I had the opportunity to “play” the new preparedness/survival game “CONFLICTED: The Survival Card Game” created by Survivalogics; a thought-provoking “what would you do” in a post-apocalyptic world, game. I say play because it was really more like being put on the hot seat opposed to all fun and games. This is a serious game of mental preparedness.
I have said time and time again, prepping is not just about buying a lot of prep stuff and then cramming it into a bag or stacking it up in your garage – it is also mental and physical. We need to be ready for anything that may come our way – and as part of this readiness, it is imperative that you know "YOU", "YOUR MAG or Prepper Group" and FAMILY and how we all would respond or react BEFORE something happens.
Conflicted: The Survival Card Game is a set of 50+ cards. On each card there is a scenario and/or question about a scenario, some of which I can honestly say, I’ve never even giving thought to. The game is “played” - again I use this word loosely – by placing the cards in a pile in the center of the playing area (usually a table) where three to twelve people are gathered. A person draws a card (this person can be determined by any method of your chosing, such as drawing straws, rock-paper-scissors, rolling of a dice, or volunteering). The person with the card will direct the scenario and/or question on the card to the person to his/her right (only). All other players must be quiet until the question is fully answered. Then, everyone has an opportunity to respond with their thoughts and the scenario question is open for debate and further discussion.
There is a “keeping score" element to the game … but our group didn’t use it. Again, this is not a fun and games type card game – there are some pretty serious topics addressed. However, if you do choose to keep score, the responder is rated on a 0-3 scale for his/her answer. The person with the most points at the end of a 12 card round …wins. Again, this part seemed a little odd to our group so we just skipped the rating and scoring part.
I played Conflicted: The Survival Card Game, with my mutual assistance group – or as I call them – my prepper group. We meet every Saturday night; to eat a meal of storage food (only), discuss current events, have “show-and-tell” of new prepper items we’ve purchased and talk about preparedness and strategies. **If you don’t have a group that you meet with I would highly suggestion starting one in the near future. Just sayin’.
Our group only played an hour – but in that hour, I will honestly say we all learned far more about each other than we have the whole time we have been together. Why? Because the scenarios addressed on some of these cards, are things that a lot of us had never considered. They are not the typical scenarios we’ve all heard of. The creator of this game, Survivalogics listened to scenarios posed by preparedness-minded people and compiled these excellent – again thought provoking questions and scenarios into a card set.
Take this scenario for instance:
“You hear a noise in the back of your house, and you found about 12 orphans scavenging for food in your garbage cans. They appear to be kids under 6-7 years old. Taking them in would diminish your supply timeline by 50% and you aren’t sure you can replenish your supplies once they run out. Plus it would take manpower to watch over them, and you can spare little since everyone in your camp is constantly exhausted from hard work and rationed meals. Leaving these kids to their fate would mean their deaths, or worse. How would you handle this situation?"
See what I mean? These are tough, thought-provoking questions that frankly, really make you think - hard. These kids could be a decoy. We have all hear of present day scenarios where bad guys use children and women to gain access to the home of an unsuspecting victim. Or, maybe they aren't really orphans … but skilled in how to take care of themselves; including taking lives if need be? (Think of the ruthless gun toting kids in Somalia.) What would YOU do? The answer is not an easy one. And neither are any of the other scenario and question cards.
I personally have a mental list of number one, two and three of “what I am preparing for”. Conflicted: The Survival Card Game makes you consider others as well. This is why the card game is perfect for the experienced preparedness-minded, for those who are just getting started and those in between.
We all want to think we have good morals and can make good decisions. But in an end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it scenario all bets may be off. We may actually become someone we no longer recognize in the mirror.
Conflicted: The Survival Card Game definitely gives you food for thought. There were times I was surprised by the answers of some of my prepper-mates. These card queries make you go to places most of us have never been. By confronting these questions head on, in my humble opinion, will possibly make decisions a little easier if and when the poo does hit the fan.
The intent of Survivalogics for Conflicted: The Survival Card Game is to:
Know Yourself: By becoming more aware of your own strengths and weakness and to actually see how far you would be willing to go to survive when confronted with a life vs moral scenario.
Know Your Friends: By listening to your friends or family’s take on prepping and survival and whether they would be as “good a fit” in your prepper group.
Know Your Enemies: By realize in poo-hits-the-fan world people will do what it takes to survive. When it comes to feeding a family, morals may be pushed aside.
As Survivalogics puts it “We all have a breaking point”
This is a survival-aid that no books, conferences or person can give you. It’s a tool to help you and yours mentally prepare for “the unknown”. Thankfully after playing Conflicted: The Survival Card Game, I can honestly say I have aligned myself with some pretty “like-mined” preparedness-people. Unfortunately, this may not hold true with some of the groups out there.
I would highly suggest that every prepper group; albeit your family or friends; those considering a prepper group, or those preppers personally wanting to challenge their own strengths and weakness and, to understand beforehand how far they would be willing to go to survive when confronted with a life verses moral scenario, to get a set of these cards. Everyone benefits.
Get your set of CONFLICTED: The Survival Card Game here:
Keep in mind, this is a tool for mental preparedness. After all, where else can you and/or your prepper group go to be challenged mentally? Prepping is about skills, knowledge, having your basic needs covered with the appropriate preparedness supplies and items – but it is also about being physically and mentally prepared for what may come out way.
Of Note: If you would like to submit a “scenario” to Survivalogic click here: http://conflictedthegame.com/submit-your-question/
Saturday night dinners in our prepper group will now end with coffee, dessert and playing a round of the “game’. Just sayin'.
- Survivor Jane
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