submerged

SUBMERGED: THE LAST STAND

"Development for some is destruction for others."

Genre: Historical Strategy / Survival Card Game Players: 1 (Single Player) Play Time: 15–20 Minutes Theme: Social Movements, Environmental Justice, Satyagraha

THE STORY

It is 1985. The government has announced the Sardar Sarovar Dam—a colossus of concrete that will rise 138 meters high, swallowing centuries of history and hundreds of villages in the Narmada Valley. They have the World Bank’s money, the police force, and the law on their side.

You have none of these. You represent the Narmada Bachao Andolan (Save Narmada Movement). You are a coalition of farmers, tribals (Adivasis), and activists armed only with the truth.

The water is rising. The cranes are moving. Can you hold back the flood long enough to make the world listen?

HOW IT PLAYS

Submerged is an asymmetrical game of survival. The deck is stacked against you—literally.

1. The Rising Tide: Each turn, the State plays Threat Cards (Police Charges, Eviction Notices, World Bank Loans) that speed up construction. If you don't stop them, the Dam Meter rises.
2. The Resistance: You must counter these threats using your limited hand of Resistance Cards (Mass Rallies, Court Cases, International Solidarity). You must match their symbol (Force, Law, or Money) to block their move.
3. The Cost of Failure: If the Dam Meter rises too high, the river floods. You must physically flip over your Land Cards, turning vibrant villages into underwater ruins. Once a village is submerged, it is lost forever.
4. Turn Their Weapons Against Them: When you successfully block a Threat, you don't just discard it—you Capture it. As the game progresses, you use the State's own resources (Media attention, Legal precedents) to fuel your movement.

WHY PLAY?

• Experience History: Every card represents a real event, from the World Bank's historic withdrawal in 1993 to the devastating "Jal Satyagraha" (standing in rising water).
• Redefine Victory: You cannot destroy the dam. The game ends when the dam is finished. Your victory is measured not by conquering the enemy, but by how many villages, forests, and stories you managed to save before the end.
• A Lesson in Resilience: Learn how a group of villagers without weapons fought the world's most powerful institutions for three decades.