What is Dieselpunk?

There are many types of “punks” within the various types of genres we see in the media. From the robotic cybernetics of Cyberpunk to the gears and mechanical power of Steampunk, there is a “punk” for everyone!

Dieselpunk, however, can sometimes be overlooked due to its more “niche” appeal. What may seem to be only a subgenre of Steampunk, Dieselpunk has a feel and aesthetic all its own.

Steampunk vs. Dieselpunk

For those curious about the distinction, there are a few small differences I use to help show how to tell Steampunk from Dieselpunk. The more simple ways to tell can be by appearance and the “power” of the world. I like to tell people that when you think of Steampunk it is very “form over function.” Crafted from fine coppers and bronzes, Steampunk items usually are very pleasing to the eye. They sometimes feature large cogs, steam valves, and other bits of tubing arranged in a way to make the object look good.

Dieselpunk, however, is the exact opposite. Using the phrase “function over form” I like to tell people curious about Dieselpunk (and Steel Horizons!) that objects built in a Dieselpunk world feature hard, angular lines and often made of iron and steel.

The other major difference is the mode of power for objects in the world as well as the general time period associated with that mode of power. An object powered by steam, most notably used around the times of the Victorian Era, would fall under the Steampunk genre. Pretty simple right? Steam powered = Steampunk!

Objects powered by oil and fuel, diesel fuel to be exact (seeing a pattern here?), would fall into the Dieselpunk genre. This genre also takes much of its themes and aesthetics from the time period when diesel fuel rose to prominence, most notably the years after World War I until roughly the 1950’s.

What is the “Punk” of Dieselpunk?

Good question! Usually in these types of genres that feature the “punk” suffix, the main themes deal with fighting back against establishment , more commonly known in Sociology as a “counter-culture”.

Another good example of Dieselpunk’s themes comes from quote from author Scott Westerfield in regards to his book Leviathan (2009) where he argues his book is Steampunk as opposed to Dieselpunk for the following reasons (citation found here):

“I like the word “dieselpunk” if you are doing something like ‘Weird World War II’. I think that makes perfect sense. But to me, World War I is the dividing point where modernity goes from being optimistic to being pessimistic. Because when you put the words “machine” and “gun” together, they both change. At that point, war is no longer about a sense of adventure and chivalry and a way of testing your nation’s level of manhood; it’s become industrial, and horrible. So playing around with that border between optimistic steampunk and a much more pessimistic dieselpunk, which is more about Nazis, was kind of interesting to me because early in the war we were definitely kind of on the steampunk side of that.”

— Scott Westerfield

In other words, where as Steampunk has themes of adventure and upbeat stories, Dieselpunk can often focus on the more pessimistic stories of the time. Fighting back against growing industrialization, being caught between two nations gathering their forces for war, or even having to stop rogue organizations looking to construct weapons of incredible power are all examples of the “darker” stories that Dieselpunk can tell.

Why Dieselpunk?

Another good question! For a long time I’ve always been drawn to the various iterations of the “punk” genres. However, I can still pinpoint the exact moment when I felt the pull to Dieselpunk in particular.

In 2011, a movie came to theaters that was pretty universally panned as a box office flop. But, I still loved it for many reasons. That movie was Sucker Punch, a fantasy/thriller detailing the story of Babydoll and her journey through her own personal struggles. Without giving away too much of the plot, Babydoll uses her imagination within the movie to help act out various parts of her plan to escape the place where she is trapped. During these sessions of her imagination, the set pieces change as she and the girls around her adventure to find the keys to their escape.

However, in one of these sessions of Babydoll using her imagination, she and her friends are put into a World War I like scenario of fighting through trenches against steam-powered zombies, giant zeppelins, and a bunny mech (yes, I said Bunny mech).

The sequence is amazing in so many regards and was what first hooked me on the idea of Steam/Dieselpunk. From there, my interest was peaked here and there by various games, movies, and shows.

It wouldn’t be until 2016 that my attention was fully regained on Dieselpunk. With the release of the board game Scythe by Stonemaier Games, I found myself falling in love with the genre all over again. Created as a result of the 1920+ art by the Polish artist, Jakub Różalski, Scythe combined everything I loved into one game.

At one point I had even reached out to Jakub himself in regards to developing a Scythe RPG! However, as his attention was focused on the upcoming Scythe RTS video game, Iron Harvest (seriously check it out, it looks amazing!), he wasn’t ready to hand over the reins on an RPG just yet.

Therefore, Steel Horizons was born! Combining the feel of the themes and aesthetics of this time period and influences, Steel Horizons hopes to capture the same love and attention that these other influences did for me!

How does this affect Steel Horizons?

Within the world of Algara in Steel Horizons, these “darker” and sometimes more pessimistic themes can often come to the forefront. That being said, Steel Horizons is still at the end of the day, a game about being heroes. Stopping evil plots, saving the innocent, and keeping the world from tearing itself apart.

While in your own games of Steel Horizons, you can borrow from these themes and explore the effects of this dark, grungy world in detail. However, like with any good role-playing game with its weight, what stories you tell and how you tell them is left up to you and your group!