This is a Print-and-Play Game

All you need to do is download the files below, print them off and you're good to go. Counters, cards etc. are included in the files, but you may need to source some other bits yourself.

Deepsea Desperation

Deepsea Desperation overview:: "A special commission for Greenpeace about the follies and greed of deepwater drilling"; 2 players; 15-25 minutes; 8+ yrs; Free!

Deepsea Desperation

December 2010 - Greenpeace HQ contacted us after the release of Mosqopoly, saying that not only were they great fans of War on Terror in the office, but that they had been watching closely what we were doing. Normally that kind of talk is creepy, but from Greenpeace International it's pretty flattering.

They liked the new print-and-play medium and we soon started talking about how we could collaborate and produce some supporting material for a campaign of theirs

Various ideas were knocked around, including one where - in true TerrorBull style - everyone was the baddie, draining every last drop of oil from the ocean and wrecking the ecosystem as they went. The only variation in the game was how the level of greed exhibited by the players affected the speed at which the oceans were turned into a toxic swamp. In Greenpeace's words, it was "a little depressing".

After some head-scratching, we came up with a slightly more positive game - Deepsea Desperation:

Game Files:

Download: The Entire Game (PDF 5.6Mb) or separate sheets: Game board (PDF 5mb | JPEG 1Mb), Instructions & Pieces (PDF 4Mb | JPEG 1.2Mb)
Black-and-White: Entire Game (PDF 3.1Mb)

"THE OIL IS RUNNING OUT! The days of easy drilling are long gone and oil companies are searching in ever deeper, riskier and more fragile places just to secure our daily fix.x of capitalist cog-grease. The battle is on to protect these areas from the next 'Deepwater Horizon' and with a couple of dice, a few coins and a friend, you can re-enact this struggle. It's Greenpeace vs. the Oil Company, trying to establish marine reserves in the very territory the other player wants to exploit. Through a mix of strategic lobbying, exploration, occupation and reserve creation, one of you will triumph. But beware: too many blowouts and you'll have a deepwater slaughter on your hands. And if all the animals die, you both lose!"

We learnt a lot about marine sustainability while making this game. In short, it's crazy that there is comparatively so little environmental focus on the Oceans.

Only 1% of the planet's seas and oceans are protected. Not only that, but because ownership and responsibility are harder to identify with regards to the seas, it's extra difficult to establish new marine reserves or even hold to account those who poison and wreck the marine ecosystem. Establishing marine reserves is one of Greenpeace's main goals - you should go and read about it yourself. Greenpeace are unfortunately essential in today's world. If you feel the same, get involved.