diff --git a/src/state/runtime.ts b/src/state/runtime.ts
index 015dcb8..fd0c1dc 100644
--- a/src/state/runtime.ts
+++ b/src/state/runtime.ts
@@ -135,6 +135,10 @@ export class GameRuntime {
     }
   }
 
+  toggleActionGroupCollapsed(groupKey: string): void {
+    useGameStore.getState().toggleActionGroupCollapsed(groupKey);
+  }
+
   enqueueAction(actionId: string): void {
     this.performAction(actionId);
   }
diff --git a/src/ui/ActionCard.tsx b/src/ui/ActionCard.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bf00255
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ui/ActionCard.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,131 @@
+import { useState } from 'react';
+import { gameRuntime } from '../state/runtime';
+import { useGameStore } from '../state/store';
+import type { ActionView } from '../state/viewModel';
+
+interface ActionCardProps {
+  action: ActionView;
+}
+
+export function ActionCard({ action }: ActionCardProps) {
+  const activeActionId = useGameStore((s) => s.activeActionId);
+  const actionProgress = useGameStore((s) => s.actionProgress);
+  const prefs = useGameStore((s) => s.prefs);
+  const [isOpen, setIsOpen] = useState(false);
+
+  const isActive = action.id === activeActionId;
+  const isDisabled = !action.available && !isActive;
+
+  const summaryParts = [
+    action.costsSummary ? `Cost: ${action.costsSummary}` : null,
+    action.yieldsSummary ? `Yield: ${action.yieldsSummary}` : null,
+  ].filter(Boolean);
+
+  let borderBgClass = '';
+  if (isDisabled) {
+    borderBgClass = 'border-slate-800 bg-slate-900/40 opacity-50 cursor-not-allowed';
+  } else {
+    borderBgClass =
+      'border-slate-700 bg-slate-800/70 hover:border-amber-500/60 hover:bg-slate-800 cursor-pointer';
+    if (action.kind === 'story') {
+      borderBgClass =
+        'border-amber-500/50 bg-slate-800/70 hover:border-amber-500/80 hover:bg-slate-800 cursor-pointer';
+    } else if (action.kind === 'loop' && action.loopEnabled) {
+      borderBgClass =
+        'border-amber-500 bg-amber-500/10 shadow-[0_0_8px_rgba(245,158,11,0.15)] hover:border-amber-400 hover:bg-amber-500/15 cursor-pointer';
+    }
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <div className="relative flex gap-1 w-full">
+      <button
+        type="button"
+        disabled={isDisabled}
+        title={prefs.actionDetailMode === 'hover' ? action.storyTooltip : undefined}
+        onClick={() => gameRuntime.performAction(action.id)}
+        className={`relative w-full overflow-hidden rounded-lg border px-4 py-3 text-left transition-all duration-200 ${borderBgClass}`}
+      >
+        {isActive ? (
+          <div
+            className="absolute inset-y-0 left-0 bg-amber-500/15 transition-all duration-100 ease-linear pointer-events-none"
+            style={{ width: `${Math.round(actionProgress * 100)}%` }}
+            aria-hidden="true"
+          />
+        ) : null}
+        <div className="relative flex flex-col gap-1 w-full">
+          <div className="flex items-center justify-between gap-2">
+            <span className="font-medium text-slate-100 flex items-center gap-2">
+              {action.kind === 'loop' && (
+                <span
+                  className={`h-4 w-4 rounded border flex items-center justify-center transition-colors shrink-0 ${
+                    action.loopEnabled
+                      ? 'border-amber-500 bg-amber-500 text-slate-950'
+                      : 'border-slate-600 bg-slate-900/50'
+                  }`}
+                  aria-hidden="true"
+                >
+                  {action.loopEnabled && (
+                    <svg
+                      className="h-2.5 w-2.5 stroke-slate-950 stroke-[3] fill-none"
+                      viewBox="0 0 24 24"
+                    >
+                      <title>Loop enabled</title>
+                      <path
+                        strokeLinecap="round"
+                        strokeLinejoin="round"
+                        d="M4.5 12.75l6 6 9-13.5"
+                      />
+                    </svg>
+                  )}
+                </span>
+              )}
+              {action.name}
+            </span>
+            <div className="flex items-center gap-1.5">
+              {action.kind === 'story' && (
+                <span className="rounded bg-amber-500/20 px-1.5 py-0.5 text-[10px] font-semibold text-amber-300 uppercase tracking-wider">
+                  Story
+                </span>
+              )}
+              <span className="text-slate-400 text-xs shrink-0">
+                {isActive
+                  ? 'running…'
+                  : isDisabled
+                    ? (action.disabledReason ?? 'unavailable')
+                    : 'start'}
+              </span>
+            </div>
+          </div>
+          {summaryParts.length > 0 ? (
+            <p className="text-slate-500 text-xs">{summaryParts.join(' · ')}</p>
+          ) : null}
+          {prefs.actionDetailMode === 'inline' && action.storyHint ? (
+            <p className="text-slate-400 text-xs mt-0.5">{action.storyHint}</p>
+          ) : null}
+        </div>
+      </button>
+      {prefs.actionDetailMode === 'info-button' && action.storyTooltip ? (
+        <div className="relative shrink-0 flex">
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            aria-label={`Details for ${action.name}`}
+            aria-expanded={isOpen}
+            onClick={() => setIsOpen(!isOpen)}
+            className="flex items-center rounded-lg border border-slate-700 bg-slate-800/70 px-2 text-slate-400 transition-colors hover:border-amber-500/60 hover:text-slate-200"
+            title={action.storyTooltip}
+          >
+            ⓘ
+          </button>
+          {isOpen ? (
+            <div
+              role="tooltip"
+              className="absolute top-full right-0 z-10 mt-1 w-64 rounded-lg border border-slate-600 bg-slate-900 p-3 text-slate-300 text-xs shadow-lg"
+            >
+              {action.storyTooltip}
+            </div>
+          ) : null}
+        </div>
+      ) : null}
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/ui/ActionColumn.tsx b/src/ui/ActionColumn.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ee7229c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ui/ActionColumn.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+import type { ActionGroupView } from '../state/viewModel';
+import { ActionGroup } from './ActionGroup';
+
+interface ActionColumnProps {
+  label: string;
+  groups: ActionGroupView[];
+  actionKind: string;
+}
+
+export function ActionColumn({ label, groups, actionKind }: ActionColumnProps) {
+  return (
+    <div className="w-80 min-w-80 shrink-0 flex flex-col gap-4 bg-slate-900/40 rounded-xl p-4 border border-slate-800/60">
+      <h2 className="font-bold text-slate-200 text-sm uppercase tracking-widest border-b border-slate-800 pb-2 select-none">
+        {label}
+      </h2>
+      <div className="flex flex-col gap-3">
+        {groups.map((group) => (
+          <ActionGroup key={group.id} group={group} actionKind={actionKind} />
+        ))}
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/ui/ActionGroup.tsx b/src/ui/ActionGroup.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3974a80
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ui/ActionGroup.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+import { gameRuntime } from '../state/runtime';
+import { useGameStore } from '../state/store';
+import type { ActionGroupView } from '../state/viewModel';
+import { ActionCard } from './ActionCard';
+
+interface ActionGroupProps {
+  group: ActionGroupView;
+  actionKind: string;
+}
+
+export function ActionGroup({ group, actionKind }: ActionGroupProps) {
+  const collapsed = useGameStore(
+    (s) => !!s.prefs.collapsedActionGroups[`${actionKind}:${group.id}`],
+  );
+
+  return (
+    <div className="flex flex-col gap-1 w-full">
+      <button
+        type="button"
+        onClick={() => gameRuntime.toggleActionGroupCollapsed(`${actionKind}:${group.id}`)}
+        className="flex w-full items-center justify-between py-1.5 text-left text-slate-400 hover:text-slate-200 transition-colors focus:outline-none"
+      >
+        <span className="font-semibold text-xs uppercase tracking-wider">{group.label}</span>
+        <span className="text-slate-500 text-xs shrink-0 select-none">{collapsed ? '▶' : '▼'}</span>
+      </button>
+      {!collapsed && (
+        <div className="flex flex-col gap-2 pl-1">
+          {group.actions.map((action) => (
+            <ActionCard key={action.id} action={action} />
+          ))}
+        </div>
+      )}
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/ui/ActionPanel.tsx b/src/ui/ActionPanel.tsx
deleted file mode 100644
index 5dd2f37..0000000
--- a/src/ui/ActionPanel.tsx
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,112 +0,0 @@
-import { useState } from 'react';
-import { gameRuntime } from '../state/runtime';
-import { useGameStore } from '../state/store';
-
-/** Action list with queue, cancel, disabled states, and story hints/tooltips. */
-export function ActionPanel() {
-  const actions = useGameStore((s) => s.actions);
-  const activeActionId = useGameStore((s) => s.activeActionId);
-  const actionProgress = useGameStore((s) => s.actionProgress);
-  const queuedActionIds = useGameStore((s) => s.queuedActionIds);
-  const queuedActionNames = useGameStore((s) => s.queuedActionNames);
-  const prefs = useGameStore((s) => s.prefs);
-  const [openInfoId, setOpenInfoId] = useState<string | null>(null);
-
-  return (
-    <section aria-label="Actions" className="flex flex-col gap-2">
-      <h2 className="font-medium text-slate-300 text-sm uppercase tracking-wide">Actions</h2>
-      {actions.map((action) => {
-        const isActive = action.id === activeActionId;
-        const isDisabled = !action.available && !isActive;
-        const summaryParts = [
-          action.costsSummary ? `Cost: ${action.costsSummary}` : null,
-          action.yieldsSummary ? `Yield: ${action.yieldsSummary}` : null,
-        ].filter(Boolean);
-
-        return (
-          <div key={action.id} className="relative flex gap-1">
-            <button
-              type="button"
-              disabled={isDisabled}
-              title={prefs.actionDetailMode === 'hover' ? action.storyTooltip : undefined}
-              onClick={() => gameRuntime.enqueueAction(action.id)}
-              className={`relative w-full overflow-hidden rounded-lg border px-4 py-3 text-left transition-colors ${
-                isDisabled
-                  ? 'cursor-not-allowed border-slate-800 bg-slate-900/40 opacity-50'
-                  : 'border-slate-700 bg-slate-800/70 hover:border-amber-500/60 hover:bg-slate-800'
-              }`}
-            >
-              {isActive ? (
-                <div
-                  className="absolute inset-y-0 left-0 bg-amber-500/15"
-                  style={{ width: `${Math.round(actionProgress * 100)}%` }}
-                  aria-hidden="true"
-                />
-              ) : null}
-              <div className="relative flex flex-col gap-1">
-                <div className="flex items-center justify-between">
-                  <span className="font-medium text-slate-100">{action.name}</span>
-                  <span className="text-slate-400 text-xs">
-                    {isActive
-                      ? 'running…'
-                      : isDisabled
-                        ? (action.disabledReason ?? 'unavailable')
-                        : 'start'}
-                  </span>
-                </div>
-                {summaryParts.length > 0 ? (
-                  <p className="text-slate-500 text-xs">{summaryParts.join(' · ')}</p>
-                ) : null}
-                {prefs.actionDetailMode === 'inline' && action.storyHint ? (
-                  <p className="text-slate-400 text-xs">{action.storyHint}</p>
-                ) : null}
-              </div>
-            </button>
-            {prefs.actionDetailMode === 'info-button' && action.storyTooltip ? (
-              <div className="relative shrink-0">
-                <button
-                  type="button"
-                  aria-label={`Details for ${action.name}`}
-                  aria-expanded={openInfoId === action.id}
-                  onClick={() => setOpenInfoId(openInfoId === action.id ? null : action.id)}
-                  className="flex h-full items-center rounded-lg border border-slate-700 bg-slate-800/70 px-2 text-slate-400 transition-colors hover:border-amber-500/60 hover:text-slate-200"
-                  title={action.storyTooltip}
-                >
-                  ⓘ
-                </button>
-                {openInfoId === action.id ? (
-                  <div
-                    role="tooltip"
-                    className="absolute top-full right-0 z-10 mt-1 max-w-xs rounded-lg border border-slate-600 bg-slate-900 p-3 text-slate-300 text-xs shadow-lg"
-                  >
-                    {action.storyTooltip}
-                  </div>
-                ) : null}
-              </div>
-            ) : null}
-          </div>
-        );
-      })}
-      {queuedActionNames.length > 0 ? (
-        <ol aria-label="Action queue" className="mt-2 flex flex-col gap-1">
-          {queuedActionNames.map((name, index) => (
-            <li
-              key={queuedActionIds[index]}
-              className="flex items-center justify-between rounded border border-slate-700 bg-slate-900/60 px-3 py-2 text-sm"
-            >
-              <span className="text-slate-300">{name}</span>
-              <button
-                type="button"
-                aria-label={`Cancel ${name}`}
-                onClick={() => gameRuntime.cancelQueuedAction(index)}
-                className="rounded px-2 py-0.5 text-slate-400 transition-colors hover:bg-slate-800 hover:text-amber-400"
-              >
-                ✕
-              </button>
-            </li>
-          ))}
-        </ol>
-      ) : null}
-    </section>
-  );
-}
diff --git a/src/ui/PlayPanel.tsx b/src/ui/PlayPanel.tsx
index 788e26b..a151c12 100644
--- a/src/ui/PlayPanel.tsx
+++ b/src/ui/PlayPanel.tsx
@@ -1,14 +1,60 @@
-import { ActionPanel } from './ActionPanel';
+import { gameRuntime } from '../state/runtime';
+import { useGameStore } from '../state/store';
+import { ActionColumn } from './ActionColumn';
 import { EventLog } from './EventLog';
 import { ResourceBar } from './ResourceBar';
 
 export function PlayPanel() {
+  const columns = useGameStore((s) => s.actionColumns).filter(
+    (col) => col.groups.length > 0 && col.groups.some((g) => g.actions.length > 0),
+  );
+  const queuedActionIds = useGameStore((s) => s.queuedActionIds);
+  const queuedActionNames = useGameStore((s) => s.queuedActionNames);
+
   return (
     <div className="space-y-6">
       <div className="block md:hidden">
         <ResourceBar />
       </div>
-      <ActionPanel />
+
+      <section aria-label="Actions" className="flex gap-4 overflow-x-auto pb-4">
+        {columns.map((col) => (
+          <ActionColumn
+            key={col.kind}
+            label={col.label}
+            groups={col.groups}
+            actionKind={col.kind}
+          />
+        ))}
+      </section>
+
+      {queuedActionNames.length > 0 ? (
+        <div className="border border-slate-800 bg-slate-900/30 rounded-xl p-4">
+          <h3 className="font-semibold text-slate-400 text-xs uppercase tracking-wider mb-2">
+            Action Queue
+          </h3>
+          <ol aria-label="Action queue" className="flex flex-col gap-1.5">
+            {queuedActionNames.map((name, index) => (
+              <li
+                // biome-ignore lint/suspicious/noArrayIndexKey: indices are stable and identify individual queue items
+                key={`${queuedActionIds[index]}-${index}`}
+                className="flex items-center justify-between rounded-lg border border-slate-700 bg-slate-900/60 px-3 py-2 text-sm"
+              >
+                <span className="text-slate-300">{name}</span>
+                <button
+                  type="button"
+                  aria-label={`Cancel ${name}`}
+                  onClick={() => gameRuntime.cancelQueuedAction(index)}
+                  className="rounded px-2 py-0.5 text-slate-400 transition-colors hover:bg-slate-800 hover:text-amber-400"
+                >
+                  ✕
+                </button>
+              </li>
+            ))}
+          </ol>
+        </div>
+      ) : null}
+
       <div className="block md:hidden">
         <EventLog />
       </div>