
- BGG rank
- BGG #15,278
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Insecta
- 1–7 players
- 90–300 min
- Complexity 2.7/5
- 1992

Rules assistance for Hard Vacuum: Science Gone Mad
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Hard Vacuum: Science Gone Mad is an expansion for Hard Vacuum released in 2001 for 2–12 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Neal Sofge and Darrell Hayhurst and its main mechanics are Simultaneous Action Selection and Hexagon Grid.
The Battle for Orbit continues! Technology runs amok as this expansion for Hard Vacuum finds the space war moving into 1945! Fiendish shadow fighters, immense space battlecruisers, bizarre magnetic raiders, nimble parasite ships and even the war-torn British all show up in the seventh year of World War II. Expands Hard Vacuum
Hard Vacuum: Science Gone Mad supports 2–12 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Hard Vacuum: Science Gone Mad is 60 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Hard Vacuum: Science Gone Mad for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Hard Vacuum: Science Gone Mad has a complexity rating of 2.5 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Hard Vacuum: Science Gone Mad belongs to these categories: Fighting, Wargame, and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Simultaneous Action Selection and Hexagon Grid. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Hard Vacuum: Science Gone Mad are: Neal Sofge and Darrell Hayhurst. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Hard Vacuum: Science Gone Mad as an expansion for Hard Vacuum. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Hard Vacuum to use it. Check that your edition of Hard Vacuum is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.