Organiser: The American Vicarious
Designer: Christopher McElroen

Fight for America! is a large-scale participatory art installation that explores the gamification of American democracy through the events of January 6, 2021. Created by the american vicarious with game design by renowned designer Alessio Cavatore (Warhammer 40K, Bolt Action) and developed with input from former Capitol Police officers, the project places participants at the heart of a 20-player tabletop wargame that examines the fine line between patriotism and radicalization, unity and division, rhetoric and reality.

The game is played on seven interconnected tables spanning approximately 50ft x 50ft and features a meticulously crafted 1:64 scale model of the U.S. Capitol, surrounded by 10,000 hand-painted 28mm miniatures representing various factions involved in the day’s events. Players navigate shifting alliances, strategic dilemmas, and escalating tensions, making choices that shape the evolving conflict.

At the center of the experience is the Game Master—part referee, part storyteller, part provocateur—who guides players through the chaos of the Capitol grounds. Acting as a live narrator, the Game Master introduces real-time events, breaking news, and unforeseen consequences, ensuring that no two playthroughs are ever the same. The result is an unpredictable, theatrical experience where strategy, emotion, and historical reflection collide.

By merging interactive gameplay with immersive storytelling, Fight for America! challenges participants to confront the mechanics of political conflict, the power of rhetoric, and the real-world stakes of democracy in crisis.