The "Crisis of Nations" Game

BACKGROUND: Civil Government students have learned about the history and process of Foreign Policy and researched a number of different Foreign Policy futures and their implications.

OBJECTIVE: Students will participate in a simulation about how to use military, economic and other resources to serve both the best interests of their own country and the larger global community.

ASSIGNMENT REQUIREMENTS: Each student will participate in at least one game of "Crisis of Nations."

PREPARING FOR YOUR GAME: Students will need to log in to the following webiste:

https://www.icivics.org/

Each student in each class already has a login for the site. Click on the appropriate link below to get your username. Your password to login to the site with your username is "civilgovernment".

To login, you will need to spell your username, including the numbers, exactly as listed on the username sheet, your password will be "civilgovernment".

Once you have logged in, you will be prompted to change your password and input an email address. THIS IS OPTIONAL! I do not recommend doing this, unless you really wish to do so.

Once you are on the website, please click on the "VIEW ALL GAMES" link at the bottom of the PLAY screen. Then, click on the "CRISIS OF NATIONS" link.

Please play through the TUTORIAL mode first, so that you have an idea of how to play the game, then we will start some class games to see which students are the most diplomatic and cunning.

Here are some pointers for the game:

  1. One of the first options you will have is to customize your country and your flag. Do not take all day doing this.
  2. The object of the game is to be the first of four players to gather 15 units of one of four different resources: Military, Economy, Espionage or Policy. Each player will have a different target resource and these should be KEPT HIDDEN from other players.
  3. It is very helpful to know the names of the countries that you are playing against, as this may change your decisions in the scenarios.
  4. Players will be "working together" to address issues and problems around the world as presented in a series of rounds.
  5. Issues come up randomly from a pool of possibles. Sometimes they repeat. Sorry. I did not write the game.
  6. To solve a problem, players will need to contribute resources, such as Military Units or Economic Units, as outlined in the briefing panel for each issue.
  7. If the issue is solved, the player(s) contributing the most resources will be awarded a "wild card" resource of their choice.
  8. If the issue is NOT solved, certain players will LOSE resources (usually indicated by the red target on players.)
  9. At the beginning of each new round, four new random resources are given to each player.
  10. Players may also click on the "YOU SOLVE IT" tab above each other country to force other countries to act in ways that they may not wish to. This always costs 3 of a particular resource from your reserve.
  11. A key to being successful in this game is to figure out what resources other players are targetting, then forcing them to use those resources whenever possible.
  12. There may be times when you do NOT want to solve a world problem, so that another player is hurt by the consequences, but be careful, sometimes the consequences can change according to which player has the most resources.
  13. The first player to get 15 of their target resources is the winner and may rule over the other competitors as RULERS OF THE UNIVERSE!

GRADING: This is an actual Civil Government assignment! Mr. B. can track your progress in games and will be awarding 100/100 points to each student that completes a game. Should a student WIN a game, they can present proof (screen shot, printed certificate, etc.) to Mr. B. for a 25 point extra credit bonus! If a students DOES NOT complete a game by Friday, they will receive a 0/100 points, which would be kind of silly.