The Empire Wants You

Sarah,

It’s been a while since I wrote. There has been lots of shelling, but we’re safe down in the trenches.

It doesn’t look like anything’s going to change before the holidays. I know they said we’d be back by November, but we’re probably going to stay over the winter.

It’s nice in a way. We have plenty of firewood, so we aren’t getting cold. 

The worst we had to deal with was Private Anderson’s pet rat getting into the potatoes. 

The Game

The Empire Wants You is a game of juxtaposition. You have war overseas, and the peace (if disrupted) of the home-front.

Although not strictly based on any historic events, I drew most of my inspiration from Britain in the First World War.

It takes place in seasons—first on the home-front, then on the battlefield.

As each season passes, the war rages on and the characters you play must survive while taking care of each other from a distance.

System: Breathless (customized)

Type: Stand-alone game

Genre: Storytelling, war

Mechanics: Single die roll using d4, d6, d8, d10, d12; possible extra dice.

Intended Players: Game Master + players. 

Supplies needed: d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, character sheets.

Setup time: 5-30 minutes.

Session time: Variable, but 2-4 hours recommended.

License: CC-BY 4.0

Included Bonuses: Character sheet.

Last Updated: May 11, 2022