diff --git a/playbooks/groups/packages.yml b/playbooks/groups/packages.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b63a83f1ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/playbooks/groups/packages.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+# create a new packages 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/packages* or from hostvars
+
+- name: make packages server
+  hosts: packages;packages-stg
+  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"
+  - include: "{{ tasks }}/accelerate_prep.yml"
+
+  handlers:
+  - include: "{{ handlers }}/restart_services.yml"
+
+- name: make the box be real
+  hosts: packages;packages-stg
+  user: root
+  gather_facts: True
+  accelerate: True
+
+  vars_files: 
+   - /srv/web/infra/ansible/vars/global.yml
+   - "{{ private }}/vars.yml"
+   - /srv/web/infra/ansible/vars/{{ ansible_distribution }}.yml
+
+  roles:
+  - base
+  - rkhunter
+  - denyhosts
+  - nagios_client
+  - fas_client
+
+  tasks:
+  - include: "{{ tasks }}/hosts.yml"
+  - include: "{{ tasks }}/yumrepos.yml"
+  - include: "{{ tasks }}/2fa_client.yml"
+  - include: "{{ tasks }}/motd.yml"
+  - include: "{{ tasks }}/sudo.yml"
+  - include: "{{ tasks }}/openvpn_client.yml"
+    when: env != "staging"
+  - include: "{{ tasks }}/apache.yml"
+  - include: "{{ tasks }}/mod_wsgi.yml"
+
+  handlers:
+  - include: "{{ handlers }}/restart_services.yml"
+
+- name: dole out the service specific config
+  hosts: packages;packages-stg
+  user: root
+  gather_facts: True
+  accelerate: True
+
+  vars_files: 
+   - /srv/web/infra/ansible/vars/global.yml
+   - "{{ private }}/vars.yml"
+   - /srv/web/infra/ansible/vars/{{ ansible_distribution }}.yml
+
+  roles:
+  - fedmsg_base
+  #- packages
+
+  handlers:
+  - include: "{{ handlers }}/restart_services.yml"