
- BGG rating
- 10.0
Rocket Ranchers: Severe Weather
- 1–6 players
- 30–45 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2026

2026
Rules assistance for Rocket Ranchers: Herding Cats in Space!
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.
Rocket Ranchers: Herding Cats in Space! is a board game released in 2026 for 1–6 players, 30–45 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by David Bock and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Push Your Luck, and End Game Bonuses.
NOTE: This version is the Kickstarter edition (says Launch Edition, on the box). At the end of the campaign, the title was acquired by PickPocket Games. Their retail release and updated version is known as the 2nd Edition (https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/467575/rocket-ranchers-2nd-edition). Welcome to Planet Binxadinx! Rocket Ranchers is a set-collection game about collecting animals for your ranch using your dogship cards to "beam up" animals from various biomes across the planet. The collected animals will be placed in available pens on your ranch. Each pen can hold only one type of animal. The more of a single species you collect, the more profitable your ranch will be. Collect only a few of a species, and you might lose money. While collecting animals, you'll also encounter space cats, which will cling to some of the animals you collect. Collect one or a bunch to earn points. Collect a few or none, and you'll lose points. At the end of the game, the player with the most points wins! —description from the publisher
Rocket Ranchers: Herding Cats in Space! supports 1–6 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 Rocket Ranchers: Herding Cats in Space! is 30–45 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 Rocket Ranchers: Herding Cats in Space! for ages 8 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.
Rocket Ranchers: Herding Cats in Space! has a complexity rating of 2.0 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.
Rocket Ranchers: Herding Cats in Space! belongs to these categories: Card Game, Animals, and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Push Your Luck, and End Game Bonuses. 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 Rocket Ranchers: Herding Cats in Space! are: David Bock. 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 Rocket Ranchers: Herding Cats in Space! as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.