Last Updated on February 19, 2026 by The Official Game Rules Team

In Moon Colony Bloodbath, humanity has achieved its greatest milestone: permanent cities on the moon. Rockets are stocked, scientists are confident, and the future looks limitless. Naturally, everything goes horribly wrong.

This is an engine-building, engine-destroying tableau game where players develop lunar colonies using shared decks that constantly introduce new effects—many of them deadly. You will construct buildings, gather resources, trigger perks, add developments, and survive waves of escalating disasters. The game ends when either:

• One player’s colony is completely wiped out, or
• The Progress deck reaches the final Event (“Instruction Manual”).

The player with the most surviving people—counting both those on their playmat and those printed on their Buildings—wins.

This guide explains every component, rule, card type, action, event, and edge case in detail.

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How to Play Moon Colony Bloodbath (Complete Rules)

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Objective of Moon Colony Bloodbath

In Moon Colony Bloodbath, your goal is simple in theory and brutal in practice:

Have the most surviving people when the game ends.

You are building and managing a moon colony while surviving disasters, robot malfunctions, hunger, paperwork, and escalating chaos from the shared Progress deck.

Scroll to the bottom of the page for Card Notes and explanations.

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Components Overview

Moon Colony Bloodbath includes:

Building Deck (90 cards)

Example: Reactor – Reduces cost of expensive Buildings. LOST ability adds Radiation penalty.

Perk Cards (25 cards)

Personal effects unique to each scientist. Example: Dr. Dibson – +1 person.

Twist Cards (25 cards)

Game-wide modifiers shuffled into the Progress deck.

Development Cards (20 cards)

Global effects players can add to the Progress deck.

Robot Cards (20 cards)

Malfunctioning machines that cause losses and chaos.

Event Cards (13 cards)

Sequential disasters added via Trouble.

Starting Cards (7 cards)

Work, Trouble, and solitaire-only Loneliness.

Player Materials

• 5 Playmats (RESTOCK, MINE, FARM, RESEARCH, BUILD areas)
• 40x 1-person tokens
• 35x 5-person tokens
• 40x 1 Money
• 20x 5 Money
• 40x 1 Food
• 10x 5 Food
• 40x 1 Resource (Boxes)
• 20 Action chits
• Twist deck token
• Robot deck token

The game is not component-limited. If you run out of tokens, substitute freely. Cards, however, are limited.

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Setup

Step 1: Building Deck

Shuffle all Building cards. Deal 4 to each player.

Step 2: Player Setup

Each player:

• Chooses a scientist (functionally identical).
• Takes a playmat.
• Places 30 people on their mat.
• Takes 4 Money and 4 Food.
• Receives 5 personal Perks.
• Takes 4 Action chits.

Step 3: Twist Selection

Shuffle Twist cards. Deal 2 face-up (for first game, use beginner Twists). Study them.

Shuffle those Twists together with:

• 2 Trouble cards
• 4 Work cards

This forms the initial Progress deck.

Place the Twist deck token on the Twist deck.

Step 4: Robot Deck

Shuffle Robots and place the Robot deck token on that deck.

Step 5: Developments & Events

• Place Developments face-up in a sorted pile.
• Place Events face-up in numeric order (lowest number on top).

Step 6: Supply Area

Place all tokens and remaining components within reach.

You now have:

• Face-down Building deck + discard
• Face-down Progress deck + discard
• Face-down Robot deck
• Face-down Twist deck
• Face-up Development pile
• Face-up Event pile

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Resources Explained

People

Your colonists. They live either:

• On your playmat (Moon Base), or
• Printed inside Buildings.

Your goal is to finish with the most.

Money

Used to build and activate effects.

Food

Required during Hunger Events.

Boxes (Resources)

Placed only on Buildings.
They never sit on your playmat.
If a Building is lost, its Boxes are lost.

Cards in Hand

Your Building cards are private.
Discard piles are public.

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Turn Structure

Each turn:

1. Flip the top card of the Progress deck.
2. Place it face-up on the discard pile.
3. All players resolve it simultaneously.
4. Turn ends.

If the Progress deck runs out and you need a new card, shuffle its discard pile.

You only reshuffle when required to draw.

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Work Cards

There are 4 Work cards in the starting deck.

When revealed:

1. Each player chooses one Action.
2. Place an Action chit on that Action.
3. Resolve the Action.
4. Move chit to the “done” area.

Players may choose the same Action repeatedly.

When the Progress deck is reshuffled, remove all Action chits.

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Actions Explained

RESTOCK

Gain 2 Boxes.
Place them on any Buildings (both on one or split).

BUILD

Play a Building card.
Pay its Money cost.
Place it in front of you.
Resolve any PLAY ability.

MINE

Gain 4 Money.

FARM

Gain 4 Food.

RESEARCH

Draw 2 Building cards.

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Building Abilities

Buildings may trigger:

• When you perform specific Actions
• When played (PLAY effect)
• When lost (LOST effect)

Color-coding shows which Action triggers an ability.

You may resolve Building abilities before or after the Action itself.

Duplicate Buildings stack unless text logically prevents stacking.

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Buildings in Detail

A Building contains:

• Cost (top left)
• Title
• Art
• Printed People
• Abilities

Important rule: You never place person tokens onto Buildings. If lost, you move their printed People onto your playmat before resolving loss effects.

LOST abilities must be resolved fully before proceeding.

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Perks

Perks are personal cards. They:

• Affect only you
• Are never in your hand
• Cannot be discarded
• Are only added when instructed

When you “add a Perk,” place it on top of the Progress deck. It will resolve next.

After reshuffling, it remains in the deck.

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Developments

Developments are global modifiers.

When instructed to add one:

1. Take it from the face-up pile.
2. Place it on top of the Progress deck.

When revealed, all players resolve it.

Most are optional. Some are mandatory.

There are two copies of each Development. If instructed to add a third, nothing happens.

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Trouble & Events

Two Trouble cards exist in the starting deck.

When Trouble resolves:

• Add the next Event (numerically) to the top of the Progress deck.

Events occur in fixed order.

Hunger

Lose Food equal to your Building count.
For each unpaid Building, lose 1 person.
If you lost no people, gain +2 people.

Loss is simultaneous.

Paperwork

Draw 1 Building card.
Discard 2.

Hacker Lair prevents both effects.

Glitch

Add one Robot to the Progress deck (only one total).

Other Events

Leak, Tempers Flare, Accident, Airlock Test, Moonquake, Power Failure
Each causes specified person losses.

Instruction Manual

Game ends. Highest population wins.

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Twists

Two are shuffled into the starting deck.

More may enter via special effects.

Twists modify rules globally.

Follow them exactly.

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Robots

Robots enter via Glitch or Buildings like Bunker.

When revealed:

1. All players lose indicated People.
2. Then resolve remaining instructions.

Most effects are mandatory.

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Losing People

People are always lost from your playmat first.

If insufficient:

1. Choose a Building to lose.
2. Move its printed People to playmat.
3. Resolve LOST ability.
4. Lose Boxes on it.
5. Continue until enough People exist to lose required amount.

You cannot voluntarily lose Buildings.

If you cannot pay required People losses even after losing everything, your colony collapses and the game ends immediately.

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Game End

The game ends when:

• A colony is fully wiped out, OR
• Instruction Manual Event resolves.

Count all surviving People:

• On playmat
• Printed on Buildings

Highest total wins.

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Additional Rules

• Do as much as possible when instructed.
• Abilities are mandatory unless they say “may.”
• Added cards always go on top.
• If multiple cards are added at once, shuffle them before placing.
• You may add cards even if deck is empty.
• If Building deck runs out, shuffle discards.
• You may not inspect discard piles.
• You cannot spend multiple Boxes unless text allows.

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One Player Variant

• Set up normally.
• Add Loneliness to starting deck.

Goal: Reach Instruction Manual.

If wiped out, score equals highest Event number added.

If you can consistently reach Instruction Manual:

• Continue play.
• Add Robots instead of later Events.
• Score equals number of extra Robots survived.

Loneliness Effect

+3 People per triple-gear Building.
-3 People per explosion Building.

Balances Developments for solo play.

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Strategy Guide

Early Game

Prioritize:

• Food production
• Sustainable Money income
• Flexible Buildings

Avoid overbuilding too fast—Hunger punishes expansion.

Mid Game

Control the Progress deck:

• Add Developments carefully
• Use Perks strategically
• Prepare for Robot spikes

Diversify income streams.

Late Game

Focus on:

• Population growth
• Risk mitigation
• Avoiding cascading LOST effects

Buildings with harsh LOST penalties can be liabilities.

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Tips for Survival

• Always keep excess Food. Hunger is brutal.
• Avoid relying on single-building engines.
• Add Developments when beneficial to you.
• Watch the Event order.
• Prepare for Glitch before it happens.
• Consider sacrificing weak Buildings preemptively.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Conclusion

Moon Colony Bloodbath is a brilliant satire of overconfidence and systemic fragility. You will construct impressive lunar engines—only to watch them implode under cascading disasters. Success requires planning, adaptability, and emotional resilience as your colonists repeatedly face catastrophe.

Survive the Hunger. Outlast the Robots. Manage the Progress deck. And above all, keep your people alive.

Because on the moon, everything is planned perfectly—until it isn’t.

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Robot Card Notes

Robot	Rules Clarification
Automatic Doors	Set this aside as a reminder it affects the next Work. When that Work appears, discard Automatic Doors. During that Work, Buildings have no abilities, including PLAY abilities. It does not stop effects before that Work. If no Work appears before the next reshuffle, this ability does nothing.
Construction Robot	Place a card from your hand face down on your mat. That card becomes the next card you BUILD (via Work or any other effect). If hit multiple times before building, set aside multiple cards and choose which to build next. If you have no cards, nothing is set aside. These cards do not interact with Surveying cards under your mat.
Delivery Drone	If you have no cards, you fail to pass one left. You still receive a card from the right.
Drilling Robot	When losing a Building, add its printed resource icons to your playmat and resolve LOST abilities as normal.
Mining Robot	Gain 1 Victory Point each for Dust Mine, Silica Mine, Iron Mine, Helium-3 Mine, Titanium Mine, and Aluminum Mine you have.
Repairs Robot	Set aside to affect the next Work. When that Work appears, discard Repairs Robot. No one may BUILD during that Work. BUILDing outside Work (e.g., Innovation) is still allowed. If no Work appears before reshuffle, this ability does nothing.
Robot Butler	If you have no Boxes, you simply fail to lose one.
Robot Companion	Grants an Action that is not tracked with an Action chit and does not consume a Work.
Robot Waiter	If you have 1 Crystal, lose it. If you have none, lose none. You still lose 4 Happiness regardless.
Sentient AI	Only one Twist is added (not per player). Add it after all players resolve losing Happiness. It goes on top of the Progress deck and resolves next. No Trading Post bonus is awarded for this addition.
Stacking Robot	You may spend Boxes to reduce Happiness loss by 2 per Box. Spending is optional. You may spend more than 3 Boxes, but reduction won’t exceed the loss.
Warehouse Robot	If all your Buildings already have at least one Box, you do not gain a free Box.

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Building Card Notes

Building	Rules Clarification
Aluminum Mine	When MINEing with no Gold, you may first resolve Aluminum Mine (+5 Gold), then resolve MINE (+4 Gold). Order matters.
Assembly Line	If lost, you immediately BUILD a Building—but Assembly Line no longer reduces its cost.
Bunker	Adds a random Robot from the deck to the top of the Progress deck. It will usually resolve next.
Flag	If this is your only Building and you have no Settlers elsewhere, you still lose. Flag provides no Settlers.
Fuel Cells	During RESTOCK, gain 2 Boxes, place one on Fuel Cells, then spend it for +4 Gold and draw/discard effect.
Hacker Lair	Completely immune to Paperwork. You do not draw or discard, and you may not opt in.
Kitchen	RESTOCK → gain 2 Boxes → place one on Kitchen → spend for +4 Food.
Launch Pad	May repeat abilities such as Organ Banks’ “Add a Perk” or Lunarcrete Factory’s +2 cards.
Market	FARM for +4 Food, then spend 2 Food for +4 Gold.
Moon Hotel	Triggers each time you gain Food. FARM (+4) and Kale Farm (+1) would trigger Moon Hotel twice.
Organ Banks	May spend a Box to prevent losing 3 Settlers to an Accident. Only works for Accident, not other losses.
Potato Farm	You may spend Food as Gold whenever spending Gold is allowed. Does not convert Gold into Food. Budget Cuts still removes Gold only.
R&D Storage	“Any time” literally means any time, even during another card’s resolution (e.g., before finishing Paperwork).
Radio Antennae	With two in play and zero cards at Work start, draw 2 cards.
Reactor	Cost reductions do not change printed costs for effects that check cost thresholds.
Recycling	When discarding multiple cards at once (e.g., Paperwork), gain +1 Money per discarded card.
Restaurant	FARM first (+4 Food), then spend 1 Food via Restaurant ability.
Solar Panels	You choose resolution order. For example, BUILD Makeshift Lab → place Boxes on Solar Panels → then resolve Solar Panels for Energy.
Trading Post	Gain +2 Money for each card you personally add to the Progress deck (Perks, Developments, Robots, Events).
Warehouse	Move a Box from one Building to another.

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Development Card Notes

Development	Rules Clarification
General Rule	Abilities requiring you to spend something only work if you actually spend it.
Budget Cuts	If you have 1 Money, lose it. If you have none, nothing happens.
Innovation	You still pay the Building’s cost.
Radiation	If losing a Building, add its radiation icon to your playmat and resolve LOST abilities.
Repairs	If you have no Boxes, nothing happens.

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Twist Card Notes

Twist	Rules Clarification
Construction Kits	Spend a Cube to BUILD a Building costing up to 4 Money. You still pay its cost. Cost reducers don’t alter eligibility. You may spend a Cube even if you then cannot build.
Overtime	Pay 1 Money per Building you have to BUILD. You still pay full Building cost.
Engineers	You may lose a Building and return it to your hand instead of discard. Add its resources to your playmat and resolve LOST abilities.
Risky Research	Spend 2 Resources to RESEARCH. If insufficient on playmat, this may force losing a Building.
Grand Plan	Discard a card to BUILD a Building costing 5+ Money. You still pay full cost. Cost reducers do not affect eligibility.
Surveying	Choose one: put a card under your mat, or discard all such cards for +2 Money each. You may discard even if none exist (gain +0). Cards under mat from Surveying do not interact with Construction Robot cards.