Aftershock

Aftershock is a post-disaster game exploring inter-agency cooperation  and coordination needed to address a complex humanitarian crisis. Although designed for four players, it can be played with fewer (even solitaire), or more (with players grouped into four teams).

Aftershock is a tense, fast-paced, and immersive game experience that players will find both unique and informative. Based on real-world events and challenges, it is currently used in the professional training and education of aid workers, military personnel, and others involved in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.

The game is set in the fictional country of Carana, but is loosely modeled on disasters such as the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and the 2010 Haiti earthquake. It explores approximately three months of humanitarian operations, including both the initial emergency and a later period of early recovery. Because Carana is a fragile, conflict- affected country, relief and reconstruction efforts may also involve issues of social unrest and political instability, especially during the early recovery stage once the initial shock of the crisis has worn off.

The primary objective of all players is to address the urgent humanitarian needs of the local population (thereby scoring “relief points”). However, players also need to maintain public and political support for their organizations (“operations points”), whether to govern (Carana), sustain the relief mission (HADR-TF), or secure financial support (UN and NGOs).

“At-Risk” cards indicate the current emergency needs for food, water/sanitation, medical, or shelter supplies in each district of the capital. Players must bring the necessary supplies into the country, and allocate aid teams to deliver them in time. Aid teams might also be engaged in rescue operations, aid coordination, needs assessment, infrastructure repair, public relations or other key tasks. Event cards inject many of the numerous challenges associated with relief operations into game play, but also indicate the self-help efforts of the local population as they struggle to survive and recover.

Game play is cooperative, but it is possible for some, all, or no player to win.