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Domes are pressurized habitats that allow colonists to live on Mars. They provide breathable atmosphere, protection from radiation, and housing for residential and service buildings.

Dome Basics

All domes require continuous oxygen and power supply. Colonists will die if life support fails for more than 1 Sol.

Critical requirements:

• MOXIE or oxygen source connected via pipes
• Power connected via cables or internal generators
• Housing buildings for colonists to live
• Service buildings for food, health, comfort

Dome failure consequences:

• Power loss: Colonists lose comfort, may freeze
• Oxygen loss: Colonists suffocate (death within 1 Sol)
• No housing: Homeless colonists have -20 morale, may leave colony

Dome Types

Basic Dome

The standard starter dome. Affordable and sufficient for early colonies.

Interior space:

• 7 hexagonal building spaces
• Can fit: 2-3 apartments + 3-4 service buildings
• Best for specialized functions (farming, industry, research)

Typical layouts:

Residential Layout:

• 2× Living Complex (24 colonists)
• 1× Grocer
• 1× Diner
• 1× Infirmary
• 1× Playground or Garden
• 1× Farm (optional)

Industrial Layout:

• 1× Living Complex (12 workers)
• 1× Grocer
• 1× Polymer Factory
• 1× Machine Parts Factory
• 1× Electronics Factory
• 2× Storage

Strategy: Build 2-3 Basic Domes before upgrading to larger types. Specialize each dome by function.

Micro Dome

Smallest dome. Best for specialized outposts or single-purpose facilities.

Uses:

• Research outpost: 1 Research Lab + housing
• Factory hub: Single factory + minimal housing
• Mining outpost: Near distant resource deposits
• Tourist dome: Casino + art stores (DLC)

Limitations:

• Too small for self-sufficient colonies
• Cannot fit farms (need 1 full hex)
• Limited service building options

When to build:

• Expanding to distant resource deposits
• Creating specialized research/production areas
• Late-game when you have excess resources

Not recommended for: Main residential areas or first colony.

Medium Dome

Upgraded dome with significantly more space. The workhorse of mid-game colonies.

Interior space:

• 11 hexagonal building spaces
• Can fit: 4-6 apartments + 5-7 service buildings
• Sufficient for self-sustaining communities

Optimal layout:

• 3× Living Complex or Apartments (36-72 colonists)
• 2× Farms (food self-sufficiency)
• 1× Grocer
• 1× Diner
• 1× Medical Center
• 1× School or Gym
• 2× Parks or Gardens

Advantages:

• True self-sufficiency (food, housing, services)
• Better comfort coverage (more service buildings)
• Economies of scale (shared services)

Strategy: Transition to Medium Domes around Sol 50-100 as your first domes fill up.

Mega Dome

The largest standard dome. End-game housing for massive populations.

Interior space:

• 19 hexagonal building spaces
• Can fit: 8-12 apartments + 7-11 service buildings
• True city-scale habitat

Example layout:

• 6× Smart Apartments (144 colonists)
• 3× Hydroponic Farms
• 2× Medical Centers
• 2× Diners
• 2× Grocers
• 1× University
• 1× Casino
• 2× Hanging Gardens

Advantages:

• Maximum population density
• All services in one dome
• Reduced infrastructure (fewer domes = less maintenance)

Disadvantages:

• Very expensive to build
• Catastrophic if life support fails
• Requires massive oxygen/power

Strategy: Build Mega Domes only in late game (Sol 150+) when you have automation and excess resources.

Oval Dome

Alternative to Basic Dome with different shape. Same capacity, different building arrangements.

Characteristics:

• Elongated rectangular interior
• 9 building spaces
• Better for certain building layouts

Best uses:

• Farms (can align multiple farms efficiently)
• Industrial zones (factory rows)
• Aesthetic variety

Trade-offs: Same cost/capacity as Basic Dome, just different shape preference.

Trigon Dome

Medium-large dome with triangular interior layout.

Characteristics:

• Triangular building arrangement
• 13 building spaces
• Between Medium and Mega in capacity

Strategy: Use if you prefer triangular aesthetics or specific building arrangements. Not dramatically different from Medium Dome functionally.

Dome Connections

Passages

Passages connect domes underground, allowing colonists to live in one dome and work in another.

Benefits:

• Work flexibility: Colonists can commute between domes
• Specialization: Create industrial dome + residential dome
• Resource sharing: Treat connected domes as one colony

Drawbacks:

• Performance penalty: -10 performance when working in different dome
• Pathfinding: Can create traffic bottlenecks with many connections
• Maintenance: Each passage requires upkeep

Optimal usage:

• Connect 2-3 domes maximum per cluster
• Avoid long passage chains (dome A → B → C → D = very inefficient)
• Use for specialized domes (factory dome adjacent to residential)

Example setup:

• Residential Dome (housing + services) ↔️ Passage ↔️ Industrial Dome (factories + mines)
• Farm Dome (3 farms) ↔️ Passage ↔️ Living Dome (housing only)

Shuttle Hubs

Advanced transport allowing colonists and resources to shuttle between distant domes.

Advantages over passages:

• Any distance: Connect domes across the entire map
• No performance penalty: Colonists treated as local workers
• Resource transport: Shuttles carry resources between hubs

Costs:

• Fuel consumption: Each trip costs fuel
• Complex setup: Requires fuel production infrastructure
• Maintenance: Shuttles require upkeep

When to use:

• Late game (Sol 100+) when you have fuel production
• Connecting distant specialized domes (rare metal mine 500 hexes away)
• Large colonies with 5+ domes

Dome Policies

Each dome has configurable policies that control colonist behavior.

Population Control

Birth Control:

• Disabled (default): Natural birth rate based on Comfort
• Enabled: Prevents all births in dome

Use cases:

• Control population growth
• Maintain worker ratios in specialized domes
• Prevent overpopulation

Residential Policies

Homeless Allowed:

• Yes (default): Colonists can live in dome without housing
• No: Rejects homeless colonists

Effects:

• Homeless colonists: -20 Morale, -10 Comfort
• Homeless reduce birth rate for entire dome
• Setting to “No” forces colonists to move to domes with housing

Strategy: Set to “No” in full domes to redirect newcomers to domes with space.

Work Policies

Workshift Specialization:

• None (default): All colonists work normal hours
• Night Shift: Workers operate 24/7 (higher productivity, lower Sanity)

Benefits:

• 24/7 production (factories, farms, research)
• +50% output during night hours

Costs:

• -5 Sanity per night shift worked
• Requires Nocturnal Adaptation breakthrough to avoid penalty

When to use:

• Critical production facilities
• Research race scenarios
• With Nocturnal Adaptation breakthrough

Applicant Filters

Trait Requirements:

• Filter incoming colonists by age, specialization, traits
• Reject undesirable colonists (flaws, wrong specialization)

Example filters:

• Research dome: Only accept Scientists, Genius trait preferred
• Factory dome: Only Engineers
• Farm dome: Only Botanists

Strategy: Set strict filters in specialized domes, relaxed in residential domes.

Dome Spires

Spires are special tall buildings that fit in dome hexes and provide colony-wide benefits.

Water Reclamation Spire

Reduces water consumption for all colonists in the dome by 25%.

Best in: Residential domes with many colonists.

Arcology Spire

Ultra-high-density housing in a single hex.

Advantages:

• Frees up 8+ hexes (equivalent to 8 Living Complexes)
• High comfort rating
• Space for more service buildings

Strategy: Build in Mega Domes to maximize population density.

Hanging Gardens Spire

Provides massive Comfort boost to all colonists in dome.

Effect: +25 Comfort = increased birth rate, higher Morale

Best in: Residential domes with high population.

Network Node Spire

Boosts research speed for all Research Labs in the dome.

Best in: Research-specialized domes with 2+ Research Labs.

Dome Management Strategies

Specialized Domes

Concept: Each dome serves a specific function rather than being self-sufficient.

Dome types:

1. Residential Dome

• Purpose: Housing + services only
• Buildings: Apartments, Grocer, Diner, Medical Center, Parks
• Connected via passage to industrial domes
• Goal: Maximum Comfort for colonists

2. Industrial Dome

• Purpose: Factories + production
• Buildings: Polymer Factory, Machine Parts, Electronics, minimal housing
• Workers commute from residential dome
• Goal: Maximum production efficiency

3. Agricultural Dome

• Purpose: Food production only
• Buildings: 5-7 Farms/Hydroponic Farms, housing for Botanists
• Supplies food to multiple domes
• Goal: Colony food self-sufficiency

4. Research Dome

• Purpose: Science and technology
• Buildings: 3-5 Research Labs, housing for Scientists, University
• Goal: Maximize research output

5. Service Dome

• Purpose: Comfort and entertainment
• Buildings: Casinos, Art Stores, Spas, Parks, Hanging Gardens
• Tourist destination (DLC)
• Goal: Maximum colonist satisfaction

Self-Sufficient Domes

Concept: Each dome can survive independently.

Requirements per dome:

• Housing (2-3 apartments)
• Food source (1-2 farms)
• Grocer (food distribution)
• Infirmary/Medical Center
• 2-3 service buildings (Diner, Park, etc.)

Advantages:

• Resilient (one dome failure doesn’t cascade)
• No passage dependencies
• Easier to manage (no commuting issues)

Disadvantages:

• Less efficient (duplicate services)
• Lower specialization
• Requires more resources

When to use: Early-mid game, conservative playstyle, or new players.

Mixed Strategy (Recommended)

Hybrid approach:

• 2-3 self-sufficient residential domes (core population)
• 1-2 specialized domes (research, industry)
• Passages connect specialized to residential
• Shuttle Hubs for distant mining outposts

Benefits:

• Resilience (core domes self-sufficient)
• Efficiency (specialized domes optimized)
• Flexibility (adapt to map resources)

Dome Construction Tips

Placement Considerations

Location factors:

1. Resource proximity: Near metal/concrete/rare metal deposits
2. Flat terrain: Fewer cables/pipes needed, easier expansion
3. Sector bonuses: Some map areas have +10 Comfort or other bonuses
4. Future expansion: Leave space for 2-3 adjacent domes

Avoid:

• Placing domes on hills (wastes space)
• Too far from resources (long drone trips)
• Isolated locations (hard to connect later)

Building Order

First dome checklist:

1. Place dome location
2. Build power infrastructure (Stirling + Wind Turbines)
3. Build MOXIE for oxygen
4. Connect power cables to dome
5. Connect oxygen pipes to dome
6. Build housing inside (Living Complex ×2)
7. Build Grocer (food distribution)
8. Build Infirmary (healthcare)
9. Build at least 1 service building (Diner)
10. Request first colonists

Life Support Setup

Power requirements by dome type:

Oxygen requirements by dome type:

Always build 50% more capacity than needed to handle disasters and growth.

Common Dome Problems

Problem: Colonists Dying

Causes:

• Oxygen supply failure (MOXIE offline or disconnected)
• Power failure (no electricity to life support)
• Food shortage (no food in Grocer)

Solutions:

• Always have backup power sources
• Connect multiple MOXIEs per dome
• Stockpile 50+ food in depots
• Set up emergency protocols

Problem: Low Comfort

Causes:

• Insufficient service buildings
• Overcrowding (too many colonists per housing)
• No parks or green spaces

Solutions:

• Build 1 service building per 10 colonists
• Add parks and gardens
• Build Hanging Gardens Spire (+25 Comfort)
• Upgrade to Smart Apartments

Problem: Nobody Working

Causes:

• Workers in different dome (no passage)
• Manual workplace assignment overridden
• Colonists all elderly/children
• Workplace prioritization issues

Solutions:

• Build passages between domes
• Check colonist age distribution
• Manually assign workers to critical buildings
• Adjust building priorities (High/Normal/Low)

Problem: Births Too Fast/Slow

Fast births:

• Too much Comfort (100 Comfort = 7% birth rate/Sol)
• Solution: Enable Birth Control policy in domes

Slow births:

• Low Comfort (<50)
• Solution: Add service buildings, Hanging Gardens, improve living conditions

Advanced Dome Techniques

Dome Spacing Optimization

Efficient spacing:

• Place domes 3-5 hexes apart
• Share power/oxygen infrastructure
• Single drone hub covers 2-3 domes
• Minimize cable/pipe lengths

Layout example:

     [Dome A]
       |
  [Dome B]—[Drone Hub]
       |
     [Dome C]

Power Grid Design

Hub-and-spoke:

• Central power station (Fusion Reactor or Nuclear)
• Cables radiate out to each dome
• Redundant paths for critical domes

Distributed:

• Each dome has local power generation (Stirling + Wind)
• No single point of failure
• Higher maintenance costs

Oxygen Network Design

Centralized:

• 10-15 MOXIEs in one location
• Pipe network distributes to all domes
• Efficient for clustered domes

Decentralized:

• 2-3 MOXIEs per dome
• Shorter pipe runs
• More resilient to failures

Related Pages

• Buildings - In-dome building options
• Colonists - Managing dome populations
• Resources - Dome life support requirements
• Technologies - Dome unlocks and upgrades