The Thing: Infection at Outpost 31
The Thing: Infection at Outpost 31 Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
The Situation
U.S. Outpost 31, Antarctica—1,000 miles from nowhere.
The first goddamn week of winter, 1982.
Stir-crazy Norwegians shooting first at a dog, then you. Their base—not unlike yours—left a ruin, littered with strange research notes and stranger carcasses. A 100,000-year-old alien vessel uncovered out in the ice.
Then some...thing...attacked your dogs and you put it down. But that was just the beginning. Power fluctuations, missing tools, shredded clothes, equipment destroyed—all that pales next to the preliminary conclusion of your scientists: at least one of you is probably already being impersonated by this lifeform.
You may not know who to trust, but you do know that out there, in the dark, The Thing is waiting for you to make a mistake.
But what if it's already in here with you?
Imitation
As an ancient alien organism marooned on Earth, your duty is to endure. Assimilation of the humans at Outpost 31 is ideal, but you'll bring the base down around them or slip away as they flee, if you must.
Contaminate, betray, or deceive. You must survive.
Victory Conditions: Achieve maximum Contagion level, Destroy Outpost 31, or Stow Away on the helicopter.
(See Imitation Victory on page 17.)
Human
You must sweep Outpost 31, salvaging Gear and battling with The Thing as you proceed. Once you clear the base and rig it to blow you can board the helicopter and make the risky trip back to McMurdo.
Be wary: The Thing will stop at nothing to survive. This cannot happen.
Victory Conditions: Escape Outpost 31 after clearing all three Sectors and ensuring that only humans are aboard the helicopter.
(See Human Victory on page 17.)
Meet the Crew
Each Character board lists the character's occupation, department, two Captain Powers (only one may be used per turn, once per round), and a personal quote.
Maintenance Department
- MacReady — Helicopter Pilot. "First goddamn week of winter." Captain Power: (1) If you pass an investigation all players on the team may discard one card and draw another. (2) Add +1 or -1 to any one die.
- Childs — Mechanic. Captain Power: (1) When swapping: draw the top three cards of the Supply deck, or discards. Keep one for the pool and return the rest in the same order. (2) Add +1 or -1 to any one die.
- Palmer — Asst. Mechanic. Captain Power: (1) When swapping: draw the top three cards of the Supply deck, or discards. Keep one for the pool and return the rest in the same order. (2) Add +1 or -1 to any one die.
- Clark — Dog Handler. Captain Power: (1) If you pass an investigation all players on the team may discard one card and draw another. (2) Add +1 or -1 to any one die.
Science Department
- Blair — Senior Biologist. "I just cannot believe any of this voodoo bullshit." Captain Power: (1) When drawing a Mission Log, look at the top two Mission Log cards. Place one in front of you and discard the other. (2) Reroll any one die.
- Bennings — Meteorologist. Captain Power: (1) All team members draw a sixth card before entering a room. (2) Reroll any one die.
- Norris — Geophysicist. "I know how this one ends." Captain Power: (1) When drawing a Mission Log, look at the top two Mission Log cards. Place one in front of you and discard the other. (2) Reroll any one die.
- Fuchs — Asst. Biologist. "Let's—let's do what Mac says." Captain Power: (1) All team members draw a sixth card before entering a room. (2) Reroll any one die.
Operations Department
- Garry — Commander. "Anybody interferes, I'll kill them." Captain Power: (1) Reroll ALL dice. (2) Discard one draw two cards, or discard two draw one while swapping during an investigation or battle.
- Windows — Radio Operator. "Can't condone it much myself, but it is a short haul." Captain Power: (1) Reroll ALL dice. (2) Discard one draw two cards, or discard two draw one while swapping during an investigation or battle.
- Nauls — Cook. "I'd say the ice it's buried in is 100,000 years old—at least." Captain Power: (1) Discard one draw two cards, or discard two draw one while swapping during an investigation or battle. (2) Reroll ALL dice.
- Dr. Copper — Doctor. Captain Power: (1) Discard one draw two cards, or discard two draw one while swapping during an investigation or battle. (2) Reroll ALL dice.
Captain Powers
Each player has two special Captain Powers. They can help you greatly on an Investigation or battle, but be aware only one may be used per turn. While most powers happen during an investigation, a few activate before you choose a room (Blair, Bennings), or after a turn (MacReady, Palmer).
Contents
- Character boards — 12
- Movers — 12 Human, 4 Things
- Supply cards — 100
- Card breakdown: Knife 12, Petri Dish 12, Flashlight 12, Fire Extinguisher 12, Axe 10, Copper Wire 10, Molotov 8, Gun 6, Sabotage 18
- Blood Sample cards — 16
- Gear — 8
- Dice — 6
- Captain Indicator — 1
- Double-sided Smoke/Fire — 10
- Mission Log cards — 40
- Room Chip — 18
- Double-sided Power Out/Room Destroyed — 10
- Turn Order card — 4
- Objective tracker — 1
- Computer — 1
- Room Destroyed counters — 4
- Double-sided Infection tracker — 1
Each piece of Gear, once revealed, is placed with the maximum number of uses showing:
- Flamethrower — Torch a Player (2 uses), Blood Test (1 use), +3 Roll (1 use)
- Dynamite — Two uses remaining, +1 or -1 to a dice pip
- Rope — One use remaining, skip the current Captain, or leave a teammate behind
Set Up
1. Each player rolls two dice. The highest rolling player (ties roll off) takes the Captain indicator (as shown near MacReady) and places it before them. They are now the Captain through Set Up and the first Mission Log investigation.
2. Lay the Outpost 31 Map out in a central location where all the players can see.
3. Place the Objectives tracker and Infection tracker (correct player count face up) next to the Outpost 31 Map where they are clearly visible. Place the Computer at Contagion Level 0 on the Infection tracker.
4. Sort Character boards by Department (three stacks of four each). Starting with the Captain and proceeding clockwise, players choose a Character from a Department stack with the most remaining Characters. This ensures roughly even distribution of Departments for the team.
When selecting, players should announce their choice, read their Captain Powers aloud, and collect their matching Character mover.
5. Place the players' Character movers in the Rec Room on the Outpost 31 Map.
6. Sort the Mission Log cards based on the number of players. For a 6/7/8 player game, use all the cards. For a 4/5 player game, remove all cards noted 6/7/8 only and return them to the box. Then shuffle the cards and place the Mission Log deck on the game board face down as shown.
7. Place the cards for the Dynamite, Flamethrower, and Rope beside the Outpost 31 Map in clear view.
8. Place the six Room Chip for Sector 1 face down and mix them up. Lay chips face down in each Sector 1 room. Do the same for Sector 2 and Sector 3.
9. Shuffle the Supply cards together then place the Supply deck face down as shown.
10. Deal each player five (5) cards from the Supply deck. This is the player's hand. Each player's hand is secret, and may never be shown to other players. When not looking at their hand, players should keep the cards on their Character board as shown.
Subject Zero Assimilation
The Captain creates a deck of Blood Sample cards as shown in Game Start. These are shuffled and dealt, face down, one to each player. Players look at their Blood Sample card immediately, but may never voluntarily show it to others.
The Captain then constructs another deck of Blood Sample cards as shown in Blood Sample Deck. This deck is shuffled and set aside until needed for Assimilation.
Imitation — You've infiltrated U.S. Outpost 31 and Assimilated one of the facility's staff. Be it through contamination, treachery, or deception, you must survive.
Human — An Imitation hides among you! Sweep Outpost 31 clean then flee in the helicopter. No matter the sacrifice, stop The Thing.
Blood Sample deck composition by player count:
| Players | Game Start | Blood Sample Deck |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 3 Humans, 1 Imitation | 7 Humans, 1 Imitation |
| 5 | 4 Humans, 1 Imitation | 4 Humans, 1 Imitation |
| 6 | 5 Humans, 1 Imitation | 5 Humans, 1 Imitation |
| 7 | 6 Humans, 1 Imitation | 5 Humans, 2 Imitations |
| 8 | 7 Humans, 1 Imitation | 6 Humans, 2 Imitations |
Playing the Game
As the staff of U.S. Outpost 31 struggles to clear out the base and track down The Thing, they must follow up on log entries which offer clues to the location of valuable Gear, as well as where The Thing might be lurking. Terrified and unable to trust each other, the leadership of the group never lies with anyone for very long...
Captain...For Now. The player in possession of the Captain indicator begins each turn. He who has the gun makes the rules.
1. Revealing a Mission Log. The Captain draws a Mission Log card and places it face up in front of them. Resolve Event cards before drawing a new Mission Log card.
2. Gathering a Team. With a Mission Log card revealed, the Captain selects a team to investigate. This team always includes the Captain. The number of players (including the Captain) required for each team is shown on the Mission Log card, as are any departmental requirements. The Captain must choose players matching these requirements when possible. (See page 18 if you cannot meet a requirement.)
While playing The Thing: Infection at Outpost 31, talking about the current situation is expected. Players share information (which may or may not be true) and the Captain solicits volunteers to handle specific tasks. Chatter makes the game—don't be shy, be sly.
In the end, this table talk is all you have to go on. The Captain has to make decisions during the turn based on what they believe, and players have to do their best to unravel who isn't quite human anymore...
Example: MacReady is Captain. He picks Childs, Blair, and Garry for his 4-player team. Garry fulfills the Operations departmental requirement.
Left Behind. Anyone who stays behind in the Rec Room during an investigation will have an opportunity to discard a card and draw a new one at the end of the turn. (See 13. Return to Base, page 14.)
Events: Smoke/Fire & Power Outages
In addition to Investigations, the Mission Log deck contains Events that can threaten the security of the staff of U.S. Outpost 31 in the form of Smoke (which can lead to Fire and potentially Destroy a Room) and Power Outages. When revealed, roll to place the appropriate indicator (Smoke/Fire token or Power Out card) in a Room in the highest unlocked sector. Then Captain reveals another Mission Log card. Do not place duplicate cards or tokens—instead ignore Power Outage for Room with Power Out, flip Smoke token to Fire or replace Fire token with Room Destroyed card. In all cases, ignore results for Destroyed Rooms.
Both Smoke/Fire and Power Out prevent players from Investigating the associated Room without the use of specific Supply cards. Note: the card used to enter the Room is not counted as a card toward resolving the Investigation. Additionally, Smoke/Fire can result in a Room being Destroyed if not contained, and potentially cause Humans to lose the game if too many Rooms in the Outpost are Destroyed (see Smoke/Fire escalation on page 14 and Outpost Destruction on page 16).
Smoke/Fire. The threat of Fire is particularly dangerous in the close quarters of Outpost 31, as well as a barrier to entry for Investigating particular rooms. In order to Investigate a Room with Smoke or Fire, a member of the selected Team must first discard a Fire Extinguisher Supply card, effectively 'unlocking' the Room. Doing so will also clear the Room of Smoke or Fire (removing the token), allowing the Investigation to continue as normal. The Captain may choose to ignore the Smoke or Fire and Investigate a different room, but in turn risk Room Destruction.
Additionally, if Smoke or Fire is present in two or more Rooms, or in a Room without a Room chip (one that has already been Investigated), the Captain may send an individual player to clear the Smoke or Fire (by discarding a Fire Extinguisher to remove the token) in addition to assembling a Team for the Mission Log Investigation.
Power Outage. Reliable power sources are hard to come by in Outpost 31. Sometimes, one or more Rooms may suffer Power Outages, making it impossible to Investigate these rooms under normal circumstances. In order to Investigate a Room with the Power Out, a member of the selected Team must first discard a Flashlight Supply card, effectively 'unlocking' the room. A Team would always need to use a Flashlight to enter the room for an Investigation.
On an Investigation
3. Choose a Room. The Captain selects a room containing a Room chip within an unlocked Sector. The team's Character movers are placed within it. Rooms in Sector 1 are available immediately. Filling out the Objectives tracker unlocks Sector 2 then Sector 3. Note: Events may place restrictions on the ability to Investigate some Rooms. (For rules on entering rooms which have a Power Out card, Smoke token, or Fire token in them, see Fire Extinguisher and Flashlight on page 9.)
If multiple instances of Smoke or Fire exist, or a room without a Room chip is in danger, the Captain may choose a player to use a Fire Extinguisher and place their Character mover in that room. (See Resolving Smoke or Fire on page 14.) One player may be sent to a room, and no additional players may be sent to the same room as the team.
4. Hand in a Supply Card. Each player hands in a Supply card face down, to the Captain, who places them in a pool separate from their own hand. The Captain should remind players what is required to pass the Mission Log directive, and players can talk about the card they hand in. No Supply cards may be revealed at this time.
5. Captain Shuffles. Once all the players on the team have finished handing in a card, the Captain shuffles the pool. (This can be done below the table, out of sight, making the small number of cards easier to mix up.)
6. Captain Looks at Cards. After shuffling the pool, the Captain looks at the Supply cards. Any red Sabotage cards are revealed and resolved immediately.
7. Swap Out a Supply Card. The Captain may swap a Supply card out of the pool. During this swap, a single card is discarded. The Captain draws a new card, places it in the pool without looking, and shuffles the pool again.
8. Reveal Supply Cards. The Captain reveals as many cards from the pool as instructed by the Mission Log card directive. If less than the full pool is to be revealed, the Captain flips over one card at a time, stopping once the directive has been fulfilled or the requisite number of cards have been revealed.
If a Sabotage card is revealed, (added after the Captain swapped a Supply card) it must be resolved immediately or the investigation fails.
When directed to roll, the Dice Value of the pool is totaled. The Captain rolls those dice (to a maximum of 6) then compares the result to the requirement on the Mission Log.
9. Pass or Fail?
Pass — If the team is successful in completing the directive on the Mission Log card, they have passed the investigation and may move on to 10. Reveal the Room Chip.
Fail — If they did not meet the requirements of the directive (or were derailed by a Sabotage card), the team has failed. Move on to 12. Resolving Smoke or Fire (see page 14) and be sure to deal with 14. Contagion (see page 16).
Discard the Mission Log card.
10. Reveal the Room Chip. After passing an investigation, the Room chip is revealed.
A. If Gear is revealed, the Captain takes the appropriate Gear card and places it before themselves with the maximum number of uses showing. If the Gear fulfills an open objective for the Sector, the Room chip is placed face up on its space on the Objective tracker.
B. If the Room chip is a Discard directive, each member of the team may discard one Supply card and draw a new one.
C. If The Thing is discovered, a battle begins. (See page 14.)
If a Flamethrower is revealed which fulfills the final requirement for Sector 3, the turn ends immediately and the Escape begins. (See Escape on page 17.)
Captain Powers
Each player has two special Captain Powers. They can help you greatly on an Investigation or battle, but be aware only one may be used per turn. While most powers happen during an investigation, a few activate before you choose a room (Blair, Bennings), or after a turn (MacReady, Palmer).
Sabotage!
Red Sabotage cards are serious setbacks. They must be revealed immediately when discovered, and their directives dealt with before the investigation (or battle) can proceed. If multiple instances of Sabotage are revealed, the Captain determines the order in which the team will deal with the cards.
What to Hand In
Players will most often want to hand in any card(s) they promised to turn in. Red Sabotage cards can be played by Imitations to foul up an investigation, but their use carries the risk of discovery. Only when out of options will a human hand in a Sabotage card. Cards with a high Dice Value are useful as a hand in for some Mission Log directives, and all battles.
Discard and Bury
Supply deck discards are placed face down atop the discard pile. Mission Log deck discards are placed face up atop the discard pile. When directed to bury a card, place it at the bottom of the appropriate discard pile without revealing it.
When an Imitation is Captain, discarding useful cards during a swap can be a good way to influence the other players' perceptions. If someone commits to contributing an Axe, it's possible to discard that Axe then lay the blame at their feet when the investigation fails. Of course, that player will be positive that you're an Imitation...
On an Investigation Example
Character movers from MacReady's team are placed in the Shed. All players (including the Captain) hand in a Supply card to the pool, face down. The Captain shuffles the cards in the pool. The Captain looks at the pool. (Any Sabotage cards in the pool must be revealed and dealt with or the investigation fails.) The Captain may choose to swap a card—discarding it and drawing a new one from the Supply deck.
MacReady follows the Mission Log directive and reveals all cards in the pool. (The Petri Dish was swapped and a Knife was drawn.) The team passed the Mission Log investigation!
The Room chip in the Shed is flipped over, revealing a Rope. The Room chip is placed on the Objectives tracker, fulfilling the Sector 1 gear objective. MacReady takes a Rope card and places it in front of himself.
A Room chip labeled Discard means team members may discard a Supply card and draw a new one. Flipping the Room chip reveals a Level 1 Thing. Time for battle! (See page 14.)
Gear
Hidden under the Room Chip, Gear is required to fill the Objective tracker and progress through Outpost 31. Each piece of Gear is also useful during play and may be used whenever the player in possession of the Gear is in a position to make use of its effect.
Rope. The most common piece of Gear, Rope is found throughout Outpost 31. Revealing Rope is required to unlock Sector 2. Additionally each Rope may be used once, after which the player additionally discards the Gear card.
Rope may be used after the Mission Log card is revealed but before team is selected to tie up and skip the current Captain, making the next player in turn the current Captain. It can also be used, with the Captain's consent, to leave an otherwise required player (by department or player count) behind during an investigation. By not meeting a departmental requirement, the Captain may not swap cards. While tied up with a Rope a player may not leave the Rec Room, nor may they discard or draw any cards. At the beginning of the next turn, the tied up player is considered to have been freed.
Dynamite. Dynamite is found in Sector 2 and is required to unlock Sector 3. Each Dynamite card has two uses. While on the team, a player may expend a use to change the pip value of a die by +1 or -1. Only one use may be expended per die, but multiple uses of Dynamite may be expended by the team.
Flamethrower. Flamethrowers are powerful pieces of Gear found only in Sector 3. A Flamethrower must be acquired to Escape Outpost 31. They have two uses and three distinct effects.
1. After the Mission Log card is revealed but before team is selected, expending one use of a Flamethrower to Blood Test a player forces them to secretly reveal their Blood Sample card to the user of the Flamethrower only. Note: this effect may only be used when a Flamethrower has Two uses remaining.
2. A single use of a Flamethrower may be expended by any member of the team to boost the roll for a Mission Log directive or battle, granting the Captain three additional rolls. This may be done after all the initial chances have been utilized, but only one Flamethrower may add chances to a single roll.
3. After the Mission Log card is revealed but before team is selected, a player may expend both uses to attempt to Torch a player. The player using the Flamethrower must accuse someone of being an Imitation, then lead the group in a brief discussion of their reasoning. When they call a vote, all players hold out their fist, thumb extended sideways. The player counts down, "3, 2, 1," and the voters each display a thumbs up ("yes", Torch the accused) or thumbs down ("no", spare them). Note: only one player may be Torched in a 4-5 player game.
If a majority vote "yes", the Torched player reveals their Blood Sample to everyone, and their Character mover is removed from the Outpost 31 Map. They are eliminated from the game. Otherwise, the vote fails (majority "no" or a tie) and the Flamethrower fully expended with no effect.
If a Human gets Torched, the game continues, but you must move the Imitation Tracker up 1. Roll a die to resolve the room the Fallout happens in. (see page 15)
Battle
11. Resolving Battle with The Thing. Some of the monsters may appear to be members of your team. This is not reason to mistrust those folks. The Thing is crafty. It can absorb DNA from many sources. Old clothes, food containers, and it can imitate any being it comes in contact with, even at the microscopic level.
A. When a Thing chip is revealed, place the appropriate Thing mover in the room (see below), and the Team on the Investigation must immediately contain the threat by battling it! To resolve a battle, all team members hand in a card to the pool, much like resolving a directive for an Investigation. However in this case, the Supply cards handed in need to have high Dice values, as the Captain will need to roll particular combinations of dice to successfully resolve a Battle. It's normal to discuss these contributions—but as before, never reveal any cards. High Dice Value cards are good but the Captain can only use 6 dice, so larger teams may easily reach the cap.
B. The Captain shuffles the pool, thoroughly mixing up the cards.
C. The Captain looks at the pool. Sabotage cards are revealed immediately and must be dealt with or the battle fails. The Captain may swap any one pool card, discarding it in exchange for another from the Supply deck.
D. The pool is revealed and the Dice Value of the cards is totaled. No more than 6 dice may be used for the roll. After the tally, the pool is discarded.
Thing Levels:
- Level 1 — Three rolls to get a 3 of a kind.
- Level 2 — Two rolls to get a 3 of a kind.
- Level 3 — Four rolls to get a 4 of a kind.
E. The Captain must roll 3 OF A KIND or 4 OF A KIND to defeat The Thing. (The Infection tracker displays these requirements.) The dice are rolled and the Captain chooses which (if any) they want to keep after each roll. Dice are not locked in, and the specific dice kept may be changed between rolls.
Defeat of The Thing allows an empty spot (in the current Sector) on the Objective tracker to be filled with the revealed Thing mover. If The Thing is not defeated in battle, all the Room Chip from the current Sector are mixed up and placed back in the rooms. (Rooms already cleared or destroyed are left empty.)
If defeating The Thing fulfills the final requirement for Sector 3 by Objective tracker completely, the turn ends immediately and the Escape begins. (See Escape on page 17.)
Captain Powers and Gear may greatly affect a battle's outcome, for better—or for worse.
Battle Example
The team is facing a Level 1 Thing and needs cards with a high Dice Value for battle. They each hand in a card to the pool, face down. The Captain shuffles the pool. The Captain looks at the pool and may choose to swap a card (see pages 10/11). MacReady decides to keep the pool.
The Captain reveals the pool. Dice equal to the Dice Value (up to 6) of the pool are used for battle. MacReady rolled and kept the pair of 1s, but didn't roll another on the second or third throw. With no 3 of a kind, The Thing flees and Contagion spreads!
End of Turn
12. Resolving Smoke or Fire. After resolving the Investigation, if an individual player was sent to a Room to deal with Smoke or Fire, they would now discard a Fire Extinguisher face up before returning to the Rec Room.
Then, any remaining Smoke and/or Fire tokens still in Rooms are resolved. First, Fire tokens are removed and replaced with Room Destroyed cards (and the Destruction tracker is advanced). Then, Smoke tokens are flipped over to indicate they have set the Room on Fire.
13. Return to Base. After resolving the Investigation and any Smoke and Fire tokens, all Character movers are returned to the Rec Room. All players who left the Rec Room during the turn must draw as many Supply cards as needed to return their hand to five cards. Players who remained in the Rec Room now may discard one card and draw a new one. Players who were bound with a Rope during the turn may not exchange a card.
Lies and Statistics
As players may make any statements or ask any questions they wish, some of what is discussed and revealed will be outright lies. Not only Imitations lie—humans may attempt to mislead the Captain in order to flush out or counteract Imitations. A Captain must always weigh what players are saying with past performance, the current situation, the Mission Log directive, and the looming threat of battle with The Thing.
Dealing with the Consequences
14. Contagion. When the team fails the Investigation or is unable to defeat The Thing in battle, Contagion spreads across Outpost 31. The Computer is moved up the Infection tracker. If the Infection tracker reaches the end (Contagion Level 7 in a 4-5 player game or 8 in a 6-8 player game), the game is over, and the Imitations have won. In any other case, Fallout from the spread of Contagion must be resolved.
15. Fallout. Each time the Computer is moved up, follow the directive on the Infection tracker for the new Contagion Level. Fallout occurs in the room the team visited during the turn. Place a Power Out card, Smoke token, a Room Destroyed card, or a Fire token in the room as directed. (See Fire Extinguisher and Flashlight on page 9, Resolving Smoke and Fire on page 14, and Outpost Destruction below.)
Example: Once back in the Rec Room after losing the battle, the Computer is moved up to Level 1 Contagion on the Infection tracker. The players face the Fallout by placing a Power Out card on the room the team just left: the Shed.
16. Outpost Destruction. Outpost 31 takes damage as The Thing and the humans face off. When Fire is left unchecked or Fallout results in structural collapse, a Room Destroyed card is placed in the appropriate room. A Room Destroyed counter is placed on the first open slot on the Destruction tracker.
The Destruction tracker is filled after four rooms have been Destroyed. If this occurs, the game is over and the Imitations have won. (See Imitation Victory on page 17.)
If you lose two of the same Room Chip type in one sector, it will be impossible to fill the Objective tracker. At this point the Imitations have won the game. (To see a breakdown of the Room Chip by Sector on page 5.) Note: If a Thing is in a destroyed room it does not count towards the Objective tracker.
Example: A Fire in Supply Room 1 wasn't put out. A Room Destroyed card has been placed in the room and a counter added to the Destruction tracker.
Assimilation
17. Assimilation. When a Sector on the Objective tracker is filled with the requisite Room Chips, the next Sector is unlocked for Investigation. Unfortunately, this also opens the Outpost 31 staff up to contamination by The Thing. When first unlocking Sector 2 and Sector 3, the group risks Assimilation.
The Captain deals one card from the Blood Sample deck to each player. Players pick up both of their Blood Sample cards, mix them up, then return one, face down. The following rules apply:
A. A Human that is dealt another Human Blood Sample card has not been Assimilated... yet. They simply return one of the Human cards, keeping the other, and are still part of the Human Team.
B. An Imitation that is dealt another Imitation or a Human Blood Sample card, they remain Assimilated. They simply return one, always keeping one Imitation card, and are still part of the Imitation Team.
C. A Human that is dealt an Imitation Blood Sample card is now Assimilated! They MUST return the Human card, keeping the Imitation, and are now part of the Imitation Team!
Once all cards have been returned, the Captain shuffles them into a new Blood Sample deck and places the deck back on its spot on the Outpost 31 Map.
Example: During Subject Zero Assimilation, Childs received a Human Blood Sample card. During Assimilation, Childs is dealt a red Imitation card. He mixes the cards up then returns the blue Human card. Childs is an Imitation for the rest of the game. He must secure victory over his former allies.
Same Shit, Next Turn
Once any Consequences have been dealt with, it's time to get ready for whatever trouble is waiting in the wings.
A. All players should ensure that they have a five (5) card hand.
B. Anyone bound by Rope is considered to be free.
C. Players should review the situation on the Outpost 31 Map and the trackers.
D. The Captain passes the Captain indicator to their left.
This turn is over and the next one begins. (See Captain...For Now on page 9.)
Molotov
In the Rec Room, before a Mission starts, any player may discard a Molotov face up. This will allow everyone to discard a card and draw a new one. The person who discarded the Molotov may discard an additional card. Only one Molotov may be discarded per round.
Escape
Captain, Yea or Nay? As soon as the final Sector 3 Room chip requirement is added to the Objective Tracker, game play immediately proceeds to the final Escape phase! At this point, the Human players will attempt to select the Team to escape on the Helicopter while leaving Imitations behind, while Imitations will try to sneak at least one Imitation player on the escape team to spread the contagion!
Once the Escape is underway there's no more time to use Gear. Saving a Flamethrower "just in case" you need the extra rolls to battle with The Thing means no chance for a Blood Test as you flee Outpost 31.
The Captain of the team that successfully filled the Objective tracker nominates another player to be the Final Captain. This player will be responsible for seeing the Escape through to the end, but they must meet the approval of a majority of the rest of the players first. Once the players have had a chance to offer their thoughts, the current Captain calls for a vote. All players (aside from any torched players) hold out their fist, thumb extended sideways. The Captain counts down, "3, 2, 1," and the voters each display a thumbs up ("yes") or thumbs down ("no") with the majority carrying the vote.
With a "yes" majority the Captain indicator is passed to the nominee, now Final Captain, who proceeds with planning the rest of the Escape. If a "no" or tie happens, the player to the current Captain's left becomes current Captain, and must nominate a player who has not previously been nominated.
For every two nominees rejected, the Contagion Level rises by one. (See page 16.) If the Infection tracker fills as a result, the Imitations win.
Blood Tests. Once the Final Captain has been selected, they may have access to End Blood Tests. Check the current Contagion Level on the Infection tracker to determine how many (if any) of these Blood Tests are available. After discussion with the other players, the Final Captain may select players totaling this number to reveal their Blood Sample cards to all players.
Example: The Infection tracker shows that at Contagion Level 5 the Final Captain has a single End Blood Test at their disposal.
Get to the Chopper
Last Flight Out of Outpost 31. The Final Captain is automatically considered to be aboard the helicopter, but must choose the rest of the members of the Escape carefully.
Imitations who have been revealed through an End Blood Test may not be selected to board, but all other players are eligible to Escape. The Final Captain must select at least as many players as the Escape Target shown in the chart below. For each human Torched, this number may be reduced by one.
| Players | Escape Target |
|---|---|
| 4 Players | 2-3 Players (no humans left behind) |
| 5 Players | 3 Players |
| 6 Players | 4 Players |
| 7 Players | 4 Players |
| 8 Players | 5 Players |
Get to the Chopper. Once the Final Captain has selected players to board the helicopter, each of their Character movers should be placed outside Outpost 31 at the helicopter.
The Moment of Truth. One at a time, starting with the Final Captain, each player on the helicopter reveals their Blood Sample card.
Imitation Victory
If you have managed to...
...Infect the humans by raising the Contagion Level to maximum...
or
...Destroy Outpost 31 by filling the Destruction tracker...
or
...Stow Away an Imitation on the helicopter during the Escape...
THE THING IS VICTORIOUS. THE EARTH WILL FALL.
Human Victory
If you have ensured that your...
...Escape on the helicopter is free of any Imitations...
THE HUMANS ARE VICTORIOUS. MANKIND SURVIVES, THIS TIME...
Edge Cases
Q. What happens if nobody is willing to reveal a Fire Extinguisher or Flashlight in order to enter a room and there are no other rooms unlocked? A. Using a Molotov allows all players to exchange a card before Choosing a Room. A Captain may voluntarily pass their turn and remain in the Rec Room to allow everyone to exchange a card, but you may skip resolving Smoke and Fire (see Resolving Smoke and Fire on page 14) only once each game.
Q. If I am an Imitation, can I throw away my rolls while Captain? A. No. The Captain represents the efforts of the whole team. You must also take any extra rolls afforded you by a team member using a Flamethrower, and can't refuse to let a team member use Dynamite to modify a pip. You do not have to use any of your own Gear or Captain Powers to increase the chances of success.
Q. What do I do if the pool got messed up? A. Bury the entire pool. (If the pool got mixed up with your own hand, bury it then redraw the correct number of cards.) Have every player who put cards into the pool draw replacements. Reform the pool with cards from the correct players then continue play.
Q. If a Room Destroyed card reveals a Room chip with The Thing on it, can it be added to the Objective tracker as if we defeated it? A. No. The Thing is simply dormant and will be able to survive unless you sweep Outpost 31. You must defeat The Thing in battle to fill out the Objective tracker.
Q. What happens if too many of the Room Chips needed for the Objective tracker are out of the game? A. Humanity loses the game if there's no possibility to fill the Objective tracker. This only happens when there's a lot of Room Destroyed cards and bad luck. To prevent this in future games, be proactive in dealing with Smoke and Fire.
Q. What happens if multiple Sabotage cards are revealed and we can't deal with any of them? A. You face Contagion only once a turn. Even if two cards with the "Investigation automatically fails" directive are revealed, you only move one Contagion Level on the Infection tracker.
Q. What happens if we leave a human behind in a 4 player game? A. In this specific game size, the Imitations would win. Since it is not known how many Imitations could be in the game, you have to have the correct information when Escaping.
Q. What happens if I can't fulfil a departmental requirement on a Mission Log because of a torched player, or a player tied up. A. You still must do the mission with as many players as you can. The Captain will not have the ability to swap cards. You cannot choose to not fulfill a departmental requirement, if able.
Q. What happens if all Imitations have been torched? A. It is possible in 4, 5, and 6 player games for the humans to win by torching all Imitations. In these size games, after you torch a player you may check the blood sample deck. If there is still an Imitation card left, the game is over and the humans win. If there are no Imitation cards in the deck, continue on as normal. If at any point in these size games a second Imitation is torched, the game is over and the humans win.
Glossary
- Assimilation (p16) — Once during Set Up and twice as the game progresses, The Thing attempts to Assimilate humans. When a player receives a red Imitation Blood Sample card, they become a thrall of The Thing for the remainder of the game.
- Battle (p14) — When The Thing is encountered, a battle ensues. High Dice Value cards in the pool help the Captain roll to defeat it.
- Blood Sample card (p8) — A player's Blood Sample card indicates whether they are pursuing human or Imitation victory conditions. It is secret.
- Blood Test (p12,17) — Blood Tests may be applied via a Flamethrower or End Blood Tests earned for having a low Contagion Level when the Escape begins. A Blood Test forces a player to reveal their Blood Sample card to one or all players.
- Bury (p10) — Cards being buried are placed on the bottom of their respective discard pile.
- Captain (p9) — The Captain makes decisions and takes actions on a turn. They are the "leader" for the moment.
- Captain indicator (p9) — This chip piece is the gun that makes the rules. Whoever possesses this is the current Captain.
- Captain Powers (p6) — Each Character has a set of two abilities, one of which may be used each turn. Captain Powers can be very effective.
- Character board (p5) — A play mat with information on a Character including their name, department, and Captain Powers.
- Consequences (p16) — The various ways in which life goes badly for the staff of Outpost 31.
- Contagion (p16) — The result of a failed investigation or battle, the Contagion Level on the Infection tracker affects Fallout and can result in victory for The Thing.
- Computer (p5) — The playing piece used to mark the Contagion Level on the Infection tracker.
- Department (p9) — A Character's work division. Certain Mission Logs require specific departments to be selected for the team when possible.
- Destroy (p16) — A victory condition for Imitations. The Thing wins if the Destruction tracker is filled and Outpost 31 is destroyed.
- Dice Value (p14) — Every Supply card has a Dice Value from +0 to +3 which is used in Mission Log directives and battle.
- Discard (p13) — A Room chip, this allows each member of the team to discard a Supply card from their hand and draw a new one.
- Dynamite (p12) — A piece of Gear needed to unlock Sector 3, it can be used to modify a die pip by +1 or -1.
- Escape (p17) — The victory condition for humans. The helicopter must be free of Imitations for it to succeed.
- Event (p9) — A special type of Mission Log card which negatively impacts conditions on the Outpost 31 Map.
- Fallout (p16) — The result of Contagion, Fallout is indicated on the Infection tracker. It negatively effects the humans.
- Final Captain (p17) — The player elected to be responsible for choosing how to use End Blood Tests and selecting the passengers on the helicopter Escape.
- Fire (p9,14) — A hazard produced by Fallout and neglecting Smoke. It can lead to the destruction of rooms and must be fought with a Fire Extinguisher.
- Fire Extinguisher (p9) — A Supply card required to enter any room containing Smoke or Fire. It removes either when revealed.
- Flamethrower (p12) — The final piece of Gear to be scavenged in Outpost 31, it must be found to Escape. It is versatile, with three separate functions.
- Flashlight (p9) — A Supply card which must be revealed and discarded to enter a room with a Power Out card in it. Does not remove the Power Out card.
- Gear (p12) — Special equipment found in rooms throughout Outpost 31. Each piece is required to advance through the game.
- Hand in (p10) — Cards given to the Captain during an investigation or battle, they combine to make the pool.
- Hand (p6) — Personal cards belonging to each player. Each turn players start out with a full hand of five cards.
- Human (p8) — One of two opposing sides in the game. All players but one begin play as a human. Humans have a single victory condition: Escape.
- Infect (p16) — A victory condition for Imitations. If the Contagion Level is raised high enough to fill the Infection tracker, The Thing wins.
- Infection tracker (p5,16) — The main tracker in the game. Related to the Infect victory condition for Imitations, and directly linked to Fallout which impacts the humans.
- Investigation (p10) — The process of entering a room and attempting to complete a Mission Log directive. Successful investigations uncover Room Chip while failures result in Contagion.
- Imitation (p8) — One of two opposing sides in the game. A single player begins as an Imitation. Has three victory conditions: Destroy, Infect, and Stow Away.
- Mission Log (p9) — Each turn revolves around the investigation of a Mission Log. Each card has a directive. Success rewards the team, while failure results in Contagion.
- Molotov (p16) — A special Supply card which allows players in the Rec Room to exchange a pair of cards for new ones—a card from their hand for a new one from the deck.
- Objectives tracker (p5,10) — The method by which Sectors are unlocked and progress towards Escape is made. Must be filled with three pieces of Gear and four Things.
- Outpost 31 Map (p6) — The gameboard, divided into three Sectors with six rooms each.
- Pool (p10) — The Supply cards collected from the hand in during an investigation or battle.
- Power Outage (p9) — A permanent condition which requires teams entering the room with a Power Outage reveal and discard a Flashlight.
- Rec Room (p6,16) — The main rally point for the Outpost 31 staff. Players begin and end each turn in the Rec Room.
- Roll (p14) — A resolution system used by some Mission Log directives and all battles. The number of dice available for roll is determined by collecting Supply cards with Dice Value. Up to 6 dice may be used. Each roll allows dice to be freely kept or re-rolled.
- Room Destroyed (p16) — A card which makes a room impassable and removes any Room chip within it from play. When a Room Destroyed card enters play, a Room Destroyed counter is added to the Destruction tracker—related to the Destroy victory condition.
- Room chip (p5,12) — A set of game pieces which hide the Gear and Things needed to fill the Objective tracker and progress through Outpost 31.
- Rope (p12) — A piece of Gear required to unlock Sector 2, it can be used to force the Captain to pass the Captain indicator, or leave a player behind in the Rec Room for a turn.
- Sabotage (p10) — A special type of card found in the Supply deck which can be used to make an investigation or battle fail.
- Sector (p10,16) — Three distinct areas on the Outpost 31 Map. Sectors contain six rooms each and must be unlocked in order to Escape.
- Smoke (p9,14) — Produced by Event cards and Fallout, Smoke becomes Fire after one full turn in play. Blocks entry into rooms without a Fire Extinguisher, which must be revealed and discarded to remove the Smoke.
- Stow Away (p17) — One of the victory conditions for Imitations, it is triggered by being aboard the helicopter during the Escape.
- Supply (p5) — Cards which make up each player's hand, Supply cards are used to complete Mission Log directives, deal with conditions, and hinder chances of success.
- Swap (p10) — Once each investigation and battle, the Captain may exchange a single Supply card from the pool for one from the deck.
- Team (p9) — The team is the group of players selected by the Captain to undertake the investigation of a Mission Log.
- The Thing (p14) — The Thing is the overarching enemy in the game. Imitations, which are players and hide amongst the humans, are part of The Thing. Openly hostile Things also lurk under Room Chip throughout Outpost 31 and must be defeated to progress.
- Turn (p9,16) — The standard cycle of play. Turns progress as the game goes on, and leadership of the group shifts with each new turn.