if present), and cards may grant a new player ACTION.

For more information on roles, see ROLE CARDS page 14 or use the reference cards to help with any icons depicted.

Boards and Cards

(A) Ship Integrity Board: Place the Ship Integrity Board nearby the ship modules you have set up. This board is where you will track damage during the game. The green, yellow and red areas indicate different phases of damage in the game.

(B) Fuse Board: Place the Fuse board somewhere near the ship modules (thematically near the Bridge works well). This board is where you will set the Escape Pod Fuse Cube(s) during the game.

(C) Resource Piles: Take 7 of each of the Resource PIP Cards (Oxygen Tank, Food Rations, Power Pack and Navigation Codes) and make four face-up stacks. These cards are obtainable by visiting their color-corresponding modules (orange Power Pack can be found at orange Engine Room, etc) so feel free to place near their module or four decks together as your crew sees fit.

(D) PIP Deck & Discard: The remaining Resource PIP Cards (1 left of each type) and the other PIP cards (Ability, Interrupt and Equipment Cards) will make a main deck - with a few special notes:

• Botany Powers: The Botanist role adds the 3 Potato PIP Cards to the game, which count as resources like Food Rations. Add Potatoes to PIP Deck unless role indicates to deal to Botanist. If not playing with the Botanist, the Potato Cards are not used and can be returned to the box.
• Optional Promos: The Quackalope and Bear Cards (marked lower right with a Potion icon) are unique to this copy of the game and are optional "sidekicks" (as Equipment Cards).

Shuffle the PIP Card Deck and place near the modules. Deal 3 PIP Cards face down to each player. Turn 1 PIP Card face up to create a Discard pile.

Initial Meteor Damage

Each player rolls both Damage Dice and removes a Status Cube from the matching module. Place the Status Cubes on the Ship Integrity Board, on the highest available numbered space (you will start placing in the green phase). If any module is left with no Status Cubes as a result of these initial rolls, that triggers a cascade (see SHIP DAMAGE, page 7).

The player who rolled the lowest number is the starting player. If two or more players tied for the lowest roll, they each continue rolling until one of them is lower than the other with the rolls continuing to damage the ship!

Player Turns

Each player's turn has a damage step and an action step.

Damage Step

At the start of each player's turn they roll the Damage Dice, add the sum and remove a Status Cube from the module with a matching number. Status Cubes removed from the middle and lowest section of the module have a game impact (see SHIP DAMAGE, page 7).

Action Step

Each player gets 3 actions on each turn (detailed below and listed on reference aids).

You may take an action more than once - except the Use Module Action. (in purple on the reference aid).

The Transfer Action (in teal on the reference card) is only for Cooperative and Team Play Modes.

At the end of a player's action phase, the next player in clockwise order gets the Damage Dice.

Player Actions

Move

Move your Crew Member from its current module to any connected module. (connected by a border, not by a diagonal).

Draw PIP Card

Draw a PIP Card from the Deck. Your hand limit is 7. You must discard down to 7 cards in your hand at the end of your turn.

Use PIP Card

Play a PIP Card, following the instructions on the card and then discard it face-up to the discard pile (unless otherwise noted). See PIP CARDS on page 8 for more information.

Repair Module

Take the Status Cube from the lowest numbered space on the Ship Integrity Board and add it to the module you are in. (You can do this even if a module has no Status Cubes). You cannot take this action if it would increase the Status Cubes above 3.

Use Module (once per turn)

Most modules have a special action you can activate once per turn, if the module has power. Follow the instructions in SHIP MODULES section or see the reference aid for information on each module.

View Escape Pod ID

If you are in a module with a connected Escape Pod, you can secretly look at the Escape Pod ID (letter) on the underside of the Escape Pod.

Escape

If you are in a module with a connected Escape Pod AND the Engine Room has power AND you have all 4 Resource PIP Cards - you may attempt to enter the Escape Pod.

If no one stops you (see INTERRUPT PIP CARDS, page 9) flip the Escape Pod token over and check to see if its ID matches the setting on the Fuse Board. If it does you successfully escape. If not, flip the Escape Pod back over and continue with the game.

Activate a Role Card Ability

If you have a Role Card with an Action denoted, then you now have the ability to take this action as one of your 3 actions.

Transfer (Team or Cooperative)

Give and/or take any number of PIP cards from one ally in the same module with their permission.

Ship Modules

There are 12 modules on your ship. Each module other than Crew Quarters has a special action that can give you access to a key resource or allow you to do something unique.

These rules describe the 12 starter modules, pre-numbered for the Casimir 1 Ship layout.

01 - Crew Quarters. Action: None. Note the Crew Quarters Module cannot be rolled by the Damage Dice, but is still affected by cascades.

02 - Operations. Action: Draw 3 PIP Cards and keep 1. Return the other 2 to the bottom of the PIP Deck.

03 - Maintenance. Action: Remotely repair any module.

04 - Laboratory. Action: Discard 3 non-Resource PIP Cards to take any 1 face-up Resource Card OR discard a Resource Card to draw 3 PIP Cards from the Deck.

05 - Life Support. Action: Take a face-up Oxygen Tank Resource Card if available.

06 - Greenhouse. Action: Take a face-up Food Rations Resource Card if available.

07 - Engine Room. Action: Take a face-up Power Pack Resource Card if available.

08 - Navigation. Action: Take a face-up Navigation Codes Resource Card if available.

09 - Cargo Bay. Action: Look through the discard pile and take any 1 PIP Card of your choice. Note: You may not inspect the discard pile at any other time.

10 - Teleporter. Action: Move directly to any other module or move another Crew Member from any module to the Teleporter Module.

11 - The Bridge. Action: Set or move the fuse to any Escape Pod ID.

12 - Sensors. Action: Remotely peek at any face-down Escape Pod to determine its Escape Pod ID.

Ship Damage

Module Damage

The ship can be damaged whenever the Damage Dice are rolled in the damage step of a player turn, or as a result of an PIP Card, module special action or by being connected to a module that loses all of it's Status Cubes.

Cascade Failure

When damage removes the final Status Cube of a module, damage is done to every connected module (a cascade). The active player may choose the order in which Status Cubes are removed (in the rare case it matters). Removal of Status Cubes may cause additional cascades! It is possible to damage a single module more than once in this sequence.

Lost Escape Pods

When damage removes the final Status Cube of a module connected to an Escape Pod, the cascade also destroys this Escape Pod. Remove the Status Cube on the Pod and add it to the Ship Integrity Board like other damage, and remove the Pod, without exposing its ID, from play for the rest of this game.

Goes Straight Through

If a module would be damaged but there are no Status Cubes to remove, there is no impact (the meteoroid passes through the holes in the module!) and there is no cascade.

Module Repair

You may repair a module by using one of your actions on a turn. You can repair 1 Status Cube per action.

Module States

Fully Functional

A module is considered to be fully functional if it has all 3 Status Cubes.

Damaged But Working

A module is considered to be damaged but otherwise working (can be used) if it has 2 Status Cubes.

Out of Power

A module is considered to be out of power if it only has 1 Status Cube, exposing the no-power icon. If a module is out of power, you cannot use the module's special action.

Out of Oxygen

A Module is considered to be out of oxygen if all Status Cubes are missing, exposing the warning icon. If a module is out of oxygen, it is inaccessible to any Crew Member without a Spacesuit Card. If a Crew Member is standing on a module when it becomes out of oxygen, they will survive - but with a cost! (see below);

Jump to Safety

When a Crew Member is exposed to a room with no oxygen and does not have a spacesuit, the following occurs:

• Lose all PIP Cards. All cards in hand are discarded to the discard pile.
• Free move to nearest room with oxygen. The Crew Member will attempt to move to a connected module with oxygen (their choice if more than one option). If connected modules all lack oxygen, they can move to the nearest module with oxygen.

PIP Cards

There are 4 types of PIP Cards: Resources, Ability, Equipment and Interrupt. Some Ability PIP cards have an additional use in Team or Cooperative play modes. (noted in bold).

The four types are marked by icon: Resource, Equipment, Ability, Interrupt.

Resource Cards

One of each type is needed to escape.

Food Rations. You can acquire this card when you take an action in the Greenhouse Module. (or find the one in the PIP Deck).

Navigation Codes. You can acquire this card when you take an action in the Navigation Module. (or find the one in the PIP Deck).

Oxygen Tank. You can acquire this card when you take an action in the Life Support Module. (or find the one in the PIP Deck).

Power Pack. You can acquire this card when you take an action in the Engine Room. (or find the one in the PIP Deck).

Ability Cards

Special actions your Crew Member may take.

EVA. The EVA lets you jump to any other module.

Hack the Bridge. Remotely set or move the Fuse to an Escape Pod ID of your choice. The Bridge Module does not need to have power.

Lift and Shift. All players simultaneously move their Crew Member to the module of the Crew Member controlled by the player to their left.

Remote Repair. Remotely repair any module. Take a Status Cube from the lowest numbered spot on the Ship Integrity Board and place it on any module.

Requisition Form 2C. Take a random PIP Card from another player in the same or a connected module. Team or Coop modes: Give a PIP Card of your choice to an ally in any module.

Scavenge. Remotely transfer any one Status Cube from one module and move it to another module. You can do this on a module where another Crew Member is standing. Trigger any cascades as a result of this transfer.

Equipment Cards

Players spend an action on their turn to activate Equipment Cards, placing them face up in front of their player boards. Activated Equipment Cards don't count towards the hand limit.

Space Suit. An activated Spacesuit Card allows the wearer to freely enter modules without oxygen. In addition, cascades will not cause harm. Note, spacesuits may not be played as a reaction.

Quackalope. You get an extra role while this card is in play. However, due to "Quackalope preferences" - while using the Quackalope - you can no longer equip a Spacesuit Card (discard if in play).

The Bear. When another player enters your module, they reveal all PIP Cards. If any Food Resources, discard 1 of them and the Bear.

Interrupt Cards

Break the current turn and allow the interrupting player to take a free action, with the following guidelines:

• The parts of a turn (such as Damage Rolls, Actions and PIP Cards) are interruptible and should be played to accommodate that possibility.
• An action can be interrupted at any point before it becomes irreversible (i.e. a card is drawn or an Escape Pod ID is viewed) or the next action has begun.
• Spirit of the game: Players should not take actions rapidly in an effort to deny opponents the opportunity to interrupt.

Quick Thinking. Interrupt a Damage Roll, Action or PIP Card to take an action on another player's turn or your own. If multiple Quick Thinking cards are played resolve them fully in the order played. Once all Quick Thinking actions are resolved the interrupted player resumes their turn but they have not yet taken the action and may take a different action than they originally chose.

Override. Cancel a PIP Card being played by another player. The cancelled card is discarded and still counts as an action taken. A player may play an Override to cancel the effects of another player's Override. An Override can cancel Equipment Card being played, but not one previously played. An Override can be used to cancel a Quick Thinking Card, but not the action taken as a result of Quick Thinking. Team or Coop modes: the Override card can also be played to immediately copy the action of another player's Ability PIP Card.

Emergency Meeting. All Crew Members must move to the module marked "1".

How to Play — Solo/Co-op Modes

In Cooperative Mode, one to six players need to work together to simultaneously escape the ship and solve for new threats. Wait, who invited the intruders?

Solo play for this purpose is the same as Cooperative Mode, using 1 or more Crew Members controlled by one player.

Co-op Escape

Use a number of Fuse Cubes equal to the number of Crew Members in the game (allies).

Each team member must have all 4 Resources and be located in a different module with a functioning Escape Pod, in order to win. Any Crew Member may then use one of their actions to escape for all players.

If, during the course of the game, enough Escape Pods are damaged that too few remain for all players to escape then the game ends and everyone loses.

Player Turns

Players take their turns as in Sole Survivor mode with the addition of the TRANSFER action being available.

Meteorites & Marauders

When it rains, it pours (except on Jellulon Prime). Not only is the ship being pummeled by hot, pointy death, but a Marauder boarding party is trying to steal anything of value before the ship explodes.

Setup

First, follow the setup instructions, listed earlier, for the Sole Survivor mode, then follow these additional steps:

• Roll the dice, deal damage to the indicated module and place the Small Marauder standee in this module.
• Roll the dice, deal damage to the indicated module and place the Tall Marauder standee in this module.
• Difficulty: players should agree on Cadet level (one Marauder moves per player turn) or Veteran level (both Marauders Move per player turn!)

Marauder Turns

After each player takes their turn they must take a turn for the Marauders (either one or both move per the difficulty option selected in setup).

Moving Marauders: Move the Marauders by the shortest route towards the current player. If there is more than one shortest route, the Small Marauder takes the route that would move them into the module with the lowest number, while the Tall Marauder moves to the module with the highest number. (Small Marauder goes low! Tall Marauder goes high!)

Destruction and Looting: When a Marauder enters a module they do damage to that module. Also, if a Marauder(s) enter a module with one or more players (or vice versa) those players must discard a PIP Card - per Marauder. If the player doesn't have cards to discard they are captured by the Marauders and the game is lost!

If a Marauder starts its move in the same space as the current player it remains in that module, does damage and forces the player to discard a PIP Card.

Got Oxygen?: Marauders are in spacesuits and may move through modules with no oxygen, but if they are in a module that then loses oxygen (via Damage Roll or cascade), they are ejected into space and taken off the board. When the Ship Integrity Board enters (or re-enters) the red phase, any ejected Marauders roll the dice and re-enter the ship in that module (waiting until their turn to cause trouble).

New PIP Card Plays

Any player may play an Override card (as a free action) to skip the turn of one Marauder. A Quick Thinking card can be played by any player to take an action before a Marauder moves.

Additional Loss Conditions

Out of Booty: If you ever do not have a PIP Card to give to an attacking Marauder, thy game be over, matey!

The Mind Mold

Analysis of the meteoroids pelting the ship show they are covered in some sort of sentient mold! The mold is transferring to the ship - and the crew - and attempting to take control. Time to go!

Setup

After following normal setup, place the 12 Mold Cubes on spaces 1-12 of the Ship Integrity Board.

How Mold Works

Placement: When removing a Status Cube from a module due to a Damage Roll or a resulting cascade, replace it with a Mold Cube from the Ship Integrity Board. Do not place Mold Cubes for other reasons such as a Scavenge Card.

Mold Clings to Crew: If a Crew Member enters or begins their turn in a module with a Mold Cube, place one Mold Cube from that module on their ID Card.

Removing Mold (Crew Member): At the start of their turn, Crew Members must spend 1 Action per Mold Cube to remove mold. Optionally, if the Crew Member is wearing a spacesuit (played down Equipment), they may discard it as a free action to remove all Mold Cubes on their ID Card.

Removing Mold (Module): Mold may be removed from a module by using a Repair action (including using the PIP Card).

Removed Mold Cubes are returned to the lowest numbered space of the Ship Integrity Board.

Mold Repairs & Status

Repairs to restore Status Cubes to modules may not be taken until all mold is cleared from a module. Mold Cubes do not provide oxygen or power to the modules that lack the Status Cubes for those conditions.

Additional Win/Loss Conditions

Mold Mastermind: The Mold wins in 2 ways: if all 12 Mold Cubes are removed from the the Ship Integrity Board, the mold has infiltrated the ship and you lose! OR, if all of the spaces of the Ship Integrity Board are filled (with either Status Cubes or Mold Cubes), the ship blows up and you lose.

Can't Leave: You and any allies cannot enter an escape pod if any of you have Mold Cubes on your ID Cards!

How to Play — Team Mode

On a deep space mission you grow to regard some of your crewmates as family - you'd risk your life for them. Others (especially the ones who never clean the protein recycler) you wouldn't lift a tentacle to help if they were being devoured by plasmodic voles.

Team Mode allows four or six players to divide into teams of two (2v2 or 2v2v2) or three (3v3) and work together to get their team to the escape pods before the ship explodes.

Setup

After you have picked your Crew Members, decide who will be on which team. Follow the setup for the Sole Survivor mode but use 2 or 3 Fuse Cubes, depending on team size.

Team Escape

Each team member must have all 4 Resources and be located in a different module with a functioning Escape Pod. Any team member may then use one of their actions to attempt an escape for the whole team. If the attempt is interrupted, or the fuses aren't set to the appropriate Escape Pod IDs, none of the team members escape.

If, during the course of the game, enough Escape Pods are damaged that too few remain for a team to escape then the game ends and all teams lose.

Player Turns

Players take their turns as in Sole Survivor mode with the addition of the TRANSFER action being available.

Any other Crew Member on your team is an Ally. Some PIP Cards (e.g. Requisition Form 2C and Override) have alternative uses when played on an ally.

How to Play — Hard Level

For those experienced Crew Members who laugh in the face of danger, there are additional ship-wide malfunctions. These can be added to any play Mode.

Ship Power Failure

If the Engine Room Module has no power, NONE of the modules on the ship will work. If the Engine Room has power, each module can still lose power individually.

Ship Life Support Failure

If the Life Support Module does not have power (either by its own module lacking Status Cubes OR now because the entire ship lost power, then the entire ship is without oxygen. If this happens and you do not have a spacesuit, you have one round of player turns from the Damage Roll to fix the Life Support Module, or all Crew without a spacesuit face death.

Facing Death

There is no "Jump to Safety" rule when playing the Hard Level. Space is really cold. If any Crew Member is exposed to a module without oxygen or cannot fix a Life Support Module without power, that Crew Member is eliminated from the game.

In a Sole Survivor game, an eliminated Crew Member does not take any future actions but does still roll the Damage Dice when it would be their turn (possibly rooting for the ship's destruction).

In a Cooperative game if a player faces death the game is completely lost.

In a Team game a team with an eliminated Crew Member cannot win - but they can still work to prevent the other team(s) from winning. Eliminated Crew Members continue to roll the Damage Dice for their turn.

How to Play — Under Pressure Option

Have spacesuit... will travel. But how good is that spacesuit? In this option, Crew Members who equip a spacesuit will have to maintain their suit integrity and oxygen levels while navigating the doomed ship!

Setup

Give each player a Suit Cube and an Oxygen Cube. Each player turns their character card to the side showing spaces for tracking Suit Integrity (purple track with 3 spaces), and Oxygen levels (light blue track with 5 spaces).

Equip a Spacesuit

When you equip a spacesuit, place a Suit Cube on the helmet icon on the purple track, and an Oxygen Cube on the O2 icon on the light blue track. Your spacesuit can take 3 damage, and has 5 reserves of Oxygen.

Suit Integrity

If you are in a module that takes damage (via Damage Roll or cascade), move the Suit Cube one space closer to the bar graphic. If the Suit Cube crosses the bar and leaves your ID Card (3 damages), your suit is lost. Discard the Spacesuit Card. Keep the Suit and Oxygen Cubes if you equip another spacesuit.

Repair Your Suit: You can repair your suit in 2 ways: You can spend repair actions to repair your suit - move the Suit Cube towards the helmet icon for each action spent. You can also play another Spacesuit Card to fully restore your suit, moving the Suit Cube back to the helmet icon.

Oxygen Level

If the module you are in loses oxygen (due to a Damage Roll or Cascade) or you end an action in a module without oxygen, move your Oxygen Cube one space towards the bar graphic. (Note: if you start your turn in a module without oxygen, you have already moved the cube for this case). If your Oxygen Cube ever crosses the bar, you have no oxygen in your suit. You do not lose the suit in this case, it has no oxygen. If you lose your final oxygen while you are in a module with no oxygen, you must "Jump to Safety" (normal level) or "Face Death" (hard level).

Got Oxygen? There's 1 way to gain oxygen - you can gain full oxygen by discarding an Oxygen Tank Card. Move your Oxygen Cube to the O2 icon when you do this.

Play Examples

Didn't See That Coming (An Example of Card Play/Interrupts)

Blorp, Chad and Cricket have the 4 Resource cards needed! Cricket is barely ahead, having moved to Navigation Module last turn, and stopped next to an unknown pod. Now, she rolls 7 for the Engine Room, but it still has 2 Status Cubes, so power enough to escape. Her plan to win this turn:

• Action 1: Check the Escape Pod ID!
• Action 2: Play "Hack the Bridge" - set Fuse
• Action 3: Escape!

She looks at the Escape Pod, which is "B". "Buh-bye!" she exclaims as she then plays her Hack the Bridge PIP Card.

Blorp beeps in alarm and quickly plays an Override Card (an interrupt) to cancel the play. Cricket knew that might be coming, so she plays her own Override Card, and cancels THAT card. Smiling, she gets her second action and sets the Fuse to B. Her third action is to attempt to walk on the correct Escape Pod.

Blorp looks to Chad. Chad scans his cards. A Quick Thinking Card AND a Scavenge Card should do it. He plays Quick Thinking to interrupt and act before Cricket's final move, then Scavenge - removing a Status Cube from the Engine Room and moving it to... anywhere else!

Cricket can't counter. Now the Engine Room is without power and she cannot Escape! She does get her final action back and can choose a new action. She uses that action to draw a card and think of a NEW plan B.

Curse Your Inevitable Betrayal (An Example of a Repair to a Cascade)

Blorp, Chad and Cricket are busy stealing cards and blocking each other, but are not repairing the ship much.

Blorp (with a trusty spacesuit) is in the Greenhouse which has no power or oxygen. A 6 is rolled - no damage, it "goes right through" all the many holes in the Casimir. Blorp notices Chad is most concerned, standing in Crew Quarters with no spacesuit, dangerously close to modules with only one Status Cube. Blorp smiles an evil blob smile, and REPAIRS the Greenhouse, but not for 2 Status Cubes, but just for 1. Now it's vulnerable!

As luck would have it, a 6 is rolled to start Chad's turn, and the Greenhouse is hit, beginning a cascade! Sensors loses a Status Cube (its last), which in turn causes Operations, Navigation and Crew Quarters to lose 1 each. Navigation has lost its last Status Cube, and that hits the Laboratory, which loses its last Status Cube. This brings Crew Quarters to its last Status Cube! If Chad has a Quick Thinking card, he can save himself by repairing the module, playing a spacesuit or moving away from the cascade. If not, well, it was nice knowing him...

Role Cards

This section provides further detail on the 36 available role cards in the base game.

Captain

Actions in the face of danger, or a clutch Bridge action.

• Always Thinking (001) — Active: Any turn, any ship phase. If the Damage Dice roll your module, gain an immediate (Quick Thinking) action.
• I Am the Bridge (002) — Active: Your turn, once/turn, yellow/red phase. Use the Bridge Module remotely (it must have power, and useable once per turn).
• Make Sure It Works (003) — Active: Your turn, any ship phase. New Repair Action: grants a free Use Module action if the repair restores power.

First Mate

Danger is actionable. Extra PIP cards can't hurt either.

• Time's a Wastin (004) — Active: Any turn, first time in yellow/red. The first time the ship reaches yellow and red, gain 1 charge. Anytime: spend charge as action.
• Don't Panic (005) — Active: Any turn, any ship phase. When doubles are rolled (any turn), you may immediately move to a connected module.
• Check the Manual (006) — Active: Your turn, once/turn, yellow/red phase. Use the Operations Module remotely (it must have power, and useable once per turn).

Pilot

Easy access to Navigation. Can gamble it all on a dice roll.

• Double or Nothing (007) — Active: Any turn, 3 charges, any ship phase. Anytime after roll, you may spend a charge to reroll both dice. Must take new roll (2x damage).
• Who Left This Here? (008) — Active: Any turn, once on first yellow phase. When Ship Integrity first reaches yellow, you immediately draw Navigations Card if available.
• Part of a Plan (009) — Active: Any turn, 3 charges, any ship phase. When any player (including you) uses Navigation, spend a charge to draw a PIP Card.

Engineer

Can save the day a number of ways, or grab auxillary power.

• Outside the Box (010) — Active: Your turn, yellow/red phases. You may use your Repair Action to repair a connected module.
• Not on My Watch (011) — Active: Any turn, any ship phase. If the Damage Dice roll your module and it would cause oxygen loss, no damage occurs.
• Of Course I Have One (012) — Active: Any turn, once on first yellow phase. When Ship Integrity first reaches yellow, you immediately draw Power Pack Card if available.

Communications Officer

A constant connection to the ship's computer systems.

• Computer, Scan! (013) — Active: Any turn, any ship phase. When any Crew Member moves to your module, you may look at their hand of cards.
• Computer, Sensors! (014) — Active: Your turn, once, yellow/red phase. Use the Sensors Module remotely (it must have power, and useable once per turn).
• Computer, Again! (015) — Active: Any turn, 3 charges, any ship phase. When any Crew Member Views an Escape Pod, you may spend 1 charge to View the same pod.

Quartermaster

Easy access to all the items on the ship - and again.

• Deep Pockets (016) — Active: Any turn, permanent phase increases. Your hand limit is permanently increased after the ship first reaches yellow and again in red.
• Nothing Gets by Me (017) — Active: Your turn, once/turn, yellow/red phase. Use the Cargo Bay Module remotely (it must have power, and useable once per turn).
• One Alien's Trash (018) — Active: Any turn, 3 charges, any ship phase. When any Crew Member plays (and discards) a PIP Card, you may spend 1 charge to take it.

Botanist

Ingenuity and potatoes. Enough said.

• Going to Die up Here (019) — Active: Start of game effect. Your starting hand is 3 Potato Cards instead of the normal 3 PIP Cards dealt out.
• Colonized It! (020) — Active: Any turn, any ship phase. (3 Potatoes in Deck). You may substitute a Potato Resource for a Power Pack Resource.
• Learning Experience (021) — Active: Any turn, 3 charges, yellow/red phase. (3 Potatoes in Deck). You may spend 1 charge to ignore all lack of oxygen effects this turn.

Teleport Controller

Diagonal moves are just the beginning.

• I'll Take That (022) — Active: Any turn, any ship phase. When any Crew Member moves to your module, you may take 1 PIP Card from them.
• More Art Than Science (023) — Active: Your turn, once/turn, yellow/red phase. Use the Teleporter Module remotely (it must have power, and useable once per turn).
• Now You See Me (024) — Active: Your turn, any ship phase. New Move Action: discard a PIP Card to move to a diagonally connected module.

Ship Doctor

Can get out of danger, but most likely headed right for it.

• I'm a Doctor, Not a... (025) — Active: Any turn, any ship phase. If the Damage Dice roll your module, you may immediately move to a connected module.
• Tired of Your Logic (026) — Active: Your turn, once/turn, yellow/red phase. Use of Life Support doesn't require power. Must be at module, useable once per turn.
• Medical Emergency (027) — Active: Any turn, yellow/red phase. If the Damage Dice roll any module with a Crew Member, you must Move to that Crew Member.

Science Officer

Thrives on danger, flexible with PIP cards.

• I Have a Theory (028) — Active: Your turn, any ship phase. Call a number before your roll. If successful, gain 1 action charge, spendable anytime.
• A Way of Thinking (029) — Active: Your turn, once/turn, yellow/red phase. Use the Laboratory Module remotely (it must have power, and useable once per turn).
• Analyze This! (030) — Active: Any turn, any ship phase. If the Damage Dice roll your module, immediately gain a PIP Card.

Rig Operator

Ship trouble or crew scuffles are to your advantage.

• Gave Me 12 Days (031) — Active: Your turn, once/turn, yellow/red phase. Use the Maintenance Module remotely (it must have power, and useable once per turn).
• Greek Tragedy (032) — Active: Any turn, any ship phase. When doubles are rolled (any turn), you may immediately gain a PIP Card.
• TPX Report (033) — Active: Any turn, 3 charges, any ship phase. May spend 1 charge to copy any play of Requisition Form 2C (on legal target to you).

Janitor

Clutch plays or useless moves - to be decided.

• Still Useable (034) — Active: Your turn, 3 charges, any ship phase. You may spend 1 charge to trade a PIP Card in hand for any 1 PIP Card in the discard pile.
• OCD (035) — Active: Your turn, any ship phase. New Repair Action: you may fully repair all Status Cubes in your module.
• I Hate Litter (036) — Active: Any turn, yellow/red phase. Gain 1 PIP card from a Crew Member discards when they Face Death (or Jump to Safety).

Credits

Design: Matt Walters

Development/Production: Brad Brooks, Peter Vaughan

Illustration: Sergio Chaves; additional art by Maksym Hnatyk, Iryna Moroz, Tatyana Razumna and Sam Turner

Graphic Design: Katherine Boils

3D Models: Erick Tosco

Prototypes: Print and Play

Playtesting: Andy Ashcraft, Hayden Casey, Manny Vega, Richard Malena-Webber, Christian Strain, Kate Walters, Madeline Walters, Ta-Te Wu

Special Thanks: José Almeida, Tina Brooks, Aidan Brooks, Tristan Brooks, Gabriel Chibeni, Mike DePasquale, Gametrayz, Nicole Gose, Gabriel Pádua, Gustavo Oliveira, Daniel Tosco, James Vaughan

Wear your spacesuit!

© Cardboard Alchemy. All Rights Reserved.