diff --git a/playbooks/groups/darkserver.yml b/playbooks/groups/darkserver.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4bb0fa5dd1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/playbooks/groups/darkserver.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+# create a new darkserver server
+# NOTE: should be used with --limit most of the time
+# NOTE: make sure there is room/space for this server on the vmhost
+# NOTE: most of these vars_path come from group_vars/darkserver* or from hostvars
+
+- name: make darkserver
+  hosts: darkserver
+  user: root
+  gather_facts: False
+
+  vars_files: 
+   - /srv/web/infra/ansible/vars/global.yml
+   - "{{ private }}/vars.yml"
+   - /srv/web/infra/ansible/vars/{{ ansible_distribution }}.yml
+
+  tasks:
+  - include: "{{ tasks }}/virt_instance_create.yml"
+
+  handlers:
+  - include: "{{ handlers }}/restart_services.yml"
+
+- name: make the box be real
+  hosts: darkserver
+  user: root
+  gather_facts: True
+
+  vars_files: 
+   - /srv/web/infra/ansible/vars/global.yml
+   - "{{ private }}/vars.yml"
+   - /srv/web/infra/ansible/vars/{{ ansible_distribution }}.yml
+
+  roles:
+  - base
+  - rkhunter
+  - { role: denyhosts, when: ansible_distribution_major_version != '7' }
+  - nagios_client
+  - hosts
+  - fas_client
+  - rsyncd
+  - sudo
+  - { role: openvpn/client,
+      when: env != "staging" }
+
+  tasks:
+  - include: "{{ tasks }}/yumrepos.yml"
+  - include: "{{ tasks }}/2fa_client.yml"
+  - include: "{{ tasks }}/motd.yml"
+  - include: "{{ tasks }}/apache.yml"
+  - include: "{{ tasks }}/mod_wsgi.yml"
+
+  handlers:
+  - include: "{{ handlers }}/restart_services.yml"
+
+- name: deploy darkserver itself
+  hosts: darkserver
+  user: root
+  gather_facts: True
+
+  vars_files:
+   - /srv/web/infra/ansible/vars/global.yml
+   - "{{ private }}/vars.yml"
+   - "{{ vars_path }}/{{ ansible_distribution }}.yml"
+
+  roles:
+  - darkserver
+
+  handlers:
+  - include: "{{ handlers }}/restart_services.yml"