Nemesis

Can more than one player win Nemesis?

Yes. Every player whose Character survives and whose chosen Objective is fulfilled wins, so a game can end with no winners, one, or several.

Which side of the board should I use, and what's the difference?

Start with the side that has a single (red) Technical Corridor network. The other side has two networks (red and blue) and a different layout, and plays harder.

Do the Escape Pod numbers matter, and which pods go in which Evacuation Section?

Yes. Some Events refer to a specific pod by number, such as the highest- or lowest-numbered one, which is why the tokens are drawn at random. At setup the lowest-numbered pod goes in Evacuation Section A and the next one in Section B. If you use 3D pod miniatures, which have no numbers, keep track of which pod is which.

Do the Cockpit, Engine rooms and Hibernatorium get Exploration tokens at setup?

No. Exploration tokens go only on the hexagonal Room tiles, not on the printed Cockpit, Engine rooms or Hibernatorium, and those Rooms can't be Searched. Events can still place Malfunction markers in them.

Are cards in hand and discard piles hidden or public?

Cards in your hand are hidden. All discard piles are face up and open information: your Action discard pile (including the cards you pay as Costs and any Contamination cards) and the Item, Event, Intruder Attack and Serious Wound discard piles.

What is the blue Character Corpse token for, and why are there only 4 red ones?

The blue Corpse is the crew member already dead in the Hibernatorium at setup. The red Corpse tokens are for Characters who die during play.

How do I tell a Character's starting weapon from their Quest Items?

Your starting Item is the card with your Character's picture on its back; in the base game it's always a fully loaded weapon, ready to use from the start. The two cards with an Action cost and a condition printed on the back are Quest Items: they start horizontal next to your Character board and are activated during play.

Can two Characters of the same color be in the same game?

No. The Aftermath rulebook says not to play two Characters of the same color in one game. Characters of different colors, such as the Soldier (red) and the Mechanic, can always play together.

Are the Comms Room, Laboratory and Cockpit always on the board?

Yes. The Cockpit is printed on the board, and all Room "1" tiles, including the Comms Room and the Laboratory, are used every game. If one is missing, check your setup.

Are any Door tokens placed during setup?

No. All Doors start open; Door tokens are placed only when a Door is closed or destroyed during play.

Do I pick the Adult Intruder tokens for the bag at random, or by their numbers?

At random, without looking. The number on a token only matters during an Encounter, when it's compared with the cards in your hand for a Surprise Attack, so it's meant to be a surprise.

Are Breeder tokens in the Intruder bag at the start?

No. The starting bag holds 1 Blank, 4 Larvae, 1 Creeper, 1 Queen and 3 Adults, plus 1 Adult per player. Breeders are added only when a Creeper is drawn during Bag Development.

Do I have to use the Inventory holder?

No. It just keeps your Items hidden from the others; holding them in hand or face down works the same.

What faces are on the Noise and Combat dice, and why are there two of each?

The Noise die (d10) shows 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, Silence and Danger. The Combat die (d6) shows a blank, two Creeper symbols, an Adult symbol, a single hit and a double hit. The second set is just so both ends of the table have dice.

Which expansion components can I mix into the base game?

New Serious Wound cards and Character traits can simply be shuffled in, and Aftermath Characters work fine in the base game. Event decks are separate per alien species and mode, so don't merge them, and Carnomorphs and Void Seeders each replace the Intruders rather than playing together.

Can Carnomorphs or Void Seeders be used in a normal game, and can they be combined?

Yes to normal games, they're designed for them. But each species is meant to be the sole enemy of a game, replacing the Intruders, so you don't combine them.

What is the Room number that Event cards refer to, such as the lowest-numbered Room?

Every Room space on the board has a small printed number next to it, increasing left to right and top to bottom, starting with the Cockpit (001). So the lowest-numbered Room is normally the Cockpit.

How do I know which Rooms have a Computer?

Rooms with a Computer show a small blue computer-screen icon in the corner of the Room tile.

What if my Action deck runs out while I'm drawing?

Shuffle your discard pile to form a new deck and keep drawing until you have the required number.

Can I take just one Action on my round and then pass, or take one Action and keep playing later?

You can take one Action, but then you must pass and you're done for that Player Phase. Each round you either take 2 Actions, take 1 and pass, or pass; you can't take a single Action and stay in.

Is each player limited to one round of 2 Actions per Player Phase?

No. Rounds keep going around the table until every player has passed, so you can take several rounds of 2 Actions, limited only by your cards. A player left alone after everyone else passes keeps taking rounds until they pass too.

Can I take 2 Actions and pass in the same round?

No. After 2 Actions your round ends without passing; you pass on your next round. This can matter, for example for Fire damage, which hits at the end of each round.

Can I play any cards after I've passed?

Only Interruption. Once you pass you take no more Actions that Player Phase. Interruption is a reaction card with no cost, and Awaken Realms confirmed it can still be played after you've passed.

“Interruption card is a reaction card - thats why it hasn't a cost icon. You can use it after you have passed this turn.”

— Awaken Realms, publisher

When can I discard unwanted cards from my hand?

Only when you pass, and then any number for free. You can't discard after a normal 2-Action round, between Actions, or when drawing back up. Cards you keep stay in hand through the Event Phase, where they protect you against Surprise Attacks.

Can I discard Contamination cards from my hand when I pass?

Yes. The free discard when passing covers any card, Contamination included. They go to your Action discard pile and come back when you reshuffle; discarding is not the same as removing them from the game, which only specific effects do.

Can I take a pointless Action, like an empty Trade, just to avoid passing?

Generally no. The designer is reported to have ruled that Actions which change nothing (a Trade where nothing changes hands, reloading a full gun, Resting with no Contamination in hand) aren't allowed, though the printed rules don't say so and some groups allow edge cases like dropping and re-picking a Heavy Object.

When do I draw cards, and is there a hand limit?

Everyone draws up to 5 at the start of the Player Phase, keeping any cards already in hand. You don't refill between rounds, so those cards must last the whole phase; there's no hand limit beyond drawing up to 5.

What's the difference between a turn and a round, and why do some cards use them the other way?

In the original printing a turn is the whole Player Phase plus Event Phase, and a round is one player's 2-Action activation. A later reprint of the core rulebook swapped the two words, while cards, the FAQ and expansions kept the old usage. Only the wording changed, not the rules.

Is the First Player token passed at the start of the first turn?

No. It's passed to the left at the start of every turn except the first.

Do players act in player-number order or clockwise?

Clockwise from the First Player. Player numbers only matter for Objectives and for deciding who goes first on the first turn, so you needn't sit in number order.

When and how often do Characters take damage from Fire?

1 Light Wound each time you end a round in a Room with Fire, whether that round was 2 Actions, 1 Action and a pass, or just a pass, so it can happen several times per Player Phase. After you've passed you take no more. The Event Phase Fire Damage step hurts only Intruders.

Which Room does the Malfunction Event break if the lowest-numbered Room already has a Malfunction?

The lowest-numbered explored Room that doesn't already have a Malfunction marker, so it moves on to the next one. The Cockpit and Engine rooms always count as explored.

Does the Technical Corridors Event make a Character roll for Noise if an Intruder is already in their Room?

No. A Character already sharing a Room with an Intruder skips that Noise roll.

Where does the Life Support Failure Event place Malfunction markers?

Only in explored (revealed) green Rooms.

Do Intruders in Combat with a Character move when an Event card is resolved?

No. Intruders sharing a Room with a Character ignore Event card movement, including Hunt.

How does an Event card move Intruders, and does its effect need a matching Intruder?

First every Intruder of a type shown at the top of the card that isn't in Combat moves through the Corridor with the card's number; then resolve the card's text, which always happens whether or not anything moved. Larvae never appear on Event cards, so they don't move this way.

If an Intruder moves into my Room during the Event Phase, does it attack right away?

No. Event movement isn't an Encounter, so there's no Surprise Attack, and the Intruder Attack step has already happened that turn; it attacks in the next turn's attack step if you're still together.

How does the Hunt Event move Adults?

Only Adults not in Combat that have a Character in a neighboring Room move, one step into that Room (lowest Room number breaks ties). Technical Corridor connections don't count, and Adults with no Character next to them stay put.

In the Intruder Attack step, in what order do Intruders attack, and does each draw its own card?

Each Intruder in Combat attacks once with its own Intruder Attack card. Resolve Characters in player order; within a Room go from the largest Intruder to the smallest, each targeting the Character with the fewest cards in hand.

In the Fire Damage step, in what order are Intruders injured, and can one be burned twice?

Go from the lowest-numbered Room to the highest, and within a Room from the largest Intruder to the smallest. An Intruder that retreats into a higher-numbered burning Room not yet resolved takes Fire damage again there.

How does Fire spread from Events, and can a Room hold more than one Fire marker?

A Room holds at most one Fire marker. Spreading Fire enters neighboring Rooms whether explored or not, but not through Closed Doors or into Technical Corridors, and it doesn't chain: only Rooms already burning spread.

Does Fire destroy Eggs, and does that need a Noise roll?

Fire in the Nest destroys one Egg from the Intruder board in each Fire Damage step, with no Noise roll (that roll only follows a Character's attack). Eggs lying on the floor or being carried are Objects and aren't harmed by Fire.

Do Intruders avoid Rooms on Fire or move toward slimed Characters?

Neither. Intruder movement ignores Fire, and a Slime marker only matters for your Noise rolls (Silence becomes Danger) or effects that name it.

If an Event card refers to a Room that isn't on the board or explored yet, what happens?

Skip the part that can't apply but resolve the rest. For example, Coolant Leak with an undiscovered Generator does nothing to the Generator but is still removed from the game, with the Event discards shuffled back into the deck.

When the Event deck is reshuffled, which cards go back in?

If the Event deck runs out, shuffle the discarded Event cards to form a new deck. When a card tells you to reshuffle, shuffle the discards together with whatever's left in the deck. Cards removed from the game stay out either way.

How does a Hatching Event resolve if there are no Eggs left, or few Larvae left?

Resolve what you can: skip discarding an Egg if there is none, and place only as many Larvae as remain in the supply. Larvae already on the board stay where they are.

Does the Egg Protection Event cause an Encounter for Characters already in Combat in the Nest?

Yes. It skips the Noise roll and resolves an Encounter directly for every Character in the Nest or carrying an Egg; only Noise rolls are skipped by being in Combat.

When the Noise in Technical Corridors Event finds no Noise marker there, does anyone roll?

No. Just place the marker. Only if one was already there do Characters in Rooms with a Technical Corridor entrance roll for Noise.

Do grey Rooms count as red, yellow or green for Event effects?

No. Grey Rooms aren't red, yellow or green, so Events that name a color skip them.

What if I must add an Egg but all Egg tokens are already on the Intruder board?

Nothing happens; there are no more Eggs to add.

Does the Lurking Event remove Intruders permanently?

No. The affected Intruders go back into the bag and can be drawn again later.

In Bag Development, does a drawn Adult or Breeder token go back in the bag before or after the Noise rolls?

Before. The official FAQ corrects the rulebook's order: return the token to the bag first, then every Character not in Combat rolls for Noise, so that same token can be drawn for an Encounter those rolls cause. Nothing is placed on the board directly.

How are the Noise rolls from Bag Development resolved when several Characters, or several in one Room, must roll?

One at a time in player order from the First Player, resolving each roll (and any Encounter) fully before the next. Characters in Combat skip their roll, so once an Intruder appears in a Room, the others there don't roll.

Can an Intruder that appears from a Bag Development Noise roll make a Surprise Attack?

Yes. It's a normal Encounter: if the Character who rolled holds fewer cards than the token's number, they suffer a Surprise Attack. This is why emptying your hand when passing is risky.

What happens when the Queen token is drawn in Bag Development?

If a Character is in the Nest, place the Queen there and resolve an Encounter with her, including the Surprise Attack check; no extra token is drawn, and her token stays out of the bag while she's on the board. If nobody is in the Nest, add an Egg instead.

What if the Queen token comes up when the Queen is already on the board, or after she's been killed?

There is only one Queen. While she's on the board her token stays out of the bag, so it can't come up again, and Events that place her also remove her token. A killed Queen never returns, even if a token or an Event would bring her back.

“For the sake of Objective mechanics there is only one Queen. If you kill her, she's done.”

— Awaken Realms, publisher

If the Nest is destroyed, does the Queen token in Bag Development still add an Egg, and does the Nest come back?

An Egg is still added, but the Nest stays destroyed for Objectives, so there's no need to destroy it again. A minority reads it as having no effect at all.

How do Breeders get into the Intruder bag?

When the Creeper token is drawn in Bag Development, add a Breeder token. Apart from that, a Creeper can also turn into a Breeder through an Intruder Attack card effect, which is rare.

What happens with the Blank token, and can the Intruder bag run out?

In Bag Development, a Blank goes back into the bag and an Adult is added. In an Encounter, it places Noise markers in all corridors connected to the Room and goes back. Killed Intruders' tokens return to the general supply, so an empty bag shouldn't happen if tokens are returned correctly.

Can players talk about, or lie about, their secret Objectives?

Yes, talk freely, but never show the card. You may say anything about your Objective, true or a bluff, and the same goes for other hidden information such as an Engine or Coordinates you checked. What you can't do is prove it by revealing the card.

“You can tell whatever you want, but you can NEVER show your secret objective / engines etc. ;)”

— Awaken Realms, publisher

Do players choose their Objective if the first Encounter draws the Blank token?

No. The Objective choice happens only when an Intruder miniature actually appears. A Blank token just places Noise markers, so nobody chooses yet; when a real Intruder later shows up, place it, everyone chooses, then finish resolving that Encounter.

Does the Objective choice trigger when the first Intruder appears anywhere, even in a Room with no Character?

Yes. Players choose their Objective the first time any Intruder miniature is placed on the board, wherever that happens. Usually that coincides with an Encounter, but it doesn't have to.

Does a Larva or the Queen count as the first Intruder for choosing Objectives?

Yes. Both are Intruders whose tokens are in the bag from the start, so either one appearing first makes everyone pick their Objective.

Does drawing an Adult or Breeder token in Bag Development count as the first Encounter?

No. In Bag Development those tokens only make everyone roll for Noise; no Intruder appears, so no Objective is chosen. Eggs on the Intruder board don't count either. The choice waits until an Intruder miniature is actually placed.

Does the Hatching Event card count as an Encounter for choosing Objectives?

Only if it actually produces one. Hatching causes an Encounter only when a Character with no cards in hand is in the Nest; in that case Objectives are chosen. Otherwise the Larva goes into the bag and nothing is triggered.

What if one of my Objectives says a Character must not survive and that Character is me?

You don't draw a replacement. Those cards offer an alternative condition, being the only survivor, for exactly this case; otherwise simply keep your other Objective when the first Intruder appears.

Can I complete an Objective before the first Encounter, while I still hold two?

Yes. If you meet an Objective's condition (for example sending a signal) before the first Intruder appears, it counts as done; just keep that one when you choose.

If two players both need to send a signal, does one signal count for both?

No. Each player whose Objective requires a signal must send it themselves. In co-op, each Objective card is a separate requirement, so two signal cards mean two signals.

For the Objective that requires owning 7 Items, do weapons or Heavy Objects count?

Weapons count, including your starting weapon, because they are Items. Heavy Objects (Eggs, Carcasses and Corpses) are Objects, not Items, so they don't. An Item you've given to another Character, such as an activated Spy Drone, is no longer yours.

Does the Objective to explore every Room include the Engine rooms and other special rooms?

No. It only covers Rooms that can be explored: every hexagonal Room tile must be face up. The printed special Rooms have no Exploration token and don't count.

Can I write down what the Coordinates card says?

No. Players are expected to remember the Coordinates (and Engine status) they've checked; note-taking is only a house rule, for instance with younger players.

If my Objective becomes impossible, can I swap it?

No. You keep the Objective you chose; that option existed only in the prototype. Your best play is then to survive and perhaps help or hinder others.

Does A Proper Burial need the blue Corpse whether I leave by Escape Pod or by hibernating?

Yes. Send the signal and finish the game with the blue Character Corpse surviving with you, whichever way you leave.

When do the Escape Pods unlock?

Automatically when the first Character dies, or when the Self-Destruct marker reaches a yellow space. Before that, a pod can be unlocked with the Hatch Control System Room or an Item that unlocks pods (such as the Pilot's Escape Hatch Key Quest Item). The Time Track's blue spaces open the hibernation chambers, not the pods.

Does stopping the Self-Destruct sequence lock the Escape Pods again?

No. Nothing automatically re-locks unlocked pods; they stay open unless someone locks them with the Hatch Control System or an Item.

Can the Hatch Control System lock an Escape Pod that already has a Character inside?

Probably not. A widely cited compilation of rulings credits Awaken Realms with saying an Escape Pod containing a Character can't be locked. The rulebook has no rule for it, and some players argue instead that locking only stops Characters entering, so the occupant could still launch.

Can I enter the Hibernatorium before the Time Track reaches the blue spaces?

Yes, you can move into and through it at any time. You just can't hibernate there until the Time marker reaches a blue space.

Can anyone change the Coordinates or start the Self-Destruct once a Character is hibernating?

No. Once any Character is hibernating, players can't change the Coordinates or start the Self-Destruct. Event cards such as Coolant Leak can still start it, though.

Can Engines be checked, repaired or sabotaged while a Character is hibernating?

Yes. Hibernation only blocks changing the Coordinates and starting the Self-Destruct. Engines can still be checked, repaired or damaged, which is a real risk for anyone asleep.

Does going into hibernation stop a Self-Destruct sequence that is already running?

No. If the sequence was already active, entering hibernation doesn't stop it; someone still has to shut it down at the Generator.

“If self-destruct sequence was already active, going to Hibernation won't stop it.”

— Awaken Realms, publisher

Does the Coolant Leak Event start the Self-Destruct even if a Character is already hibernating?

Yes. The hibernation restriction only stops players from starting the sequence; an Event card can still start it. Anyone hibernating is at risk unless an active Character stops it, so repair the Generator before going to sleep if you can.

Can active Characters still stop the Self-Destruct while others are hibernating?

Yes, as long as the marker hasn't reached a yellow space. Hibernation only forbids starting the sequence, not stopping it.

How do I stop the Self-Destruct, and when is it too late?

Use the Generator's Room Action, which both starts and stops the sequence. Once the Self-Destruct marker reaches a yellow space it can no longer be stopped, and the Escape Pods unlock.

If the Self-Destruct is stopped and later restarted, where does the marker start?

Back at the first (green) space of the Self-Destruct track. Progress from the earlier sequence isn't kept.

Does a Malfunction in the Generator stop an active Self-Destruct sequence?

No. The countdown keeps running. The Malfunction only disables the Room Action, so nobody can stop or start the sequence there until it's repaired.

Do the Escape Pods open if the Self-Destruct starts with only a few turns left on the Time Track?

No. Self-Destruct unlocks the pods only when its own marker reaches a yellow space; how much time remains on the Time Track doesn't matter.

If the Self-Destruct is still running when the ship jumps, does a Reach Earth Objective count?

No. If the sequence hasn't been stopped by the time the ship jumps, the ship is still considered destroyed and everyone aboard dies, so Objectives that need the ship to arrive fail. Note that a newly started Self-Destruct begins at the start of its own track, not level with the Time marker.

Can I hibernate in a Hibernatorium with a Fire marker, and do I take fire damage afterwards?

Yes, and no. Fire doesn't disable Room Actions (a Malfunction does), and once you're in a chamber you're out of play and take no more Fire wounds.

Can I hibernate while the Self-Destruct is active?

Yes. Nothing stops you hibernating during the sequence; just know it will kill you if nobody stops it before the end of its track.

Does a Character waiting in an unlaunched Escape Pod still roll for Noise?

Yes. Awaken Realms ruled that a Character waiting in an unlaunched pod must roll for Noise when an Adult is drawn in Bag Development. Launching a pod you're already in costs no Action.

If an Intruder appears from my Noise roll when entering hibernation or an Escape Pod, does the attempt fail even if the Intruder leaves?

Yes, it fails. Any Intruder appearing in the Room from that roll stops the attempt, even if none is left at the end (for example a Larva that went onto your board). A Blank token, which only places Noise markers, doesn't stop it.

If a hibernating Character has a Larva on their board, can the Hatching Event kill them?

No. Once hibernating, the Character is out of play and Events no longer affect them; the Larva matters only in the end-of-game Contamination check.

Does an Event that opens all Doors also unlock the Escape Pods?

No. It affects Doors only; pods are unlocked only by the effects that name them.

Can I enter an Escape Pod and wait to launch, and what happens if things change?

Yes. Delaying the launch ends your round as a pass; next round you may launch, stay and pass again, or leave the pod. If an Intruder enters your Evacuation Section you're pulled out into Combat. A Malfunction there blocks others boarding but doesn't stop you launching.

Can I use Careful Movement or a silent move to get into an Escape Pod or a hibernation chamber without a Noise roll?

No. Entering is a Room Action, not a Movement, and it always includes a Noise roll.

Can I hibernate if the Hibernatorium has a Malfunction marker?

No. Hibernating is a Room Action, so the Malfunction must be repaired first. Fire, by contrast, doesn't stop you.

How do Action costs work? Does a cost of 1 mean discarding the card plus one more?

Yes. To play an Action card you discard it plus as many extra cards as its Cost; a cost-0 card costs only itself. For Basic, Item and Room Actions you just discard the Cost from your hand.

Does the 2-Action limit count Actions or cards discarded?

Actions. Each Basic, card, Item or Room Action is one Action whatever it costs, so a Movement plus a cost-2 Repair is two Actions using three or more cards.

Can any Action card pay a Cost, even one marked out-of-combat or Interruption?

Yes. Any Action card can be discarded to pay a Cost; the combat icons only matter when you play that card's own Action. Contamination cards are the exception: they aren't Action cards and can never pay Costs.

Which Actions can I take while in Combat?

Shoot, Melee Attack and Escape, plus Action cards and Items that don't have the out-of-combat icon. You can't Trade, Craft, Pick Up a Heavy Object, Search or use a Room Action while an Intruder is in your Room.

“The official statement is: in combat you MAY NOT trade, craft items nor pick up heavy object.”

— Awaken Realms, publisher

What do the combat icons on cards mean, and can cards without one be used in Combat?

A gun icon means In Combat only, a crossed-out gun means Out of Combat only, and a card with neither can be used either way. Most Search and Repair cards are out-of-combat only.

Can I Escape, or play In Combat cards like Adrenaline, when no Intruder is in my Room?

No. Escape is what a Movement becomes when you're in Combat, and In Combat cards need an Intruder in your Room. Eggs don't put you in Combat.

Do I have to be in the same Room to play Interruption, including to cancel another Interruption?

Yes. Interruption works only on a Character in your Room, both for cancelling an Action and for cancelling another Interruption, so you can't stop an Order the Captain sends over the Intercom from another Room.

When exactly must Interruption be played?

Before anything resolves. The card doesn't spell out the exact timing, but players play it after the other player declares the Action and pays its Cost, and before dice are rolled or any effect applies. You can't wait to see the result and then undo it.

If my Action is Interrupted, do I still pay for it, and does it count as one of my 2 Actions?

Yes to both. You lose the card and its Cost, and it uses up one of your Actions, but nothing of the Action happens: no movement, Noise roll, Intruder attack, or Ammo spent.

If an Item Action such as a Taser or Antidote is Interrupted, do I lose the Item?

Probably yes. Awaken Realms customer support, in a reply a player posted in 2023, said an Interrupted Item such as a Taser is lost along with the Cost paid. Several experienced players argue the opposite: since the Action never happened, the Item wasn't used and you keep it.

Can an Interruption be cancelled by another Interruption, and can that chain continue?

Yes. Interruption's second option cancels another player's Interruption, and any player in the Room can join, so chains are possible. Every Interruption played is discarded, and the original player still pays their Cost.

Can Interruption cancel reaction cards like Nerves of Steel or the Scout's Motion Scanner?

Yes. Interruption can cancel any Character's Action, including reaction-style cards, as long as you're in the same Room.

When can I play cards with no Cost printed, like Nerves of Steel?

As reactions whenever their trigger happens, including outside your own round, such as when another player in your Room triggers a Surprise Attack. They don't use up one of your Actions.

How does Trade work: who pays, how many Items, and can a passed player take part?

Only the Character taking the Trade Action discards a card; then everyone in the Room may exchange any number of Items and Objects as they agree, including players who have already passed. Something must actually change hands, and Ammo can't be traded.

Can starting weapons and Quest Items be traded?

Yes. Starting weapons follow normal Item rules, and an activated Quest Item is a normal Item, so both can be traded. Only Items that say otherwise, like the Convict's Pipe, can't.

Does dropping an Item or Heavy Object cost an Action, and what happens to it?

Dropping is free. A dropped Heavy Object (Corpse, Carcass or Egg) stays in the Room for anyone to pick up. A dropped Item card, weapons and Quest Items included, is lost along with any Ammo; it doesn't stay in the Room.

Do Heavy Objects take up hand slots, and is there an Item limit?

Corpses, Carcasses and Eggs are Heavy Objects and each fills one of your two hands, like Heavy Items. Ordinary Items have no limit in your Inventory.

Can I Search without a Search Action card?

Not normally. Search comes from Search cards in your deck, or from a Room that lets you search; it isn't a Basic Action. Search is out of combat only and needs Items left on the Room's counter unless a card says otherwise.

When I Search, where does the Item I don't keep go?

Face down on the bottom of the deck it came from, unseen by others. Only used Items go to a discard pile.

When Searching, must I keep one of the two Items, and can I draw from two different decks?

You must keep one; the other goes to the bottom of its deck, and you can drop anything you don't want afterwards. Both cards come from the same deck, though in a grey Room you choose which color.

Do Basic Actions like Shoot or Movement cost a card, even after others have passed?

Yes. Every Basic Action costs at least one Action card, so with no cards in hand you can't Shoot, Melee or move, even if your gun still has Ammo.

Do cards that include a move or a shot, like Covering Fire, Taking Aim or Adrenaline, also cost the Basic Action's card?

No. Such cards have the move or shot built in, so you pay only the card's own Cost and it counts as one Action. Normal consequences still apply, such as spending Ammo and rolling for Noise when entering an empty Room.

When the Captain plays Order, does the moved player pay anything?

No. The Captain pays for Order and the moved Character pays nothing. The card moves them; it isn't a Movement Action taken by that player.

Can the Captain play Order while in Combat?

No. Order is marked out-of-combat only, so the Captain can't use it while an Intruder is in his Room.

With the Intercom, who does the Captain's Motivation affect?

Every Character in a Room with a Computer, plus everyone in the Captain's own Room, including the Captain.

Does the Soldier's Covering Fire cost an extra card for the movement it gives?

No. Covering Fire, Suppressive Fire and other cards with movement built in cost only what the card shows; you never add the cost of a separate Movement Action.

Can a player refuse to be moved by the Soldier's Covering Fire?

Yes. Covering Fire moves another Character only if that player agrees.

When the Scientist uses the Laboratory remotely through a Computer, where must the Object be?

In the Laboratory. The Lab's Analyse action needs the Object to be in that Room, so it has to be dropped there (or carried by a Character standing in it) while the Scientist acts from another working Computer Room. A pre-release FAQ instead required the Scientist to carry it, but the final rules' wording is what players follow.

Can the Pilot use his trait when checking the Coordinates remotely, from a Computer Room?

No. The trait works only with the Cockpit's own Room Action, and checking remotely isn't using that Action.

Is the Scout's Search trait mandatory, or can she Search grey Rooms normally?

It's mandatory; she always searches using her trait.

Which crafting does the Mechanic's trait apply to?

According to an answer from Awaken Realms support relayed on the forum, any crafting: the Basic Craft Action, the crafting Room and his Ingenuity card. Some players had read it as working only with Ingenuity.

How does the Mechanic's Flashlight work?

It gives him a Search without a Search card, paid with Action cards (it isn't free). All normal Search rules apply: it lowers the Room's Item counter and can't be used in a Room with no Items left.

Does the Soldier's Autoloader make reloading his Assault Rifle free, and what about a Hand wound?

Autoloader drops the cost of loading an Energy Charge into the Assault Rifle from 1 to 0, and a Hand Serious Wound raises it back to 1. When first played it also adds 1 capacity and 1 Ammo.

Does the Soldier's Full Auto deal its extra damage on a miss, and can it hit Eggs?

The extra damage doesn't depend on the die, so it applies even if the roll misses. Full Auto can target Eggs in the Nest, letting a lucky Soldier clear several at once.

Can the Soldier craft his Armor again after it's used up, and what counts as Tools for it?

No. That Quest Item can only be made once per game. The Tools it requires are the yellow Item cards actually named Tools.

Can the Soldier's Demolition destroy an open Door, and is it an Action?

It only destroys a Closed Door. It costs nothing beyond the card itself but still counts as one of your two Actions.

With Covering Fire, do both Characters move to the same Room, and who handles the Noise roll?

Both move together into the same Room with a single Noise roll; any Encounter it causes affects only the Soldier. Neither Character is attacked for leaving, since it isn't an Escape.

How does Suppressive Fire work: does it avoid attacks, need Ammo, or work as a reaction?

It's a move out of Combat, not an Escape, so no Intruder in the Room attacks you and a Legs Serious Wound doesn't raise its cost. You need at least 1 Ammo loaded to spend, and you can only play it as an Action on your round, not in response to a Surprise Attack. The player using it picks the destination.

Does the Scout's Adrenaline avoid Escape attacks or the Escape's cost?

It replaces the cost: you pay only Adrenaline's own cost, with no extra from a Legs wound, and a Shoot still uses Ammo. It doesn't avoid the attacks: it's still an Escape, so each Intruder attacks before she moves, then she explores and rolls for Noise as usual.

Can the Scout's Security Key target any Room, and does it open Escape Pods?

It can target any Room's Doors anywhere on the board, but it doesn't affect Escape Pods, which aren't Doors. Once used it's discarded.

Can the Captain's Log Key look at both of a player's Objectives before the first Encounter?

Yes. Before anyone has chosen, the Log Key reveals both of that player's Objective cards to the Captain. He can tell others what he saw, but can't show them.

When the Captain's Order moves another Character, do they roll for Noise or suffer attacks?

They move under normal movement rules: a Noise roll if they enter an empty Room, none if it's occupied. No permission is needed, the moved player pays nothing, and Order can target someone who has already passed.

Does Motivation still draw if my deck is empty or my hand is full?

Yes. There's no hand limit, and an empty deck is reshuffled from your discard pile as usual. It only gives the card, not an extra round.

What does the Pilot's Orbital Maneuvering System skip?

Only the Intruder Attack step of the Event Phase is skipped; the card's step number is a misprint. Time Track, Fire Damage, the Event card and Bag Development (including its Surprise Attacks) all still happen. A copy printed with no cost costs 1.

Can the Pilot's Piloting card use Room Actions other than the Cockpit's?

Yes. Its top option uses the Action of the Room he's in if it has a working Computer, so he could send the signal from Comms. It doesn't work in a malfunctioning Room.

Does the Scientist's Holo Computer count as a Computer for other effects, such as the Captain's Intercom?

No. It counts only for the Scientist's own two cards, Intranet and Risk Assessment.

Does Computer Skills need a Computer to open or close a Door?

No. Only its other option needs a Computer; the Door option doesn't.

When can the Scout use her Motion Scanner?

Whenever she herself rolls for Noise, including in the Event Phase; it isn't an Action, just a card cost. It can't reroll another player's Noise roll.

How do I add the Medic to the Character draft?

Shuffle her into the pool like any other Character; players still draw their options and choose one. Like everyone else she starts with her weapon (the Needle Gun) and two unfinished Quest Items.

Can the Medic use her cards on herself?

Yes. Her Action cards say "a Character" rather than "another Character", and she counts as a Character in her own Room. Only her trait is limited to others.

Does the Medic's ER card need Ammo for both options?

Yes. ER costs 1 Ammo from the Needle Gun whichever option is chosen; the chosen Character, possibly the Medic herself, then resolves one effect, such as drawing 3 Action cards.

How does the Medic's Needle Gun work, and can it kill Larvae or destroy Eggs?

Shoot normally and roll the Combat die; on a hit the Intruder retreats instead of being injured (draw an Event card and move it along the corridor shown). Because it deals no Injuries, it can't kill a Larva or destroy Eggs.

Does Chemicals fully reload the Medic's Needle Gun, and can she reload in Combat?

Chemicals refills the gun completely, but not in Combat: reloading with it counts as using the Chemicals Item, which can't be used in Combat. The same applies to the Flamethrower.

Where do Medic cards that say "draw" draw from?

Your Action deck. Any "draw" that doesn't name another deck means Action cards.

Where does the Contamination card from the Medic's ER go?

Into the target's own Action discard pile, like any other Contamination card; it isn't removed from the game.

Do Field Dressing or Pharmacist still give their bonus draw if nobody is actually healed?

No. The healing has to happen; you can't play an Action whose effect you can't carry out just for the draw. The Medic can be the one healed.

How does the Medic's Surgery Kit work: does the target need to agree, pass, or shuffle?

The Medic picks any Character in her Room, herself included, and no permission is needed (though the target could Interrupt). Players treat it like the Surgery Room: the target's INFECTED cards are removed and their cards are shuffled together into a new deck. Unlike the Room, it doesn't force the target to pass.

How much Ammo do found and crafted weapons start with?

A weapon found by Searching comes with just 1 Ammo. Starting weapons begin fully loaded, and crafted weapons such as the Flamethrower are crafted fully loaded.

How do I reload a weapon, and how much does reloading restore?

With an Item such as an Energy Charge, the Armory's Room Action, or a character card (the Captain has his own reload). Unless the card says otherwise, reloading fills the weapon to its printed capacity.

Can I use a Medkit, Bandages or other Items on another Character in my Room?

Medkit and Bandages, yes, directly, without trading first; the publisher confirmed Bandages. For other Items, such as an Energy Charge to reload someone else's weapon, the usual practice is to Trade the Item to its user instead.

“You can use Bandages on other players.”

— Awaken Realms, publisher

Does attaching an Extended Magazine or Autoloader cost an Action, and how many attachments can a weapon have?

Attaching is free, since the cards show no Action cost, and it adds the extra Ammo immediately, even to an empty weapon. There's no limit on attachments, and you can also hold one in your Inventory and trade it before attaching it.

How many cards does crafting cost, and can a used Crafted Item be crafted again?

Craft costs one Action card plus the two component Item cards, which you show. A Crafted Item that is used or discarded goes back to the Craft Item deck, so it can be crafted again.

Is activating a Quest Item an Action, and what does it cost?

Yes. It's an Action with the cost on its back (usually 1 card) plus any condition printed there, such as being in a certain Room or discarding a named Item card you own. It never happens automatically, can't be done in Combat, and isn't affected by a Hand Serious Wound since it isn't an Item Action. Once flipped it's a normal Item.

Can I activate a Quest Item in a Room with a Malfunction marker?

Yes. A Malfunction blocks only the Room Action, not Items or Quest Items used there.

Can a one-use Quest Item be activated or rebuilt again after it's used or dropped?

No. Once used, a one-use Item is discarded and gone for the game, and a dropped Quest Item is lost too; you can't redo its quest to get it back.

How does the Decoy work?

Choose your Room or a neighboring one; every Intruder in a Room adjacent to the chosen Room moves into it. Intruders further away don't react.

Does the Molotov Cocktail injure Characters as well as Intruders?

Yes. Intruders in the target Room suffer an Injury, and Characters there suffer a Serious Wound.

Can Duct Tape be used mid-Search, or to hold three Heavy Items?

No to both. Duct Tape is its own Action, so finish the Search first (dropping something for free if your hands are full), and it joins only two specific Heavy Items in one hand.

How does the Spacesuit move my Character?

It places you directly in another Room without following corridors, and you make a Noise roll in the Room you arrive in. You don't have to pass afterwards unless the card says so.

What does the Taser make another Character discard?

Every card in their hand, Action and Contamination alike. Their Items, deck and discard pile are unaffected.

Does the Smoke Grenade move me without spending another card?

Yes. Using it moves you to a neighboring Room without Intruder attacks; no separate Movement Action is needed.

How does the Grenade work: what can it target and who gets hurt?

You must target a Room with an Intruder, either your Room or a neighboring one. The chosen Intruder takes 2 Injuries, every other Intruder there 1, and every Character there a Serious Wound. In a Room with uncarried Eggs you can also throw it as if an Intruder were there; it destroys 2 Eggs and you then make a Noise roll.

Can I throw a Grenade or Molotov into an unexplored Room I know is the Nest to hit the Eggs?

No. Eggs aren't on the board until the Nest is explored, so they can't be targeted; you could still hit an Intruder standing there, and a Molotov can still start a Fire.

How do I resolve a retreat forced by the Fire Extinguisher?

No roll is needed: draw an Event card and move the Intruder through the Corridor it shows, as in a normal retreat. If that Corridor has a Closed Door, the Door is destroyed and the Intruder stays.

Does the Flamethrower or Molotov count as fire for the Fire Weakness?

The Flamethrower does, per the FAQ as players report it. The Molotov isn't explicitly covered; most players apply the bonus to it by analogy, but some don't.

Does a Malfunction in the Cockpit or an Engine room stop cards and Items from changing the destination or Engines?

No. A Malfunction only disables that Room's Action. The Engine itself still works, and Action cards and Items (such as Repair cards) can still change the Engine or destination status.

Which Rooms can receive Fire and Malfunction markers?

All of them, including the five pre-printed special Rooms: the Cockpit, the three Engine rooms and the Hibernatorium. Some players hold that the Nest and the Slime room can't take a Malfunction marker.

Does the Airlock Procedure remove Heavy Objects from the Room?

No. Corpses, Carcasses and Eggs lying in the Room stay there.

Can a second Airlock Procedure cancel one already started in a Room?

Yes. Activating it again in a Room that already has an Airlock token cancels the first procedure; the Doors stay closed.

Can the Nest be depressurized to kill the Eggs?

No. Only yellow Rooms can be depressurized, and the Nest isn't one.

Can I use a Room Action while an Intruder is in the Room with me?

No. Room Actions can't be used in Combat, and they can't be used in a Room with a Malfunction marker. This includes checking Engines or Coordinates and hibernating.

What exactly does a Malfunction marker stop?

Only that Room's Room Action. Items, Quest Items and Action cards used in that Room still work, and a Malfunction in an Engine room doesn't change whether that Engine works; it just stops you checking it with the Room Action.

Can the Engine room action repair or break an Engine?

No. Each Engine room's Action only lets you check that Engine's status. Repairing or sabotaging needs a Repair card or an Item such as Tools: you take both Engine tokens, look at them secretly and put them back in the order you choose (unchanged if you like). You don't have to check first.

Does the Engine Control Room check all three Engines with one Action?

Most players read it as checking all three at once, since the action is worded in the plural; it can't change their status. A minority reads it as one Engine, and some groups house-rule that because it's strong. A Malfunction in an Engine room doesn't stop the Engine Control Room checking that Engine.

Do I have to check the Coordinates before changing the destination, and can I lie about what I saw?

No to the first: checking the Coordinates and setting the Destination are separate Cockpit Actions, and you may change it blind. Yes to the second: Coordinates and Engine checks are private, and you can say whatever you like about them.

How much does taking an Egg from the Nest cost, and does it need a Noise roll?

It's one Room Action costing 2 Action cards (the "2 Actions" wording in some printings is a typo), followed by a Noise roll. The Egg goes straight into your hand. Pick Up Heavy Object only works on Eggs lying loose in a Room, such as dropped ones, for the normal 1 card.

If I drop an Egg in the Nest Room, does it go back onto the Intruder board?

No. It lies on the Room tile as a loose Egg and is picked up again with a normal Pick Up Heavy Object Action. The Nest gains Eggs only through game effects.

When is the Nest considered destroyed?

Once every Egg has been removed from the Intruder board, whether destroyed or carried away. Each Egg you take with the Nest action needs a Noise roll.

Does the Storage Room action lower the Item counter, and can I use it when the Room is malfunctioning?

The Storage Room Action (cost 2) lets you draw from any Item deck color and doesn't touch the counter, so it works even at 0. A normal Search card there draws red Items and does lower the counter.

For the Laboratory's Analyse action, must I carry the Object, and is it used up?

It just has to be in the Laboratory: lying on the floor there or carried by you, though not carried by another Character. Analysing doesn't use it up; you keep it or leave it. Each Object type reveals one Weakness, so analysing the same type again does nothing.

How does the Surgery Room work: do I pass, and can someone operate on me?

Surgery affects only the Character using it, and it makes you discard your hand and pass at once, even as your second Action; you draw normally next turn. It always costs 1 Light Wound, even if you had a Larva but no Contamination cards to scan.

Can Airlock Control (Emergency Depressurisation) kill another Character, even with no Intruder there?

Yes. It's a Room Action, not an attack, so it's allowed. If the target Room's Doors are still closed at the end of the Player Phase, every Character and Intruder inside dies. Opening or breaking a Door, or leaving through a Technical Corridor if you can, are the ways out.

Do Characters and Intruders killed by the Airlock leave a Corpse or Carcass?

Yes, by the more widely followed reading: everyone inside dies normally and Corpses, Carcasses and other Objects stay in the Room. An early comment attributed to the designer said everything is vented into space, but later language editions and a reported Awaken Realms ruling keep Heavy Objects in the Room.

What happens to the Doors and the procedure if a Door is opened, and do they reopen afterwards?

Opening or destroying any Door of that Room before the Player Phase ends cancels the procedure at once, even if the Door is closed again. If it completes, the Doors stay closed afterwards until someone opens them. Only the Doors in Corridors directly connected to the target Room close.

Do the Cockpit, Hibernatorium or Engine rooms have Computers?

No. Only Rooms showing the Computer icon count, and a Room with a Malfunction marker loses its Computer for these effects.

Can I use another Room's Action remotely, for example with Intranet, and what are the limits?

Only through an effect that allows it, such as the Scientist's Intranet. Both your Room and the target must have working Computers (no Malfunction), and the target must be an explored Room; the Holo Computer lifts the requirement only for the Room you're in.

Does peeking at a Room with the Monitoring Room explore it or trigger its token?

No. You look secretly and put it back face down; the Room counts as explored, and a Fire or other token takes effect, only when a Character enters it.

What can the Fire Control System target?

Any one explored Room, including the Fire Control Room itself. It removes a Fire marker and makes Intruders there retreat; it doesn't affect Eggs, which aren't Intruders, or Exploration tokens.

If I use Careful Movement into an unexplored Room and its Exploration token shows Silence or Danger, what happens?

Careful Movement wins: ignore the token's Silence or Danger and place your Noise marker in a chosen Corridor as usual. Silence and Danger on a token stand in for a Noise roll, and Careful Movement replaces the Noise roll. The Scout's Reconnaissance ignores them the same way. (Nemesis: Lockdown rules this differently, but that applies only to Lockdown.)

“the silence/danger effect from an exploration token is treated as a result of noise roll.”

— Awaken Realms, publisher

Where can Careful Movement put its Noise marker, and can it force an Encounter?

In any connected Corridor without a Noise marker. It can't go in a Corridor that already has one, so Careful Movement never triggers an Encounter, and you can't use it at all if every connected Corridor already has Noise.

Can I use Careful Movement to Escape from Combat?

No. Careful Movement can't be used in Combat; leaving a Room with an Intruder is always a normal Escape with its Noise roll.

Does Careful Movement into an occupied Room still place a Noise marker?

No. It works like Movement except for the Noise step, and entering a Room with a Character or Intruder already in it has no Noise roll to replace, so no marker is placed. It's legal but wastes a card.

Can I use Careful Movement while I have a Slime marker?

Yes. Slime only turns Silence results into Danger; Careful Movement makes no Noise roll, so Slime doesn't affect it.

How is the Scout's Reconnaissance different from Careful Movement?

Reconnaissance moves her with no Noise roll and no Noise marker at all, so she can even enter a Room whose Corridors are all full of Noise. Careful Movement still places a marker. Silence or Danger on a revealed token are ignored by both.

When do I skip the Noise roll after moving?

When the Room you enter already holds a living Character or an Intruder, or when you use Careful Movement or Reconnaissance, or when the Room's Exploration token shows Silence or Danger. A Corpse or Eggs don't count as someone being there. If a card moves several Characters into an empty Room, only the first to enter rolls.

Do moves from cards and Items, like Suppressive Fire, Order, the Technical Corridors or a Spacesuit, trigger a Noise roll?

Yes. Any move into an empty Room follows normal movement: explore it if unexplored, then roll for Noise, unless the effect says otherwise (as Reconnaissance does). This applies even when another player's card moves you outside your round.

Does shooting, breaking a Door, or staying put in a Room make a Noise roll?

No. Noise rolls represent the Intruders, not the noise you make. They come from entering an empty Room or from effects that call for one, such as Bag Development, Events, entering an Escape Pod or hibernation chamber, or attacking Eggs.

Do Characters in Combat roll for Noise when an Event or Bag Development calls for it?

No. A Character sharing a Room with an Intruder never makes those Noise rolls. The one ruled exception is attacking Eggs in the Nest, which still needs a Noise roll in Combat.

If I explore the Room Covered in Slime and its token shows Silence, does it become Danger?

Yes. You enter and reveal the Room first, gaining the Slime marker, then resolve the Exploration token, and a slimed Character treats Silence as Danger. Exploration tokens resolve once, so only the first Character to enter is slimed by a Slime token.

What happens on a Danger result if no Intruder is adjacent and every connected Corridor already has a Noise marker?

Nothing. With no Intruder in a neighboring Room, Danger only adds Noise to Corridors that lack it; it never triggers an Encounter.

“That means you cannot trigger any encounter this way and if all of the corridors are noised already, ntohing happens.”

— Awaken Realms, publisher

When Danger pulls an Intruder into my Room, is that an Encounter with a Surprise Attack, and are Noise markers removed?

No to both. The Intruder just moves in and you're in Combat; there's no Surprise Attack and the Corridor Noise markers stay. Both of those happen only when an Encounter draws a new Intruder from the bag. Rooms linked only by the Technical Corridors don't count as neighboring for Danger.

Is a Corridor's Noise marker shared by the two Rooms it connects?

Yes. A Corridor holds at most one Noise marker, whichever Room's roll placed it. Some pairs of Rooms, such as the Engine rooms and their neighbors, are joined by two separate Corridors, and each of those gets its own marker.

When a Noise result hits a Corridor that already has Noise, where does the Intruder appear?

In the Room of the Character who rolled, never in a Corridor, even if a known Intruder sits in the neighboring Room.

Can Intruders move into unexplored Rooms, and does that reveal them?

They can, but the Room stays face down; only Characters explore. A Character who later enters it explores it and is immediately in Combat.

When I Escape into an empty or unexplored Room, do I roll for Noise?

Yes, as with any move: reveal the Room and token first, then roll unless the token or an occupant says otherwise. If you roll Danger, Intruders next door, including the one you fled from, can follow you in.

Which Exploration token effects apply in the Nest?

Slime, Fire, Danger and the like apply normally, so the Nest can catch fire. A Malfunction result is ignored, because the Nest (like the Slime Room) never takes Malfunction markers, and it has no Items.

What happens when an Intruder has to move or retreat through a Corridor with a Closed Door?

It destroys the Door and stays in its Room, so anyone in Combat with it stays in Combat. This applies to every Intruder, Larvae included, and to retreats. Intruders in the same Room move together, so if several try the same Door, it's destroyed and all of them stay.

“Every time Intruder has to move through a Corridor with Closed Door, it will destroy the Door instead of moving. Same applies to retreating Intruder.”

— Awaken Realms, publisher

If Danger would pull an Intruder through a Closed Door, does it come through?

No. It destroys the Door and stays in its own Room. If another open Corridor also connects the two Rooms, it uses that one instead.

Does a Closed Door stop Noise markers or an Encounter in that Corridor?

No. Noise markers are still placed there, and a second Noise result in that Corridor still causes an Encounter; the new Intruder appears in your Room and the Door is left intact. Doors only block things physically moving through.

How do Noise markers in the Technical Corridors work?

A Noise result for any Room's Technical Corridor entrance goes on the single shared Technical Corridors space, so it counts for every Room with an entrance; a second one there causes an Encounter. When an Encounter happens in a Room with an entrance, that shared marker is removed with the others.

What happens to an Intruder that moves into the Technical Corridors?

It leaves the board and a token of its type goes back into the Intruder bag; which exact token doesn't matter. Noise in the Technical Corridors doesn't affect it.

On the board side with red and blue Technical Corridors, how do they work?

They're two separate networks: Noise goes in the matching colored space, and anything entering one color, including the Mechanic, must come out at an entrance of the same color. Events that affect the Technical Corridors are resolved for each network.

Where does the Door go when an Exploration token shows Doors, including after moving through the Technical Corridors?

It closes behind you in the Corridor you came through. If you arrived through the Technical Corridors there's no such Corridor, and Door tokens can never go in Technical Corridors, so no Door is placed.

How are Doors opened and closed, and what if no Door tokens are left?

There's no Basic Action for it; cards, Items, Room Actions (such as the Command Center) and Events do it, and most cards only affect Doors leading out of your Room. All Doors start open: closing one places a Door token in that Corridor, opening removes it, and a destroyed Door is laid on its side and can't be closed again. If no tokens are left, move a Door token already on the board.

Can I attack Eggs while I'm in Combat with an Intruder, and do I still roll for Noise?

Yes, and yes. Destroying Eggs is done with a Shoot or Melee Attack, which are allowed in Combat, and Eggs on the Intruder board count as lying in the Nest. You still make a Noise roll after each attempt even though you're in Combat.

“Destroying Eggs in the Nest is a Shoot or Melee Attack Action, hence yes, you can perform it while in Combat with an Intruder.”

— SamboR, designer

Am I in Combat in a Room that contains only Eggs?

No. Eggs aren't Intruders, so they don't put you in Combat, and you can still Shoot or Melee them out of Combat.

Can one attack destroy several Eggs?

Yes. Each Injury destroys one Egg, so a double hit, or extra Injuries from bonuses, destroys more than one.

Do I draw a Contamination card or take a Wound when I Melee an Egg?

A miss costs you nothing: no Serious Wound and no Contamination card. Whether a hit draws Contamination is disputed. Some players, citing a support answer and other-language rulebooks, draw one on a hit; others say you never draw, since the normal draw happens before the roll.

Can I attack another player's Character directly?

No. Shoot, Melee and anything called an attack can only target Intruders (or Eggs). You can still hurt others indirectly: collateral from a Grenade thrown at an Intruder, closing Doors to trap them, Fire, or venting a Room with Airlock Control.

If several Characters are in the Room when an Encounter happens, who is checked for the Surprise Attack?

Only the Character whose Noise roll or Action caused the Encounter. The fewest-cards rule is for the Event Phase attack step. The exception is the Queen appearing in the Nest during Bag Development, where nobody triggered it, so she targets whoever holds the fewest cards.

Do Contamination cards in hand count when checking for a Surprise Attack?

Yes. Compare the Intruder token's number with every card in your hand, Contamination cards included.

When does a Larva make a Surprise Attack, and what happens if it doesn't?

Larva and Creeper tokens are low, so they only Surprise Attack a Character with no cards in hand. If it doesn't attack, the Larva stays in the Room and you're in Combat; it infests whoever it attacks later, in the Event Phase or when someone Escapes.

When I Escape from a Room with several Intruders, how many attacks do I suffer, and in what order?

Every Intruder in the Room attacks once with its own Intruder Attack card, from the largest to the smallest. You pay the Escape's cost and declare where you're going first; if you die, your Corpse stays in the Room you were leaving. The Intruders don't follow you.

Can I Escape from a Room with a Larva without being infested?

No. Escaping triggers the Larva's attack, and a Larva's attack always infests: it goes onto your board and you take a Contamination card. Kill it first, or use an effect that leaves without an attack, such as Covering Fire or a Smoke Grenade.

Does a Larva attack use an Intruder Attack card?

No. A Larva's attack never draws a card: it automatically infests the target, who takes a Contamination card. The symbol on some Attack cards that looks like a Larva is the Creeper.

What happens when a Larva attacks a Character who already has a Larva on their board?

They just take another Contamination card, and the attacking Larva leaves the board. A second Larva doesn't stack and doesn't kill you this way.

“when u get Infested while haing a larva on your Character Board, you get an additional Contamination. Larva which attacked you disappears.”

— Awaken Realms, publisher

If two Characters share a Room with one Intruder, are both in Combat, and when does it attack?

Both are in Combat; anyone sharing a Room with an Intruder is. It attacks only in a Surprise Attack, when someone Escapes, or in the Event Phase attack step (targeting the fewest cards), never as a counterattack to your attacks. You can be hit twice in a turn: a Surprise Attack and then the Event Phase attack.

What happens to an Intruder token drawn for an Encounter?

It's set aside in the token pool while the Intruder is on the board; it doesn't go back into the bag. Only when an Intruder leaves the board alive, for example by retreating into the Technical Corridors, does a token of its type go back into the bag. Tokens aren't tied to particular miniatures.

What if an Adult must be placed but all 8 Adult miniatures are already on the board?

Every Adult not in Combat retreats: remove those miniatures and return their tokens to the bag. Then place an Adult in the Room where the Encounter happened.

How many shots does one Shoot Action give, and how much Ammo does it use?

One shot, with one weapon, spending 1 Ammo whether you hit or miss. You can't spend extra Ammo for extra dice or fire two guns with one Action unless a card such as Full Auto says so.

Which combat die results can hurt a Breeder or the Queen?

Only the crosshair results (single or double hit). Breeders and the Queen have no symbol of their own on the die, and the Adult symbol hits only Adults, Creepers and Larvae.

Do damage bonuses from a Weakness, weapon ability and attachments stack, and how does the Assault Rifle bonus work?

Yes, they each add to the rolled damage. Bonuses like the Assault Rifle's +1 are added once per attack when it deals damage (so a double hit becomes 3, not 4), and a Weakness bonus applies once per attack even with Full Auto.

How much damage does the Soldier's Full Auto deal?

Discard all Ammo from the weapon and make one Shoot roll: you deal 1 Injury per 2 Ammo discarded plus the rolled result, then the Assault Rifle's +1 once. The automatic damage applies even on a miss, but you can't use Full Auto with no Ammo.

When can the Soldier play Nerves of Steel, and does it protect others?

Whenever the Soldier suffers a Surprise Attack, in any phase, including Bag Development in the Event Phase. It protects only the Soldier, and per the FAQ you may look at the Intruder Attack card before deciding to use it.

How does the Soldier's Armor work?

Draw the Intruder Attack card first, then decide whether to discard the Armor to ignore it. It works against any Intruder attack, Surprise Attacks and Larvae included (the Larva stays in the Room), but not the Serious Wound from a missed Melee, and it protects only the Soldier.

How does the Captain's Just Die Already trait chain shots?

You keep shooting while you keep hitting, each shot spending 1 Ammo and with no reloading mid-chain. It ends on a miss, on running out of Ammo, or when you stop, and then you check whether the Intruder dies.

Do I check whether an Intruder dies every time it's injured, including by Fire or a Grenade?

Yes. Every time an Intruder suffers Injuries, from any source, draw a fresh Intruder Attack card (two for a Breeder or the Queen) and compare its blood value with the Intruder's total Injuries; earlier cards don't count. Injuries stay on it between checks. A miss deals no Injury, so there's no check.

If one of the two cards drawn for a Queen or Breeder shows Retreat, can she still die?

No. A Retreat symbol on either card means the Intruder retreats with its Injuries applied, whatever the other card's value; it can only die when both cards show numbers.

How do I decide where a retreating Intruder goes?

Draw an Event card and move the Intruder through the Corridor with that card's number, ignoring the Intruder symbols on it.

Does a Retreat symbol on an Intruder's own attack card make it retreat?

No. The blood and Retreat part of an Intruder Attack card is used only when the card is drawn to check an injured Intruder. When an Intruder attacks, only the attack effect matters.

Does an Intruder Attack card take effect if it doesn't show the attacker's symbol?

No, the attack misses. That includes Escape attacks and cards like Transformation, which only works when a Creeper draws it. You suffer only what a matching card says; a Slime result, for instance, gives just a Slime marker.

Which Character does an Intruder attack when several are in its Room?

The one whose player holds the fewest cards in hand, Contamination included. On a tie, the one with the First Player token or nearest after them in turn order. Intruders pulled in by a Decoy follow the same rule.

Does a Larva need an Injury check, and can it retreat when hit?

No. Any Injury kills a Larva outright with no card drawn, so it never retreats from being hit; only effects that force a retreat move it. Weaknesses that change the Injury check don't help you hit it.

Which Intruders leave an Intruder Carcass?

Every killed Intruder except Larvae (and Eggs) leaves a Carcass token. If you run out of tokens, use a substitute.

Does a killed Intruder's token go back into the Intruder bag?

No. Its token was set aside when it appeared and stays in the supply pool, though Bag Development or a later retreat into the Technical Corridors can bring tokens of that type back. The exception is the Queen, who never returns once killed.

What happens to an injured Intruder that retreats into the Technical Corridors?

It leaves the board fully healed and a token of its type goes back into the bag. The Queen can do this too. An Intruder retreating into an ordinary Room, explored or not, just moves there and stays on the board.

How does the Taser's Injury and retreat resolve?

First the Injury: check whether the Intruder dies. If it survives, it then retreats once, in a direction from a drawn Event card. Most players don't retreat it twice even if the Injury check also showed Retreat.

If a Summoning attack card is drawn while I Escape, where does the new Intruder appear?

In the Room you're leaving, since the attack resolves before you move. You then complete your Escape, and the new arrival doesn't attack you that phase.

If I have 2 Light Wounds and take 2 more, what happens?

You end with 1 new Serious Wound and 1 Light Wound. The track is resolved one wound at a time: the third Light Wound becomes a Serious Wound and clears the track, and the fourth starts it again.

“However if you have 2 light wounds already and get another 2, you end up with 1 serious and 1 light wound.”

— Awaken Realms, publisher

Does taking a Serious Wound directly clear my Light Wounds?

No. The Light Wound track resets only when three Light Wounds convert into a Serious Wound. A Serious Wound from an attack card or other effect leaves your Light Wounds where they were.

Do I die when I receive my third Serious Wound?

No. Three Serious Wounds don't kill you by themselves, dressed or not. You die when you suffer any further Wound, Light or Serious, while you already have three.

With 2 Serious and 2 Light Wounds, does one attack dealing 2 Light Wounds kill me?

Probably not. The designer reportedly answered by email that wounds from a single attack land together, leaving you at 3 Serious and 1 Light Wound and alive until the next wound; if the two Light Wounds came from separate sources, the second kills. Some players read the one-at-a-time track rule as killing you, so agree on it before play.

Do two Serious Wounds of the same type stack their effects?

No. Two Leg or two Arm wounds have the effect only once, but each still counts toward your three Serious Wounds, and both must be dressed before the effect stops.

What's the difference between dressing and healing a Serious Wound?

Dressing flips the card so its effect is ignored, but it still counts as a Serious Wound (for death and for effects like Bite). Healing removes a dressed wound to the discard pile. An Item heals only the wound type it names, and undressed wounds can't be healed unless a card says so.

What does the Hand Serious Wound make more expensive?

Item Actions: every Item use with a cost box costs 1 more, including 0-cost ones. It doesn't affect shooting (a Basic Action) or activating a Quest Item (not an Item Action), and it cancels the Soldier's Autoloader discount.

Does a Leg Serious Wound raise the cost of Adrenaline, Suppressive Fire or other cards that move you?

No. The Leg wound raises only the Basic Movement or Escape cost. Cards with movement built in cost what's printed, and a Leg wound gained during an Escape only affects later moves.

When does the Bleeding Serious Wound deal its damage?

When you pass, so once per Player Phase; taking 2 Actions isn't passing. A hibernating Character, or one who has launched in a pod, has left play and no longer bleeds.

Does the Body Serious Wound mean drawing 4 cards, or filling your hand to 4?

Filling your hand to 4, so cards you kept count toward it.

Where does a Contamination card go when I receive it, and can it pay Costs?

On top of your Action discard pile; you only see it again when you draw it. It can't pay any Cost, but it does count toward your hand size for Surprise Attacks and can be discarded when you pass or when an effect says to discard.

Which Contamination cards do Rest, the Canteen, Surgery and the Antidote scan?

Rest scans only the Contamination cards in your hand. Surgery and the Antidote scan all of them: hand, deck and discard pile. Each Room or card says what it covers, so read its text.

If Rest scans an INFECTED card, is it removed, and can it infest me again?

No, it stays: Rest-type scans remove only the non-infected cards and leave an INFECTED one in your deck, giving you a Larva. Scanning it again later while you carry that Larva kills you, so go for Surgery or an Antidote instead.

If one scan reveals several INFECTED cards, do I get several Larvae?

No. A single scan gives at most one Larva, however many INFECTED cards it finds, so a Character without a Larva survives. You die only if you already had a Larva before the scan.

What happens if I scan an INFECTED card while I already have a Larva on my board?

If the effect uses the normal infection procedure (Rest, the Canteen and similar), your Character dies and a Creeper is placed where they died, along with a Corpse. Remove the Larva first with Surgery or an Antidote.

Can Surgery or the Antidote kill me if I have a Larva and they find an INFECTED card?

No. They follow their own text instead of the infection procedure: they remove every INFECTED card and the Larva, so no new Larva is placed and you don't die. Surgery then deals 1 Light Wound and makes you pass, and you shuffle everything, including the non-infected Contamination cards, into a new deck.

If Alcohol scans an INFECTED card, do I get a Larva?

No. Alcohol does only what its card says: the INFECTED card is removed and you take a new Contamination card. Scans from other effects, such as Events, likewise do only what they say; only effects that call for the infection procedure add Larvae.

Can I attack a Larva that is on my Character board, and does it put me in Combat?

No to both. Once it has infested you, the Larva can't be attacked and doesn't count as an Intruder in your Room. Awaken Realms names Surgery and a crafted Antidote as the ways to remove it.

“One way of removing that Larva would be using a Surgery Room Action, other - crafting an Antidote.”

— Awaken Realms, publisher

Where do removed Contamination cards go?

Out of the game, not back into the Contamination deck.

How do I tell if a scanned card is INFECTED, and is the result secret?

It's INFECTED only if one line spells the full word INFECTED correctly. Results aren't secret: you place or remove Larvae openly.

What happens to a dead Character's Items, and can others loot them?

Heavy Objects (Corpses, Carcasses and Eggs) drop in the Room; all other Items are removed from the game, so nobody can loot them. In full co-op, the dead Character keeps their Items so they can be used after being revived.

Does the Metamorphosis Event kill every Character with a Larva on their board?

Yes. Each Character with a Larva on their board dies and is replaced by a Creeper.

What happens if a Fire or Malfunction marker must be placed but none are left?

The ship is destroyed and the game ends. There are 8 of each, so needing a 9th blows up the ship.

Do I have to survive to win, even if my Objective is complete?

Yes. Every player needs both: a fulfilled Objective and a Character who survives the end-of-game checks, by hibernating on a ship that makes it home or by escaping in a pod. That holds even for Objectives like destroying the ship, so you must be off it when it blows.

Where do Escape Pods go, and do hibernating Characters survive if the ship isn't headed to Earth?

Escape Pods always count as reaching Earth, whatever the Coordinates. Hibernating Characters survive only if the ship jumps to Earth with enough working Engines; if it goes elsewhere they die, except a player whose Quarantine Objective needs Mars.

“escaping using Escape pod counts as going to Earth.”

— Awaken Realms, publisher

If I escape in a pod, does that satisfy an Objective that requires the ship to reach Earth?

No. The pod covers only your survival; the ship itself still has to arrive with the right Coordinates and working Engines. It can do so with nobody aboard, so escaping by pod and letting the ship fly home works.

With the Quarantine Objective, can I win by escaping in a pod, and what happens to the others?

Yes. Set the ship for Mars and survive either by hibernating or by pod. Everyone else hibernating on a ship bound for Mars dies, and a self-destructed ship reaches nowhere, so the Objective fails if it explodes.

Does destroying the ship count as killing the Queen and destroying the Nest?

Yes. Any destruction of the ship (Self-Destruct, damaged Engines, or running out of Fire or Malfunction markers) kills every Intruder, including a Queen still in the bag, and destroys the Nest, even if neither was ever found. Sending the ship somewhere other than Earth, or the jump itself, doesn't destroy anything.

Does sending the ship to Mars, Venus or Deep Space count as destroying it?

No. Coordinates only decide whether hibernating Characters survive; the ship and its Intruders are unharmed. It counts as destroyed only if it actually explodes.

When every Character has died, hibernated or escaped early, do the remaining turns still play out?

No. The game ends at once and the markers jump to their final spaces: no more Events, Bag Development or Fire Damage. A burning Nest isn't finished off, and if a Self-Destruct is running, the ship explodes, killing anyone hibernating.

How does the end-of-game Contamination check work, especially with a Larva on my board?

Without a Larva, scan all your Contamination cards; if any is INFECTED, do the check. With a Larva, skip the scan and go straight to the check: shuffle all your Action and Contamination cards and draw 4, and if any is a Contamination card your Character dies. With no Contamination cards at all, you can't fail.

If two Characters share an Escape Pod and one fails the Contamination check, does the other die?

No. Each Character makes their own checks; one death doesn't affect anyone else in the pod.

Is a 'Character X must not survive' Objective met if X dies in the end-of-game checks?

Yes. The Contamination and Coordinates checks come before Objectives are checked, so dying there, or in the ship's explosion, counts. If X escapes and passes the checks, the Objective fails even if X lost.

Is a Character in an unlaunched Escape Pod safe when the ship explodes?

No. Pods don't launch automatically; anyone still aboard, including in an unlaunched pod, dies with the ship. A launched pod is safe whatever happens to the ship.

If an Event ejects an Escape Pod with a Character inside, what happens to them?

They escape, exactly as if they had launched it. Pods can't be launched empty by players; only an Event can do that.

Can a player deliberately blow up the ship, killing everyone including themselves?

Yes. Nothing forbids it, for example by placing the last Fire or Malfunction marker the supply can't cover. The publisher even describes the threat as a bargaining chip.

“Interesting thing - this is actually a pretty good bargaining chip you almost ALWAYS have.”

— Awaken Realms, publisher

Does Fire or a Malfunction in an Engine room stop that Engine at the end of the game?

No. Only the Engine tokens' status matters for the Engines Check; Fire doesn't disable anything, and a Malfunction only blocks the Room Action.

Once an Objective condition is met, can later events undo it?

Conditions like discovering a Weakness or sending a signal stay done once achieved, even if an Event discards the Weakness or the ship later explodes. Conditions about where things are at the end, such as a Corpse in the Surgery, are checked at game end, so the Object must still be there.

Do I survive the jump just by standing in the Hibernatorium?

No. You must take the hibernation Room Action and succeed; a Character merely standing in the Room when the ship jumps dies like anyone else not hibernating. Failed attempts can be retried.

How do Objectives work in full co-op mode, and are they secret?

Draw one co-op Objective per player and lay them all face up; nobody chooses between two. The team wins only if every Objective is completed and at least one Character survives.

In co-op or multi-handed solo, is the game lost when one Character dies?

No. Only one Character needs to survive, so a death costs you the game only if that Character was needed for an Objective (for example, they were carrying a required Egg). The Character who completed an Objective doesn't have to be the one who survives.

In full co-op, what if two Objectives seem to conflict, such as killing the Queen and reaching Earth?

All of them still have to be met, so when one Objective offers a choice, pick the option that doesn't break another. With those two, the Queen must be killed, because destroying the ship would fail the Earth Objective.

In full co-op, do you remove Interruption or Order from the Action decks?

No. Every card stays in. Interruption simply becomes a card to discard for Costs, and Order lets you give a teammate a free move.

Can dead Characters be revived in full co-op mode?

Yes. Another Character carries the dead Character's Corpse to a working Emergency Room; the Character returns there at the start of the next turn with Light Wounds removed and Serious Wounds dressed. It fails if the Emergency Room has an Intruder or a Malfunction.

In true solo (one Character), how many Objectives do I get?

Draw two Objectives and keep one when the first Intruder appears, as in the normal game. Running several Characters yourself uses the full co-op rules instead, with one Objective per Character, all of which must be met.

Do I halve the number of Items in each Room when playing solo?

Only in true solo with a single Character, rounding up. Co-op games, including one person controlling two or three Characters, use the normal Item counts.

Who can play as the Intruders after dying, and can that player win?

Only the first player whose Character dies, and only as an optional advanced mode. The Intruder player can't win; they just try to stop the others.

How many cards does the Intruder player draw, and how many Actions do they get?

They draw 3 Intruder Action cards each turn, with a hand limit of 4, and take one Action (one card) per round, or pass; they keep taking single Actions even after the crew has passed, until they pass or run out. When passing they may keep one card and discard the rest. Early printings mix up the words turn and round.

Does an Intruder player Move card move every Intruder?

No. Each Move card moves one Intruder through the Corridor matching the card's number.

Can the Intruder player move an Intruder that is in Combat?

Probably yes. The Intruder player's Move says it moves any Intruder, with no Combat exception, so a literal reading allows it. Some players apply the normal rule that Intruders in Combat don't move, so agree on it before playing.

Is Bag Development skipped when a player controls the Intruders?

Yes. With an Intruder player the Intruder steps of the Event Phase are replaced by the Intruder deck, so Bag Development doesn't happen and Intruders almost never evolve, except through an Intruder card that turns Larvae on Character boards into Creepers.

Where does the Intruder player sit in turn order?

They can never be first player: skip them when passing the First Player token. Otherwise they take their single-Action round in seat order.

How does the Intruder player's Attack action work, and can a Larva attack with it?

The Intruder card says how many Intruder Attack cards to draw; choose one and put the rest at the bottom of the deck. The attack must match the attacker's symbol as usual, and no Attack card shows a Larva, so Larvae can't attack this way.

Do player-controlled Intruders still make Surprise Attacks and attack Escaping Characters?

Yes. Encounters and Escapes work normally, including the free attacks.

Can a Character play Interruption against the Intruder player's cards?

No. Interruption cancels another Character's Action, not an Intruder card.

Can the Intruder player deck be used with Carnomorphs or Void Seeders?

Not officially: the rules only cover the base Intruders. Players who have tried it report it works with little change, adjusting the card that refers to Larvae and infection to the species' equivalent, but it's a house rule.

In solo, am I still limited to rounds of 2 Actions?

Yes. You take rounds of up to 2 Actions until you pass, exactly as in multiplayer, so end-of-round effects like Fire damage are checked after every round. With one Character you can keep going while your 5 cards last; with several, alternate rounds between them. The hand isn't refilled until the next turn.

In full co-op, who must send the signal for a Send the Signal Objective?

Any Character can, and it still counts if the sender later dies. Each Character can send only one signal, so two such Objective cards need two different Characters to send.

Can the Android heal her Serious Wounds, including dressed ones?

No. Her Self Repair can dress a Serious Wound or heal Light Wounds, but nothing aboard can heal her Serious Wounds, dressed or not. The card text overrides the rulebook here, and the Medic's cards don't work on her either.

“No, there is no way to repair severe malfunctions of Android during actions taking place on a ship.”

— Awaken Realms, publisher

What happens when a Larva attacks the Android?

The Android can never carry a Larva, so the attacking Larva is simply removed and she takes a Contamination card, which her trait scans as usual.

When does the Android's trait scan a Contamination card, and does she face the end-game Contamination check?

As soon as she receives one: scan it, suffer the Light Wound if it's INFECTED, remove it from the game, and draw an Action card. So she should never hold Contamination cards and has nothing to fail at the end of the game.

When does the Android power down, and what happens in Epilogue mode or if she's still aboard?

When the Time marker reaches the space numbered 5 (not after five moves); in Epilogue mode that means the Shuttle's Time Track, and the Emergency Energy Cell doesn't interact with Epilogue mode. A powered-down Android takes no more Actions and dies with anyone else left aboard when the ship jumps, so hibernate or escape before then.

How does the Android's Deactivation Module work?

It cancels any Intruder attack against the Android herself, never one against another Character, and it can't be recharged since it isn't a weapon.

Is Laika affected by the Airlock procedure, Slime or Fire?

No. She's immune to the Airlock procedure and stays in the Room, can't be slimed (so a Silence result on her move stays Silence), and ignores Fire.

“Laika is unaffected by Airlock procedure.”

— Awaken Realms, publisher

Is Laika automatically recalled when the Bounty Hunter hibernates or enters an Escape Pod?

Yes. She returns to his board automatically; she doesn't need a seat or to survive on her own.

Can Laika move out of the Bounty Hunter's Room while he's in Combat, and how does Aggro Override work?

Yes, she can move to a neighboring Room without an Intruder. Go Girl! is out-of-combat only, so in Combat Aggro Override is triggered through Laika's trait instead: at the moment you could move her but don't, deal 1 Injury to an Intruder in his Room.

“Yes, as long as the destinated Room doesn't have any Intruder inside.”

— Awaken Realms, publisher

How often can the Bounty Hunter move Laika with his trait, and can he then pass?

Once per game turn (Player Phase plus Event Phase), just before his first Action, not before every round. He may move her and then pass without taking any Actions.

“11) Can the Bounty Hunter move Laika and then Pass, without taking any actions? Yes.”

— Awaken Realms, publisher

Does Laika explore Rooms, roll for Noise, and count as a Character for others' Noise rolls?

Yes. Laika moves like a Character: she reveals unexplored Rooms and their tokens, rolls for Noise when entering empty Rooms, and others entering her Room skip their Noise roll. She can't carry Items and returns to the Bounty Hunter's board as soon as an Intruder is in her Room. Players disagree on whether she also rolls when Bag Development calls for Noise rolls.

Can Laika use Seek to search while the Bounty Hunter is in Combat?

No. Combat status is checked for the Bounty Hunter, and Search cards can't be played in Combat.

How does the Bounty Hunter's Tactical Move work?

It's In Combat only: the Bounty Hunter and one Intruder move together into the same neighboring Room.

When do Turrets shoot, and whom do they hit?

Twice: whenever something enters their Room (an Intruder appearing there counts), and in the Fire Damage step. Each hit is 1 Light Wound to a Character or 1 Injury to an Intruder. Target: All hits everyone, Target: Intruders only Intruders. They don't hit Characters at the end of each round as Fire does.

“Turrets fire in two cases: when something enters the Room and in the Fire Damage phase.”

— Awaken Realms, publisher

Is a face-down Turret inactive, and what if there are no Turrets for the Turret Control Room?

Face down only hides its status; it's still active and is revealed when the Room is explored or anything enters. Turrets come only from Turret Exploration tokens, so the Turret Control Room can be in a game with none, which makes it do nothing. An Intruder hit by a Turret in the Fire Damage step is checked as usual and destroys the Turret automatically.

Must the Psychologist be in the same Room to attach her Drone to a Character?

Yes. Awaken Realms confirmed the Drone can only be attached to a Character in her Room.

“it can only be done in the same Room.”

— Awaken Realms, publisher

How does the Psychologist's Shrink trait work, for example when the other Character Escapes?

When another Character in her Room makes a Basic Move, she can discard a card to move with them. They choose the Room, pay and make the Noise roll; she just comes along. If they're Escaping, both of you are attacked. It doesn't work with Careful Movement, which is a separate Action.

When Would You Kindly? makes another Character act, do they spend Ammo, and can Shrink follow them?

A Shoot it causes still spends Ammo, since the card only waives the card cost. And yes, a Move it causes is a Basic Move, so Shrink can follow it.

Can a Contamination card be discarded with the Psychologist's Lend a Hand?

Probably yes. The Aftermath rulebook's explanation of Lend a Hand says to discard a card, not an Action card, so players allow Contamination. Others point out Contamination cards aren't Action cards and can't be discarded when an Action card is required. A card drawn from it stays even if it's Contamination.

Does the Psychologist's Don't Panic let me finish entering hibernation or a pod after an Encounter?

No. It ignores only the Surprise Attack; the Intruder is still placed, so the attempt fails.

Does the CEO's Robot make all his Body Serious Wounds count as dressed?

Most players read it as covering only the Body wound he starts with: it counts as dressed while the Robot has at least one Energy marker, and as undressed when the Robot runs dry. A compiled list of rulings attributes a wider reading (every Body wound) to Awaken Realms. Either way, the starting wound can be dressed or healed normally.

Can the CEO recharge his Robot in the Armory, and does it take a hand?

No to both. The Robot isn't a weapon, so only an Energy Cell recharges it (up to 5), and its card takes no hand.

When does the CEO play Stop It!?

As a reaction at the moment an Intruder attacks him, discarding it with an Energy, not ahead of time on his round.

Can the CEO use Just One More Thing to leave an Escape Pod after he's passed?

Yes, unless he's the last player to pass.

If the Character holding the Convict's Cuffs Key dies, can the Convict still be freed?

No. A dead Character's Items leave the game without being used, so the Key never unlocks the Cuffs and he stays cuffed.

What do the Convict's Cuffs actually restrict?

They occupy one hand, so he effectively has one hand slot for weapons and Heavy Objects; they don't restrict his cards.

How do the Convict's Tough trait and Bash work?

Tough lets him survive four Serious Wounds instead of three, nothing more: Larvae and contamination kill him normally. Bash is a Melee Attack (so he still draws Contamination) that adds 1 Injury after the roll, even on a blank, before the Injury check.

How does the Convict's Opportunist card work?

With at least one other Character in his Room, he makes a Basic Move and Intruders don't attack him as he leaves. If the Door it would close is destroyed, ignore that part.

How does the Pilot's Authorization trait work?

It adds to either Cockpit Room Action: when you use it, you may also open or close one Door. He must actually be in the Cockpit; checking the Coordinates remotely doesn't count.

Which Aftermath components can be used in a normal game?

The Characters, Traits and new Serious Wounds can all be used in a normal game; the new Crafted Items need the Crafting Room. Aftermath's Event cards and Alerts belong to the Epilogue and Research modes, so don't mix them into a normal game.

Can Epilogue or Research mode be played with Carnomorphs or Void Seeders?

Not as designed. Both modes and their Event cards are built around the base Intruders; the other species use their own Event decks, so combining them is a house rule. Aftermath's Characters, Rooms and Turrets do work with them.

Can Research mode use base Characters and co-op Objectives?

Yes. Research mode is a normal game with extra components, so any Character works and co-op Objectives can be swapped in. Epilogue mode uses its own semi-co-op Objectives instead.

When an Event card shows the Alert icon in Epilogue mode, who rolls for Noise?

Every Character not in Combat makes a Noise roll, starting with the First Player, as when an Adult is drawn in Bag Development (which Epilogue mode doesn't use).

How do Alerts work in Research mode?

A new Alert is ignored only while another is in progress, even near the end of the game. If an Alert isn't completed in time, everyone still aboard dies, including hibernating Characters; only launched pods are safe.

How do Characters move between the Aftermath Shuttle and the Nemesis?

From the Shuttle's main Room you can move to any Nemesis Room with a Technical Corridor entrance, and from such a Room into the Shuttle. These moves follow normal movement, Noise rolls included.

Do the Shuttle's Rooms get Exploration tokens, and is the Shuttle a safe place at the end?

No to both. Setup places tokens only in the Nemesis's Rooms. In Research mode the Shuttle is just your starting point, so the end of the game is resolved as in the base game.

In Epilogue setup, what carries over from the base game?

Take the board as it was at the end of the game: Corpses, Carcasses and Eggs stay where they are, while Items the survivors carried are removed. Tokens already in the Intruder bag stay, the tokens of Intruders on the board go back in, and then the Epilogue extras are added. Setup adds no Eggs to the Nest.

How does the Aftermath Crafting Room work?

Taking the normal Craft Item action there (cost 1) lets you make one of the special crafted Items with the same components instead; it's still one craft per Action. Those special Items can be crafted only in that Room.

Can the Android get Mutations or Mutation markers from Carnomorphs?

No. She's immune to Mutation cards and can never gain Mutation markers. She still takes wounds from INFECTED cards through her own trait.

“The Android is immune to mutation cards. and cannot acquire mutation markers.”

— Awaken Realms, publisher

Which tokens go into the Intruder bag for Carnomorphs, and how do the bigger forms get in?

Only the Blank and Metagorger tokens start in the bag, as the setup lists. Shambler, Fleshbeast and Butcher tokens (the base game's Adult, Breeder and Queen tokens) enter only when a Carnomorph of that form leaves the board alive, by retreating into the Technical Corridors or through Events like Lurking. Always add the token matching the miniature's current form.

What happens when a red Metagorger token is drawn in Bag Development?

Place one Metagorger in each Room that holds a Heavy Object or a Metagorger (one per Room, however many objects; Nest Eggs count), then return the token. These don't Surprise Attack. A blue Metagorger means Noise rolls instead. In an Encounter both colors are just a normal Surprise Attack check.

Do weapons count as Heavy Objects for Metagorger spawning and feeding?

No. Heavy Objects are Eggs, Character Corpses and Intruder Carcasses; weapons are Heavy Items, which fill a hand but don't attract Carnomorphs.

What happens when a Metagorger attacks?

No attack card is drawn: you take a Mutation card, a Contamination card and a Light Wound, then the Metagorger is removed and a Shambler token goes into the bag. It leaves no Carcass. If the attack is cancelled (by Nerves of Steel, say), it stays on the board and no token is added.

How does Carnomorph feeding work with several Metagorgers or objects in a Room?

Each Carnomorph feeds once, and two can't eat the same object. Two Metagorgers with two Carcasses both evolve. With three Metagorgers and nothing else, one eats another and becomes a Shambler and the third stays. Larger forms only eat Metagorgers, never each other. Feeding doesn't stop movement, and the Pilot's Orbital Maneuvering System skips it along with the attack step.

With the Voracious Adaptation, do Carnomorphs feed or attack first, and can they eat carried objects?

They feed first, then attack. Voracious only eats objects lying in the Room, not ones a Character is carrying.

Can Fire or attacks destroy Corpses and Carcasses to deny Carnomorphs food?

No. That idea was cut from the final rules; Corpses and Carcasses can only be carried away. Eggs can still be destroyed normally.

How does a Mutation Action work?

It's one of your Actions: play a Contamination card from your hand and scan it; whether it's INFECTED decides which effect of your Mutation card applies, and you take a Mutation marker. A non-infected card goes to the Contamination discard, and you put a new Contamination card on your Action discard pile. You keep the Mutation card after using it, and you may look at it any time.

Can Surgery or the Antidote remove Mutation markers, and do they give Mutations?

No. Mutation markers are permanent, so a co-op Character who died from them can't usefully be revived. Effects that would remove a Larva remove your Mutation card instead.

What happens to the Butcher token in Bag Development, and can the Butcher use the Technical Corridors?

There's only one Butcher, so its token doesn't go back into the bag, and once killed it never returns. The Butcher can't escape into the Technical Corridors.

What if a Carnomorph should evolve or be placed but no miniature is left?

It can't evolve and stays in its current form. For placement, nothing is placed if no Metagorger is free; for larger forms most players place the next smaller type, as Void Seeders does.

How does Laboratory research work against Carnomorphs?

Analysing a Corpse, Egg or Carcass works as in the base game, but it's only useful once Adaptations have been revealed as the larger forms appear: analysing discards the Adaptation matching that object's space on the Carnomorph board. Revealed Adaptations apply to all Carnomorphs.

Do Growl, Creaky Bulkheads or similar Events cause Encounters when a Corridor already has Noise?

No. They only place Noise in Corridors that lack it, never triggering an Encounter, and "Corridor" includes the Technical Corridors.

Which deck checks whether a Carnomorph dies, and do they break Doors?

The Carnomorph Attack deck: read "Intruder" as "Carnomorph" throughout. They break Closed Doors like Intruders unless an Adaptation says otherwise, and an attack misses if the card lacks the attacker's symbol.

What does a Void Seeder Surprise Attack do: a Panic card, or an Insanity increase?

Take a Contamination card and resolve a Panic card. The main rules section is right; the summary on the back of the rulebook that says to raise Insanity is a misprint, which players report the developers confirmed.

When does a Panic card raise my Insanity?

Only if the card's Insanity level is higher than yours, or if you can't fully resolve its effect (for example adding Fire to a Room already burning, or discarding Ammo you don't have). If the card's level is equal to or below yours and you can resolve it, just resolve the effect.

Where does Insanity start, and what happens above 5?

Every Character starts on space 1, and Insanity can't drop below 1. Going past 5 kills the Character, for example a Panic card adding 2 at Insanity 4.

How do I lower Insanity with Void Seeders?

Rest, the Shower Room and the Canteen lower it by 1 (Rest can be taken just for that, even with no Contamination to scan), but once you're at 3 or more they can't take you below 3. Surgery and the Antidote set it back to 3 instead of removing a Larva.

Do Void Seeder Lairs attack, and do they put me in Combat?

Lairs never attack, not when you leave their Room or in the attack step. But a Room with a Lair counts as occupied and puts you in Combat, and you roll for Noise at the end of each of your rounds there, which can cause Encounters even though you're in Combat.

How do attacks on a Void Seeder Lair work?

Normal rules: a Melee draws Contamination and a miss gives a Serious Wound. When a Lair is injured, draw two Void Seeder Attack cards for the check. Generic references to Intruder Attack or Event decks always mean the Void Seeder versions.

Does discovering a Lair make players choose their Objectives?

No. Like finding the Nest before any Intruder appears, revealing a Lair doesn't trigger the choice.

How does the Despoiler appear, and when can it no longer spawn?

Which Void Seeder appears in an Encounter depends on the triggering Character's Insanity; at Insanity 5 it's the Despoiler. It can keep appearing until all three Lairs are destroyed, which counts as killing the Queen; the other Void Seeders keep spawning after that. The Airlock can't kill it.

What if the Void Seeder type called for isn't available?

Place the next smaller type instead, stepping down again if needed; if nothing smaller is available, nothing is placed.

What are the numbers and colors on Void Seeder tokens for?

The number is the Surprise Attack value; the type that appears comes from the Insanity level, so no symbol is needed. Color matters only in Bag Development; in an Encounter any token is resolved normally and returned. An escaped or dead Character's token drawn in Bag Development is removed and replaced.

What happens to tokens when a Void Seeder is defeated?

Unlike Intruders, a defeated Void Seeder puts a random Void Seeder token back into the bag. Destroying a Lair doesn't, since Lairs aren't Void Seeders.

How do I make sure all three Lairs appear?

Follow the Void Seeders setup: Exploration tokens also go in the Engine rooms and the Cockpit, so all three Lairs end up in play. If you also use Aftermath Turret tokens, remove three random tokens before adding the Lairs.

How does the end-of-game Contamination check work with Void Seeders?

You don't scan. Instead raise your Insanity by 1 for each Contamination card you have, infected or not, to a maximum of 5; going past 5 this way doesn't kill you.

Does an Encounter that only produces a Panic card stop hibernation or entering a pod?

Only if it kills you or moves you out of the Room; otherwise the attempt succeeds, because no Void Seeder appeared. Hibernating Characters aren't affected by Insanity effects.

How do combat die symbols and items like the Fire Extinguisher work against Void Seeders?

Map each Void Seeder to its base Intruder counterpart for die symbols, and attack them in all the normal ways. Only the Despoiler can be made to retreat, for example by a Fire Extinguisher, and a Taser on it causes a retreat without an Injury.

Is the Android immune to Insanity with Void Seeders?

No. She gains Insanity like anyone, and having no Rest card makes her especially vulnerable; whether her own scan of an INFECTED card sets Insanity to 5 is disputed.

Which Corridors get Noise from the Whispers Event, and does Combat matter?

Only Corridors with the listed number that connect to a Room with a Character, so in practice those next to Characters. It's a placement, not a Noise roll, so it applies even to Characters in Combat.

Does Untold Stories #1 need Void Seeders or another expansion, and which Characters can I use?

No other expansion is needed: the campaign uses the base Intruders only. Any Character works, including Aftermath ones, which may make it a little easier.

Can Untold Stories #1 be played solo, and are normal Objective cards used?

It's fully cooperative, so one player can run two Characters, though Mission 1 is reportedly very hard with few. The missions supply their own goals; normal Objective cards aren't used.

In Mission 1, must Characters hibernate, or just reach the Hibernatorium?

Reaching the Hibernatorium Room is enough; everyone outside it at take-off dies. If every Character dies, the mission fails.

In Mission 1, when do the Marine Squads move, and can Characters pass through them?

Once per full game turn (Player Phase plus Event Phase), at its start; the first English printing swapped turn and round. They move through areas Characters can't enter, and the game ends if one reaches a Room Characters can be in.

In Mission 1, how do Exploration tokens work?

They go face down on both revealed and hidden Rooms, and the special pool takes the lowest-Item token of each type. In this mission they only trigger the story events and set Item counts; Fire and Malfunction markers aren't placed.

Do you check for infection between Untold Stories missions?

No, only when the campaign book tells you to. You can hibernate without scanning, but Infected cards carried forward may cost you later.

What carries over between Untold Stories missions?

When the next mission is on the same ship, the map state carries over: Fire, Intruders, Malfunctions, Doors and Noise. One-use Quest Items stay used. Each mission is a new game for turn order, so deal Help cards again.

What happens if a Character dies during the Untold Stories campaign?

If the next mission is on the same ship, place the Corpse with the others; it can be revived in the Surgery. If it's on a different ship, that Character is out, but the player may pick a new one with its normal starting equipment.