HomeSearch
JudgesReadersPrizes
Winners & Finalists
20151617182019
Downloads & Prints

Hegemon • 2019 rpg

Doc Brock • no link

! Content Warning: Despotism, Imperialism !

Continue scrolling to read the entry.
Players are DESPOTS of their own empire. DESPOTS have three ATTRIBUTES: ECONOMY, MILITARY, ESPIONAGE.

===== Setup =====
How did you rise to power? Assign values of 2, 1, and 0 to your ATTRIBUTES, in any order.
Why do you fear the DESPOT to your right? Assign +1 to one of their ATTRIBUTES.
Why do you envy the DESPOT to your left? Assign +1 to one of their ATTRIBUTES.

===== Start of ROUND =====
Gain INFLUENCE = 7 + total ATTRIBUTES.

Each player creates a NATION with RESISTANCE = d6. Describe geopolitical significance and ATTRIBUTE needed to subjugate.

NATION(s) with highest RESISTANCE are INDEPENDENT.

Secretly bid INFLUENCE to subjugate each remaining non-INDEPENDENT NATION in order from least to greatest RESISTANCE (randomly resolve ties).
    STRENGTH = ATTRIBUTE + INFLUENCE bid + d6
Highest STRENGTH that exceeds RESISTANCE subjugates NATION and gains +1 to that ATTRIBUTE. If tied or no bid exceeds RESISTANCE, NATION becomes INDEPENDENT. Bid INFLUENCE is always spent.

Diplomacy is encouraged but never binding.

After all subjugation is resolved, roll d6 and spend that much INFLUENCE or citizens REVOLT: set one ATTRIBUTE of your choice to 0, permanently. Any other DESPOT may spend 3 INFLUENCE, describe meddling, and choose the ATTRIBUTE for you.

Repeat ROUNDs until megalomania is satisfied.

Author Comments

A cynical take on empire-building roleplaying, with PvP. I wanted to capture the lust for power, the struggle of maintaining internal control when overextended, and the uncertainty in international diplomacy. The strong continue to get stronger, while the cautious (with good planning) should be able to permanently maintain control of their people.

I explicitly did not include direct empire-vs-empire conflict, other than meddling during a revolution, to model that modern conflicts between major powers manifest in foreign theaters, rarely the home front.

Thanks to my brother for sharing this competition with me, and for proof-reading/editing/bouncing ideas around.


Discuss this Entry