twilight strategy
TRANSCRIPT
Twilight StrategyA comprehensive strategy guide to Twilight Struggle
theory
This book is for sale at http://leanpub.com/twilightstrategy
This version was published on 2014-02-24
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For Jill: a Special Relationship
Contents
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3New to Twilight Struggle? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Is Twilight Struggle for me? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
General Strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6General Strategy: Events vs Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7General Strategy: Opening Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10General Strategy: Turn 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11General Strategy: DEFCON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13General Strategy: Reshuffles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16General Strategy: The Space Race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17General Strategy: The AR7 Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21General Strategy: Realignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Early War . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Duck and Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29Five Year Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31Socialist Governments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Fidel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35Vietnam Revolts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37Blockade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39Korean War . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41Romanian Abdication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43Arab-Israeli War . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45Comecon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47Nasser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49Warsaw Pact Formed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51De Gaulle Leads France . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53Captured Nazi Scientist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55Truman Doctrine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
CONTENTS
Olympic Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59NATO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61Independent Reds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63Marshall Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65Indo-Pakistani War . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68Containment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70CIA Created . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72US/Japan Mutual Defense Pact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74Suez Crisis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76East European Unrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78Decolonization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80Red Scare/Purge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83UN Intervention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85De-Stalinization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87Nuclear Test Ban . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89Formosan Resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91Defectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93The Cambridge Five . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95Special Relationship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97NORAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99Early War recap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Mid War . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102Brush War . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103Arms Race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105Cuban Missile Crisis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107Nuclear Subs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110Quagmire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112SALT Negotiations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115Bear Trap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117Summit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119How I Learned to Stop Worrying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121Junta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123Kitchen Debates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125Missile Envy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127We Will Bury You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130Brezhnev Doctrine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132Portuguese Empire Crumbles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134South African Unrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136Allende . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138Willy Brandt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140Muslim Revolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142ABM Treaty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
CONTENTS
Cultural Revolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146Flower Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148U-2 Incident . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150OPEC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152Lone Gunman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154Colonial Rear Guards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156Panama Canal Returned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158Camp David Accords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160Puppet Governments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162Grain Sales to Soviets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164John Paul II Elected Pope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166Latin American Death Squads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168OAS Founded . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170Nixon Plays the China Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172Sadat Expels Soviets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174Shuttle Diplomacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176The Voice of America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178Liberation Theology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180Ussuri River Skirmish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182“Ask Not What Your Country Can Do For You…” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184Alliance for Progress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186“One Small Step…” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188Che . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190Our Man in Tehran . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192Mid War recap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Late War . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195Iranian Hostage Crisis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196The Iron Lady . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198Reagan Bombs Libya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200Star Wars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202North Sea Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204The Reformer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206Marine Barracks Bombing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208Soviets Shoot Down KAL-007 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210Glasnost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212Ortega Elected in Nicaragua . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214Terrorism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216Iran-Contra Scandal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218Chernobyl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220Latin American Debt Crisis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222Tear Down This Wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224“An Evil Empire” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
CONTENTS
Aldrich Ames Remix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228Pershing II Deployed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230Wargames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232Solidarity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235Iran-Iraq War . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237Yuri and Samantha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239AWACS Sale to Saudis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241Late War recap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244Regions: Europe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245Regions: Middle East . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247Regions: Asia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250Regions: South America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254Regions: Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258Regions: Central America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261Regions: Southeast Asia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Annotated Game #1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265Early War . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266Mid War . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289Late War . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Annotated Game #2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346Early War . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347Mid / Late War . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
Designer’s Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416
Copyright/Contact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 418
AcknowledgmentsRob, who introduced me to boardgaming and taught me the value of depthgaming rather thanbreadthgaming.
Jason Matthews and Ananda Gupta, who created Twilight Struggle.
Adam and Ross, who introduced me to Twilight Struggle.
But mostly all the readers of Dominion Strategy, who inspired me to start Twilight Strategy, and allthe readers of Twilight Strategy, who inspired me to keep going.
IntroductionThis is a collection of articles originally posted on the blog Twilight Strategy¹.Written over the courseof 400 days, it has been a deeply rewarding experience. I hope I have succeeded in introducing morepeople to this wonderful game.
This e-book is written with a standard game of Twilight Struggle in mind: Optional Cards usedand no Chinese Civil War variant. It is intended to supplement, rather than replace, the rulebook. Ittherefore assumes a basic familiarity with the rules.
Some articles use a little bit of Twilight Struggle lingo; although most should be self-explanatory,you can consult the Glossary at the end if you need any translation.
If you’d like to discuss this e-book, or Twilight Struggle in general, please visit the Twilight StrategyForum².
Sister projects of Twilight Strategy include:
• Dominion Strategy³• Innovation Strategy⁴
¹http://www.twilightstrategy.com²http://forum.twilightstrategy.com³http://www.dominionstrategy.com⁴http://innovation.boardgamestrategy.com
Getting Started
Getting Started 4
New to Twilight Struggle?
Twilight Struggle can be an intimidating game. But it doesn’t have to be — with the help of thissite, the forum, and perhaps a patient playing partner, you can find out for yourself why it’s thetop-ranked game on BoardGameGeek.
The first thing to know is that you do not need to memorize all the cards (yet). Eventually, afterplaying a dozen or so times, you will know all the cards without having memorized them. But youshould not approach your first few games thinking that you need to memorize all the cards. It’simpractical, unrealistic, and unnecessary. Just have fun with the game and get a feel for how itworks.
The second thing to know is that it is natural to feel rather lost during your first few games. That’sOK. But if you want a game where you feel like you know what you’re doing your very first time,Twilight Struggle is not the game for you. It requires at least two or three games before you can feelcomfortable.
The third thing to know is that if you’re playing with an experienced player, and really want tolearn this game, you should play as the US and have your partner play as the USSR. At the beginnerlevel, this game tilts towards the USSR because the USSR starts the game with the initiative. Forthis reason, you sometimes see people recommending that the beginner play the USSR. This is amistake. If you play the USSR in your first game, you won’t get an accurate feel of how the gameflows because you’re supposed to be the one driving it. If you play as US, you might get steamrolledquickly in an hour or so, but you’ll understand the game a whole lot better, and it’ll make yoursecond play of the game as USSR that much more enjoyable.
The fourth thing to know is that if you’re reading this, you probably want to enjoy this game. Thebest way to make use of this book is via the General Strategy articles and the Annotated Games.Once you have a decent grasp of the game, you can go through the individual card analyses.
Finally, there’s a reason why a lengthy, 2-player-only Cold War “wargame” has made it to #1 on theBoardGameGeek ranking. It’s because despite all the x-factors working against the game, it’s stilla supreme triumph of design and narrative. It is my favorite game of all time, and most who haveplayed it will agree.
Getting Started 5
Is Twilight Struggle for me?
You’ve heard about how Twilight Struggle is the number one rated game on BoardGameGeek. Howalmost everyone who’s ever played it has raved about it, called it one of their favorite games.
But you’re hesitant. Is this game really for you? You’ve never played something like it before. It’snot like any of the other BoardGameGeek Top 10 like Dominion or Power Grid.
In my mind, Twilight Struggle is the best board game ever made. But truthfully, it is not a game foreveryone. Candidly speaking, there are some real deal-breakers about it, and it’s better for you tofigure that out sooner rather than later.
Should you get Twilight Struggle? A six-question quiz.
1. Do you enjoy playing (and have opportunities to play) 2-player games?2. Are you able to set aside enough time to play this game? Your first game might take up to 4
hours; once you’ve learned the rules, the longest game you’ll play is probably around 3 hours,with the shortest being 1 hour and the average being 2 hours. This varies by playgroup, ofcourse, but this is not a filler game!
3. Do you enjoy games that require a lot of thinking?4. Do you enjoy games that are extremely tense and nerve-wracking?5. Are you OK with games that have a small but not insignificant luck component?6. Are you OK with the fact that it may take you two or three plays to really understand the
game?
If you answered no to several of these questions, then sadly Twilight Struggle is probably not theideal game for you.
Note that these questions did not include “Do you enjoy Cold War history?” or “Do you enjoywargames?”. Although fans of Cold War history and/or wargames will love this game even more,most people who enjoy Twilight Struggle have not had much prior interest in the Cold War orwargames.
If you answered yes to all of these questions, then you will probably enjoy Twilight Struggle – andin fact it will probably be your favorite game.
General Strategy
General Strategy 7
General Strategy: Events vs Operations
The overarching paradigm of Twilight Struggle is that events create opportunities, and Operationsare how you take advantage of those opportunities. Accordingly, you should treat events not asyour primary source of influence, but rather as gamechangers that break open the game for yourOperations.
The basis for this principle is the observation that Operations are generally more efficient thanevents, even if the event technically gives more influence. The Comecon event gives the USSR 4influence, but they’re spread out and in a rather useless place. By contrast, the 3 Ops of the Comeconcard can be played as a strong coup, can take over a crucial battleground, or can extend and createthreats all over the board.
On the other hand, by the Mid War, many regions begin to degenerate into stalemates. Once youropponent controls a country, it’s hugely inefficient to try to break their control with Operationsalone. Sometimes it’s still worth it, but you need to be at a significant Ops advantage (or takemultipleActions in a row) to take over an opponent-controlled country with pure Ops. Alternatively, maybeyou just don’t have access to the region: without coup targets, all the Operations in the world aren’tgoing to get the USSR into the Americas.
This is where events come in. Their effects can have dramatic ramifications and shake up otherwisedeadlocked regions. USSR secure in Africa? Boom, Nuclear Subs and all of a sudden all thebattlegrounds are yours. US is dominating Europe? Bam, Socialist Governments headline, and nowan AR1 Europe Scoring is -5 instead of +5.
A large part of Twilight Struggle skill is therefore recognizing which events to trigger, and when totrigger them. Some events are so powerful that you will almost never see them played for Operations(ABM Treaty, Decolonization, Grain Sales to Soviets), and some are so awful you’ll never evenremember their event text (Summit, Nuclear Test Ban). But most events are somewhere in between.Knowing when you should press on with your Operations and when you need to call upon an eventis a hallmark of a strong player.
A good example is Red Scare/Purge. The event text is unbelievably strong: it can cause your opponentto flat-out lose the game. But while a weaker player will tend to automatically headline the card,seeing only the advantages and opportunities of -1 to your opponents’ Ops, a strong player willalso spot the potential benefits of being able to play 4 Ops at once (one of only five Early War 4Ops cards), and recognize when Red Scare/Purge ends up being more beneficial when played forOperations.
To get better at this differentiation, it is helpful to classify the cards in the game into four categories:your opponents’ starred events, your own starred events, neutral starred events, and recurringevents. With your own events, you are choosing between the Ops and the event; with youropponent’s events, you are choosing between the Ops minus the event effect or the Space Race.
Your opponents’ starred events
Your opponents’ starred events can only happen once in the game. Prior to Turn 7, therefore, you
General Strategy 8
should seek to trigger them whenever possible — better that you control its one-time effect thanyour opponent — rather than discarding them (by playing them on the Space Race, or by playing itwith UN Intervention) and letting them be reshuffled into the deck. Some examples:
• The US should always try to get Warsaw Pact Formed out of the way as soon as possible,since 5 influence for the USSR is infinitely preferable to the looming threat of being able toinstantly remove all US influence in eastern Europe.
• A US player that draws De Gaulle Leads France can play it with an empty France and thenplace the 3Ops into France to make it 3/1. On the other hand, a USSR player that draws DeGaulle can headline it and then take France easily on AR1.
• The USSR should play Containment and Nuclear Subs on the final Action Round of a turn,where they have the least effect, rather than send them to space only for the US to draw themback and play them more effectively.
• Truman Doctrine is useless in the USSR hand, because the USSR can just play it as soon asthey have no uncontrolled countries. On the other hand, a US player can time its play formaximum effect, by, for instance, breaking USSR control of France on the final Action Round,and then headlining Truman Doctrine the next turn to wipe out 3+ USSR influence from acritical country.
• Many beginner US players will find ways to discard or cancel Blockade from being played.This is a mistake. If you draw Blockade and can safely play, you should usually do so, ratherthan allow the USSR to spring a nasty surprise on you in the Mid War.
Only the truly critical opponents’ starred events, the ones you have no ability to manage, shouldbe sent to space. These include (but are not limited to!) De-Stalinization, Tear Down This Wall, TheReformer, and Quagmire/Bear Trap. These are usually either so strong, or so suicidal for you to play,that you would prefer to assume the risk of your opponent controlling how it’s played rather thanplay it yourself.
However, if you’re on Turn 7 or later, you no longer need to worry about the “removing” vs“discarding” distinction. For all practical purposes, you can safely discard cards knowing they willalmost certainly not return to the game. The draw deck reshuffles on Turn 3 and Turn 7; it’soccasionally reshuffled on Turn 10, but that’s quite rare. Of course, you still won’t be able to spaceevery card you see, and will still have to deal with some of the events, but you no longer have toworry that cards sent to space will return to your opponent’s hand.
Your starred events
Most of these you want to keep around in the deck, since you would rather your opponent have ahand full of your events than full of his. Sometimes the effect of a card is the same no matter whoplays it: neither side particularly cares who triggers Willy Brandt or NATO. (In other words, theseare generally bad events.) Sometimes a card is only dangerous because your opponent is playing it:CIA Created, for instance. Sometimes the looming threat of the card is more effective than the carditself: Truman Doctrine’s continued presence in the deck is often enough to deter the USSR fromengaging in an influence war in Europe.
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But there are also times when you must trigger your own starred events:
1. Because they will be meaningless or crippled in your opponent’s hands: see, e.g., Contain-ment/Brezhnev Doctrine, “Ask Not What Your Country…”, Cultural Revolution.
2. Because they are so critical that your opponent will never play them for you, and certainlysend to space: see, e.g., De-Stalinization and John Paul II Elected Pope.
3. Because if you don’t play it now, its effect will be meaningless later: see, e.g., Vietnam Revoltsand Puppet Governments.
4. Because if you don’t play it now, it may never get played. You really hope the USSR will drawCIA Created, but if you draw it on Turn 7 as the US, don’t hold out hope that the USSR willsomehow draw it again by the end of the game. Just play it if you need it.
Neutral starred events
There aren’t many of these. Consider playing them so your opponent can’t. This is especially true ofSALT Negotiations: even if you can’t make good use of it, you don’t really want your US opponentusing it to play The Voice of America again.
Recurring events
Since these events will trigger over and over again, you don’t have to worry about removing themfrom the deck. So when playing neutral or your own recurring events, the general principle applies:do you really need the event? Or are the Ops going to be better? Latin American Death Squadsmaybe gives you one coup bonus, but the 2 Ops is almost certainly superior. On the other hand,Liberation Theology is also 2 Ops, but it gives you 3 influence, is not adjacency-restricted, can beplayed into US-controlled countries with no penalty, and is in a fairly critical region. As US, Duckand Cover is usually played for the 3 Ops, but towards the end of the game, the 3VP / denial of aUSSR coup may be worth considerably more. (As a general rule, most of the neutral recurring eventsare pretty strong. ABM Treaty, Brush War, Junta, and Red Scare/Purge are all among the best eventsin the game.)
There’s no real advantage to playing your opponents’ recurring events instead of spacing them. Theonly relevant question, therefore, is whether it’s worth sending to space or using the Ops. Since youordinarily only have one Space Race slot per turn, you have no choice but to work around most ofyour opponents’ recurring events.
Generally, this is accomplished by triggering the event before playing the Ops (with exceptions:the US can preemptively defend against Arab-Israeli War with the Ops, for instance). SocialistGovernments and East European Unrest are not really problems when you can just replace theInfluence lost. But some don’t give you enough Ops to fix the problem: you’ll rarely be able torepair the damage done by Decolonization and The Voice of America, and so those are just going tohave to go to space. And certain cards are flatout irreparable: Grain Sales is a canonical example ofa card the USSR must keep sending back to space instead of losing by thermonuclear war.
General Strategy 10
General Strategy: Opening Setup
Each side begins the game with the ability to place Influence in Europe. (Note that this is Influence,not Operations points for influence.) The USSR can place up to 6 in Eastern Europe, while the UScan place 7 in Western Europe.
As USSR
The standard opening setup for the USSR is 4 East Germany, 4 Poland, 1 Yugoslavia. There is rarelyany reason to deviate from this setup. As USSR, you overcontrol your two battleground countries,vulnerable to East European Unrest and Mid/Late War events. Your 1 influence in Yugoslaviaprovides you with access to Italy, keeping your options open, as well as Greece. Occasionally, youwill see people play into Bulgaria, as it also provides access to Greece and is the only EasternEuropean country inaccessible from the rest of Eastern Europe. But it does not provide access toItaly.
Alternatively, the “Comecon Trap” setup is 3 East Germany, 4 Austria, 2 Yugoslavia. You headlineComecon, gaining you control of Austria and Yugoslavia. (You can also do this with Warsaw PactFormed, but Warsaw Pact is a critical card for the USSR in the Late War.) On AR1 of Turn 1, youare now able to realign West Germany and Italy at +1. Against a standard US setup, if you aresuccessful, you can obliterate the US position in Europe in a single play. However, this gambit isrisky: not only are you not couping Iran (thereby allowing US unfettered access to western Asia),but it can be easily thwarted by a US headline of Defectors, Truman Doctrine (if they played enoughinto Austria), Duck and Cover, or even Marshall Plan.
As US
The standard opening setup for the US is 4 West Germany, 3 Italy. As USA, you take the twosafest battlegrounds in Western Europe, and the overcontrol of Italy guards against a SocialistGovernments headline and/or T1 Italy coup.
If you have Marshall Plan in your opening hand and plan to headline it, you can open with 3 WestGermany, 2 Italy, 1 Greece, 1 Turkey. You still end up with the same 4/3 in West Germany andItaly, but you get two of the three critical Mediterranean non-battleground countries (the only twothat the USSR has easy access to) and make it very difficult for the USSR to ever score Dominationagainst you.
There are several reasons why you may want to leave West Germany empty. For example, you fearRed Scare/Purge + Blockade, when you have no cards to discard, or alternatively, you hold bothBlockade and De-Stalinization in hand and want to play Blockade without discarding any card thisturn (so that you can hold De-Stal through the reshuffle). In such situations (assuming you lackMarshall Plan), you can open with 4 Italy, 1 Greece, 1 Austria, 1 Turkey. This guards Italy againstSocialist Governments followed by a coup or Duck & Cover, provides an additional adjacency toItaly in case Socialist Governments removes adjacency to Italy and you get couped out, and providesaccess to West Germany so that you can threaten to take it immediately.
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General Strategy: Turn 1
The first turn of Twilight Struggle is arguably the most important one. An empty board means thatthe board is rife with both opportunity and pitfalls. Even the smallest mistake early on can havedramatic ramifications: misplaying into Asia on Turn 1 can easily cost you Asia domination for therest of the game.
As USSR
There are five great USSR headlines on Turn 1: Red Scare/Purge, Suez Crisis, Arab-Israeli War,Socialist Governments, and Vietnam Revolts. The benefits of Red Scare/Purge are obvious. SuezCrisis (and Arab-Israeli War, with a 50% probability) plus a successful Iran coup will wipe the USout from the Middle East entirely. Socialist Governments allows you to make a strong play forEurope. Vietnam Revolts provides you with immediate access to Thailand and all but guaranteesyou’ll be able to take it before the US does.
On AR1, you realistically only have two options: coup Iran, or coup / play for Italy. Traditionally,USSR players made a play for Italy, but modern Twilight Struggle thinking is that access to Pakistanand India is simply too important. The Iran coup is critical not just for the Middle East, but alsoto secure western Asia against the US. Letting the US into Iran means letting them into two Asianbattlegrounds, and makes it very difficult for you to prevent Asian Domination.
As far as the rest of the turn goes, you have several priorities. In Europe, it’s usually difficult to breakthrough to France, so you can only content yourself with nabbing Greece/Turkey. In theMiddle East,an early Nasser can net you both Egypt and Libya, and if the US is still in Israel, taking Jordan and/orLebanon puts some real pressure on the US position. Their only option for presence would then be anIsrael incredibly vulnerable to Arab-Israeli War. In Asia, assuming you successfully took Iran, youwant to expand eastward from western Asia (while watching out for the Indo-Pakistani War), whilefor keeping alert for an opportunity to grab South Korea and Thailand. Obviously Decolonizationand Vietnam Revolts will help greatly with the latter.
As US
Assuming the USSR takes Iran, you have quite a few priorities:
1. Protect Israel via Lebanon and/or Jordan.2. Make your way through Egypt into Libya before Nasser wipes you out.3. Gun for Thailand via Malaysia, being mindful that Asian countries can be couped at DEFCON
4.4. Shore up South Korea while guarding against the Korean War.5. When you have a chance, take Greece and Turkey before the USSR does.
If the USSR opening coup of Iran is too good, then I wouldn’t bother dropping DEFCON to 3 bycouping Iran back. You not only risk being couped back if you succeed, but the USSR may be ableto take Thailand first with Decolonization if you don’t succeed. On the other hand, if the coup was
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weak, then I’m willing to gamble on the Iran coup in hopes of getting something into western Asia.Overall, I’d much rather have the last coup of the turn than the second-to-last.
On the whole, your goal should be to survive rather than triumph. All of the initiative is with theUSSR; your main objective is simply not to fall behind too much in board position and VPs. Youshould accept the fact that you will almost certainly be behind in VPs at the end of the Early War.That’s OK, so long as you aren’t losing in every region. Recognize when one region is beyond repairwith just Ops, so you can cut your losses and be content to tread water there until you are able totake advantage of a major event to shake things up.
General Strategy 13
General Strategy: DEFCON
One of the most important rules in Twilight Struggle is that you lose the game if DEFCON drops to1 on your turn. It doesn’t matter who “caused” it: if it happened on your watch, you’re responsiblefor humanity’s destruction.
It’s a very important rule because it ties directly into the paranoia and brinksmanship of Cold Wardoctrine. In most games of Twilight Struggle, DEFCON is deliberately kept at 2 nearly all the time.Coups in battleground countries are so vital that both sides naturally gravitate towards DEFCON 2.Generally this means that the USSR is more than happy to get the one battleground coup per turn,and keep DEFCON at 2 otherwise.
The cost of this brinksmanship is illustrated through several cards that are deliberately designed todegrade DEFCON by one level. With DEFCON at 2, these cards become “DEFCON suicide cards”and unplayable.
Loosely speaking, there are four categories of cards that can cost you the game.
Cards that unconditionally degrade DEFCON
• Duck & Cover (Early War, US 3Ops)• WeWill Bury You (Mid War, USSR 4Ops)• Soviets Shoot Down KAL-007 (Late War, US 4Ops)
You can never trigger these events on your turn when DEFCON is at 2.
Cards that allow your opponent to conduct Operations
• CIA Created (Early War, US 1Op)• Lone Gunman (Mid War, USSR 1Op)• Grain Sales to Soviets (Mid War, US 2Ops)• Tear Down This Wall (Late War, US 3Ops)
You can never play your opponent’s events from this list on your turn when DEFCON is 2 andyour opponent can drop DEFCON by couping a battleground of yours (keeping in mind DEFCONrestrictions). So if the US has any influence in a battleground in South America, Central America, orAfrica, Lone Gunman is unplayable. Similarly, the USSR can play CIA Created at DEFCON 2 safelyin the Early War only if they have no influence in Third World battlegrounds. This is one reasonwhy playing Fidel is not such a big deal for the US in the Early War, since it makes CIA Createdunplayable.
Practically speaking, these cards are indistinguishable from unconditional DEFCON degraders. OnlyCIA Created comes out early enough such that the USSR might not have any ThirdWorld influence;by the time Lone Gunman and Grain Sales arrive, you would already be far behind if you have no
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influence in battlegrounds in South America, Central America, or Africa. In truly extreme situations,you might be able to eliminate yourself from those regions preemptively in order to play one of thesecards.
Note that Tear Down This Wall is also included in this category, because it allows a coup in Europedespite DEFCON restrictions. Although it is theoretically possible that the USSR has no influencein any European battleground, they may as well resign anyway if that’s the case.
Cards that have a chance of degrading DEFCON
• Five Year Plan (Early War, US 3Ops)– If played by the US, can pull Soviets Shoot Down KAL-007 or Duck & Cover. If playedby the USSR, can trigger any of the other cards on this list in the USSR’s hand.
• Missile Envy (Mid War, Neutral 2Ops)– Although this event won’t trigger any of your opponent’s events, it can still pull any yourown unconditional DEFCON degraders. Many a US player has played this at DEFCON2 only to be handed Duck & Cover. It can also cost you the game if it pulls one of theneutral DEFCON degraders, though the chance of Summit being the highest Ops cardin your opponent’s hand is quite small.
• Ortega Elected in Nicaragua (Late War, USSR 2Ops)– Only unplayable for the US if it has influence in Cuba.
• Star Wars (Late War, US 2Ops)– The USSR will lose if it plays this while the US is ahead in the Space Race, and any ofthe other cards on this list is in the discard. (Including USSR events like We Will BuryYou.)
Neutral events that degrade DEFCON
• Olympic Games (Early War, Neutral 2Ops)• Summit (Mid War, Neutral 1Op)
These are not really a problem, since you would have to be daft to play either of these for the eventat DEFCON 2. Simply play them for Operations and you won’t lose the game. The only way thesecan really cost you the game is if you pull them with Missile Envy.
Managing these cards
At its heart, Twilight Struggle is a game about managing crises. So how do you manage these crises?Obviously, it’s easy to deal with neutral events and your own events (just don’t play Olympic Gamesfor the event at DEFCON 2!), but how do you dispose of your opponent’s events without losing thegame?
The easiest way is the Space Race. Virtually every card on this list can be sent to space. On the otherhand, you can usually only space one card per turn, and in the case of CIA Created / Lone Gunman,
General Strategy 15
you can’t space those unless under the effects of Brezhnev Doctrine / Containment. And if you’reunder the effects of Red Scare/Purge, your hand suddenly looks a lot more dire.
So sometimes you won’t be able to Space Race a card. At that point, you might want to considerholding the card until next turn. If you have the China card, this is considerably easier; if you playthe China card, you can even hold two cards. (SALTNegotiations also helps you hold onemore card.)If you don’t have the China card, this becomes a very risky proposition: you’re quite vulnerable toany handsize reduction. A USSR play of Blockade, Terrorism, or Aldrich Ames Remix, or a US playof Five Year Plan, Grain Sales to Soviets, or Terrorism can cost you the game. Even your own playof UN Intervention can lose you the game, and boy will that be an embarrassing way to lose.
Speaking of which, UN Intervention is also a natural solution to this problem. It’s probably betterto use UN on one of these cards than on, say, The Voice of America, since even though Voice ofAmerica is going to hurt, losing the game hurts more. On the other hand, you won’t always drawUN Intervention, and playing it will cut your handsize, a problem if you have multiple such cards.And the cards that you most want to use UN Intervention on — CIA Created and Lone Gunman —will just get reshuffled back into the deck if you don’t trigger the event.
With some foresight, you can also headline the card. Usually the USSR is unwilling to lowerDEFCON during their headline, so it’s generally safe for the US to play a DEFCON-loweringheadline. USSR can likewise wait until AR1 to play cards like CIA Created, since US headlinesgenerally trigger first, and this way you can play something else if the US lowers DEFCON to 2during headline phase. Of course, this solution isn’t guaranteed safe as your opponent’s headlinemay drop DEFCON first, and CIA Created / Lone Gunman are deliberately designed for maximumhurt when played in the headline phase.
More rarely, you can use events to help you get out of the jam. Nuclear Test Ban and SALTNegotiations both raise DEFCON by two levels, so even if your opponent drops DEFCON inresponse, you’ll still be able to play your cards at DEFCON 3. Cuban Missile Crisis will stop youropponent from couping anywhere in the world (and it takes precedence over victories by DEFCON),but it’s easily cancelled, so it usually doesn’t work. Brezhnev Doctrine and Containment allow youto send CIA Created and Lone Gunman to space. As USSR, you can take advantage of Nuclear Substo stop US coups from dropping DEFCON. As US, Ask Not What Your Country… can discard anyof these cards, and Aldrich Ames Remix (if played as your last Action) discards your last card. Andof course, if you are sufficiently advanced on the Space Race track, you can discard your held card.
General Strategy 16
General Strategy: Reshuffles
In a typical game of Twilight Struggle, the draw deck will reshuffle while dealing out the cards forTurns 3 and 7. Occasionally, the deck will reshuffle immediately before Turn 10 as well.
What this means is that cards can fall into one of several categories:
• Any card played or discarded on Turns 1 and 2 will be guaranteed to be redrawn betweenTurns 3-7
• Any card played or discarded on Turns 3-6 will not be redrawn until Turns 7-10• Any card played or discarded on Turn 7 or later will probably not be redrawn, and if it is, itwould only be on Turn 10
Note that this is not a perfect overlap with when the cards come out:
• All Early War cards are guaranteed to be drawn between Turns 1-3• AllMidWar cards are shuffled in on Turn 4, and therefore are guaranteed to be drawn betweenTurns 4-7
• All Late War cards are shuffled in on Turn 8, and will be drawn only on Turns 8-10 (if at all)
What does this mean strategically? It means that when discarding your opponent’s vital events,you want to discard them on Turns 3 and 7, rather than on Turns 2 or 6.
This is most commonly applied to the two most important Early War events in the game:Decolonization and De-Stalinization. They are far and away the most important cards to draw,even more important than Red Scare/Purge. So as a US player, if I draw either or both in the EarlyWar, I will do my best to hold onto them until Turn 3 before discarding them with Blockade, theSpace Race, or UN Intervention. This guarantees that they cannot be reintroduced to the deck untilTurn 7 at the earliest. If I sent Decolonization to space on Turn 2, by contrast, it could come back atTurn 3 at the earliest, and not later than Turn 7. It’s a huge difference that dramatically changes thedynamics of the game.
It is therefore very important to consider what cards you hold on Turns 2 and 6, because those heldcards won’t be coming back into the game for a very long time (if at all). For instance, if, as US, youare choosing between triggering the Voice of America event vs the John Paul II Elected Pope eventon Turn 6, you should choose Voice of America, because it might come back again next turn, andhold John Paul. It’s not a huge deal for John Paul to be played on Turn 7, since he can only happenonce anyway. Similarly, as USSR, if you are debating between playing Arab-Israeli War or Defectorsfor Operations on Turn 2, you should play Arab-Israeli War now and hold Defectors until Turn 3 sothat you can have worry-free headlines between from Turns 3-6.
This also somewhat affects the Our Man in Tehran event, which is much more helpful on Turn 7than on Turn 6, and SALT Negotiations, which is exactly the opposite.
General Strategy 17
General Strategy: The Space Race
The number one mistake beginning players make in Twilight Struggle is to send too many cards offto space. Among strong players, you rarely see either player make it to Stage 4 (Man in Earth Orbitin the Deluxe Edition, Man in Space in the First/Second Editions) where they can see the opponent’sheadline first, and it is especially rare to see any progress beyond that.
The reason for this is that Ops are paramount. An Action Round spent on the Space Race is an ActionRound that you aren’t putting pressure on your opponent or countering his threats. However muchyour opponent’s event might sting, it is often more important to get the Ops you need in the regionsthat you want it, and on this very Action instead of waiting a round.
This is especially true if you are holding your opponent’s starred events: if the event can only happenonce, youwould usually rather control how it is triggered andmitigate its effect immediately, insteadof potentially letting your opponent trigger it later at a much more inconvenient time.
As discussed earlier, the real job of the Space Race is to discard truly awful opponent events thatyou cannot mitigate in any meaningful way. In this context, “truly awful” means:
• cards that will immediately lose you the game (e.g., DEFCON suicide cards)• cards that provide your opponent access to a region (e.g., De-Stalinization)• cards that remove your access to a region (e.g., Voice of America)• cards whose Ops value is not enough to repair its damage (e.g., Ussuri River Skirmish)• cards that give your opponent multiple plays in a row (e.g., Quagmire/Bear Trap)• cards that give your opponent lots of VPs (e.g., OPEC)
If you have none of these “truly irreparable” cards to space, then you can also consider spacing:
• recurring cards that are empty action rounds for you: i.e., you spend your action roundrepairing whatever damage the event causes (e.g., Socialist Governments)
The Space Race’s VPs are usually not a big deal. They tend to matter more to the USSR, who isusually disadvantaged in Final Scoring and would like to end the game in the Early/Mid War or aTurn 8 Wargames. On the other hand, the USSR is much more vulnerable to Space Race success: aUSSR player that makes it to Stage 4 too quickly can no longer space cards of 2 Ops or fewer, andthere are enough bad US 2 Ops events that getting to Stage 4 too early can be a serious liability.
The Space Race’s special text is slightly more interesting: the space-two-cards perk is nice if you areholding multiple bad cards, and seeing your opponent’s headline is of course a powerful advantage.In addition, StarWars helps keeps some interest in the Space Race towards the LateWar, as the abilityto play any card in the discard (as opposed to just draw, like with SALT Negotiations) is exceedinglypowerful. As for the Space Race bonuses beyond that, if you are regularly reaching them, you shouldseriously reconsider howmuch you are investing in outer space, versus howmuch you are investingon planet Earth. Unlike in Civilization, there is no Alpha Centauri victory in this game!
General Strategy 18
As USSR
These are the US events that I tend to Space Race. The top priority is DEFCON suicide cards:
Title Reasoning
CIA Created* Only possible under Brezhnev Doctrine. Not much of a problem ifDEFCON is at 3 or higher, or if you have no influence in a Mid Warbattleground.
Grain Sales to Soviets The handsize reduction means this is probably unplayably bad even atDEFCON 3 or higher.
Soviets Shoot Down KAL-007* Not at all a problem if DEFCON is high. If necessary, you can getaround the South Korea problem by using the 4 Ops to break US controlof South Korea.
Star Wars* If behind on the Space Race. Even if it doesn’t lead to DEFCON suicide,it’s usually too strong to allow to trigger.
Tear Down This Wall* Even if DEFCON isn’t at 2, this is still just absolutely brutal for theUSSR.
As for non-DEFCON suicide cards:
Title Reasoning
East European Unrest Only in the Late War is it truly a problem; in the Early War it’s an emptyAction Round at best, though if you overprotect East Germany and Poland itdoesn’t even have to be.
Five Year Plan Heavily depends on what else is in my hand, but if it would trigger one ofthese other cards, especially a DEFCON suicide card, then it’s just as deadly.
NORAD* If I have a luxury of Ops on Turn 3, then I will space it. On Turns 1 or 2 I willprobably play it for Ops.
Special Relationship Only if NATO is in effect and the US controls the UK.
Alliance for Progress* Once it scores high enough for the US.Bear Trap* Because playing it on yourself is too painful.Colonial Rear Guards Unless you were in a truly dominant position in Africa, 2 Ops is just not
enough to counter its effects.John Paul II Elected Pope* Its own event is bad enough, but it also enables Solidarity later on. If you’re
desperate, though, you can trigger this if you know Warsaw Pact is still inthe deck.
Our Man in Tehran* I would very much like to space this, but find that I usually can’t spare theOps. Occasionally you can use it to break control of the only US country inthe Middle East.
Puppet Governments* Definitely a Space Race on Turn 4; by Turn 7, it’s usually worthless.The Voice of America No real way to mitigate this. Early in the Mid War, it will kill your access;
late in the Mid War, the US player will have too many options.Ussuri River Skirmish* Especially when the US has a face-up China Card, though I’m tempted to do
so regardless of the China Card’s status.
AWACS Sales to Saudis* Can be nice to keep around if Muslim Revolution is still in the draw deck.Very low on the priority list of things to go to space, though.
General Strategy 19
Title Reasoning
Solidarity* Only if John Paul II is in effect and if I can’t count on Warsaw Pact.
General Strategy 20
As US
These are the USSR events that I tend to Space Race. Again, the top priority is obviously DEFCONsuicide cards:
Title Reasoning
Lone Gunman* Only possible under Containment. Not much of a problem if DEFCON isat 3 or higher.
We Will Bury You* Playable at DEFCON 3 or higher, but the VP penalty is harsh.
Ortega Elected in Nicaragua Only if I have influence in Cuba.
And the non-DEFCON cards:
Title Reasoning
Decolonization Doubly harsh in the Early War because of the access it provides to the USSR.This is always a space race for the US, but in the Early War I try to hold it toTurn 3 before spacing it to keep it out of the Turn 3 reshuffle.
De-Stalinization* Game-changingly powerful because of the access it provides to the USSR. Inthe Early War I try to hold it to Turn 3 before spacing it to keep it out of theTurn 3 reshuffle. By Turn 7 or so this event is probably useless and can be usedfor Ops instead.
Fidel* Only if I see him on Turn 3 or later, and have a luxury of Ops.Socialist Governments Only because it is otherwise an empty Action Round anyway.
Liberation Theology 2 Ops is not enough to counter 3 influence and the critical access provided.Muslim Revolution Only if the damage is too severe and irreparable. Not a big deal if you can
recontrol Libya / Egypt; a much bigger problem if you lose Iraq / Saudi Arabia.OPEC Depending how many VPs it scores. It usually scores a lot.Quagmire* Because playing it on yourself is too painful.South African Unrest The damage is not hard to repair, but it’s harmful enough that there’s no need
to trigger it if you have nothing else you want to send to space.
Glasnost* Only if The Reformer has been played. Otherwise, it is a nice card for the US:an ABM Treaty you pay 2VP to use.
Iranian Hostage Crisis* Only if I control Iran and/or fear that Terrorism may be played against me.The Reformer* An empty Action Round at best, but the fact that it activates Glasnost is good
enough reason to conscript Mr. Gorbachev into NASA.
General Strategy 21
General Strategy: The AR7 Play
Overview
The “AR7 Play” refers to any US play on the final Action Round of the turn (AR6 on Turns 1-3, AR7thereafter) intended to overload the USSR’s first Action Round in the next turn. The AR7 play is thecornerstone of advanced American strategy and one of the main ways to seize initiative from theUSSR.
The key to the AR7 play lies in DEFCON. At the beginning of most turns, DEFCON will rise to 3,and so each turn the USSR would like to coup a battleground on AR1 in order to drop DEFCONto 2 and block the US from battleground coups. The AR7 play therefore attempts to create a crisisfor the USSR that cannot be addressed until AR1 of the next turn. By timing this crisis to arrivesimultaneously with the USSR’s DEFCON obligation, the US hopes to overload the USSR’s AR1,and force the USSR into one of two unpalatable choices: either address the AR7 crisis (and give theUS the battleground coup) or drop DEFCON (and allow the US to capitalize on its AR7 play).
There are three types of AR7 plays: breaking USSR control, playing into a non-battleground, andmanaging bad USSR events.
1. Breaking USSR control of a country
This is the most common AR7 play. You place influence into a USSR-controlled country (let’s sayPakistan), enough to break control. On AR1 of next turn, the USSR must either restore its control ofPakistan (allowing you to coup a battleground) or coup a battleground (allowing you to play a highOps card into Pakistan to flip the country to capitalism). Either way, you end up sacrificing verylittle to gain something significant.
Ideally, you want to break control of a country that is not coupable at DEFCON 3. For instance, ifyou broke USSR control of Nigeria, the USSR could just coup Nigeria on AR1 and kill both birdswith one stone.
However, it may still be worthwhile to break control of a Mid War battleground if you havean obviously desirable battleground coup target. For instance, if you hold South Africa, Angola,Botswana, and Zaire to the USSR’s Algeria, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe (and therefore have Africandomination), the USSR is almost certainly going to coup Zaire on AR1 to gain Domination. However,if you use your final AR play on Algeria, then the USSR is no longer able to flip Domination with asingle play. Regardless of which country he coups, you’ll be able to maintain the 3-2 battlegroundsplit.
The most flexible way of making this AR7 play is with Operations, but there are many events thataccomplish something similar: John Paul II Elected Pope, Panama Canal Returned, OAS Founded,
General Strategy 22
etc. These are all events that benefit from being played on the last Action Round of a turn becausethey are otherwise easy to respond to.
Breaking control on the final AR is most effective when it disrupts the scoring situation in the region— for example, turning USSR Domination into Presence or US Presence into Domination. It presentsa much more critical crisis for the USSR, and in addition, the US is able to threaten headlining thescoring card (which may in turn force a suboptimal USSR headline in response).
2. Playing into non-battleground countries
Sometimes you’ll find yourself needing a cheap non-battleground country. Simply playing into itmay just invite a back-and-forth coup war. The AR7 play gives you an opportunity at at least oneuninterrupted turn in that country, to exploit as necessary.
Colombia is a common example, since it is a cheap non-battleground that allows access to thelucrative South America region. But a US player that plays into Colombia, intending to move ontoVenezuela, will soon find himself couped out by the USSR. Worst case scenario, a strong USSR coupmight mean this play actually lets the USSR into South America unopposed.
The better approach is to place an influence into Colombia as an AR7 play. On the next turn, theUSSR now faces a dilemma: coup a battleground country to drop DEFCON (thereby allowing theUS to play into Venezuela), or coup Colombia to deny Venezuela access (thereby allowing the US tocoup a battleground country).
However, it is important to note that if the USSR goes ahead and coups Colombia, the US now facesthe same dilemma. In other words, if the US is going to allow the USSR into South America, itneeds strong compensation (a lucrative coup target, or saving an important US battleground frombeing couped) or little downside (for example, if the USSR is already in South America via De-Stalinization).
Another common approach is the use of non-battleground countries as realignment boosts. OnceFidel takes over Cuba, most good USSR players will respond to US control of Nicaragua (relevantbecause of its Cuba realignment modifier) by couping the US out of the country. But no USSR playeris going to coup Nicaragua on AR1, and so therefore an AR7 play into Nicaragua usually assures atleast one turn’s worth of realignment against Fidel at +1.
Finally, you may want a cheap non-battleground to threaten a quick Domination. If you meet allother conditions for South America domination, but just need a non-battleground country, considercontrolling Colombia with your AR7 play. This creates headaches for the USSR: if he coups abattleground elsewhere, and you happen to have South America scoring, you’ll be able to scorethe Domination without the USSR contesting it by couping Colombia back and forth.
3. Disposing of bad USSR events
The last type of AR7 play is when you have a strong USSR event that you have no choice but totrigger. For instance, De Gaulle (while under Purge) and Muslim Revolution both open up the boardfor the USSR and create opportunities for the USSR’s Ops. If you had played them during the turn,then the USSR would be able to use his Ops in the next Action Round to take advantage. By playingsuch events as an AR7 play, however, you force that decision onto their AR1. This doesn’t gain you
General Strategy 23
anything, but it does help mitigate the effects. Before, if you played a Red Scared De Gaulle, youwould lose France. Now, either you don’t lose France, or you do lose it but get a battleground coupas compensation.
Vietnam Revolts and Brezhnev Doctrine also sort of fit in here, since playing them onAR7minimizestheir impact, but those are a special case.
Headlines
Between the final AR and the first AR of the next turn comes the headline phase. It is easy here forthe AR7 play to fail. The USSR can headline a direct counter to your play: maybe Decolonization(or other influence-dropping cards) wipes out all hopes you had of Africa domination. Quagmiretakes away your AR1 and gives the USSR two AR’s in a row. Socialist Governments can remove theinfluence put in by the AR7 play. A card likeWeWill Bury You drops DEFCON in the headline phaseand earns VPs to boot, allowing the USSR to address your AR7 play on AR1. In fact, any headlinethat discharges the USSR’s DEFCON obligation (Junta, Cuban Missile Crisis) nullifies the point ofthe AR7 play.
The US can even interfere with its own plan. Suppose you headline Grain Sales to Soviets, take acard from the USSR, and use it to coup. Well, that’s good, but now you’ve nullified your own AR7play. Not that you shouldn’t still headline Grain Sales (probably the best card in the game for theUS), but you may want to consider holding it to next turn’s headline where it won’t interfere withyour AR7 play. Worst of all would be headlining something like Cuban Missile Crisis, needlesslydropping DEFCON and freely taking the dilemma off of the USSR’s hands.
On the other hand, the US headline can accentuate and compound the AR7 crisis. Truman Doctrineis the best example of this: an AR7 play into France, breaking USSR control, is normally not thateffective, because if the USSR ignores it and coups, you ordinarily don’t have enough Ops to flipFrance in a single play. But a Truman Doctrine headline that eliminates USSR influence in Francemakes your AR7 play much stronger and much less ignorable. It is a variant on the typical USSRheadline-AR1 combo.
USSR counters on AR1
Outside of headline counters (described above), there are a few other counters to this tactic. Duck& Cover is the canonical example: it trades 3VP for the ability to lower DEFCON while placinginfluence. It is the all-around best response by the USSR. As an alternative, Junta might be able toaccomplish something similar, and ABM Treaty in your hand at least lets you coup back whateverthe US coups.
However, if the USSR is unable to respond in the headline, it will usually just be forced to choosebetween responding to the AR7 play and lowering DEFCON. It is of course impossible to give anall-around answer as to how to respond to all AR7 plays; generally, however, it is my experiencethat forgoing the battleground coup is the safer approach, but depending on where the US will coupyou and what scoring cards are yet to come, you may simply have to take your chances on the coupinstead.
Turn 10
General Strategy 24
Turn 10 is a special case, as it is the very last play of the game. The US AR7 play on Turn 10 isfar more devious: it involves manipulating Final Scoring thanks to your last play advantage. Forexample, most USSR players are lazy about Middle East domination and rely solely on Syria fortheir non-battleground. A Turn 10 AR7 play into Syria, breaking USSR control, can therefore costthe USSR Middle East domination.
The Voice of America is the absolute best way of accomplishing this: a choice removal of severalimportant influence can deny Domination, grant yourself Domination, or even deny the USSRPresence in multiple regions at once. Barring that, a high-Ops card held until AR7 can accomplishmuch the same thing if you are able to break USSR control of a few key countries. Suppose the USSRcontrols Mexico / Cuba / Nicaragua, and you control Panama / Costa Rica. With a 4 Ops, you canbreak the USSR control of both Mexico and Cuba, flipping Domination and earning you a total of8VP!
Other events that can help include any event that gives you a lot of influence (Ussuri River Skirmish,Colonial Rearguards, OAS Founded) or North Sea Oil.
As USSR, the best way to defend against the Turn 10 AR7 play is to end the game before FinalScoring. Barring that, Turn 10 is usually a very defensive turn for you, as you have no choice butto shore up all your important battlegrounds / non-battlegrounds. Quagmire, if you are fortunateenough to draw it on Turn 10, is a great AR7 play by forcing the US player to waste their AR7discarding to Quagmire instead of accomplishing something useful.
General Strategy 25
General Strategy: Realignments
Realignments are one of the most puzzling aspects of the game to a beginner. They are rarely themost effective use of your Ops, frustratingly DEFCON-restricted, and can never gain you influencein a target country.
In general, realignments only occur at DEFCON 2. In most cases, battleground coups are a morepowerful method to alter a region in your favor. But once DEFCON drops to 2, you must searchfor other ways to attack your opponent’s battlegrounds. Realignments are one such method; theyrequire some setup work, but can pay off handsome dividends.
First, this article will discuss some tactics involving realignment play. Then it will discuss the twokinds of realignments that are most effective: when your opponent can’t play back in, and whenyou are at a +1 or greater advantage. Finally, it will give some common examples.
Realignment Tactics
Higher realignment bonuses are always better. But controlling cheap non-battlegrounds to boostyour realignments often risks your opponent couping you back, gaining him the realignmentmodifier. It is therefore advantageous when you can control multiple non-battlegrounds at once, playmultiple Actions in a row, or use an event like Junta to prevent this tit-for-tat response. Sometimesyou don’t need to do this, especially when your opponent is preoccupied.
You can consult Ken Watson’s Realignment Probability Charts⁵ to determine just how much of aboost you need. Remember that you can always use a bigger card to make up for a worse realignmentbonus.
I usually use a slightly bigger card than I need, because a wasted Action Round is often quite costly,and I might not get another good chance. This means that I try to set up multiple realignmentpossibilities at once, so that in case of unexpected success I can do something with the rest of myOps.
Finally, you usually see realignments in 2-stability or higher battlegrounds. 1-stability battlegroundsare often easy to flip with direct influence placement or coups instead.
Types of Realignments
The first kind of realignment, and the best kind, is the realignment that eliminates your opponent’saccess to the region. This tends to come up when someone has isolated influence with nothing nextto it. When you eliminate all access to the region, you achieve two distinct goals: not only has youropponent lost the battleground, he has also lost any opportunity to put the influence back in. Thismeans you are free, on your next turn, to play in influence and take over the country.
A common example is Fidel. The US can trigger Fidel, and then use the 2 Ops from the card toattempt two realignment rolls against Cuba, rolling at +0. There is a 34.88% chance of success: notgreat, but the payoff is significant. The USSR has no way of getting back in if their influence iseliminated.
⁵http://twilightstrategy.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/ts-realignment-probability-charts.pdf
General Strategy 26
Another example is South Africa. If the USSR controls Angola and then takes Botswana, they canoften trap the US in South Africa and realign him out of the region.
The main reason this kind of realignment is so powerful is because your opponent can’t respond toit. There’s no tit-for-tat where you realign him out, and then he places back in, and then you haveto realign him out again.
Occasionally, it is to your benefit to go for -1 realignments. This happens when your opponent getsinto a region and no one has any influence around it (e.g. Puppet Governments or De-Stalinization).Although the odds are low, the payoff is big, so if you have a big 4 Ops card to spare, it can be aworthwhile use to stop him from locking up the region.
The second kind of realignment is when you have a +1 or greater advantage. Any time you are at+1, you should seriously consider realigning even if the opponent can put their influence back. Ifyou have influence in the country, then you might realign them out and gain control automatically.If you don’t, then you should still be ahead Ops-wise, since you are on average removing one ormore influence per Op, and you still maintain your advantage against their restored influence.
This is most common in Latin America, where you have a series of realignment possibilitiesstretching from Costa Rica-Panama-Colombia, to Colombia-Venezuela-Brazil, to Venezuela-Brazil-Uruguay, to Peru-Chile-Argentina.
Common Examples
Generally speaking, the realignment “hot spots” on the board are:
• Cuba– A particularly popular target given that:
* The USSR often can’t restore their influence, since Fidel was their only inroad intothe region
* The US starts out with uncoupable adjacency* The nearby non-battlegrounds are cheap* Cuba is especially valuable as a battleground, given that there are only 3 battle-grounds, and that it is worth double for the USSR
– Youwill therefore often see coups aroundNicaragua andHaiti, popular targets for PuppetGovernments.
• South Africa– See Cuba, with sides switched. Usually this happens when the USSR gets into Angolawith De-Stalinization, then takes Botswana and can kick the US out of the region entirely.Other than Colonial Rear Guards, there aren’t any other US events that can get themback into the subregion. This maneuver often means the difference between AfricaDomination and Control for the USSR.
• Venezuela/Brazil/Argentina/Chile– South America as a whole is geographically designed for realignments, and is the regionmost likely to see realignments.
General Strategy 27
– This provides a way for you to get back battlegrounds you lost, or steal an extrabattleground after you steal the first
– Colombia/Uruguay are two of the most important non-battlegrounds on the boardbecause of these realignments
– Junta is especially powerful in this regard, and Che can help as well• Angola
– Usually the USwill be doing this realignment, assuming they have SouthAfrica/Zaire/Botswanaand the USSR got in via Portuguese Empire Crumbles or South African Unrest.
• Algeria– If whoever controls France doesn’t also control Algeria, this is a good way to attack thesecond-most-stable African battleground.
• Mexico– The US can kick the USSR out if they got in with Liberation Theology. Similar to Cuba,though less common.
• Europe– Very rare, since DEFCON has to be at 5, but Italy/France/East Germany are all targets forrealignments when DEFCON reaches 5. Usually it is the US with a massive advantage inthese realignments. The SALT-ABM trick is one way for the US to get in some Europeanrealignments and alter the influence in the region. Otherwise your best bet is events,particularly Tear Down This Wall. The USSR can sometimes use a Comecon headlinefor a Turn 1 AR1 realignment in hopes of a knockout blow in Europe.
Early War
Early War 29
Duck and Cover
Duck and Cover
1950
The US Congress passed into law the Federal Civil Defense Act, in reaction to the firstSoviet tests of nuclear weapons in 1949. Duck and Cover is perhaps the most memorableof a variety of civil defense efforts to raise awareness of nuclear attack. Ironically,such films may have assisted in increasing the possibility of nuclear war by makingthe possibility of such a conflict “thinkable” by the general public.
Time: Early WarSide: USOps: 3Removed after event: No
As USSR
One of two excellent EarlyWar US events for the USSR, the other being Five Year Plan. As the USSR,you will frequently find yourself in a position where you want to simultaneously place influencebut also drop DEFCON down to 2 to prevent an American battleground coup. For instance, you canheadline De Gaulle Leads France, and then follow it up with Duck and Cover to take France while
Early War 30
simultaneously dropping DEFCON down to 2. If you had instead used some other 3Ops card, theUS would at least be able to respond by couping one of your battlegrounds.
Alternatively, it is sometimes more important for you to coup a non-battleground than a battle-ground, but you still don’t want to give the US a chance at one of your battlegrounds. For instance,a common Turn 3 AR6 play by the US is 1 influence into Colombia, reasoning that on the nextturn, you must either coup Colombia (thereby allowing him to coup one of your battlegrounds) orcoup a battleground (thereby allowing him access into Venezuela). Respond to this dastardly play bycouping Colombia with Duck and Cover, thereby denying him both a coup and access to Venezuela.Similarly, a US player that has put all his Middle East eggs into the Lebanon basket can be coupedout easily with Duck & Cover.
Finally, when DEFCON is high (generally only on Turn 1), the USSR can use Duck and Cover todrop DEFCON by two levels in one play. Timed correctly, this can effectively shut the US out of anopening coup altogether.
It goes without saying, though, that Duck and Cover is a serious liability for the USSR if DEFCONis already at 2. It is unplayable and one of the DEFCON suicide cards. Luckily, it is easy to play onthe Space Race.
As US
Generally played for operations, though later on the DEFCON drop and 3VPs makes for a strongheadline by denying the USSR its coup and earning a sizable chunk of VPs to boot. It is slightlyrisky to headline in the Mid War, because the USSR can headline WeWill Bury You (or, more rarely,Soviets Shoot Down KAL-007 in the Late War), dropping DEFCON to 2 and thus causing you to loseby thermonuclear war.
Early War 31
Five Year Plan
Five Year Plan
1946-1950
Beginning in the 1920s, the Soviet Union became obsessed with centralized planning ofits economy and industrial development. Twelve such plans were adopted by the USSRduring its history. While economists differ, it is largely agreed that these plans causedmore dislocation within the Soviet economy than they resolved.
Time: Early WarSide: USOps: 3Removed after event: No
As USSR
One of two excellent Early War US events for the USSR, the other being Duck and Cover. Byplaying it on your last Action Round, you can discard the one remaining card in your hand, which,conveniently, happens to be a scoring card for a region that you don’t want to score. This is the onlyway for the USSR to get rid of a scoring card without playing it.
Even if you aren’t using Five Year Plan to discard scoring cards, its discard can be timed to mitigatethe effect of a low-Op US event. For instance, OAS Founded is a hugely problematic card for the
Early War 32
USSR because you only have 1 Op to deal with the 2 US influence it places. But by playing Five YearPlan when you only have OAS Founded left, you are now able to respond with 3 Ops instead of just1. Similar tricks can be performed with most of the other annoying US 1 Op cards (e.g., Sadat ExpelsSoviets, Truman Doctrine, etc.).
On the other hand, Five Year Plan can be a serious liability in a hand of DEFCON suicide cards.Either you risk playing it early on (hoping the US doesn’t draw one of the suicide cards), or you’reforced to treat it as yet another unplayable card in your hand.
As US
Almost always played for operations. Occasionally played for the event: one possibility is that youknow that the USSR is trying to hold a DEFCON suicide card, and by cutting their handsize (perhapsin conjunction with other handsize-reducers like Grain Sales to Soviets), you can force them to playit and lose. If you’re able to hold onto the China Card and play several discarders against youropponent, you might be able to force a DEFCON victory. Alternatively, if you’re desperate, youmight play it in hopes of drawing an otherwise game-ending card like Wargames or an unfavorablescoring card. In the Early War, with excellent card knowledge, you may be able to force out De-Stalinization or Decolonization if you are fortunate. The event is also more attractive while underRed Scare/Purge, since it slows the USSR down at the cost of only 2 Ops.
Otherwise, you should always play this for operations. 3 Ops is quite valuable in the Early War forthe US, and moreover, playing Five Year Plan risks drawing Duck and Cover and losing the gameby thermonuclear war.
Early War 33
Socialist Governments
Socialist Governments
1947
Beginning with the end of the SecondWorld War, the US was challenged by democraticleftist movements within its sphere. Italy, under de Gasperi, was particularly con-tentious with communists and socialists participating in government. The CIA fundedan extensive propaganda program against these movements. Socialist governmentswould be the topic of concern again during the 1960s in France, and with left-winglabor party in the UK.
Time: Early WarSide: USSROps: 3Removed after event: No
As USSR
An all-around excellent headline throughout the game. If you don’t have other Headline-AR1combinations, a Socialist Governments headline can be followed up with just about anything onAR1: you can take over a European battleground, you can score Europe on hugely advantageous
Early War 34
terms, or you can simply to take one out of the UK or Canada so that Special Relationship andNORAD, respectively, don’t trigger.
On Turn 1 in particular, a Socialist Governments headline can cripple the US position. It is one ofthe few headlines that can make an opening Italy coup worthwhile, since if you’re going to giveup western Asia, you better at least do some serious damage in Europe to make up for it. The verythreat of a Socialist Governments headline also keeps the US opening setup honest, since it essentiallycompels the US to overcontrol Italy.
If nothing else, the Socialist Governments headline is a useful distraction; if you can remove threeimportant influence, then even if you don’t play into Europe on AR1, the US will usually bescrambling to fix the situation on their AR1. Later in the turn, it’s not quite as helpful, and you’reusually better off using the 3Ops or holding it for next turn’s headline.
As US
Typically either played for Operations (to replace the influence lost), or simply played on the SpaceRace (especially if under Red Scare/Purge). Either way, it’s an empty Action Round, but at least it’susually not a problem to deal with; be thankful you drew it and not the USSR. If you are not careful,you aren’t always able to replace all your Influence (e.g., if you had 2 in Greece and 1 in Turkey,and let Socialist Governments trigger first, you may no longer have access to Turkey to replace itsinfluence).
Somewhat takes away the sting of a USSR play of The Iron Lady, which is technically a US eventbut in practice far more useful for the USSR.
Early War 35
Fidel
Fidel
1959
Coming to power after deposing the corrupt Batista, Castro disenchanted the US afterit became clear he was leading a Marxist revolution. The US tried various schemesto depose or assassinate Castro, culminating in the disastrous “Bay of Pigs” invasion.Ultimately, communist Cuba would lend support to Marxist governments in Angolaand Ethiopia.
Time: Early WarSide: USSROps: 2Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
One of the key routes into Central America. Owning a battleground adjacent to the US (and 1/3 ofthe Central American battlegrounds) is worth quite a bit. Coupled with a successful Panama coupand/or Liberation Theology, it can lead to an easy Central America domination.
On the other hand, playing Fidel too early can turn CIA Created into a DEFCON suicide card, if youdon’t have any other influence in Africa or the Americas. So it’s often best played for Ops on Turns
Early War 36
1 or 2 (unless you’ve already Decolonized or De-Stalinized into South America/Africa), and worththe event if drawn on Turn 3 or later.
At some point in the Mid War, it’s crucial to take Haiti and/or Nicaragua, as otherwise it’s very easyto realign you out of Cuba with no easy way back in.
As US
For the reasons above, on Turns 1 or 2, it’s probably better to use Fidel’s 2 Ops (in case the USSRdrew CIA Created) than to send him to space only to see him return soon thereafter. But if you drawhim on Turn 3 or later, he’s worth sending him to space: by this point the USSR is going to haveinfluence in the Americas or Africa anyway, and you might as well deny the USSR a free 2VP (ormore) and foothold in Central America until at least Turn 7. Whether you’re then willing to takeCuba depends entirely on whether you have Central America Scoring and your tolerance for risk.
If you do play Fidel for Ops and have the luxury of Ops to spare, you can try to realign Fidel out withthe 2 Ops: you have a 34.88%⁶ chance of eliminating him entirely. Your odds are of course greatlyimproved if you take Nicaragua (and maybe Haiti, with Puppet Governments), but then the USSRcan just coup you out of those 1-stability countries before you get a chance to realign. So if you’rekeen on realigning Fidel, consider playing 1 into Nicaragua on a final Action Round and present theUSSR with the dilemma of couping Nicaragua or couping a battleground next turn.
⁶http://twilightstrategy.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/ts-realignment-probability-charts.pdf
Early War 37
Vietnam Revolts
Vietnam Revolts
1946
Ho Chi Minh tried repeatedly to enlist the aid of the Truman Administration forindependence. His letters never received a response. The French government, withsupport from the US and Britain, attempted to reestablish its colony in Indochina. Theattempted was doomed and would lead to disaster at Dien Bien Phu.
Time: Early WarSide: USSROps: 2Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
This card starts off very strong and quickly becomes worse and worse as the game goes on. On Turn1, before Thailand has been claimed, this is a superb headline and an easy way to grab the crucialbattleground. By Turn 3, or worse, the Mid War, your attention is probably elsewhere, since the USwill probably already have taken Thailand. If the US hasn’t overcontrolled Thailand because youdon’t have access to it, this can be a nice way to sneak into Thailand with the China Card.
Early War 38
The bonus to Operations is quite nice, though there aren’t really that many ways to spend all thoseOperations in Southeast Asia, since you’ll rarely venture south of Thailand. It does mean that if youplan on playing the card during the turn, you should headline it for maximum benefit. It’s a goodheadline candidate because it’s strong enough to be meaningful, but it’s not the end of the world ifit runs into Defectors.
Riku Riekkinen’s thoughts:
Vietnam Revolts is a very good headline, because it allows the USSR to instantly dominate Asia (incase the US tries to dump Asia Scoring on the headline).
There are 4 camps regarding headlining Vietnam Revolts on Turn 1:
1) Don’t do that. Wait until DEFCON is 3, so that US can’t coup you out of there. This might costyou Thailand, depending on whether the US is already in Malaysia when you play Vietnam Revolts.You might still be able to flip Thailand with your +1 Ops and China Card, however.
2) Headline it and coup Iran AR1. Now US can start a coup-counter coup routine in Vietnam, butit’s couping at a disadvantage due to Vietnam Revolts’ +1. So the US is really looking to empty outVietnam with a coup, which it has a 1/6 chance of doing so on each roll.
3) Headline it and play into Thailand & Laos/Cambodia. Now, if the US coups Thailand, you cancoup it back at +1. Even if the US empties Thailand, preventing you from counter-couping, you stillhave backup countries in Southeast Asia and can retake Thailand before the US.
Now, it’s generally agreed that couping Iran is the best move for USSR on Turn 1 AR1. However,if you’re playing with influence bids for the US, Iran is sometimes overcontrolled so heavily thatcouping Iran is no longer worthwhile. This Vietnam Revolts headline play is a strong alternative,and probably much better than Socialist Governments & Italy.
4) Headline it and play Asia scoring on AR1, scoring a quick and dirty Domination. Probably theworst of these options, but a possibility if you have a truly, truly terrible hand (e.g., nothing but 1Ops after a Red Purge/Scare headline).
As US
Completely harmless if played on the final Action Round, so long as you make sure you alreadytook Thailand (and possibly Laos/Cambodia). This card is a good reason not to play into Vietnamunless you need the country immediately for Asia Scoring or Southeast Asia Scoring.
Early War 39
Blockade
Blockade
1948–49
The Soviets attempted to increase pressure on the Western allies to dissuade themfrom creating an independent “West” German government in their zones. The primarypressure point was a blockade of West Berlin. In response, the UK and US launched theBerlin Airlift, which at its peak during the “Easter Parade,” had a cargo plane landingin Berlin every minute.
Time: Early WarSide: USSROps: 1Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
Every USSR player is entranced by Blockade and the opportunity to take over Europe’s most stablebattleground. But most play it poorly. Beginner USSR players will do things like headline Blockadeor play it in the middle of a turn. Better USSR players play Blockade slightly better (e.g., on theirfinal Action Round), but still poorly.
Early War 40
Strong USSR players know that strong US players do not forget about Blockade, and so will eitherplay it for Ops and let Blockade come back later in the game (maybe the US will forget about itthen?), play Blockade when US is Purged (which is very strong, because there are no Soviet 4Opsevents in the Early War), or count the Early War cards and play Blockade only when US has nomore high cards.
Very strong USSR players know that strong US players try to hold either Decolonization or De-Stalinization until Turn 3. Therefore, they play Blockade on Turn 1-2 to cut the US handsize andtherefore force them to discard Decolonization or De-Stalinization before Turn 3, so that they comeback before Turn 7.
As US
Always have a 3 Ops USSR event on hand until Blockade is gone! If the USSR punts it away on Turns1-2, you have no choice but to be wary of Blockade throughout the Mid War. Accordingly, even ifyou get the chance to send Blockade to space (via Containment) or play it with UN Intervention, it’soften better to just trigger the event so you don’t have to worry.
If you draw Blockade, it’s usually not a problem to deal with. If you have no 3Ops or higher card(maybe you were Red Scared?), Blockade is going to be your hold card, and you’re going to like it. Asabove, it’s important to note that if you do draw Blockade with De-Stalinization or Decolonizationbefore Turn 3, you simply won’t have the ability to hold those cards until Turn 3 without playingthe China card. So you’ll usually have no choice but to discard De-Stalinization or Decolonizationbefore the Turn 3 reshuffle.
If you must trigger Blockade and you have no card to discard to it, then make it an AR7 play (AR6,technically, in this case), which will help mitigate the damage. And who knows, maybe you’ll be inluck and the USSR will play Containment and you can either space Blockade or discard a 2Ops card.
Riku Riekkinen suggests that if you have Blockade and Decolonization or De-Stalinization in yourhand on Turn 1, then you should consider an opening setup that leaves West Germany empty. Thegoal is to be able to play Blockade without discarding any cards, thereby allowing you to holdDecolonization/De-Stalinization until Turn 3. With an empty West Germany, the USSR is forced tochoose between couping Iran (and allowing the US to play into West Germany with Blockade onAR1without discarding any cards), or takingWest Germany (and allowing the US into Afghanistan).A good example of this play can be seen in Annotated Game #2.
Early War 41
Korean War
Korean War
1950–53
Sparked by a North Korean invasion across the 38th parallel, the Korean War would bethe first war sanctioned by the United Nations. There were 15 nations beyond the USand South Korea with combat forces attempting to defend South Korean independence.MacArthur’s campaign to the Yalu River provoked a Chinese response that reset thewar to its starting positions on the 38th parallel.
Time: Early WarSide: USSROps: 2Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
This is one of those cards that is more effective as a threat than if actually played. Korean War onlygets worse for you as time goes on. So although you do want to hold the threat of it over the US’shead, unlike Blockade, you can’t afford to punt it away on Turn 3 and hope for a late-game Koreaflip, since by that time Japan and Taiwan will almost certainly have been filled up.
Early War 42
Given the importance of South Korea, try to take it without needing to chance the KoreanWar event— ideally with a 4Ops directly. If you can’t spare a 4Ops card, you can just stick in 2 Ops to bring itto 1/2. If the US counters to the point where you can’t win an Ops war, you can trigger Korean Warfor a decent chance at stealing the country. Usually, though, the US player is sufficiently scared ofKorean War that it won’t contest South Korea, and then you can just go ahead and use the 2 Ops ofthe War to take South Korea outright.
As US
You usually want to play Korean War as fast as you can. South Korea is critical to your chances inAsia, and you can’t keep the threat of the card looming around forever. Sooner or later, the KoreanWar is going to happen, and you’re better off triggering it earlier than later; when played at 1/0, ifyou win, you get South Korea to 3/0, and if you lose, you can bring it to 2/1.
Unlike Arab-Israeli War or Indo-Pakistani War, it is not worth it to build up South Korea’s neighborsbefore risking Korean War. Building up Japan and Taiwan is a huge waste of Early War Ops, and inthe case of Japan, might be totally wasted (given US/Japan Mutual Defense Pact).
If you don’t draw Korean War, you’re in a difficult position. Typically, I’ll drop at least 1 influenceinto South Korea so that the USSR can’t take it with a 4 Ops card, and then after US/Japan comesout or the USSR is tempted into using Korean War for Ops elsewhere, I’ll take over South Korea.
Early War 43
Romanian Abdication
Romanian Abdication
1947
King Michael I, a westernized monarch, was forced to abdicate his throne at gunpoint.Romania was thereafter declared a democratic socialist republic. After the death ofits first communist leader, Gheorghiu-Dej, Romania was ruled by Nicolae Ceausescu,second only to Stalin in cruelty to his own people.
Time: Early WarSide: USSROps: 1Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
An unimportant event. No decent US player contests Romania, and so this card is always playedfor Ops. Occasionally it might be headlined, if you’re deathly afraid of Defectors and have nothingbetter to dump, or if you need a European non-battleground ASAP.
The only thing to keep an eye out for is Independent Reds. You’ll almost always want to triggerIndependent Reds first rather than give the US 3 influence in a country bordering the USSR. This is
Early War 44
especially true if Truman Doctrine is not out, since the US would have the option of playing to takeRomania and +1VP each time Europe Scoring comes out.
As US
I’m happy to play this as soon as I can, so that Independent Reds can be merely situational insteadof worthless. Although the Romania Abdication/Independent Reds/Truman Doctrine combo is nice,it’s not worth it to pursue it on your own. If you play Romanian Abdication, and the USSR playsIndependent Reds later, then hey, why not Truman away the 3 influence for Romania. But it’sotherwise not worth 3 Ops and 2 Action Rounds to score +1 VP on Europe Scoring.
Early War 45
Arab-Israeli War
Arab-Israeli War
1948–49, 1956, 1967, 1968-1970, 1973, 1982
The State of Israel was virtually born of war. After the end of the British mandate,Israel was thrust into conflict with its Arab neighbors. Israel prevailed in all such wars,excepting its invasion of Lebanon in 1982, from which it ultimately had to withdraw.Arab success was nearly achieved during the surprise attacks of the Yom Kippur War,however these too ultimately failed. While superpower intervention was frequentlythreatened on both sides, ultimately success or failure in the conflicts rode upon therelative capabilities of Arab and Israeli militaries.
Time: Early WarSide: USSROps: 2Removed after event: No
As USSR
On the Turn 1 headline, this has a 50/50 shot of eliminating the US from the Middle East entirely ifyour subsequent Iran coup is successful. So it’s a 50/50 Suez Crisis, with the added benefit of 2VP
Early War 46
and 1 influence in Israel if you succeed. That makes it one of the better candidates for the USSRTurn 1 headline.
During Turn 1, a decent US player is going to take Jordan / Lebanon before investing in Israel. (Egyptis also a good choice, but it will probably eventually fall to Nasser.) So it’s nice to take those Israel-neighboring countries first, before the US can, so that you can wield the threat of Arab-Israeli Warto keep the US from the only Middle East battleground not susceptible to Muslim Revolutions.
If the US does manage to solidify Jordan/Lebanon, this event is best played for Ops. If you’re underRed Scare / Purge, maybe you would consider triggering the event, just for the Mil Ops, but the oddsaren’t in your favor to actually win.
As US
This is not much of a threat if you draw it. Israel is expensive enough that it is usually the lastbattleground in the Middle East to see any play anyway. So when you play Arab-Israeli War earlyon, there’s usually not much influence at stake. As long as you manage to get out of Israel beforethis event is played, even if you lose the War, it’s not a huge deal. Accordingly, Arab-Israeli War isone of the few events where you’ll often see the opponent’s event triggered after the Operations areconducted. Simply use the card to place 1 into Lebanon and 1 into Jordan or Egypt, and you will befine.
Early War 47
Comecon
Comecon
1949–1991
The Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON) was founded in reaction tothe allure of the Marshall Plan to the Soviet satellites in Eastern Europe. While veryloosely organized and dominated by the Soviets in its early years, COMECON wouldultimately fulfill the role of trade liberalization and industrial rationalization for EasternEurope.
Time: Early WarSide: USSROps: 3Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
About this event’s only use is the Turn 1 Comecon Trap. As described in Opening Setup, a properopening setup and Comecon headline allows a AR1 realignment of both West Germany and Italy at+1. It’s risky and prone to US counterplay in Austria, but with a little bit of luck can eliminate theUS from continental Europe entirely.
Early War 48
Aside from this edge case, I always play Comecon for Ops. The 4 influence is so scattered and usuallyso irrelevant that I have never seen any competent USSR player play this for the event. It’s still niceto have around in the Late War if you come under Chernobyl in Europe, but it’s no Warsaw Pact.
When the US plays it, my targets for influence, in descending order, are: Poland, East Germany,Yugoslavia (assuming I opened with 4 EGER / 4 POL / 1 YUG), and Czechoslovakia (to defendagainst eventual Tear Down This Wall realignments). But it’s mostly moot, since this influence willprobably get De-Stalinized anyway.
As US
This is basically a free 3 Ops card. I suppose you could hold off on playing this until after De-Stalinization, but harmless 3 Ops cards are hard to come by as US in the Early War.
The one interaction of note is with Eastern European Unrest. Against a greedy USSR player whodoes not overprotect East Germany and Poland, you might consider headlining Eastern EuropeanUnrest and threaten a costly Europe Scoring. This play does not work if you play Comecon first.
Early War 49
Nasser
Nasser
1954-1970
One of the giants in the Pan-Arab movement, Gamal Abdel Nasser rose to powerthrough military coup. Attempting to steer an independent course during the ColdWar, he provoked western governments by accepting Soviet aid, and nationalizingcommercial property—the Suez Canal being the most prominent example. Egypt, underhis leadership, was viewed as a Soviet client, and would serve as a Russian proxy duringrepeated wars with Israel. He died in office after 18 years of service, having frustratedthe attempts of a variety of domestic and international enemies.
Time: Early WarSide: USSROps: 1Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
The rare Early War starred event that is actually quite worth playing by the USSR. Nasser deliversto you a critical battleground and access to Libya, which ordinarily takes too long to get to. The best
Early War 50
use of this event is before the US has had a chance to put 2 into Egypt, because then it will cut theUS off from Libya and essentially gain you two battlegrounds.
If Nasser isn’t important — either because you got into Egypt via a coup or the US has locked upboth Egypt and Libya — then the normal rules about preserving your starred events apply. No needto use this if you could potentially give the US a headache and counter the effects of Sadat ExpelsSoviets. This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t fight for Egypt: the Middle East will be scored quite abit, and you don’t want to miss out on Egypt/Libya battlegrounds if you don’t have to.
As US
Nasser means you lose Egypt for the Early War. But there’s no reason to lose Libya as well. Acceptthe loss of Egypt and bide your time waiting for Sadat Expels Soviets. In the meantime, make sureyou can get to Libya and secure it. Put 2 into Egypt, so that even if the USSR plays Nasser you’re notcompletely out of Egypt and have at least one AR where Egypt is 1/2 rather than 0/2. This allowsyou to either control Libya or retake Egypt.
If you drew Nasser, his best use is probably on the final AR, after having locked up Libya: you useNasser and put Egypt to 1/2. Now the USSR has three options: 1) coup Egypt, 2) coup elsewhere,3) control Egypt. No matter what, you end up getting an advantage somewhere: you save a moreimportant country from being couped, you get to retake Egypt, or you get to coup. It’s a fine exampleof the AR7 play.
Early War 51
Warsaw Pact Formed
Warsaw Pact Formed
1955
A reaction to perceived Western aggression by the creation of NATO, the Warsaw Pactwas a Russian-dominated military alliance that included all of the states of EasternEurope except Yugoslavia. It integrated both tactics and equipment throughout thealliance along Soviet models. Albania withdrew from the Pact in 1968.
Time: Early WarSide: USSROps: 3Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
Being able to remove all US influence in Eastern Europe is vastly superior to adding 5 influence. Itis essentially Truman Doctrine at any time (regardless of control) and in four (Eastern European)countries at once.
Accordingly, I always play Warsaw Pact Formed for Ops in the Early War / Mid War so that I cankeep it in the deck. Its mere presence in the draw deck is a threat to the US, in much the same waythat Truman Doctrine deters the USSR from engaging in European Ops wars. Warsaw Pact is your
Early War 52
best (and sometimes only) defense against the LateWar US onslaught of Chernobyl, Tear Down ThisWall, East European Unrest, John Paul II Elected Pope, and Solidarity.
Once you get to Turn 7 and draw Warsaw Pact, it is then a common USSR hold card in case ofEuropean emergency. Since any card played or discarded on Turn 7 or later is likely not going toreturn to the game, you must try to keep it in the game for as long as possible. As long the US playeris convinced that the Warsaw Pact may yet be formed, he will be very hesitant about investing intoEurope, thereby nullifying one of the great US advantages in the game.
In the unfortunate event that the US triggers Warsaw Pact Formed in the Early War or Mid War andthere is no meaningful US influence to remove, I ordinarily bump East Germany and Poland by 2each and stick the other influence in Yugoslavia or Czechoslovakia. (Yugoslavia because I usuallystart with 1 there, and Czechoslovakia because it could theoretically provide a -1 against a TearDown This Wall realignment of East Germany or Poland.)
As US
If you draw this in the Early War / Mid War, count your blessings. As US, Warsaw Pact Formedis actually a better draw than most US events (like, say Five Year Plan). Being able to get rid of acritical USSR Late War card is a huge bonus, and by playing it when you have no influence to beremoved, you can save yourself a lot of worry and headaches in the Late War.
As an added bonus, an early play of Warsaw Pact Formed means the USSR can no longer dumpNATO or Independent Reds with impunity.
Early War 53
De Gaulle Leads France
De Gaulle Leads France
1958–1969
Founder of France’s Fifth Republic, De Gaulle’s role during the Cold War is generallyviewed through the lens of his second presidency. While still a western ally, De Gaulleattempted to establish France as an independent voice within the confines of thewesterncamp. He developed an independent nuclear deterrent, withdrew from NATO’s unifiedcommand structure, and criticized US policy in Vietnam. He also pursued increasedtrade and cultural relations with the Soviet Bloc. He sought in all things to restore Franceto her former place of greatness in world affairs.
Time: Early WarSide: USSROps: 3Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
France is the key to Europe Scoring, and generally represents a 6VP swing for whoever takes it.(Usually only one side can score the +4 for Domination, and the country itself is a 2VP swing.) DeGaulle is the most powerful event at your disposal for taking over the country.
Early War 54
If you already control France, then there is obviously no need to play De Gaulle. Keep him aroundin the deck just in case the US tries any funny business in France.
If the US controls France, then you should remember that De Gaulle’s overall effect is just 3 Ops.If you play him for the event on an Action Round, the US can repair its effect with a 3 Ops cardand you’ve gotten nowhere. A better use of De Gaulle is to take advantage of your headline-AR1back-to-back combo: headline De Gaulle, then play Ops into France to take over the country on AR1.You give up the battleground coup, but it’s worth it to flip France your way.
If no one controls France, the best way to take France is by gaining access to it via WestGermany/Italy/Algeria, and then using the 3 Ops of De Gaulle himself to just take the countrydirectly. This keeps De Gaulle in the deck. If you can’t do this, then the headline-AR1 combo stillworks, but again, you’re giving up a battleground coup.
Regardless, keep an eye out for Algeria. Even if the US triggers De Gaulle and then repairs thedamage, you can at least grab a key African battleground.
As US
Regardless of the French situation, this is a great card to draw as the US.
If the USSR already controls France, that’s too bad, but then this card is a free 3 Ops, a rarity in theEarly War.
If you already control France, then this is an empty Action Round, since you can repair De Gaulle’sdamage with the 3 Ops. (Note: spacing De Gaulle is not a great idea since you would rather disposeof him for no effect rather than allow him to come back and potentially hurt you more.)
And if France is empty, then you trigger the event and then pour the 3 Ops into France, making it3/1. The USSR is unable to control it with a single play, and thus may be wary of engaging in anOps war if the threat of Truman Doctrine looms over his head.
The biggest concern with De Gaulle is that it allows the USSR access into Algeria. Given the typicalUS Early War Ops scarcity, there’s not much you can do about this. If the USSR is distracted withother priorities, try to make sure that you take Algeria before he does.
De Gaulle becomes a serious liability if you are under Red Scare/Purge, because his Ops value nolonger offsets the event. If Purged, I would either try to hold De Gaulle until next turn, or simplyaccept that France is probably lost. In such situations, it can be nice to play De Gaulle on your lastAction Round, so that if the USSR wants to capitalize off of it, he at least has to do so during AR1,thus giving you a battleground coup.
Early War 55
Captured Nazi Scientist
Captured Nazi Scientist
1945–1973
Code named “Project Paperclip” in the United States, the victors of World War IIscrambled to “recruit” former Nazi scientists into their own research establishments.In the West, such efforts involved shielding scientists from war crime investigations.Perhaps the most famous case is Wernher von Braun who is thought of as the fatherof America’s rocketry program. Stalin was reportedly confounded by Soviet failure tograb this knowledge base first.
Time: Early WarSide: NeutralOps: 1Removed after event: Yes
This is a nicely thematic card, though not that meaningful to the Cold War overall. Assuming bothplayers advance to at least the first spot on the Space Race, being first is a 2VP swing plus a little bitbetter chance at getting the other Space Race benefits. 1 Op for 2VPs is a pretty good trade (compareU2 Incident), but Ops and Action Rounds are a precious commodity in the Early War. Even a singleOp is often enough of an Action Round in the Early War, as there are many times when you justwant to establish access (e.g., a US play into Malaysia).
Early War 56
More commonly, this is a good headline candidate if you have nothing better. It’s a nice headlinefor USSR especially, if the threat of Defectors is still out there.
It does not take up your normal Space Race slot for the turn, so you should examine the probabilitieson the board if you are going to use this and Space Race a card. Obviously you would prefer to usethis on one of the VP spaces that succeed on only 1-3 instead of 1-4.
Captured Nazi Scientist’s event becomes increasingly valuable if it survives to the Mid War. Inaddition, if neither player has advanced much on the Space Race, it is helpful if you are desperate tospace multiple cards. Playing CNS and then spacing a problem card can accelerate you to Animalin Space with 2/3 probability, allowing to space one more problem card.
As always, there is the risk of advancing too far on the Space Race track. This is more of a problemfor the USSR: it’s nice to earn 2VPs and see the enemy headline first, but not so nice when you areunable to space Voice of America or Grain Sales to Soviets.
Early War 57
Truman Doctrine
Truman Doctrine
1947
Before a joint session of Congress, the President announced the new Truman Doctrine,ushering in an era of intense intervention on behalf of states with liberal economicand political institutions. Truman stated “I believe that it must be the policy of theUnited States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armedminorities or by outside pressures.” The Truman Doctrine was prompted by the UnitedKingdom’s withdrawal from its traditional great power role in the Near East. Theimmediate effect of the doctrine was a massive influx of military and economic aidto Greece and Turkey.
Time: Early WarSide: USOps: 1Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
Experienced USSR players see Truman more as a deterrent than a threat. You must be carefulnot to engage in an Ops war when you cannot account for its location: many a USSR player hasoverinvested into France only to see the President wipe out all of your hard work in one fell swoop.
Early War 58
If you draw Truman Doctrine, it’s not hard to dispose of. Just make sure that you don’t have muchinfluence in an uncontrolled country and it’s a null event. If you have to get rid of an influence inFinland, oh well. This becomes quite problematic after Independent Reds, when it will always haveat least some impact, so try to get rid of Truman as soon as you possibly can. Be thankful you drewit and not the US.
In rare circumstances where you cannot safely play Truman Doctrine, consider using Five Year Planif you have it. If you play Five Year Plan with only Truman Doctrine in your hand, you now have 3Ops to deal with the President instead of just 1.
As US
After drawing Truman Doctrine, the US player should try to make something happen with it insteadof holding onto it for later. This is because Truman Doctrine is nigh-useless in the USSR’s hands,and Truman is one of the few ways for the US to establish initiative in the Early War. This normallymeans aAR7 play: break control of France, hold TrumanDoctrine, and then headline it next turn. (Anexample of this play: Annotated Game #1, Turn 2, AR6.) It’s also possible (andmuchmore rewarding)to pull this off against East Germany, but USSR players normally overprotect East Germany andmake uncontrolling it much more difficult.
If you really can’t make anything happen with Truman, hope to draw it in the Late War. Its poweramplifies significantly when combined with all the other US Late War Europe events, so if you drawit with Chernobyl or Tear Down This Wall you can set off some real fireworks.
You can also engage in some Turn 1 shenanigans with Truman. Against a USSR setup of 3 EGER /3 POL / 4 FIN, place 1 influence into Finland and headline Truman to wipe out Finland. Now De-Stalinization is pretty safe to play, since he has few good countries to move influence out of, andEast European Unrest actually becomes relevant. Ordinarily, though, the USSR won’t do such a rashopening setup, and in any event I prefer to hang onto Truman to try to do more damage with himelsewhere.
Early War 59
Olympic Games
Olympic Games
1948, 1952, 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988
Sport often served as an outlet for the intense competition between the Superpowers,and that competition was never so intense as at the Olympics. The Olympics servedas a test bed to see which society could make the greatest strides in human physicalachievement. It fit neatly into Communist ideology of “the New Man.” The gamesfrequently reflected the global political situation, as with the terrorist attacks inMunich,and became overt political tools with the US boycott of the Moscow games in 1980, andthe Soviet boycott of the LA games in 1984.
Time: Early WarSide: NeutralOps: 2Removed after event: No
You can’t play Olympic Games for the event when DEFCON is at 2, because your opponent willboycott and you will lose on DEFCON. Once you realize that, there’s not much else to see: ifyou play it when DEFCON is greater than 2, no sane opponent would ever boycott, and so you’rebasically playing a 2Ops card for an average of 1.25VP. Not a good trade in most circumstances, and
Early War 60
in any event, if DEFCON is greater than 2, you should have much greater priorities than hosting theOlympics.
About its only use is as a headline (albeit a rather risky and ineffective one) if you have nothing elseto headline, or when you’re truly desperate for VPs. Remember that an Olympic Games headlinecan cause you to lose the game if your opponent also degrades DEFCON in the headline!
A pedantic footnote: in the Deluxe Edition, the wording of the card’s boycott clause was slightlychanged⁷. The new wording (“as if they played a 4 Ops card” instead of “with 4 Operations points”)means that a Olympic Games boycott is now subject to⁸ Red Scare/Purge. Not that it ever matters,but it helps clarify the boundaries of Red Scare/Purge, which is often the subject of rules questions.
⁷http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/605440/olympic-games-wording-change-in-deluxe-edition-and/page/1⁸http://boardgamegeek.com/article/6399698#6399698
Early War 61
NATO
NATO
1949
The second part of the US strategy to rebuild Europe, the North Atlantic TreatyOrganization (NATO) became synonymous with the West’s opposition to the SovietUnion. An oft repeated maxim for NATO’s purpose captures it nicely: “NATO wascreated to keep the Soviets out, the Americans in, and the Germans down.”
Time: Early WarSide: USOps: 4Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
NATO is a pretty terrible event and therefore a great card to draw, given the scarcity of 4 Ops in theEarly War. It’s especially nice to play as soon as possible, before Marshall Plan / Warsaw Pact aretriggered, but even if you trigger the NATO event it’s still a nearly-free 4 Ops.
If you do draw it after Warsaw Pact / Marshall Plan has been activated, then you should make sureyou don’t plan to Brush War Italy or play Special Relationship before playing NATO.
Early War 62
As US
I have never played this card for the event as the US. The coup/realignment restrictions are pointlessbecause DEFCON restrictions already prevent nearly all coups and realignments in Europe. BrushWar immunity against Italy is sometimes nice, but most of the time you should have Spain / Greece/ France anyway, which provide de facto Brush War immunity.
NATO’s only real impact comes with Special Relationship in the Optional Cards, because it givesSpecial Relationship a substantial boost. Even that, though, is still not worth giving up the 4 Ops.
What this really means is that you should try to play Warsaw Pact or Marshall Plan as soon as youcan in the turn, so that the USSR cannot simply play NATO with impunity. They’ll still play it, ofcourse, but at least they’ll give you the Special Relationship boost for it.
Early War 63
Independent Reds
Independent Reds
1948
The Communist Information Bureau, COMINFORM, expelled Yugoslavia for MarshallTito’s refusal to conform toMoscow’s wishes. Albania would ultimately follow a similartack, breaking with Yugoslavia, then Khrushchev’s USSR. While remaining within theSoviet structure, Ceausescu’s Romania would also test the limits of Moscow’s patiencewith occasional flares of independence and nationalism.
Time: Early WarSide: USOps: 2Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
Not a dangerous card by itself, but it has mildly concerning interactions with the other cards thataffect Eastern Europe. You generally want to play Independent Reds as soon as you can, before theUS plays Warsaw Pact Formed, Comecon, or Romanian Abdication to force some USSR influenceinto Eastern Europe. On the other hand, if you drew Truman Doctrine with Independent Reds, youprobably want to get rid of Truman first, before Independent Reds.
Early War 64
Regardless, Independent Reds is usually not worth bothering over. You need every Op you can get inthe Early War, and Eastern Europe is too expensive to fight over in the Early War anyway. Romaniais the most troublesome, since if you play Independent Reds after Romanian Abdication, the US canplay Truman Doctrine to score an additional 1VP on Europe Scoring. Even then, Independent Redsis probably not worth sending to space.
As US
One of those events that the owner of the event isn’t that interested in triggering. For a US player, it’susually not worth an Action Round, though if you’re in a tight battle for European domination it canbe a cheap way to cut the USSR’s country count. But Independent Reds does have an impact on USplay: it’s the opposite of the above, namely, that you want to triggerWarsaw Pact Formed, Comecon,and Romanian Abdication as soon as you can so that Independent Reds isn’t totally useless.
Early War 65
Marshall Plan
Marshall Plan
1947
On June 5, Secretary of State George C. Marshall announced to the world the US planto reconstruct all of Europe. Due to Soviet pressure, Eastern European states did notparticipate. However, for the 16 nations of Western Europe that did, the Marshall Planmarked the first step on the road to recovery and ultimate victory in the Cold War.
Time: Early WarSide: USOps: 4Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
One of the most problematic US cards in the Early War. No event places more influence on theboard than Marshall Plan. The best way to defuse this card is by controlling the important countriesbeforehand: if you’re able to sew up the 2-stability countries before it is triggered, then MarshallPlan influence gets mostly sent to unimportant countries. At the very least, you want to use the 4Ops of this card to control Greece or Turkey before triggering the event, lest you turn all of Europeblue.
Early War 66
Another option is to send Marshall Plan to space. This is more plausible when you’re under RedPurge and therefore cannot control two of the Mediterranean countries with the card’s Ops. Evenif you aren’t, it’s sometimes worthwhile to sacrifice the 4 Ops of Marshall Plan: you’ll have to findthe Ops eventually to play into Europe, but there are definitely situations where you’re better off inEurope without the poisoned 4 Ops of Marshall Plan.
The best way of playing Marshall Plan is with UN Intervention, which gets you the best of bothworlds. It is in fact probably the best Early War USSR candidate for UN Intervention, along withCIA Created (if you have influence in a Mid War region).
Ideally, you’d like to play Marshall Plan as late as possible so that the US can waste most of itseffect. If you can bait the US into controlling Canada before Marshall Plan, for instance, beforeplaying Marshall Plan, you’ve effectively wasted a US Operations point. In particular, if you dospace Marshall Plan (or UN Intervention it), then it’s a pretty painless 4 Ops in the Mid War.
It goes without saying that if you also have NATO in your hand, you should play NATO first, beforeMarshall Plan (and before the US can trigger Warsaw Pact Formed).
As US
This is best as a Turn 1 Headline, because you can adjust your opening setup to take advantage ofit. As the game goes on, it gets worse and worse because as countries are controlled, the influencebecomes less and less helpful. But it remains very powerful even if played in an Action Round; if youcan get Marshall into the 2-stability Mediterranean countries on Turn 1 or 2, you probably won’tever be dominated in Europe (and conversely you can assure Domination if you get France).
This is therefore the only starred US event in the Early War that I will almost always play for theevent, because it is too risky to let this get into the reshuffle. If it comes back on Turn 3, it mightstill do some good, but if it comes back any later it probably won’t accomplish anything. Of course,there will be times when you don’t need Marshall Plan for European domination and/or desperatelyneed the 4 Ops elsewhere, and in those situations you should feel free to let it go. But in general,Marshall Plan is the rare starred event that gets worse and worse as the game goes on.
On the flip side, be careful you don’t rush too quickly into Europe, as otherwise the effect of MarshallPlan will mostly be wasted. Of course, there is always a sense of urgency in Twilight Struggle, andMarshall’s influence is even more wasted if you let the USSR take all the Mediterranean countriesfirst. But for example, if the UK is hit with Suez Crisis, there’s no need to patch it back up to 5immediately as you may as well wait for the Marshall Plan influence.
The countries I target with Marshall Plan, in descending priority:
• Spain/Portugal, Greece, Turkey• Italy, West Germany• Canada (if I don’t already control it), UK (even if I already control it, if Suez Crisis hasn’tcome out)
• France (only if I already control it or if I plan to play into it this turn, but not if I’m using DeGaulle or Suez Crisis)
Early War 67
• Benelux, Denmark
Early War 68
Indo-Pakistani War
Indo-Pakistani War
1947–48, 1965, 1971
From the time of India’s independence from Britain, the Muslim and Hindu elementsof this former colony have been in conflict. Pakistan has traditionally been on thelosing end of these conflicts, but has relied on US and PRC support to maintain militarycredibility against a more robust Indian defense capability.
Time: Early WarSide: NeutralOps: 2Removed after event: No
A huge threat in the early game: this is one of those cards that always seems to work for youropponent, but never yourself. (See also Brush War.) Like Truman Doctrine/Warsaw Pact, thedeterrent threat of the Indo-Pakistani War is perhaps the strongest aspect of the card, and makesAfghanistan considerably more attractive (not that it wasn’t attractive already: it borders the USSR,it’s the easiest non-battleground for the USSR to grab for Domination, and the US can use it to blockthe USSR from Pakistan as well as the +1VP).
Usually you’ll just have to chance the roll while moving east from Iran: shoring up both Afghanistanand Iran before going into Pakistan is not a bad idea, but still leaves you with a 1/6 possibility of
Early War 69
disaster. India is even more perilous: it’s a huge pain to get to Burma first and then get India, andeven if you lock down the whole region, India is never safe (unlike Pakistan). It’s usually therefore agood idea to contest Burma a little in the Early War: not only is it 1VP when Southeast Asia Scoringcomes out, but it also increases the chance that you can steal India.
The other big threat of the War isn’t even the loss of the country; it’s the loss of access. If you playinto Pakistan and control it, losing the Indo-Pakistani War will also cut you off from India. So ifyou’re very concerned about the Indo-Pakistani War, you can play a single influence into Pakistanfirst. This way even if you lose the War, you can still take over Pakistan. Your opponent will be ableto play into India first and likely take it over, but it’s better than losing Pakistan and being blockedout of India.
The US will tend to play Indo-Pakistani War more than the USSR in the Early War. This is for tworeasons: one, the USSR is more likely to be in Pakistan/India than the US, and two, the US has amore difficult time collecting Military Operations. Indo-Pakistani War is therefore tantamount to atleast +2VP (or possibly +4VP) when no other source of Military Operations is available. Of course,Early War Ops are precious, but 2VP for 2Ops is quite tempting, and the possibility of another 2VPand a crucial battleground makes it even sweeter.
As USSR, drawing Indo-Pakistani War makes life a whole lot easier. It means you can spread directlyeast in a straight line without having to detour into Afghanistan. This means you make it muchfarther into Southeast Asia than you otherwise would if you had to stop to defend against a possibleIndo-Pakistani War. (This is true of US as well, but US is usually just grateful enough for even theopportunity to play into Pakistan.)
After the Early War, the region is usually sufficiently locked down that the Indo-Pakistani War haslittle chance of changing anything, and you can usually get the Military Operations elsewhere. Butin the event of some sudden change in the region (e.g., Brush War, Ussuri River Skirmish), the Indo-Pakistani War can be an ace in the hole: if the US can somehow flip Pakistan, India is suddenlylooking a lot more vulnerable.
Early War 70
Containment
Containment
1947
A term coined by diplomat and Sovietologist George Kennan, it came to form thecornerstone of US policy toward the Soviet Union during the early Cold War. It foundearly application in the Truman Doctrine and sought to “contain” Communism to thoseareas where it already existed.
Time: Early WarSide: USOps: 3Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
Play it on the last Action Round. This is not worth holding between turns, unless you know fora fact that the US is holding Lone Gunman (which shouldn’t happen, as someone should triggerContainment in the Early War), and definitely not worth sending to space, which can actually endup making it hurt worse if the US draws it and headlines it.
As US
Early War 71
One of the four great US headlines in the Early War, along with Red Scare/Purge, Defectors, andMarshall Plan. Unless I have a hand full of 4 Ops and scoring cards, I almost always try to headlineContainment, because if I play it for Ops the USSR could draw it and then it would be almostworthless. And even if my hand doesn’t benefit much from Containment, I will simply hold it tonext turn and headline it then.
Somewhat ironically, with Containment the US can expand much more aggressively than usual inthe Early War. With a Turn 1 Containment headline, it is actually possible for the US to exit theEarly War firmly ahead in both position and VPs (or even with an autovictory) given fortunate rollsand draws.
Containment is slightly better than Brezhnev Doctrine for two reasons: one, it comes out earlier,and two, even if the USSR plays it on the last Action Round, it will still have an effect. On Turn 3, ifI have not yet seen Containment, then I know the USSR is holding it to the last Action Round, andso I will make sure that my last play can take advantage of it. It would be a waste to play a 4 Ops ora scoring card only to see it “boosted” with Containment.
Early War 72
CIA Created
CIA Created
1947
In an effort to bring to a close the inter-service bickering that marred U.S. intelligenceduring WWII, President Truman created the United States’ first independent agencycapable both of intelligence analysis and covert operations. Its 40 year cat-and-mousegame with its Soviet counterpart, the KGB, would be the stuff of legend, and one of thehallmarks of the Cold War.
Time: Early WarSide: USOps: 1Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
As a DEFCON suicide card, this card is a problem. Because it allows the US to conduct Operationson your turn, if DEFCON is 2, then the US can coup a battleground (specifically, a Mid War regionbattleground due to DEFCON restrictions) to lower DEFCON to 1 and lose you the game.
The only easy way to get rid of this card is in the Early War, if you are fortunate enough to drawit before you have influence in a Mid War battleground. Then you can play it whenever you want
Early War 73
(preferably as the last card in your hand, but if you delay too long the US may play Fidel!), and evenat DEFCON 2 it won’t cost you the game.
If you draw it and you do have influence in a Mid War battleground, well, then you’ve not got a lotof good options. You can play it on AR1 if DEFCON is still 3, allowing the US the coup and revealingyour whole hand. You can take advantage of Nuclear Subs to get out of it, since then the CIA Createdcoup won’t lose you the game. You can space it if you are under Brezhnev Doctrine. You can play itwith UN Intervention, but then you can’t hold a card to next turn, and you might need to do that ifyou’re dealing with other bad US cards.
Unlike Lone Gunman, I do not usually hold this turn to turn, waiting for a better chance to discardit. I usually just play it on AR1, because there are too many things that can cause me to discard acard from my hand, which would lose me the game if I don’t have the China card.
As US
Because of how bad it is for the Soviets to draw this, I always play this for Operations before theTurn 3 reshuffle.
In the Mid War, between Turns 3 and 6, there’s still a chance the USSR will draw it if I play CIAfor Operations. So I’ll usually play it for Ops. But if I have literally no other headline choice, or if Idesperately need to conduct some Ops / drop DEFCON in the headline, then CIA is a good choicefor the headline.
If I draw it on Turn 7, though, then the USSR isn’t ever going to draw it, and playing it for the eventis strictly superior to playing it for Ops. I will usually headline it (though there are tons of great USheadlines at this point).
This card means that I’m willing to trigger Fidel on Turns 1 or 2 because it’ll make CIA unplayableif they draw it. On Turn 3 I’ll probably space it unless I know the USSR is still holding on to CIAand has no other influence in the Mid War regions.
Early War 74
US/Japan Mutual Defense Pact
US/Japan Mutual Defense Pact
1951
On September 8th the United States quietly extended its nuclear umbrella to its formerPacific rival. In doing so, it also soothed the nerves of Japan’s neighbors about aremilitarized Japan appearing on the world scene. In exchange, Japan played host toAmerica’s forward presence in Asia. Japan effectively became an unsinkable aircraftcarrier for both the Vietnam and Korean wars. Obviously, US reliance on Japaneseproducts during the ensuing conflicts greatly aided Japan’s economic recovery andeventual economic might.
Time: Early WarSide: USOps: 4Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
It doesn’t take very long for a USSR player to learn that Japan is not a very communist-friendlycountry. Given that you’ll never get Japan anyway, this card is usually just a free 4Ops card, though itcan be rather annoying if you’re trying to use those 4 Ops to take over some other Asia battleground!
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Of course, if the US has already taken Japan for some reason, then it is a truly free 4 Ops card becauseyou were never going to coup or realign Japan anyway.
The two interactions worth noting: if you have Asia Scoring/Korean War (or know that AsiaScoring/Korean War is going to be triggered this turn), it is obviously to your advantage to holdonto US/Japan until after those are played. I have had situations where the US player is forced toscore a Asia Domination for me on his final Action Round because he thought I would play US/Japanfor him.
There is one situation where you might try to defy the Defense Pact: if US/Japan is discarded onTurn 3, Asia Scoring has yet to come out, and Japan remains at 1/0, it may be worthwhile to steala Asia Domination by taking Japan with the China card. After all, if Japan gets you Domination(or denies it to the US), then it’s worth a total of 6VP (4 for Domination, 1 for battleground, and 1for adjacency). There’s about a 50/50 chance that you’ll lose it all when US/Japan comes back outsomewhere in Turns 7-10, but 6VP is a pretty big chunk of VP…
As a footnote, if you’re teaching the game to a new USSR player, you should absolutely advise himof the existence of this card, lest he be forced this lesson the hard way like so many other SovietPremiers (including yours truly).
As US
Unless the USSR has actually taken over Japan—a very rare occurrence—this is never worth playingfor the event. Even if you need Japan, you can just play it for Ops and put 3 into Japan and 1somewhere else. And if you don’t need Japan, you can usually just play it for Ops elsewhere, contentin the knowledge that most USSR players won’t ever dare play into Japan.
On Turns 1-2, the Ops are probably more important elsewhere than Japan. But on Turn 3 you shoulduse 3 of the Ops to take Japan and 1 Op elsewhere, to prevent the play described above. All in all,it is a card you’d much rather have in the USSR hand. Depending on where Asia Scoring is in thedeck, though, you can’t just wait for US/Japan forever: if US control of Japan is what determinesDomination, it is better to waste 3 Ops than lose 5VP…
Early War 76
Suez Crisis
Suez Crisis
1956
An embarrassment among allies, the Suez Crisis ended any remaining doubt that the oldsystem of Great Power imperialism was dead. Threatened by Nasser’s nationalizationof the Suez Canal, Israel, France and the United Kingdom conspired to alter Egyptianpolicy at bayonet point. They failed to appreciate Eisenhower’s aggravation at theirunannounced initiative. Though initially militarily successful, the three powers werecompelled to withdraw under American pressure.
Time: Early WarSide: USSROps: 3Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
One of the five great Turn 1 USSR headlines. If you combine it with a successful Iran coup, thenyou have eliminated the US from the Middle East entirely, and they will have a very difficult timegetting back in until the Mid War. I will therefore almost always headline Suez Crisis on Turn 1 if Idraw it, even ahead of Red Scare/Purge.
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After your Iran coup on AR1, if the US doesn’t expand out of Israel, then you can use Suez Crisis onAR2 for the same effect. A good US player will make sure to expand into Lebanon or Jordan quickly,however, and then Suez Crisis is not that great of an event.
On later turns, you can headline Suez as a pseudo-De Gaulle or Socialist Governments. You canfollow up a Suez Crisis headline with any number of plays: taking over France, playing SpecialRelationship without triggering it, or scoring Europe on undeservedly advantageous terms. It isotherwise just a 3 Ops card.
As US
This is rarely a problem card, even if you are under Red Scare. Although it removes 4 influenceand you only have 3 Ops to repair the damage, 3 Ops are usually more than enough to restore theimportant influence:
• Israel is no big deal, so long as you expand out of Israel first. Since you probably aren’tinterested in taking Israel in the Early War, the only threat is losing access in the MiddleEast.
• The UK is relevant only for European domination and Special Relationship. (Suez Crisis is infact the main reason you’d ever lose influence in the UK.) Accordingly I will stick a MarshallPlan influence into the UK, and if I sense that Special Relationship will be triggered I will tryto recontrol the UK eventually. But otherwise you can safely ignore the loss of influence inthe UK until you have Ops to spare.
• France is hopefully empty when you play this card. If it isn’t, since the other countries are notthat important, you can use the 3 Ops of this card to repair the 2-influence damage done inFrance.
Depending on the situation, Suez Crisis may sometimes be an empty Action Round, but even if it isI will always play it for Ops rather then sending it to Space. Being able to get it out of the deck ismuch preferable to allowing the USSR the possibility of headline shenanigans.
Early War 78
East European Unrest
East European Unrest
1956–1989
Captured most visibly by Nagy’s attempt to withdraw Hungary from the WarsawPact and Czechoslovakia’s Prague Spring of 1968, members of the Warsaw Pactfrequently sought to loosen the reins of Moscow. When taken too far, from the Sovietperspective, the effects could be devastating. Soviet tanks became a universal symbolof Soviet determination to hold on to Eastern Europe, through undisguised oppressionif necessary.
Time: Early WarSide: USOps: 3Removed after event: No
As USSR
In the Early War and Mid War, this is generally at worst an empty Action Round and nothing more.If under Red Purge, then it’s slightly worse than an empty Action Round, but the only two countriesthat really matter to you in Eastern Europe should be East Germany and Poland.
Early War 79
Much as the threat of a Socialist Governments headline forces the US to slightly overprotect itsWestern European battlegrounds, so too does East European Unrest force the USSR to overprotectits battlegrounds, as otherwise an EEU headline would be quite awkward for the USSR. And ifyou’ve overprotected the two battlegrounds enough (or Comecon / Warsaw Pact did it for you),then this isn’t even an empty Action Round, and you can freely spend the Ops elsewhere. Think ofit as transferring 3 Ops from Eastern Europe to somewhere else.
In the Late War, this card is absolutely miserable. Losing 4 Influence from East Germany / Polandsimultaneously, right as you’re being hit with Chernobyl / Tear Down This Wall / Solidarity, can bebrutal. It’s not quite as bad as the others, but it’s a good candidate for the Space Race. Be glad youdrew it and not the US.
As US
In the EarlyWar andMidWar, you usually have something better to do than remove from 3 Influencefrom overprotected or irrelevant countries. It can be a decent headline (threatening Europe Scoringon AR1) or AR7 play, but usually the USSR has overprotected East Germany and Poland enoughthat there’s not much point to it.
In the Late War, this card is an absolute monster. Combined with all the other pro-US Europe cards,being able to delete two influence from East Germany and Poland simultaneously is huge. It’s morethan just a 4Ops equivalent: its real use is to break USSR control of the two countries, allowingyou to pour in influence without paying the 2-for-1 penalty. Coupled with Chernobyl, it opens thefloodgates to the Late War American takeover of Europe. If you draw it on Turn 7, do everything inyour power to hold it until next turn.
Early War 80
Decolonization
Decolonization
1947–1979
While it is hard to put precise dates on the decolonization process, those dates chosenrepresent two of themost significant decolonization successes. Sparking the retreat fromempire was Britain’s fulfilled promise of independence for India in 1947. At the otherextreme, Rhodesia’s first majority elections spelled doom for the apartheid system.
Time: Early WarSide: USSROps: 2Removed after event: No
As USSR
Decolonization is the best recurring USSR event in the game. In the Early War, it gives the USSRaccess to two key regions that the USSR otherwise has difficulty getting into. In the Mid War, itbecomes one of the few (and strong) “add 4 influence” events. The fact that it comes out muchearlier than its US counterpart (Colonial Rear Guards) means that first, the USSR can get to andcontrol countries in those regions before the US, and second, on average, it will be played moreoften.
Early War 81
Where should I Decolonize into?
As much as possible, you want to Decolonize into Africa rather than Southeast Asia. There areseveral reasons for this: chief among them is that Africa has multiple open battlegrounds, whereasSoutheast Asia only has one. Of course, Asia will be scored before Africa is, and Southeast Asia willbe scored on top of that, but Decolonization into Asia is primarily to jumpstart your access. Sooner orlater, you will get into Southeast Asia via some combination of crawling east from Iran and VietnamRevolts. Africa, on the other hand, can be very difficult to fight back in without Decolonization’shelp. It is much easier to defend those countries than to flip them, and the US has a head start inaccess via South Africa.
Turn 1 considerations
On Turn 1, you must be mindful of DEFCON’s effect on Decolonization. Decolonizing into Thailandat DEFCON 4 is a mistake, because the US will just coup you right out, and worst case scenarioyou’ve just handed the whole region to them. Likewise, Decolonizing into the African battlegroundsat DEFCON 3 is just handing the US a coup target.
Ideally, you will play Decolonization at DEFCON 2 and with the US having no access to Thailand.You can then take your choice of Decolonizing directly into Thailand, or Decolonizing into Malaysiaand then grabbing Indonesia as well. If the US is already in Malaysia by the time you triggerDecolonization at DEFCON 2, then you can only place 1 into Thailand and bank on using the ChinaCard to try to take it back if the US only places 3 influence into Thailand.
If you are going to Decolonize into Southeast Asia at DEFCON 4, the US usually won’t be inMalaysiayet. In that case, I like to drop one into Malaysia, which is more difficult to coup out, and in a best-case scenario can seal the US off from access to Thailand altogether. I am not worried about myAfrica Decolonization influence, because if he coups me there I can just coup him back.
Turn 2 / 3 considerations
DEFCON should no longer be a concern here, as it is probably at 2. How Decolonization plays outwill depend on how much progress you two have made into Southeast Asia:
If neither side has much influence: then rejoice and take the region by dropping one or twoDecolonization influence in there.
If you dominate it: you probably don’t need any Decolonization influence there, but 1 into Indonesiais a nice 1VP for Southeast Asia scoring.
If the US dominates it: You should still drop one into Thailand so that you can meaningfully contestthe region, and maybe another into Laos/Cambodia to stop the US spread into Asia. But unlessyou’re headlining Decolonization, this is unlikely to flip Thailand to your side, since the US canprobably just repair 1 or 2 influence worth of damage in Thailand. The point is to establish someaccess so you can do things like threaten use of the China Card or Vietnam Revolts.
Specific African countries
In Africa, Angola is the most critical country to play into, if the US hasn’t already. It gives you bothZaire and Angola, and opens up possibilities for a Botswana play into an easy Africa domination
Early War 82
or a South Africa realignment, eliminating all US presence in Africa. Algeria is next in importance,if you have not yet established access to France, because it provides a back-door into the country.(This is an example of Decolonization’s power: when you play into both Thailand and Algeria, youare often forcing the US to confront multiple threats at once, and there is no way they can defend allof them simultaneously.) Nigeria is third (though sometimes more important than Algeria if Franceis already settled), because it is a country that is otherwise inaccessible without going through aneasily-couped non-battleground.
You can think of Africa as being divided into three subregions, divided by non-battlegrounds:Algeria, Angola/Zaire/South Africa, and Nigeria. You want access to all three of them, and althoughDeGaulle does give you access to Algeria, the only way to get into all of them is with Decolonization.
Early War summary
In the Early War, I will normally drop only one into Southeast Asia, because I will eventually haveaccess to the region anyway and it will merely jumpstart my progress there. Depending on DEFCONand the US position I will place it in Malaysia, Thailand, or sometimes Burma. The remainder of theinfluence will go into Angola, Algeria, and Nigeria.
Decolonization is such a valuable card that I rarely headline it in the Early War if I am at allconcerned about Defectors. Losing it to Defectors is so costly that I would rather be safe and playit on an Action Round unless I knew that Defectors isn’t being headlined (because it’s already beenplayed, because I have it in my hand, or via some psychological read of your opponent, if you areconfident in such things).
Past the Early War
In the MidWar, Decolonization remains a top-tier card because it evolves into a “drop 4 influence inAfrica” event. By this time, Southeast Asia is likely sewn up, and the fact that it can put 4 influenceinto a region with mostly 1-stability battlegrounds is still game-changingly powerful.
As US
Along with De-Stalinization, this is a card so powerful you can’t even send it to space until afterthe Turn 3 reshuffle. If I’m not able to hold it to Turn 3, I will absolutely send it to space, or holdit until I can. It is of such importance that I would rather trigger Blockade and lose West Germanybefore triggering Decolonization: at least then, the USSR has to invest 4 Ops to get the 2VP swing.*Decolonization will mean much more than that, come Africa Scoring (or sometimes Asia Scoring).
In the Mid War, Decolonization is still very bad, since it is only a 2 Ops card and you need 4 Ops torepair its damage. It can be one of those AR7 plays (to mitigate its effect), but more commonly it isjust an auto-space.
Its existence is why I try to get into Angola and then Zaire as quickly as I can. USSR control ofAngola cuts you off from two battlegrounds and puts you at a severe disadvantage in Africa.
* Of course it can be more than 2VP, depending on whether it hands over Domination VPs or possiblyEurope Control. If you must lose West Germany, then as the Blockade article notes, you should do soon the last AR.
Early War 83
Red Scare/Purge
Red Scare/Purge
1945–1989
Sparked by fears that the “enemy is among us,” the “red scare” hit its apex withSenator Joseph McCarthy, and the hearings on “Un-American activities” in the Houseof Representatives during the 1950s. Soviet purges were a notorious aspect of powertransition within the Kremlin. However, Stalin was the true master; 12 million peoplewere imprisoned in his camps at the time of his death in 1953.
Time: Early WarSide: NeutralOps: 4Removed after event: No
Red Scare/Purge is probably the all-around best event in the game. Of course, there are situationswhere you will prefer to have other events in your hand, but ex ante, there is no better all-purposeevent in the game for both sides. Even if the event isn’t to your liking, it’s still a 4 Ops card in theEarly War.
The event’s power varies from annoying to game-deciding. If you already have a hand of 1 Ops,scoring cards, or cards you plan to play for the event, then Red Scare/Purge has little effect. In the
Early War 84
Early War, for example, so long as you have 3 of those cards (1 Ops, scoring, or cards to be playedfor the event), then you are losing 4 or less Ops overall. Of course, 2 Ops in one play is better than1 Op in two plays, and having your 2 Ops be cut down to 1 is especially painful when jostling forcontrol of 2-stability country.
On the other hand, Red Scare/Purge can simply lose you the game. It is a major hand managementcrisis when it knocks formerly dangerous-but-spaceable cards (like Grain Sales to Soviets and TheVoice of America) down to an unspaceable 1 Op: now you must either play the card, or hold it tonext turn. If you have multiple DEFCON suicide cards, Red Scare/Purge will often make some ofthem unspaceable, thereby causing you to either lose by DEFCON or by forcing you to trigger reallyunpleasant events.
In addition, Red Scare/Purge strengthens certain events that are otherwise mitigatable by their Ops.De Gaulle Leads France is a good example: if the US already controls France, then they can play thisand then restore the 3 influence of damage with the 3 Ops. Alternatively, if no one controls France,then the US can trigger the event and take it to 3/1, so that the USSR can’t take France with a 4 Ops.Neither of these plays are available to the US any more if they are holding a De Gaulle that has beenknocked down to 2 Ops: they are now forced to give up France (good for the USSR) or send the eventto space (which allows it to come back again later for the USSR to do more damage with).
Finally, Red Scare/Purge is a nasty combo with Blockade and Quagmire/Bear Trap. With the former,you can almost guarantee a West Germany loss; with the latter, you can sometimes force youropponent to skip multiple Action Rounds in a row.
After triggering the event, it is important to go on the offensive and play aggressively. The numberone way to waste Red Scare/Purge is to play defensively or timidly; if you aren’t creating threatsfor your opponent that he is unable to deal with because of his lack of Ops, then there’s no point toheadlining it and you may as well have just played it for Ops. Force your opponent to respond toyour threats: even though he usually might be able to, he will probably eventually have to give upif he is under Scare or Purge. On the flip side, if you aren’t in such a position to play aggressively,then you should seriously reconsider headlining this event. Either hold it to next turn or use the 4Ops to bolster your position.
In summary, I will almost always play Red Scare/Purge for the event. In the Early War, when itsOps are most valuable, I will hesitate to do so if I otherwise have very few Ops, but in the Mid Warand beyond, I will usually trigger the event (and use SALT Negotiations to play it again, if possible).It’s a very powerful event, and playing it twice in the Early War can often decide the game. But it’seasy to auto-play the event without carefully considering how to maximize its potential.
Early War 85
UN Intervention
UN Intervention
1947–?
The United Nations remained generally unable to influence the struggle between thesuperpowers due to Security Council veto power throughout the Cold War. However, itoccasionally stood as a gauge for world opinion, and could mediate in stalled conflictsthroughout the Third World. It was also the backdrop for a number of quintessentialmoments of the conflict, including the Soviet Korean War walkout, the “We Will BuryYou” speech, and of course, the Cuban Missile Crisis—don’t wait for the translation Mr.Zorin!
Time: Early WarSide: NeutralOps: 1Removed after event: No
UN Intervention’s nice event text comes at a cost: playing it cuts your handsize, eliminating yourability to hold a card to next round and posing a bit of a problem if you have multiple bad cards inyour hand. Accordingly, the Space Race is usually a better way to dispose of bad cards, but sometimesyou will have no choice but to use UN Intervention.
Early War 86
Because UN Intervention prevents event text from triggering, it does not remove starred events fromthe game. UN Intervention is therefore best played with unstarred events, or truly awful starredevents. Something like Blockade hurts, but you’re probably better off just triggering it rather thanusing UN and reshuffling the card to return at a possibly more troublesome time.
DEFCON suicide cards are naturally the first priority for UN Intervention, especially CIA Created/ Lone Gunman, which cannot be sent to space. Otherwise, UN Intervention is best with very highOps cards (which you could send to space, but would prefer having Ops — Marshall Plan is a goodexample) and unspaceable cards (which you can’t send to space). In particular, UN Intervention is agreat way for the USSR to dispose of the nasty US Mid War 1 Op events like OAS Founded.
In the Mid War, UN Intervention has interactions with U2 Incident (not meaningful) and We WillBury You (much more meaningful). As US, you should simply make sure you play UN Intervention(if necessary) before U2 Incident if you have both in your hands, and immediately after We WillBury You (if you are so fortunate).
It is tempting to keep holding UN Intervention between Action Rounds to wait for a “bad” card toplay it with (and to deny it to your opponent). This is not a terrible idea, but be mindful that a) youare limiting the potential Ops in your hand; b) if you draw multiple DEFCON suicide cards, UNIntervention is not necessarily much help because of its handsize reduction effect.
Early War 87
De-Stalinization
De-Stalinization
1956
During the 20th Party Congress, Nikita Khrushchev openly attacked Stalin’s leadershipof the Soviet Union. It was seen both inside and outside the Soviet Union as thebeginning of a new era. This proved to be a particularly bloody assumption for Nagy’sHungary. Khrushchev had no intention of “liberalizing” Soviet domination of EasternEurope, even if he was trying to bring an end to the cult of personality that hadcharacterized internal Soviet government.
Time: Early WarSide: USSROps: 3Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
This is probably the most important Early War card in the deck. Without De-Stalinization, it will bevery difficult to contest the Americas. As such, no matter how tempting, I almost always try to useall of the influence from De-Stalinization into a Mid War region. Occasionally I will put one intoThailand, if I need immediate access to it, but the card is best for fighting for the Mid War regions.
Early War 88
I also rarely headline this card, because it is a very risky card to have Defectored. Moreover, youhave to play this at DEFCON 2, so that the US doesn’t just coup out your influence immediately.
If you have Decolonization, then De-Stalinization is an easy choice: all four into the four SouthAmerican battlegrounds. If you don’t have Decolonization, I will tend to put a couple into Africa(perhaps Angola and Algeria), and the other two into South America (one in Venezuela and onein Argentina or Chile). I don’t usually place it into Central America, because I can coup Panama,Fidel grants me Cuba, and Mexico is too easily realigned out. More importantly, De-Stalinizationinto South America gives me more access than De-Stalinization into Central America.
Remember that The Voice of America is the perfect antidote to De-Stalinization, so be sure to fortifyyour position by the Mid War so that VoA cannot just remove all of your influence.
As US
Like Decolonization, this is a hold-until-Turn-3 card. Whether or not the USSR triggers this canbe game-deciding, so spacing it on Turn 3 earns you a massive advantage. By Turn 7, this card ismostly useless, and can be safely played for Operations. But I would rather give up West Germanyto a Blockade than play this in the Early War.
In many ways, De-Stalinization is like Puppet Governments, with the key difference being that it isguaranteed to be drawn by Turn 3, when it still matters.
Early War 89
Nuclear Test Ban
Nuclear Test Ban
1963 – ?
The first Nuclear Test Ban treaty owes its origins to the de-escalation process thatfollowed the Cuban Missile Crisis. It prohibited further nuclear tests in the air,underwater or in space. International pressure for such a ban mounted in the 1950sas scientific evidence began to document severe environmental damage caused byearlier atmospheric testing by the nuclear powers. Underground testing remainedan allowable methodology, but all forms of “peaceful nuclear explosions” were alsobanned, tightening the non-proliferation regime.
Time: Early WarSide: NeutralOps: 4Removed after event: No
This event is just awful. Most of the time, it’s a 0VP card that you would trigger for the event onlywhen you have DEFCON suicide cards in your hand. The fact that it raises DEFCON by two levels(usually, to DEFCON 4) means that you will usually get a Action Round at DEFCON 3 after youropponent coups from DEFCON 4 to 3.
Early War 90
The other corner case is when DEFCON starts off very high for some reason, at which point this isa 4Ops for 3VPs trade. Still not great, but maybe sometimes those 3VPs can be important.
But both of these are desperation moves. 98% of the time, this is just a powerful 4Ops card whoseevent text you skip over. Even in that 2% where the event is meaningful, you probably would haverather been playing How I Learned to Stop Worrying (in the first case) or Arms Race (in the secondcase).
That’s not to say its presence in the game is bad, or that the card needs a better event text. It servesa niche role, but a crucial one (when it comes up). More generally, not every event can, or should,be Red Scare/Purge or Grain Sales to Soviets: sometimes you just need to play Ops. A game whereevery event was game-changing would probably be too swingy to enjoy.
Early War 91
Formosan Resolution
Formosan Resolution
1955
Reacting to the “loss of China” the United States Congress extended to PresidentEisenhower open ended authority to defend Taiwan—technically known as the Republicof China on Taiwan—withmilitary force. The resolution came at a timewhen the UnitedStates faced challenges from the People’s Republic in Indochina as well as the Koreanpeninsula. Effectively, Taiwan sat under the US nuclear umbrella, and the balance ofpower within the Taiwan Straits would now remain a question of strategic importanceto the United States.
Time: Early WarSide: USOps: 2Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
Generally inconsequential. It is only relevant if the Asia battlegrounds split 3-3, and even then mostUS players do not bother taking Taiwan early on because of its cost. I will almost always play itwithout hesitation in the Early War, especially if the US has the China Card.
Early War 92
Occasionally, in the Mid War, if Taiwan is already taken by the US (i.e., to protect against KoreanWar) and the battlegrounds are indeed split 3-3, then Formosan Resolution can give the USDomination. But I find this somewhat rare — much more likely is that the US ends up cancelling itby playing the China Card before Asia is scored.
Note that unlike Shuttle Diplomacy, this does not go away after Asia is scored, only after the USplays the China Card. It also matters for Final Scoring.
As US
Unless I already have Taiwan for some reason, this is not worth the effort. It’s just too many Opsin the Early War: Taiwan is a costly country and you’d have to give up the 2 Ops from FormosanResolution too.
Sometimes this can be helpful in a Mid War deadlock. But even then, the tedious process of playingFormosan, controlling Taiwan, and then playing Asia Scoring is usually too slow.
That having been said, this is a second reason to take Taiwan, the first being a defense against KoreanWar. Usually either of those reasons on their own is not enough to take Taiwan, but together, I willprobably invest the 3 Ops.
Early War 93
Defectors
Defectors
1945 – 1989
Preceding the start of the Cold War, citizens of the Eastern bloc fled or defected to theWest. Defectors came in two primary archetypes. Spies and double agents who had beendiscovered or needed to “come in from the cold” would frequently flee to their mastersand allude capture. Examples of this type of defector include KGB Deputy Chief YuriNosenko and KGB London Bureau Chief Oleg Gordievsky. Perhapsmore embarassingly,and certainly more publicly, many talented Soviet artists defected while on tour in theUnited States or Europe.While theWest also suffered occasional defections, particularlyfromwesterners involved in espionage, it never reached the same proportion or the samelevel of public spectacle.
Time: Early WarSide: USOps: 2Removed after event: No
As USSR
As USSR, I only consider the threat of Defectors to be a deterrent when I am risking the loss of:
Early War 94
• a must-play event with a long-term effect (e.g., Decolonization, De-Stalinization)• a lot of VP (e.g., scoring cards)• a high Ops card on a turn where Ops are scarce (e.g., Red Scare/Purge on Turns 1-2)
In other words, I usually don’t particularly care about Defectors. Headlines like Junta, or a Turn 1Suez Crisis are great, but not the end of the world if they get cancelled.
As USSR, if I draw Defectors on Turn 1 or 2, I will try to hold it until Turn 3 before playing it forOps. This keeps it out of the Turn 3 reshuffle and ensures worry-free headlines for most of the game.This is analogous to the US holding Decolonization/De-Stalinization until Turn 3, though Defectorsis not nearly as important as they are.
A common USSR trick against Defectors is to headline a scoring card for a region that you are beingDominated in. This is most effective when against a relatively inexperienced US player, and whenyou haven’t seen Defectors come out Turns 1 or 2 (meaning it is guaranteed to be in his hand on Turn3). It is one of the rare ways to discard a scoring card without scoring the region. Of course, you canalso headline an actively-dangerous US card when you expect the US to be headlining Defectors,but that’s much more risky, whereas the downside risk of headlining the scoring card is much lower.
As US
Most beginning players are too eager to headline Defectors. Not only is it risky on Turn 3, asdescribed above, but more generally, I prefer to headline more aggressively as the US (e.g., RedScare/Purge, Grain Sales to Soviets, The Voice of America). Obviously you don’t always have theluxury of such powerful events, but in general, cancelling the USSR headline doesn’t seize theinitiative and keeps you on your heels.
That having been said, Defectors is a fine headline. By preventing the headline-AR1 combo, younegate one of the USSR’s most powerful weapons against you. If I draw it with a powerful headlineI will headline the other card and hold Defectors until next turn.
A quick rules clarification: Defectors, if headlined, will always cancel the USSR headline regardlessof Ops value. The edge case is: if you headline Five Year Plan and draw Defectors, Defectors willnow only cancel the USSR event if the USSR headline triggers “after” the Five Year Plan headline.In other words, if the USSR headlines a 4Ops card, it wouldn’t be cancelled by the Five Year Plan –Defectors interaction, but any 3 Ops or lower headline will be.
Finally, and this should go without saying, if the USSR has made it to the stage of the Space Racewhere he can see your headline before he chooses his, do not choose Defectors! All you’re doing isallowing to discard a US or scoring card of his choice.
Early War 95
The Cambridge Five
The Cambridge Five
1934 – 1963
The Cambridge Five (Kim Philby, Guy Burgess, Anthony Blunt, John Cairncross,and Donald Maclean) were British civil servants who, unbeknownst to the Britishgovernment, had become Communists while at university, and recruited as Sovietagents shortly thereafter. The spy ring was one of the most effective Soviet intelligenceefforts of the Cold War, as all five rose to positions of great responsibility and trust inthe civil service. Maclean, in particular, was privy to a large number of nuclear secrets;the information regarding the size and readiness of the Western nuclear arsenal playeda key role in Stalin’s decisions to blockade Berlin and to arm the North Koreans fortheir invasion of South Korea. The spy ring fell apart when the U.S. VENONA projectexposed Maclean; he and Burgess defected in 1951. Philby was able to elude exposureuntil 1963, passing secrets all the while; he too managed to defect. Blunt was unmaskedaround the same time, but secretly gave a confession, exposing other agents (includingCairncross).
Time: Early WarSide: USSR
Early War 96
Ops: 2Removed after event: No
As USSR
This is an event that is generally triggered only in the headline phase. It is a somewhat weak headlinefor the USSR only because the odds of success are usually low. Nevertheless, the payoff can be huge:not only can you combo it with an AR1 play to take over a battleground (a sort of USSR NORAD),you can also use it to gain access in a critical region that you are otherwise locked out of (like a miniDe-Stalinization).
The Cambridge Five is best headlined on a turn that maximizes the odds of the US having a scoringcard in hand: on Turn 3 or Turn 7, you may be able to positively identify a particular scoring cardin the US hand if it hasn’t shown up yet in that reshuffle. Alternatively, it’s also a wise headline ifit’s Turn 6 and few of the scoring cards have yet shown up in the Mid War reshuffle. It should gowithout saying that if the reverse is true (if all the scoring cards have come out already), then thisis a null headline.
Note that if the US has multiple scoring cards, the USSR chooses one (and only one) of them to applyto the Cambridge Five.
As US
Completely harmless, so long as you play it with no scoring cards left in your hand. It is ideallyplayed at the end of your turn, as the knowledge that you have no more scoring cards can beadvantageous to the USSR, but even if you have to play it earlier in the turn, it’s not really thatbad of an event (because it does not expose the rest of your hand).
Early War 97
Special Relationship
Special Relationship
1946 – ?
The Special Relationship is a phrase used to describe the exceptionally close political,diplomatic, cultural, economic, military, and historical relations between the UnitedKingdom and the United States, following its use in a 1946 speech by British statesmanWinston Churchill. During the Second World War, the development of the atomicbomb required collaboration and trust between the British, Canadian, and Americangovernments to a degree perhaps previously unimaginable. Additionally, in 1943,Britain made the crucial decision to share ULTRA codebreaking results directly withUS intelligence. This relationship blossomed into the BRUSA Agreement, whose termsguided intelligence sharing throughout the Cold War. Even today, the UK and USremain the closest of allies, sharing military bases and economic ties throughout theworld.
Time: Early WarSide: USOps: 2Removed after event: No
As USSR
Early War 98
Depending onwhether Special Relationship is NATO-activated, this can be either aminor annoyanceor an irritating source of US VPs.
The best case scenario is when the US doesn’t control the UK. This will happen somewhat naturallyfrom Suez Crisis; the US usually has too many priorities for its influence than to repair the UK earlyon, and so you can often get away with a no-effect Special Relationship.
If the US does control the UK, but NATO is not in effect, then look to its neighbors. If the USalready controls both France and Canada, then you can consider the influence to be moot and safelydisregard the event text. If they don’t control Canada, then try to delay playing Special Relationshipuntil they do. In the worst case scenario, where you control France, you’ll have to spend at least oneOp of Special Relationship to repair its damage.
Once Special Relationship is NATO-activated, it becomes much more powerful. A competent USplayer will never trigger NATO, but you almost certainly will, because its 4 Ops are too much to passup. So if you hold both in the same hand, you should play Special Relationship first. (As discussedin the NATO article, this is also good reason to try to delay Warsaw Pact Formed and Marshall Plan,so you can punt NATO for no effect.)
If you do hold Special Relationship in a post-NATO world, you can either use the two Ops of SpecialRelationship to try to break UK control before triggering the event text, send the card to space(though there are many good US candidates for the Space Race around this time in the Mid War),or just bite the bullet and accept that it’ll cost 2VP to use 2 Ops (assuming, of course, that you arefine with giving the US two influence in a western European country).
As US
If Special Relationship is not NATO-activated, then there is obviously no point to playing it for theevent, since you can (almost) always use its 2 Ops to duplicate its effect (the exception being if youare under Red Scare/Purge and want to use Special Relationship to break USSR control of France).
If Special Relationship is NATO-activated, then it becomes a somewhat tempting event: the 2VP isquite nice by itself, and the two US influence is helpful if the USSR controls Italy or France.
You should never, however, play NATO to boost Special Relationship. NATO is one of the crappiestevents in the US arsenal, and it should only ever be triggered by the USSR.
The real benefit of Special Relationship is that the USSR is often forced to play it for you. This isa good reason, therefore, to control the UK: Suez Crisis will wipe out one or two influence, andoccasionally Socialist Governments might take one out of it as well. I wouldn’t go out of my way tocontrol the UK, especially if NATO hasn’t been activated, but you should make sure that at least oneinfluence from Marshall Plan makes its way to the UK. Once NATO has been activated, if SpecialRelationship is still in the deck, then I would definitely drop a spare influence into the UK when youhave a chance.
Along the same lines, in the Early War, if you do control the UK but NATO has not been activated,it’s to your benefit not to immediately control Canada, so that you have a useful place to drop theinfluence from Special Relationship. Of course, sometimes you will have to control Canada beforehe plays Special Relationship, in which case you’ll have to settle for overcontrolling France.
Early War 99
NORAD
NORAD
1958 – ?
The North American Aerospace Defense Command is a joint military organizationsponsored by the governments of Canada and the United States. Its mission is to jointlymonitor and control the air space over North America from unfriendly incursion. It wasfounded initially to protect against the threat of low flying Soviet bombers attackingfrom the Arctic region. During the Cold War, the Command was famously housed inthe Cheyenne Mountain facility depicted in the film Wargames. At its height, NORADcommanded 250,000 military personnel. The command illustrates the full integrationand cooperation of US allies into the US nuclear umbrella and alliance structure.
Time: Early WarSide: USOps: 3Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
This is a controversial event. Some think it’s useless and too expensive to activate; others considerit the among the best US events in the game.
Early War 100
Certainly, however, everyone is in agreement that it’s not a great card for the USSR to draw, becauseit’s a bit too good for the USSR to play it for the US. Accordingly, I like to space this card as USSR,but find that I often can’t spare the Ops. In particular, on Turns 1 and 2, I’ll usually just play it forOps because the event is not particularly useful until the Mid War. But if I am able to, I will sendthis to space rather than deal with the consequences for the rest of the game.
NORAD has an unusual counter in Socialist Governments, which is an all-around good USSRheadline, but especially useful to defuse NORAD for an Action Round.
When NORAD goes into play, it becomes more important to overprotect your controlled battle-grounds, especially your 2-stability battlegrounds, if the US has influence in them.
NORAD is most annoying when you drop DEFCON to 2, because the US gets an influence andthen gets to play immediately afterwards. If the US drops DEFCON to 2, then it’s not as much ofa problem to deal with. This suggests that in AR7 play situations, NORAD’s presence sometimesmeans that you should be willing to give up the battleground coup.
Finally, I usually save Quagmire and hope to draw Red Scare/Purge with it as the USSR, but withNORAD active I will trigger Quagmire ASAP. Conversely, if NORAD is not out, I’ll hold Quagmireuntil NORAD comes out (or until I draw Red Scare/Purge).
As US
NORAD makes it important to control Canada. The best way to do so is to let the USSR do it foryou: Marshall Plan and Special Relationship can often provide the boost you need in Canada withouthaving to invest any of your own influence.
The real problem with triggering NORAD is giving up its 3 Ops. On Turns 1 and 2 in particular, Itend to play NORAD for the Ops and hope it comes back to me early enough in the Mid War. ByTurn 3, I will generally try to spare the Ops rather than punt it until Turn 7 at the earliest.
The best way to make use of this is to have influence in USSR-controlled battlegrounds. 2-stabilitybattlegrounds in otherwise DEFCON-restricted areas are great targets; the African battlegrounds areas well, but those are generally less stable and swing back and forth much more than say, Libya. Inaddition, the USSR’s Asian battlegrounds, even the 3-stability ones, are excellent places for NORADbecause the 5 Ops of the China Card allow you to flip more stable countries.
NORAD somewhat clashes with the typical US goal of lowering DEFCON to 2 in the headline phase.In other words, by preventing the AR1 coup, you miss out on NORAD’s compensation for that coup.It does, however, work nicely with ABM Treaty and SALT Negotiations, both of which can causeDEFCON to go to 2 multiple times in a turn.
An activeNORADmakesQuagmire evenmore unplayable, not that youwanted to play it on yourselfbefore anyway.
Early War 101
Early War recap
Here is a brief summary of the Early War cards (including Optional Cards, as always):
Early War Neutral US USSR All cards
Scoring 3 31 Ops 2 2 3 72 Ops 2 4 6 123 Ops 5 6 114 Ops 2 3 5
Total cards 9 (6) 14 15 38 (35)Total Ops 14 37 33 84Average 1.56 (2.33) 2.64 2.20 2.21 (2.4)
The average Early War hand should have 17.7 Ops. Subtract headline and hold card, and younormally expect to play about 13-14 Ops per turn.
Notice that although there are more US Ops than USSR Ops, this usually is a bad thing for the US;for example, they have no 4 Ops USSR starred events to eliminate from the deck or discard to RedScare/Purge + Blockade, and on average USSR events have fewer Ops to deal with their own effects.
Mid War
Mid War 103
Brush War
Brush War
1947– ?
Also characterized as low intensity conflicts, brush wars tended to begin in reaction tolocal conditions either within a state or between states. However, due to duration, orsuperpower intervention, an essentially local dispute could be elevated to superpowerconflict. Examples include the civil war in Mozambique and the war between Ethiopiaand Somalia.
Time:Mid WarSide: NeutralOps: 3Removed after event: No
One of the Big ThreeMidWar neutral events, alongwith ABMTreaty and Junta. Unlike ABMTreaty,it works well regardless of how fortified the battleground is; unlike Junta, it can still flip countrieseven at DEFCON 2 and is not geographically restricted. Brush War’s drawback is that it dependson isolation, but isolation can be manufactured, and even with one neighbor, you still have a 50%chance of success, and those are pretty good odds for a heavily-defended battleground.
Brush War is most commonly used on 2-stability battlegrounds because the 1-stability Africanbattlegrounds are easily flipped by coups or direct influence placement. In addition, I especially like
Mid War 104
to use it on Thailand, Pakistan, or Italy: countries that are normally not subject to coups at any point,and therefore very difficult to flip once controlled. Thailand in particular I find is a frequent BrushWar target: unlike Pakistan or Italy, it is not always necessarily surrounded by similar influence.
Of course, Brush War can (and often does) play a key role in the Mid War regions as well. It justhappens to stand out as one of the few events that can immediately flip a European or Asian 2-stability battleground, in an otherwise very stable pair of regions. The shifting demands of the game,of course, will dictate where Brush War ends up being used.
In general, the US benefits a little bit more from BrushWar than the USSR: the USSR has coups, whilethe US often struggles to get Mil Ops and flip battlegrounds at DEFCON 2. Plus, Italy (a lucrativeBrush War target) is often off-limits to the USSR’s Brush War if NATO has been triggered. (Not thatyou would, as US, play NATO to protect Italy from Brush War very often, but it’s a nice benefit ifthe USSR played NATO for you.)
Mid War 105
Arms Race
Arms Race
1947 – 1989
The arms race between the Soviet Union and the United States was at play throughoutthe Cold War, and many attribute the Soviet Union’s collapse to an inability to sustainthe final arms race instigated by Ronald Reagan. This element of competition betweenthe nations involved both nuclear and conventional weapons. Frequently, there was aninterplay between the two kinds of forces. During the early Cold War, the United States(having rapidly demobilized after World War II) had to rely on its nuclear weapons ina doctrine of “massive retaliation” to counter Soviet preponderance in conventionalweapons. After the Soviets developed nuclear weapons of their own, both powersreverted to a system of flexible response. Underlying nuclear strategy throughoutthis later era was the concept of mutually assured destruction. This reality made thelikelihood of direct superpower conventional warfare unlikely. However, the dynamicof conventional weapons competition had its own paradigm. There, the West reliedon superior technology to design higher performing weapons to compete against themassive numbers that could be generated by the Soviets’ command economy.
Time:Mid WarSide: Neutral
Mid War 106
Ops: 3Removed after event: No
Note that it doesn’t matter whether your opponent has met his Military Operations requirements:all that matters is whether you have, and whether you have more than he does. Usually it will bethe USSR that benefits from this event, but a US player with ABM Treaty or something similar canoften benefit as well.
Assuming that you will not be playing this for the 1 VP (absent extraordinary circumstances), ArmsRace thus becomes a rather straightforward choice between 3 Ops or 3 VPs. In this, Arms Race isquite unlike most of the Ops-for-VPs events in that it is actually worthwhile: 3 VPs are often superiorto 3 Ops, especially late in the Mid War. (Compare to say, U2 Incident.)
But it depends on how you’d use those 3 Ops: flipping a battleground, in and of itself, is only worth2 VPs, but denying or achieving a Domination bonus adds an additional 2-4VPs, depending on theregion. So for example, if you have no other options, Arms Race is better used for Ops if you areflipping a 1-stability African battleground and achieving Domination as a result. But if you alreadyhave Domination, 3 VPs are better than those 3 Ops even if you flip the battleground.
Ideally, you want to wait as long as possible in the turn to decide whether you need Arms Race’s 3Ops, or if you can get by without and get the VPs instead. Of course, it is never so easy in TwilightStruggle — the longer you wait, the more likely it is that your opponent equals your Mil Ops, atwhich point the 3 VPs are no longer available to you.
As a rule of thumb, I tend to play Arms Race for VPs towards the end of the Mid War (even holdingit between turns if necessary), and early in the Mid War I hold it until the end of the turn and lookfor an opportunity to trigger it for VPs. In the Late War I will almost certainly take the 3 VPs (andactively try for it).
As a final note, Arms Race is often pretty high up on the list of “lousiest cards to receive throughMissile Envy”, despite the thematic appropriateness.
Mid War 107
Cuban Missile Crisis
Cuban Missile Crisis
1962
Themeremention of this event elicits fears of the nuclear holocaust that almost was. For14 days in October 1962, the two superpowers seemed destined to clash directly aboutthe Soviet emplacement of Medium Range Ballistic Missiles (MRBMs) and IntermediateRange Ballistic Missiles (IRBMs) in Cuba. To prevent the installation of additionaloffensive weapons in Cuba, John F. Kennedy declared a naval quarantine around Cuba.Tensions reached a near breaking point when a U-2 flight was shot down over Cuba,and Khrushchev demanded US missiles be removed from Turkey in exchange for Sovietmissiles being removal from Cuba. Ultimately, Khrushchev was compelled to settle fora US pledge not to invade Cuba, and a private agreement to resolve NATO’s missilebases in Turkey.
Time:Mid WarSide: NeutralOps: 3Removed after event: Yes
An ostensibly neutral event that in practice is of far more benefit to the US than the USSR. The eventaccomplishes several things:
Mid War 108
• It lowers DEFCON to 2, so as a headline it is useful to deny the USSR a battleground coup;• It prevents the opponent from further coups without removing influence from Turkey/WestGermany or Cuba.
Now, as US, it is not usually a big deal to remove two from Turkey or West Germany: you’ll almostalways have at least two influence in one of those two countries, and removing influence is not abig deal for either of them.
As USSR, however, this event is very problematic if Fidel hasn’t been triggered. If you don’t haveinfluence in Cuba, then you can’t remove it, and so you are essentially locked out of coups for therest of the turn. This has a number of effects:
• The US is able to play Lone Gunman, which is no longer a DEFCON suicide card;• The US can play Che without repercussion;• The US can raise DEFCON (via SALT Negotiations or How I Learned to Stop Worrying) andthen coup away freely;
• The USSR is unable to play DEFCON-raising cards (in particular the USSR is now unable totrigger SALT Negotiations or ABM Treaty) without allowing the US several easy coups.
• The USwill certainly earn at least 2Mil Ops VPs, and possibly more if they can raise DEFCON;• The US can spread freely through non-battlegrounds without fear of being couped.
Of course, the USSR can reap some of these benefits as well (it is nice not to have to worry aboutNuclear Subs!), but it is rare for the US to have no influence in either West Germany or Turkey.
Even if the USSR does control Cuba, a CubanMissile Crisis headline is still pretty annoying, becauselosing 2 influence in Cuba makes it quite vulnerable.
Finally, Cuban Missile Crisis is a decent headline if you anticipate that your opponent’s headlinewill lower DEFCON and be subsequent to yours. For example, as US, if the USSR headlines OlympicGames (or Missile Envy, and you hold WeWill Bury You), then a Cuban Missile Crisis headline willwin you the game.
A couple of rules pointers:
• The influence removal is not an Action and can be done at any time. (It is unclear whetheryou can actually do this in the middle of your opponent’s Action, i.e., after he announces anintent to coup or realign Cuba, but this is probably an area better suited for sportsmanshipthan explicit timing rules.)
• The Cuban Missile Crisis win condition takes precedence over a DEFCON-lowering coup,so Lone Gunman is no longer a DEFCON suicide card if the USSR is under its effect andcannot cancel it. (Presumably Lee Harvey Oswald is unable to assassinate Kennedy until hehas successfully resolved the Crisis.)
Mid War 109
• The text of Nuclear Subs (which confusingly reads “Does not affect Cuban Missile Crisis”)simply means that a US player with Nuclear Subs is not immune from the effects of the CubanMissile Crisis.
• Cuban Missile Crisis applies to all coups, including “free” coups (through Junta or Tear DownThis Wall).
Mid War 110
Nuclear Subs
Nuclear Subs
1955
The United States launched the first nuclear powered submarine. It instantly antiquateddecades of antisubmarine warfare that had developed during the Second World War.Admiral Hyman Rickover was to oversee the development of a new nuclear navy,and create a third, and seemingly invulnerable arm, in the American nuclear triad.Ultimately, the Soviets would follow suit.
Time:Mid WarSide: USOps: 2Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
One of those “for the remainder of the turn” events that is best dealt with by playing it on the lastAction Round. An AR7 play of Nuclear Subs will still hurt, since permitting any battleground coupis unpleasant, but the US player may not have planned for it (perhaps he had planned an AR7 playor a Space Race discard), and the US player may not in fact even be able to use it (if he has a scoringcard left).
Mid War 111
So Nuclear Subs is not a big problem when you draw it. It’s much more dangerous when theUS headlines it against you, causing your African battlegrounds to tremble in fear. Against sucha headline, there are several possible responses. The best is to overwhelm the US with threatseverywhere else. Coups are still restricted geographically by DEFCON, and because they take upyour entire Action Round, a round spent defending against influence into Europe or Asia is a roundwhere the Nuclear Subs must stand idly by.
I also like to keep DEFCON high: this can mean either playing SALT Negotiations (double bonus byimposing a -1 on all coups), or just leaving DEFCON at 3 at the beginning of the turn. This allowsyou to respond to the US battleground coups with a coup of your own: rather than allowing themthe last word over and over again, you can choose a country to retaliate in. This can even makeNuclear Subs a detriment for the US, as their coups no longer drop DEFCON and lock you out of aresponse coup.
Depending on the likely target of the US coups, non-battlegrounds become quite lucrative. If youcontrol the right ones, you can consistently respond to the US coups with realignments. The US willbe hesitant to coup non-battlegrounds during the turn, and even if you can’t set up a realignmentyou can often grab enough countries to deny Domination.
Occasionally you can pull off a fancy play with Yuri and Samantha, Latin American Death Squads,or even Cuban Missile Crisis, though I find such circumstances to be rare.
Finally, there is no better feeling than being able to harmlessly dump CIA Created, ordinarily aDEFCON suicide card, after the US plays Nuclear Subs. (This is incidentally a good reason to playNuclear Subs yourself, say on AR6, so that you can dispose of CIA on AR7).
As US
Given the risky nature of coups, this event is best for taking over a USSR-controlled Africa, orperhaps getting into South America if you have been locked out entirely. 1-stability countries arenear-guaranteed successes on coups, but 2-stability countries are much more risky.
Beware that couping is an action without flexibility. (An alternative way to put it is that coupsare “expensive” in terms of Action Rounds, compared to direct influence placement.) You can’tcoup a little bit here and place some influence there. By committing yourself to coups, you exposeyourself to ripostes elsewhere on the board. Against a good USSR player, you will often find yourselfagonizing over whether to respond to the USSR (thereby wasting your Nuclear Subs) or to coup(thereby giving the USSR free rein). A US player too aggressive with her Nuclear Subs will oftensimply run out of Action Rounds and cards.
On the other hand, Nuclear Subs is still a fine headline even if you don’t intend to coup on everyAction Round. As is generally true in Twilight Struggle, sometimes the threat is worse than theexecution. The mere possibility of Nuclear Subs coups can compel the USSR into a premature AfricaScoring or other suboptimal plays.
Mid War 112
Quagmire
Quagmire
1964 – 1975
It is hard to put a precise date on when US involvement in Vietnam ceased to besupport for an anti-communist counter-insurgency and became instead an inextricablequagmire. However, Congressional passage of the Gulf of Tonkin resolution seems likeas good a point as any. With hindsight, it is clear that the United States confusedthe very nature of the conflict that they were fighting. Vietnam was fundamentally awar of national liberation—a struggle that had begun centuries before against Chinesedominance, then French, then Japanese and finally the United States. While theAmerican government may have never realized that they had fallen into the role of“foreign oppressor,” that fact did not diminish Vietnamese resistance. Like most colonialwars, it came down to a calculus of cost. US interests were simply not worth thecosts in national morale, military manpower and economic resources that Vietnam wasconsuming. But humbling a superpower is a long process, and so it was in Vietnam.
Time:Mid WarSide: USSROps: 3Removed after event: Yes
Mid War 113
As USSR
Quagmire has three main uses. The first, and most direct, is that it cancels NORAD. (It doesn’tactually prevent NORAD, so NORAD can still theoretically be triggered after Quagmire.) If relevant,this is usually enough of a benefit for me to play it for the event.
The second is to hope that the US rolls really poorly and gets stuck in the Quagmire for an extendedperiod of time. If they fail their rolls, you get to conduct back-to-back Actions, one of the Holy Grailsof Twilight Struggle. The benefit of consecutive Actions is almost always immense: it can let you flipa battleground, get into an otherwise inaccessible region, set up a vital realignment, score a regionundeservedly advantageously by temporarily breaking control, or a whole host of other possibilities.
Of course, the odds are against you. If you play Quagmire and they successfully discard and roll,then nothing has really been accomplished, except you gave up a nice USSR event and probably sodid they.
The real point of this second use is when you can tilt the odds towards you with Red Scare/Purge.Timed correctly, you can deprive your opponent of many Action Rounds in a row, and as a bonus,strand them with low Ops cards that they must hold in hand for next round. For example, if youheadline Red Scare/Purge, and then spring Quagmire halfway through the turn, they might have no3+ Ops events left. In that case, not only can they not discard to Quagmire and be forced to skip awhole bunch of Actions (allowing you carte blanche to take over the world), those low Ops cardsstay in their hand through next turn as well. (If you are really lucky or sadistic, you can use SALTNegotiations or the luck of the reshuffle to grab another copy of Red Scare/Purge to do it all overagain next turn …)
The third main use is to time Quagmire so as to force the US to skip a crucial round. For example,you can play it as an AR7 play, to deny the US their own AR7 play. Or you can headline it, causingthe US to miss their AR1 and allowing you a back-to-back AR1 and AR2. It is especially nice onTurn 10, because missing out on the Turn 10 AR7 play will usually come as a nasty surprise to theUS.
Accordingly, I usually trigger Quagmire as USSR. The main exception is if the US is underContainment for some reason, or if NORAD isn’t out and I desperately need the Ops. But I willoften hold it for a turn or two and hope to draw it with Red Scare/Purge, because that combo canbe game-warpingly powerful.
As US
I almost always space Quagmire. Note the crucial difference between Quagmiring yourself andbeing Quagmired: when the USSR Quagmires you, you usually just get out on the first discard, andnothing of value was lost. But when you Quagmire yourself, you guarantee the USSR at least one setof back-to-back Actions, and possibly more. (Note also that when you Quagmire yourself, the USSRgets to know in advance when you will be emerging from the Quagmire.) There are simply too manythings a strong USSR can do to you with a set of back-to-back Actions to risk self-Quagmiring, andcancelling NORAD only adds further fuel to the fire.
There are exceptions however. Sometimes you have too many problematic USSR events in hand and
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the Quagmire discard is the only way to escape. Rare is the hand, though, that genuinely calls for aself-Quagmire. A better instance is when your last two cards are Lone Gunman and Quagmire andyou can’t hold a card; here, Quagmiring yourself is the only way to avoid DEFCON suicide, becauseby skipping your Action Round with nothing to discard, you are “holding” Lone Gunman to nextturn.
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SALT Negotiations
SALT Negotiations
1969, 1972
Initiated during the Johnson Administration, and completed by President Nixon andSecretary Brezhnev, the first Strategic Arms Limitations Talks (SALT) treaty essentiallysought to limit the number of nuclear platforms, and restrict defensive systems thatthreatened the system of mutual deterrence. The success of this treaty led to theinitiation of a second round of negotiations or SALT II. The diplomatic wranglingover this treaty began under President Nixon, and was completed in 1979 by PresidentCarter and Secretary Brezhnev. SALT II provided broad limits on new strategic weaponsplatforms and banned mobile ICBMs. Owing to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, thetreaty was never ratified. President Reagan asserted that the Soviets were not complyingwith the terms of SALT II in 1986 and withdrew from the treaty.
Time:Mid WarSide: NeutralOps: 3Removed after event: Yes
SALT Negotiations is not quite at the level of the “Big Three” Mid War neutral events (Brush War,Junta, and ABM Treaty), but it’s pretty close. The event has three parts:
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1. It raises DEFCON by 2 levels. This is an easy way to get out of a DEFCON suicide situation,though beware your opponent dropping DEFCON twice in one move (via Duck and Coveror We Will Bury You). It is also if you desperately need to coup a battleground, even if thatmeans letting your opponent get in the first coup (and letting him coup Asia).
2. It gives coups a -1 modifier. Occasionally useful against Nuclear Subs, and somewhat easesthe volatility of raising DEFCON.
3. It retrieves a card from the discard. This is obviously the most important part of the event.Here, SALT tends to favor the US. Obviously both sides are interested in grabbing cards likeABM Treaty, Brush War, or Red Scare/Purge, but the US also has Grain Sales to Soviets,Colonial Rear Guards, Ussuri River Skirmish, East European Unrest (if in the Late War), andThe Voice of America. Usually the USSR has OPEC and Decolonization (occasionally De-Stalinization, if early in the Mid War). (Note that although it is usually used on recurringevents, there’s no reason why you couldn’t use SALT for a starred event that your opponentdiscarded.)
4. A second benefit of retrieving this card is that it lets you hold an extra card to next turn.This can be critical if you need to hold a card and also discard a card from hand (e.g., withBlockade).
Note that SALT Negotiations is most effective on Turn 6, and least effective on Turn 7. And it isoften a card I hold from turn to turn, waiting for something good to show up. I am hesitant to playthis for Ops, because I don’t like the risk that my opponent will draw it in the Late War, where thereare even events to choose from (e.g., East European Unrest).
SALTing for ABM Treaty deserves its own mention. For starters, it’s ABM Treaty, one of the bestevents in the game. In addition, it either gives you two coups in exchange for one of his, or it meansyou can also get in a DEFCON 4 coup. Finally, it’s a great trick for the US to pull on AR7: play SALTfor ABM Treaty, watch DEFCON rise to 5, and then headline ABM Treaty to engage in a rare Europerealign or coup. This is one of the rare Twilight Struggle combos that cannot be stopped by the otherplayer under any circumstances.
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Bear Trap
Bear Trap
1979 – 1992
In an era of seemingly increasing Soviet hubris, the USSR reverted to old patterns ofpower politics by meddling in the affairs of Afghanistan—the battleground countryin the “Great Game” rivalry between imperialist Russia and Victorian Britain. TheSoviets considered Afghanistan part of their natural sphere of influence. However,when Soviet troops directly intervened in an Afghan power struggle and deposed theexisting president, they greatly miscalculated the reaction of world opinion. Smartingfrom defeat in Vietnam by seemingly inferior forces, the Reagan Administration soughtto make Afghanistan into an equal nightmare. Over a ten year period, the UnitedStates provided over $2 billion in assistance to the Islamic resistance or mujahideenin Afghanistan.
Time:Mid WarSide: USOps: 3Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
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I almost always space Bear Trap. Note the crucial difference between Bear Trapping yourself andbeing Bear Trapped: when the US Bear Traps you, you usually just get out on the first discard, andnothing of value was lost. But when you Bear Trap yourself, you guarantee the US at least one set ofback-to-back Actions, and possibly more. (Note also that when you Bear Trap yourself, the US getsto know in advance when you will be emerging from the Bear Trap.) There are simply too manythings a strong US can do to you with a set of back-to-back Actions to risk self-Bear-Trapping.
There are exceptions however. Sometimes you have too many problematic US events in hand andthe Bear Trap discard is the only way to escape. This is considerably more common than a US playerneeding to self-Quagmire, but still somewhat rare. A better instance is when your last two cards areCIA Created and Bear Trap and you can’t hold a card; here, Bear Trapping yourself is the only wayto avoid DEFCON suicide, because by skipping your Action Round with nothing to discard, you are“holding” CIA Created to next turn.
As US
Bear Trap has two main uses.
The first is to hope that the USSR rolls really poorly and gets stuck in the Bear Trap for an extendedperiod of time. If they fail their rolls, you get to conduct back-to-back Actions, one of the Holy Grailsof Twilight Struggle. The benefit of consecutive Actions is almost always immense: it can let you flipa battleground, get into an otherwise inaccessible region, set up a vital realignment, score a regionundeservedly advantageously by temporarily breaking control, or a whole host of other possibilities.
Of course, the odds are against you. If you play Bear Trap and they successfully discard and roll,then nothing has really been accomplished, except you gave up a nice US event and probably so didthey.
The real point of this is when you can tilt the odds towards you with Red Scare/Purge. Timedcorrectly, you can deprive your opponent of many Action Rounds in a row, and as a bonus, strandthem with low Ops cards that they must hold in hand for next round. For example, if you headlineRed Scare/Purge, and then spring Quagmire halfway through the turn, they might have no 3+ Opsevents left. In that case, not only can they not discard to Quagmire and be forced to skip a wholebunch of Actions (allowing you carte blanche to take over the world), those low Ops cards stayin their hand through next turn as well. (If you are really lucky or sadistic, you can use SALTNegotiations or the luck of the reshuffle to grab another copy of Red Scare/Purge to do it all overagain next turn …)
The second is to time Bear Trap so as to force the USSR to skip a crucial round. For example, youcan play it as an AR7 play or headline, which causes the USSR to skip their AR1. This is not reallyas nice as when the USSR headlines Quagmire on you, though.
In general Bear Trap is worse than Quagmire. It doesn’t cancel NORAD, there are fewer “timing”opportunities for the US to play it, and there aremore US events for the USSR to discard. Accordingly,I usually hold Bear Trap as US until I draw it with Red Scare/Purge, or some kind of opportunitypresents itself. And if I still don’t have Red Scare/Purge by Turn 6 I will just play it for Ops, so theUSSR at least has a chance of drawing it in the Turn 7 reshuffle. Without Red Scare/Purge, youwould much rather add this to the USSR headache list than play it yourself.
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Summit
Summit
1959, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1979, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989
Summits between the leadership of the superpowers becamemajor implements of publicdiplomacy from the mid to late Cold War. Success was measured in terms of agendaitems secured, treaties signed, and who was tougher on whom. As in an internationalboxingmatch, non-aligned countries watched from the sidelines trying to discernwhichpower was in the ascendant. Virtually all major arms control agreements were eitherinitiated or concluded at a summit. In that sense, they were an important tool for sizingup relative intentions, and ensuring the Cold War did not become hot.
Time:Mid WarSide: NeutralOps: 1Removed after event: No
Summit is one of the weakest cards in the game to draw. For starters, it’s a 1 Op card: Nuclear TestBan might be the worst event relative to its Ops, but no one is ever unhappy to draw it.
Worse, like Olympic Games, it has the strong possibility of losing you the game at DEFCON 2.Although it is not a guaranteed DEFCON suicide card, you would be foolhardy indeed to play thisat DEFCON 2 unless you had a massive lead in regions.
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More commonly, because of its very low Ops value, you might headline it if there’s nothing elseworth headlining and you’d rather conserve your Ops. Alternatively, if you are absolutely desperatefor VPs, Summit offers you the grim choice of a chance at 2VPs or nuclear annihilation.
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How I Learned to Stop Worrying
How I Learned to Stop Worrying
1964
As the reality of nuclear holocaust became accepted by the public, fatalism about itsinevitability also took hold. The landmark black comedy, Dr. Strangelove, captured thisnewmood. However, such attitudes are hardly unique. Similar fatalism aboutmankind’sultimate destiny can be found throughout literature of the time and sparked a wholesub-genre of science fiction, the post-nuclear-holocaust dime novel filled with atomicmutants and vague remnants of contemporary civilization. Ironically, the pessimismthat is reflected in these works may have aided the possibility of nuclear war by makingsuch an act “thinkable.”
Time:Mid WarSide: NeutralOps: 2Removed after event: Yes
A straightforward way to manipulate DEFCON, so it works in all the situations you’d expect:DEFCON-suicide cards, situations where your opponent can’t coup due to Quagmire/Bear Trapor Cuban Missile Crisis, etc.
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Like other DEFCON degraders, it’s also useful as a headline trap, since if your opponent’s headlinedegrades DEFCON and is subsequent to yours, you instantly win. (One advantage HILTSW holdsover headlining other DEFCON degraders is that it can’t backfire if your opponent also tries to lowerDEFCON in the headline.)
The Mil Ops is what really sets this card apart: it means you can headline it to prevent battlegroundcoups, but also earn your Mil Ops VPs at the end of the turn. In addition, it gives the US a littletrick on the last Action Round: use How I Learned to Stop Worrying to set DEFCON to 5, meaninginstead of losing 2 VP to Mil Ops requirements, you can force the USSR to lose up to 3 VP to MilOps.
So, like most Mid War cards, this one tilts slightly to the US, who often needs both DEFCON at 2and Mil Ops more than the USSR does. But the USSR can get good value out of it as a DEFCONraiser: if they headline the card, they might be able to raise DEFCON to 4 or 5 and be able to coupAsia / realign Europe on AR1.
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Junta
Junta
1945– ?
In Spanish, the term Junta means “coming together.” In a Cold War context, it normallyrefers to the coming together of right wing military cliques to oust an existinggovernment and replace it with a military dictatorship. Juntas were so common inLatin America throughout the period that they became a nearly ritualized affair. Morefrequently than not, military juntas enjoyed the tacit blessing of the U.S. governmentas they looked to check leftist elements in Central and South America. Notable juntasinclude themilitary dictatorships that ruled Argentina from 1976 to 1983 andGuatemalafrom 1954 to 1984.
Time:Mid WarSide: NeutralOps: 2Removed after event: No
One of the Big Three Mid War neutral events, along with ABM Treaty and Brush War, and one ofthe strongest events in the game. Junta’s primary drawbacks compared to the rest of the Big Threeare that it is region-restricted, it doesn’t provide Mil Ops, and it is less likely than the others to flip a
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battleground directly (since your coup odds are much lower, and you can’t coup battlegrounds withit at DEFCON 2). But it is the only one of the three that is guaranteed to give you influence in aregion. In addition, it does two things at once, so not only does it let you realign, it will also helpyou set up a good realign opportunity.
Junta is a more common headline than ABM Treaty / Brush War, mainly because it’s the only oneof the three that can degrade DEFCON. The choice of coup or realign gives Junta the best of bothworlds: stealing the headline coup is a great option, but sometimes realignment is the safer play.This is especially true for USSR, who can headline it, realign, and then coup on AR1 for Mil Ops andperhaps also a bigger coup.
After DEFCON drops to 2, Junta is almost exclusively used to set up a critical realign. If youcontrol Brazil and the US controls Venezuela, you can use Junta to drop 2 influence in Colombiaand immediately start realigning, rather than giving the US an opportunity to coup Colombia todefend itself. Common realigns include Costa Rica/Colombia realigning Panama, Colombia/Brazilrealigning Venezuela, Venezuela/Uruguay realigning Brazil, Argentina/Peru realigning Chile, andfor the US, realigning Mexico or Cuba with Guatemala or Nicaragua, respectively.
Because it guarantees influence placement, Junta is often a critical card to draw when neither sidehas made any inroads into South America. Even if you are forced to waste the second half of theevent, it may be worth it just to get into the region.
Some common rules questions:
• Do both influence have to go into the same country?– Yes.
• Does the country you realign/coup have to be the same country as the country you placedinfluence in?
– No. You also don’t have to realign the same country twice.• Is Junta affected by Red Scare/Purge, Containment, and Brezhnev Doctrine?
– Yes.• Does a Junta battleground coup degrade DEFCON?
– Yes.• Then what does “free coup” mean?
– It means it does not give Mil Ops, and more generally, is not subject to DEFCONgeographical restrictions. (Which doesn’t matter in the case of Junta, since DEFCON 2does not geographically prevent a coup in Central or South America, but it does matterfor Tear Down This Wall.)
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Kitchen Debates
Kitchen Debates
1959
During a time of increased tensions following the successful launch of Sputnik, thenVice President Richard Nixon took a good-will trip to Russia. What followed wasa sometimes playful, sometimes pointed public exchange between Nixon and NikitaKhrushchev throughout his stay in Moscow. The exchange is known as the KitchenDebate, for a particularly sharp exchange in front of a US model home’s display of a GEelectric kitchen. Nixon furthered his domestic political ambitions with a seeming jab atKhrushchev’s chest, reaffirming his anti-communist credentials at home.
Time:Mid WarSide: USOps: 1Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
Kitchen Debates incentivizes you to take battlegrounds, but you should already be incentivized todo that anyway. There’s not much to say about this card — if the US is ahead on battlegrounds, youlose 2VP; if the US isn’t, then you don’t.
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I find Kitchen Debates to be more helpful as a rough barometer of how I’m doing. Start worrying ifthe US has more battlegrounds and is ahead on VP.
Note that this card is not⁹ removed from the deck if triggered while the prerequisite is not met.
As US
1 Op is usually not very helpful, and 2VP often is. Unless you have some immediate use for the 1Op, I prefer the 2VPs and the opportunity to poke my opponent in the chest.
⁹http://boardgamegeek.com/article/6399698#6399698
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Missile Envy
Missile Envy
1984
A term coined by Dr. Helen Caldicott, it reflects the general feminist critique thatthe Cold War was driven by male ego with very Freudian undercurrents. When oneexamines the terminology of “deep penetration” and “multiple reentry” one wonders ifshe had a point. Caldicott went on to found Physicians for Social Responsibility, andher book became a rallying point within the anti-nuclear movement.
Time:Mid WarSide: NeutralOps: 2Removed after event: No
Yet another excellent Mid War neutral event, though its capacity for DEFCON suicide keeps it a tierbelow ABM Treaty / Junta / Brush War / SALT Negotiations. When I draw it, I will usually headlineit whenever possible.
There are four possible outcomes with Missile Envy:
1. You are forced to trigger an unfavorable event.
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This is the worst case scenario withMissile Envy. For starters, DEFCON suicide is eminently possibleif DEFCON is at 2 — but even when it is at 3 in the headline, you can still lose if your opponent’sheadline degrades DEFCON ahead of Missile Envy. For example, as USSR, you might pull We WillBury You when the US headlined Grain Sales to Soviets. Alternatively, as US, you might pull Duck& Cover or Soviets Shoot Down KAL-007 when the USSR headlined We Will Bury You. (It is alsoconceivable, though staggeringly unlikely, that Missile Envy pulls Olympic Games or Summit, bothof which can also degrade DEFCON.)
Aside from DEFCON suicide, it is also possible (though extremely rare) that the event you pull withMissile Envy is harmful to you. For instance, Nuclear Test Ban might raise DEFCON at a pointwhen you want to lower it. In general, as long as either We Will Bury You (for USSR) or Duck andCover/Soviets Shoot Down KAL-007 (for US) are out of the game, then I don’t worry about thepossibility of losing the game via Missile Envy, especially in the headline, and especially if I’m theUS (since the USSR rarely lowers DEFCON in headline).
2. You are forced to trigger a meaningless event.
The second-worst possible outcome. More commonly happens to the US: US/Japan Defense Pact andNATO are the best examples. Arms Race is often a wash as well. This rarely happens to the USSRas its high Ops events are almost always useful.
Even in this situation, I still consider Missile Envy a net plus, since you’ve eliminated a high Opscard from your opponent’s hand.
3. You trigger a event good for you.
Generally the second-best possible outcome, depending on how good the event is. Most of the reallygood events have highOps, and so the possibilities range fromRed Scare/Purge, ABMTreaty,MuslimRevolution, or Marshall Plan, to Brezhnev Doctrine, Bear Trap, Ussuri River Skirmish, or OPEC. Ofcourse, maybe you trigger something that is only speculatively helpful, like Flower Power, but ingeneral, your high Ops events are good to trigger in exchange for 2 Ops.
4. You get to conduct Operations.
I consider this generally the best possible outcome. Not only can you conduct operations in theheadline, but you’ve also eliminated a high Ops event (a potentially powerful opponent’s event)from your opponent’s hand. Taking Muslim Revolution and turning it into a no-strings-attached 4Ops US coup is a gamechanger.
[The above analysis, incidentally, illustrates that I usually try to hand over their event or a neutralevent rather than my own event.]
The second half of Missile Envy is usually just as strong: the fact that you force your opponent intoa 2 Ops play on AR1 is very exploitable. For example, as US, when you headline Missile Envy, theUSSR is now forced to either coup with a 2 Ops or let you coup. Not a big deal if he’s couping Zaire,but a real discomfort if he was counting on a big coup to get into South America. Conversely, theUSSR can headline Missile Envy then make an AR1 play for a battleground knowing that the USresponse can only be 2 Ops.
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In general I do not use Missile Envy during the middle of the turn, first because DEFCON is already2 (furthering the risk of nuclear suicide), and second because the opponent will have already usedhigh Ops cards, and I’m no longer assured of a 3 or 4 Ops card.
Missile Envy may combo well if you know your opponent’s hand already (i.e., you headlined CIACreated or Lone Gunman), since you can have an idea of what you will be getting.
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WeWill Bury You
WeWill Bury You
1956
Perhaps themost famous quote of the entire ColdWar, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchevuttered this immortal line while addressing Western ambassadors at a reception inMoscow. With these words Khrushchev announced a period during which he wouldprobe the West for weakness and opportunity. The Berlin Crisis exemplified thisexpansionist policy.
Time:Mid WarSide: USSROps: 4Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
You often see this played for Ops, because 4 Ops is a lot of Ops, and the USSR ordinarily does notwant to drop DEFCON. If you really wanted to drop DEFCON to 2, you can usually just use thecard for a nice coup.
However, there are certain situations where you want to drop DEFCON in the headline phase.Perhaps the US made an AR7 play and you’d prefer your AR1 to be spent doing something other
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than couping. Perhaps you think the US will drop DEFCON in their headline and a DEFCON victoryis one of the few ways you can win the game.
And of course, sometimes you just want 3 VPs. It’s a ton of VPs, and towards the end of the MidWar, if you can lower DEFCON, 4 Ops for 3 VPs is a decent trade. Indeed, what usually pushes meto headline it is the combination of the VPs plus the chance for an instant DEFCON win.
The 3VPs take precedence over any card played by the US, so if you play We Will Bury You on at-17VP, and the US plays a scoring card worth +10VP on its next AR, We Will Bury You goes firstand ends the game before the US scoring card is tabulated.
Note that you can almost always headline this safely, since it is a 4 Ops event, meaning the onlypossible US headline that would take precedence and drop DEFCON is Soviets Shoot Down KAL-007.
As US
A DEFCON suicide card almost all of the time, and even when it isn’t automatic suicide, 3VP is alot to give up. I almost always send this to space. You could theoretically use this as a way to dropDEFCON in the headline if you have UN Intervention in your hand, but you’d probably prefer tojust use UN Intervention with this for the 4 Ops.
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Brezhnev Doctrine
Brezhnev Doctrine
1968
Announced to a crowd of Polish workers by Brezhnev himself, the Brezhnev Doctrineclarified the de facto policy of the Soviet Union, the Prague Spring. Namely, currentsocialist countries would not be allowed to abandon socialism or adopt a position ofneutrality. The doctrine contributed to the Soviets’ miscalculation of world reaction totheir invasion of Afghanistan. They looked upon the invasion as the mere applicationof this well-understood doctrine.
Time:Mid WarSide: USSROps: 3Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
A superb USSR Mid War headline at a time when there is usually very little good news for theUSSR. Compared to Containment, it has two disadvantages: first, it comes at a time when there isless opportunity for Ops on the board, and second, if drawn by the US, it has zero effect instead ofa minimal effect.
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But its great advantage over Containment is that it allows the USSR to deal with the irritating MidWar US 1 Op cards: OAS Founded, Panama Canal Returned, Kitchen Debates, and Sadat ExpelsSoviets. (Sometimes CIA Created, if you are unlucky.) It makes those events eligible for the SpaceRace and alternatively makes it much easier to mitigate their effects. (The latter is also true for UssuriRiver Skirmish.)
Occasionally I will hold this from turn to turn if my hand is not particularly suited for BrezhnevDoctrine (e.g., many scoring cards or no US events). But I will always headline it sooner or later.
As US
Play it on the last Action Round and be glad you drew it.
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Portuguese Empire Crumbles
Portuguese Empire Crumbles
1974
Portugal was the last European power to abandon her major colonial possessions inAfrica. While admitted to NATO, Portugal was ruled by dictatorship under AntonioSalazar, who felt that colonial possessions would preserve Portugal’s place in thecommunity of nations. Nevertheless, the repression of nationalist insurgencies broughtcriticism both from newly independent nations, as well as Portugal’s NATO allies.Finally, with a democratic government in place, Portugal renounced its claims. Shortlythereafter, Portugal’s former colonies of Angola and Mozambique descended into civilwar and became major flash points for East and West on the continent of Africa.
Time:Mid WarSide: USSROps: 2Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
If you hadn’t drawn De-Stalinization or Decolonization, then Portuguese Empire Crumbles andSouth African Unrest are your primary non-coup ways to get into Africa. The event can also
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sometimes flip Angola, but most US players will overcontrol 1-stability battlegrounds anyway (soyou can’t just flip it with a 3 Ops). And if you’re under Red Purge, the event’s text suddenly looksa lot better when the alternative is just 1 Op.
Outside of these situations I rarely play Portuguese Empire Crumbles for the event. It’s the Angolainfluence that really matters, and if you needed 2 influence there you could just use the card’s Opsand keep the event in the deck.
As US
Drawing Portuguese Empire Crumbles is not much of a problem. The 2 Ops can easily be used torepair Angola, and who really cares about SE African States. If the USSR isn’t in Africa, then I willconsider spacing it, but if that’s the case then you should also be able to use the card’s Ops andcontrol of Zaire/South Africa/Botswana to realign the Angola influence out.
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South African Unrest
South African Unrest
1964 – 1994
The racist, minority government of South Africa began to be challenged by the AfricanNational Congress with Soviet and Cuban assistance from bases in Tanzania andZambia and other “front-line” states. The era of peaceful resistance formally ended withthe massacres in Sharpeville and Langa. For its part, South Africa sought to destabilizeits neighbors, and undertook an invasion of Namibia, while also supporting UNITAin Angola and FRELIMO in Mozambique. However, increasing black population, morepowerful black trade unions, and hostility from other western nations eventually placedSouth Africa on the defensive. While the Reagan Administration pursued a policy of“constructive engagement” with the Apartheid government, it remained a controversialproposition. Ultimately, the collapse of the eastern bloc made P.W. Botha’s release ofNelson Mandela inevitable.
Time:Mid WarSide: USSROps: 2Removed after event: No
As USSR
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Practically speaking, South African Unrest serves much the same purposes as Portuguese EmpireCrumbles, though it’s a tiny bit better because its influence goes into more important countries andis recurring. I will still usually play it for Ops, unless the 2 influence in a neighbor gives me thechance to flip Angola. Usually 1 in South Africa is not a huge deal, and isn’t going to let you flip acontrolled South Africa. But if the countries are open to Ops, or if I haven’t been able to get into theregion, then South African Unrest is a godsend.
I almost always choose 1 in South Africa and 2 in a neighbor. For one, it’s 50% more influence, andno longer counterable with the card’s Ops. For two, Angola and Botswana are both lucrative targets,and 2 influence in Angola can sometimes flip the country. Only if I already control Angola/Botswanawill I consider putting both influence into South Africa.
Despite a possible interpretation of the event’s text otherwise, you cannot use this for 1 in Angolaand 1 in Botswana: it has to be 1 in South Africa plus 2 in Angola or 2 in Botswana.
As US
Muchmore annoying to deal with than Portuguese Empire Crumbles, since you can’t actually repair3 influence with 2 Ops. If the USSR chooses 2 in South Africa, then it’s no big deal, but 2 intoBotswana and/or Angola is more annoying, especially if you want to use your Ops before the eventbut don’t know which one the USSR will play into.
That having been said, it’s a lot less painful than some other USSR events, so I usually just suck it upand play it. But if I have nothing more urgent to space, then this is certainly going to space insteadof being (at best) an empty Action Round.
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Allende
Allende
1970 – 1973
A physician, Salvador Allende was popularly elected in Chile to lead that nation’sfirst socialist government. Allende moved quickly to socialize copper production—Chile’s largest export commodity. The mines were largely held by two US companies,Kennecott and Anaconda. Relations with the US soon turned frosty, and the CIAsupported an attempted coup in 1970. It failed. However, as the West applied harsheconomic sanctions, the Allende regime floundered in its second and third years. In1973, the military, led by Augusto Pinochet, deposed Allende with a bloody assault onthe presidential palace. Allende took his own life.
Time:Mid WarSide: USSROps: 1Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
If you haven’t made it into South America, then Allende is great, obviously, but beware gettingwiped out by realignment.
Mid War 139
If you’re already in South America, then Allende is rarely helpful unless you really need 2 influencein Chile right now. Better to just let it come back in the Late War.
When taking over South America, I usually take over Chile last, because maybe the US has to playAllende for me. But as soon as I suspect the scoring card is coming, I take Chile rather than miss outon Control or Domination because I was too cheap to spend two influence.
Similarly, if I need to establish access to South America via coup, I usually coup Venezuela/Brazil,because I might eventually gain access to Chile via Allende and Argentina via The Iron Lady.
As US
The easiest way of dealing with Allende is to overcontrol Chile first and then use Allende’s 1 Op torepair the damage. If the USSR doesn’t have access into South America, then the best way of dealingwith Allende is usually via realignment: take Peru and Argentina, then realign away the two USSRinfluence.
The worst situation is when neither of you are in South America: you’ll just have to hold Allendefor a long time. If forced to play it, your best bet is to still try to realign Chile, with 1/6 odds¹⁰ ofknocking the USSR out entirely.
¹⁰http://twilightstrategy.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/ts-realignment-probability-charts.pdf
Mid War 140
Willy Brandt
Willy Brandt
1969
An ardent socialist and opponent of the Nazi party during his youth, Willy Brandt ledtheWest German Socialist Democratic party to the Chancellorship in 1969. There he im-plemented the same pragmatic approach to east-west linkages that had characterized hismayorship of West Berlin. Termed Ostpolitik, under Brandt, West Germany normalizedrelations with the Soviet Union, Poland and Czechoslovakia. While not abandoning thenotion of German reunification, he acknowledged the inviolability of existing bordersand went on to normalize relations with East Germany. Ultimately, his government wasbrought down by an internal spy scandal.
Time:Mid WarSide: USSROps: 2Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
The only reason you’d ever want to play this for the event is for VP; adding 1 influence into a 4-stability country is like drilling for oil with a toothpick, and you’d rarely want to realign, much lesscoup, West Germany anyway.
Mid War 141
If France somehow is still empty on Turn 4, Willy Brandt makes a decent headline by “kicking downthe door” to France and giving you access. But you should have already gotten access to France,either by forcing your way into West Germany/Italy earlier, or Decolonizing into Algeria.
As US
If you really, honestly, have nothing else to space, then you may as well space Willy Brandt. UsuallyI’m more than happy to give the USSR a VP and play the 2 Ops, especially since I probably usedMarshall Plan to shore up West Germany a little. If it hasn’t been triggered, then Willy Brandt isequivalent to a 1 Op if you use the other Op to repair West Germany. But you don’t even really needto repair West Germany yet if Europe Scoring has come and gone.
Mid War 142
Muslim Revolution
Muslim Revolution
1979
As secular Arab and Muslim states throughout the Middle East displayed corruption,repression and incompetence, more radical forms of Islam began to come to the fore.The Muslim Brotherhood, founded in Egypt, sought to topple the secular regime thereand in Syria. This led to further cycles of repression and authoritarian rule within thesecountries. A similar cycle took place in Iran under Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi.A long standing regional ally of the United States, and the West generally, the Shahwas deposed by a popular revolution led by the anti-western Ayatollah Khomeini.This ushered in the world’s first contemporary theocracy. Iran’s Mullahs would spendthe rest of the 20th Century in efforts to export their revolution to other Shia Muslimcommunities.
Time:Mid WarSide: USSROps: 4Removed after event: No
As USSR
Mid War 143
Muslim Revolution is one of the main reasons US players tend to avoid the Middle East. This istherefore one of those cards that derives much of its power from the threat rather than its actualeffect. And since it is a 4 Ops card, I am often tempted to use it for Ops instead of the event,particularly if Middle East Scoring has come and gone.
In general, there are three reasons I will play this for the event:
First, when the US controls the 3-stability battlegrounds (Iraq and Saudi Arabia). They lose moreinfluence, and also can’t recontrol both in a single turn.
Second, you have enough influence in the country to automatically take it over. For example, if Iranis already at 4/2, then it goes to 0/2 and becomes yours after Muslim Revolution, instead of goingfrom 2/0 to 0/0.
Third, if the US has no access to the affected battlegrounds and therefore can’t get back in beforeyou. If the US has no influence in Tunisia, Sudan, and Israel, then they can’t do anything aboutlosing Libya/Egypt, and you have a lot of time to control them. This is especially pertinent if it isknocking the US out of the region entirely — but be mindful of Sadat Expels Soviets / Camp DavidAccords!
Of course, make sure that what you’re doing actually affects the scoring of the region. If the regionis tied 3-3, or you are being dominated 4-2, then you’re OK with knocking the US out of twobattlegrounds, letting them take one back, and then taking the other. But if you are losing the MiddleEast 5-1, you need to be able to take both battlegrounds before the US does to make it worthwhile.And if you are dominating the Middle East, then re-evaluate whether you really need the benefitfrom Muslim Revolution. (Of course, Shuttle Diplomacy throws a wrench into all of this math.)
As US
A notorious bugbear for American players, and a commonly-spaced event. But the threat thatMuslim Revolution poses is often overrated: provided the three conditions listed above do not apply,it is usually a null event like Socialist Governments. If you are 2/0 on Libya/Egypt, then you lose 4influence and have 4 Ops to put them back in. Influence in Israel and Tunisia is a great way to dothis.
Note that Muslim Revolution—crucially—does not affect Israel or Lebanon, two great places forthe US to hide during the Muslim Revolution. This is partially why Lebanon is such an importantcountry to take in the Early War, since it is the only Middle East country completely immune to badevents until the Late War.
Mid War 144
ABM Treaty
ABM Treaty
1972
The Anti Ballistic Missile Treaty sought to cement the system of mutually assureddestruction as the lynchpin of strategic balance. The ABM treaty restricted the abilityof the two superpowers to defend themselves from nuclear strike. In theory, this madea first strike to prevent the introduction of destabilizing defensive systems unnecessary.Both nations were allowed to defend either their capital or one field of ICBMs with amissile defense system. The Soviets deployed such a system aroundMoscow. Ultimately,the US abandoned its system deployed in Grand Forks, North Dakota.
Time:Mid WarSide: NeutralOps: 4Removed after event: No
One of the Big Three Mid War neutral events, along with Brush War and Junta, and easily one ofthe best events in the game.
Its most common use is as a free 4 Ops coup after DEFCON drops to 2. (Somewhat ironic that ananti-ballistic missile treaty is intended to launch coups, but that’s Cold War logic for you I suppose.)
Mid War 145
This is a pretty self-explanatory way to dramatically alter the dynamics of South America or CentralAmerica, and more rarely a way to really, really lock up an African battleground. For the US, theyget a small bonus here with NORAD.
You can also headline this to conduct operations in the headline. Headlining it (or playing it on AR1,as USSR) gives you the chance to perform the rare Asia coup, possibly flipping Thailand or Pakistan.
Of course, being able to conduct operations in the headline is an all-around useful tactic. The UScan perform the SALT-ABM trick: use SALT Negotiations to reclaim ABM Treaty to your hand atthe end of the turn, pushing DEFCON up two levels. Then as DEFCON rises to 5 next turn, youheadline ABM Treaty and get to conduct operations in Europe in the headline phase: typically aseries of realignments, though occasionally you might see an Italy coup. The USSR can do this too,but it’s a little bit trickier: first, you’re giving the US a free (albeit -1) battleground coup on AR7;second, the US might headline Defectors; third, a US 4 Ops headline would trigger before yours. TheUS faces none of these problems.
Mid War 146
Cultural Revolution
Cultural Revolution
1966 – 1977
While primarily representative of an internal power struggle within the People’s Repub-lic of China, the Cultural Revolution had profound international implications. As MaoZedong felt increasingly marginalized by moderates within the Chinese Communistparty, he lashed out to restore ideological purity and train the next generation ofrevolutionaries. The resulting turmoil of purges, denunciations, and creation of theRed Guard brought China to the brink of civil war. It also made more pronounced, therupture between China and the Soviet Union. However, the anarchy and isolationismthat reigned made rapprochement between the United States and the PRC impossible.As the Nixon administration took office, the gulf between the two nations appearedwider than ever.
Time:Mid WarSide: USSROps: 3Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
Mid War 147
Of the three China Card events (Nixon Plays the China Card and Ussuri River Skirmish are theothers), this one has the least useful “if you already have the China Card” effect. 1 VP for 3 Ops ispathetic and almost never worth the trade.
However, claiming the China Card face-up is much more lucrative: having the China Card helpsprotect you from DEFCON suicide and makes it much easier to manage your hand. I will thereforeoften play this to claim the China Card if I can spare 3 Ops. If I already hold the China Card, Iusually just use Cultural Revolution for the Ops, but occasionally I’ll play the China Card first, andthen take it back with Cultural Revolution.
If for some reason you know that the US is holding Cultural Revolution (say, on Turn 7), it’s nice toplay the China Card, giving it to them face-down, and forcing them into a difficult decision (holdCultural Revolution to next turn, space it, or play it and give back the China Card face-up).
As US
By definition, the China Card is worth at least 2 VPs because whoever holds it at the end of the gamegets 1 VP. So there’s no reason to play this and just hand over the China Card, especially face-up. Ifyou draw this holding the China Card, you should always play the China Card first, then trigger itfor a measly -1 VP. And if you draw it while the USSR holds the China Card, try to play it as soonas possible, because the only time this card is really annoying is when you have the China Cardface-down.
Mid War 148
Flower Power
Flower Power
1965 – 1970
A term reportedly coined by the poet Allen Ginsberg, “flower power” came to representthe nonviolence and peace movements of the 1960s. The classical context for the phrasewas the placement of daisies into rifle muzzles, and the anti-war slogan “make love,not war.” Flower power is also representative of the general ambivalence to the use ofmilitary force that resulted from the American experience in Vietnam.
Time:Mid WarSide: USSROps: 4Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
It is hard for me to imagine when I would ever play this for the event. Conceivably, if I used LoneGunman to spy on the US hand, and saw that they had literally a ton of “War” cards, then FlowerPower would be worth it. Conceivably.
Otherwise, the benefit is just way too speculative to pass up 4 Ops. As a 1 Op card, I might take thechance. As a 4 Ops, you’d have to be crazy, desperate, or most likely, both. Like NATO, this is oneof those events you have to hope the opponent triggers for you.
Mid War 149
As US
Like the USSR, you are probably not going to pass up the 4 Ops from this card. Unlike the USSR,you’re going to have deal with its ill effects later on: chances are, you’ll probably draw at least oneor two “War” cards and be forced to space them or lose 2 VP per. Fairly annoying, and everyone hasforgotten about Flower Power at one point or another and lost 2 VP without realizing it.
Generally I’ll just space the War cards, which isn’t a big deal until you have other cards you wantto space as well (or if you’re Purged). Brush War is of course the main exception.
Usually I don’t end up playing An Evil Empire for the event unless I also have a lot of “War” cardsin hand with An Evil Empire. And it goes without saying that if you draw Flower Power with “War”cards in hand, you should play all the Wars first.
Note that Arab-Israeli War, if prevented by Camp David Accords, does not count for Flower Powerand is a safe play.
Mid War 150
U-2 Incident
U-2 Incident
1960
Starting in 1955, the United States began running surveillance flights over the SovietUnion at altitudes beyond Soviet anti-aircraft ranges. However, in May of 1960, aSoviet Sam II missile struck Francis Gary Powers’ aircraft in Soviet airspace. Plane,pilot and gear were captured by the USSR. The incident proved a major embarrassmentto the Eisenhower administration, as they initially denied that the US was runningsuch missions. The successful downing of the U-2 caused a major chill in superpowerrelations and was a propaganda coup for the Soviet Union.
Time:Mid WarSide: USSROps: 3Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
3 Ops is better than 1 VP, and still better than a chance at 2 VPs. So unless you’re at -18 or -19VPs,play this for the Ops.
As US
Mid War 151
Play this for the Ops and don’t think twice about it, unless you’re at -19VPs, in which case space it,duh.
Pedantical aside
Muchmore interesting (tome, at least) is whether this card should be “U2 Incident” or “U-2 Incident”.According to both the 1962 United States Tri-Service military aircraft designation system¹¹ as well asthe U.S. Navy Style Guide¹², military aircraft is always designated with a hyphen (e.g., U-2, F/A-18Hornet, B-52 Stratofortress). But in Twilight Struggle, both the card and the Player Aid Card Listomit the hyphen. (Oddly enough, the historical notes at the end of the rulebook, as reprinted above,do include the hyphen.)
Of course, it is possible that the event is actually referring to an incident involving a certain Irishrock band, and the picture of the plane is just thrown in there to confuse us.
¹¹http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1962_United_States_Tri-Service_aircraft_designation_system¹²http://www.navy.mil/tools/styleguide_print.asp
Mid War 152
OPEC
OPEC
1960
Founded to allow oil producing countries to have more control over the price of oil, andthereby state revenues, OPEC has grown into an institution that controls two-thirdsof the world’s oil reserves and generates roughly half of the world’s oil exports. Thecreation of OPECwas amajor blow to the control of the global oil market by theWesterngiants like Exxon and British Petroleum. While OPEC does include non-Middle Easterncountries such as Venezuela, Indonesia and Nigeria, it is heavily dominated by countriesfrom that region. As a result, OPEC has intervened in the political crises there. Mostfamously, OPEC refused oil exports to Western countries supporting Israel in the YomKippur (or October) War. This resulted in a 400% increase in oil prices and requiredrationing in the West.
Time:Mid WarSide: USSROps: 3Removed after event: No
As USSR
Mid War 153
OPEC is a bit like an extra Middle East scoring card, except only for you. It is up to you how manycountries you need in order to trigger OPEC: I have done it for 1 VP, but usually I probably wouldn’tusually trigger it once it is 2 or fewer VPs. Normally this ends up being around 4-5 VPs; I often holdonto it to see if I can extract some extra value out of it.
As US
OPEC really is like an extra Middle East scoring card, but unlike a Middle East scoring card, it has3 Ops and therefore can be spaced. And indeed, I usually do space it, since it is a rare game indeedwhere this isn’t scoring 3+ VPs.
Alternatively, you can also use the 3 Ops to try to break control of a USSR country to lower OPEC’seffect. This is like a Special Relationship null play, but carries the disadvantage that you’re probablystill giving up some VPs.
On Turn 6, this is one of those cards that I make sure to try to hold past the Turn 7 reshuffle beforediscarding, since this is particularly bad time to be handing the USSR an extra 4-5 VPs.
Incidentally, any time you see the USSR play into Gulf States, you should be on alert that OPEC iscoming.
Mid War 154
Lone Gunman
Lone Gunman
1963
While campaigning in Dallas, Texas, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated byLee Harvey Oswald. Two commissions, the Warren Commission, and the House SelectCommittee on Assassinations, differed over whether or not Oswald acted alone. Inany case, the circumstances of the President’s death threw the country into a panicand created ample opportunity for conspiracy theories ranging from the Mafia, theCuban government, the KGB and America’s own CIA. It also marked the beginning ofa string of high profile political assassinations in the United States that would includeDr. Martin Luther King and John Kennedy’s brother (and Democratic Presidentialcandidate) Robert Kennedy. These untimely deaths shook American confidence andadded to the malaise of the Vietnam era.
Time:Mid WarSide: USSROps: 1Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
Mid War 155
I usually try to keep this in the deck, especially if I’m not doing well as the USSR. But it does makefor a decent headline, especially if you draw this on Turn 7 or later and there’s no way it would endup in the US hand anyway.
It’s always lovely when the US is forced to headline this event, especially since you can either usethe 1 Op for influence or realignments, and then coup with a bigger card on AR1, or just coup withit in the headline to avoid NORAD.
As US
Lone Gunman is in general the most painful DEFCON degrader in the game. You can’t space it, likewithWeWill Bury You. You can’t match it up with Containment, which should usually get triggeredin the Early War. It’s worse than its counterpart CIA Created because you’ll always have influenceto target with it, and you can’t play it on AR1.
So unless you headline it, you’ll almost never get a chance to get rid of this DEFCON suicide card.The general DEFCON article discusses in greater detail how to deal with cards like these, so I willjust make a few particular notes:
One unusual way to escape Lone Gunman, if you can’t hold a card to next turn, is to Quagmireyourself on the second-to-last turn holding just Lone Gunman. As you can’t discard Lone Gunman,you just skip your Action Round and get to hold it to next turn. Obviously not ideal, but stillpreferable to DEFCON suicide.
I generally hold Lone Gunman turn to turn until I find someway to get rid of it. The alternative is justto bite the bullet and headline it, but the problem, of course, is that Lone Gunman causes maximumhurt in the headline phase and can still lose you the game if the USSR headlines a DEFCON degrader.(Usually the USSR doesn’t, though, since they intend to coup, but NORAD changes this dynamicsomewhat.)
However, if you are forced to lose a card, via Blockade, Aldrich Ames Remix, or Terrorism, holdingLone Gunman basically loses you the game if you can’t raise DEFCON or play the China Card. Soif you are threatened by any of those and lack the China Card, you are basically forced to headlineLone Gunman rather than risk the loss.
Finally, never give up just because you realize you are stuck with Lone Gunman! There is alwaysthe chance that the last USSR play will be Ask Not …
Mid War 156
Colonial Rear Guards
Colonial Rear Guards
1946 – 1988
The Cold War was instigated in the context of an evolving international system.As the world relinquished a multi-polar system comprised of polyglot empires, itreplaced it with a bi-polar system dominated by continental nation states. Anti-colonialmovements tended to have strong anti-western sentiments, as the foremost colonialpowers were now in the western camp. However, the drive to independence was notuniform, nor uniformly successful. Several long rear-guard actions were fought bythe colonial powers that either lengthened their stay or maintained a quasi-colonialrelationship with the newly independent country. British intervention in Malaya (1948),the French resistance to Algerian independence (1954) and South African intransigencein Namibia (1966) all serve as examples of this aspect of the post colonial experience.
Time:Mid WarSide: USOps: 2Removed after event: No
As USSR
Mid War 157
Almost always worth spacing as the USSR, since it adds 4 influence to low-stability countries andyou only have 2 influence with which to respond. Along with Nuclear Subs, it can flip a USSR-controlled Africa to capitalism very quickly.
As US
Identical to and yet weaker than Decolonization, Colonial Rear Guards doesn’t usually come outfast enough to lock up Africa or Southeast Asia. But it’s still a very strong event: it can be used asa destabilizing headline or AR7 play if the USSR controls Africa and Southeast Asia. If I don’t haveimmediate use for it, I tend to hold it or use it for overprotection insurance influence rather than the2 Ops.
Normally the influence from this will be dumped into Africa, since Southeast Asia should no longerbe very contested. But I usually put at least one into Thailand (to threaten a China Card takeover),and then perhaps some into Philippines / Malaysia / Indonesia if Southeast Asia will be scoredsoon and those countries are still uncontrolled. But the influence usually goes much farther in the1-stability African battlegrounds.
Mid War 158
Panama Canal Returned
Panama Canal Returned
1970
Though widely criticized by the right domestically, the Carter administration’s decisionto turn over the Panama Canal to Panama proved immensely popular with LatinAmerica. The Canal was a vital strategic link for the United States navy both duringthe First and Second World Wars. However, by the time of the Korean War, the canalwas no longer large enough to accommodate contemporary warships. With its utility tothe U.S. military greatly diminished, while its propaganda value as a relic of Americanimperialism still on the rise, Carter realized that gradual hand-over of the canal was thebest policy alternative.
Time:Mid WarSide: USOps: 1Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
In many ways this is similar to Allende, with sides reversed. If the US is already in South America,then it’s not a big deal: maybe buff up Panama/Venezuela a little bit before playing this, or don’teven bother if the US already controls both of those countries. (Who cares about Costa Rica?)
Mid War 159
But if the US isn’t in South America, and especially if you don’t yet have the region locked down,this is hugely problematic. You could theoretically use the 1 Op to realign the US out of Venezuela,but your odds of success are only 27.78%. A better use is often to headline Panama Canal Returned,and then try to coup Venezuela on AR1 (or, if you are concerned about the US dropping DEFCONin the headline, use the 1 Op of Panama Canal Returned on AR1 to coup Venezuela, but with only1/2 chance of success).
As US
I normally use this for the event only when I need to establish access to South America, though ofcourse I will be careful to do so only at DEFCON 2. It can also be useful as an AR7 play to breakUSSR control of Venezuela or Panama (preferably both).
Mid War 160
Camp David Accords
Camp David Accords
1978
Following a lull in the Middle East peace process caused by the 1976 presidentialelections, President Carter entered office with a burst of new energy on the subject.Through direct personal appeal, Carter was able to bring ultimate resolution to the YomKippur War and completely change the dynamic of the Middle Eastern question. Israeland Egypt normalized relations and a framework for Middle East peace was agreedto. Years later, this would allow for the Oslo accord, and the Jordanian–Israeli PeaceAgreement. Additionally, Carter also secured the complete realignment of Egypt. Oncea Nasser led hotbed of anti-Western feeling, Egypt was to become one of America’sforemost allies in the region. Sadat would pay dearly for the leadership he showedduring the talks. He was assassinated by Islamic radicals in 1981.
Time:Mid WarSide: USOps: 2Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
Mid War 161
An event on the border between spacing and not spacing: none of the effects by themselves areparticularly harmful, but the combination of all three is a little bit irritating. The influence is oftennot worth repairing: Sadat Expels Soviets will likely undo all the work you’ve done in Egypt. ButCamp David Accords gives the US halfway to control, and Sadat takes them the rest of the way.
As US
A nice event, and one I try to trigger. It is especially nice when you have no influence in Egypt, sincethen Sadat Expels Soviets will give you Egypt instead of just putting it to 1/0. Cancelling Arab-IsraeliWar is a small bonus, and 1 VP is 1 VP.
Mid War 162
Puppet Governments
Puppet Governments
1949 – ?
Not a concept unique to the ColdWar, the term “puppet governments” refers to a regimethat holds power due to, and with the support of, either the Soviet Union or the UnitedStates. A derisive term, it is almost always used by the opponents of a state to underminethe government’s legitimacy. Both the Soviets and the Americans would apply the termto any closely allied state, but it might be better understood in the context of the Diemgovernment in South Vietnam or Mariam government of Ethiopia.
Time:Mid WarSide: USOps: 2Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
Early in the Mid War, this is usually a must-space because it gives the US access to otherwiseinaccessible battlegrounds (like a poor man’s De-Stalinization).
But even later in the Mid War, this is still a harsh event to deal with. The US can use it to take abunch of non-battlegrounds, thus limiting any possibility of you scoring Domination. Worse, it’s
Mid War 163
never clear whether you should use the Ops before or after the event: if you use it after, then theUS has more targets for the influence. But if you use it before, you’re allowing them “consecutiveactions” by letting the US drop 3 influence into countries like Colombia, Saharan States, or Nicaraguafor realigns on their next action.
So I usually try to space it. It’s fairly low on the priority list behind Grain Sales to Soviets and TheVoice of America, of course, but I would rather the US play this event than I. If I’m unable to space it,I try to make absolutely sure that there’s no semi-useful country out there for Puppet Governments(Afghanistan, Colombia) before playing it to coup back the most useful country that the US takes.
As US
This is the equivalent of De-Stalinization, except it gets pretty lame pretty quickly. In fact, I find itsefficacy is often directly correlated with whether Decolonization/De-Stalinization have been played.
If I’m playing this for the event, it’s either because I can place the influence in otherwise-inaccessiblebattlegrounds (not Mexico), I have a plan that involves controlling multiple non-battlegrounds (i.e.a headline threatening AR1 realignment, or denying an Africa Domination), or sometimes both.
If the USSR triggers it and all the obvious spots are taken, some frequently-overlooked countries todrop influence into include Czechoslovakia, Peru, and Tunisia, all of which offer some less-commonrealignment possibilities.
Mid War 164
Grain Sales to Soviets
Grain Sales to Soviets
1973 – 1980, 1981 – ?
In 1973, difficult climatic circumstances and dramatic crop failures prompted PresidentNixon to allow for massive grain sales to the Soviet Union. While a blow to Russianpride, the program was nevertheless a step towards normalized relations between thesuperpowers. Additionally, it provided an enduring domestic lobby to pressure forcontinued thawing in economic relations between the two countries. In 1980, PresidentCarter suspended the program in retaliation for the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.Shipments were resumed a year later under President Reagan. This culminated in atreaty with the Soviets, with the Soviets promising to buy 9 million tons of US grainsper year.
Time:Mid WarSide: USOps: 2Removed after event: No
As USSR
There is no card higher on the send-to-space priority list than Grain Sales. Even if it weren’t aDEFCON suicide card, the fact that it cuts your handsize makes it almost always unplayable.
Mid War 165
Being hit by Red Scare/Purge while you have this in hand is crippling. This card (and others likeVoice of America) is a reason why the USSR tries to hang onto the China Card during the Mid War,so that they can hold multiple cards from turn to turn.
SALT Negotiations is a good way to try to defuse Grain Sales — either you raise DEFCON andtherefore can play it without triggering suicide, or you get to draw an extra card from the deck andcan hold an extra card to next turn.
As US
This the best US event in the game. It is certainly by far the best all-around headline for the US:it conducts Operations, it cuts the USSR handsize, it can lead to a DEFCON win, it’s recurring, it’sunplayable by the USSR, and it’s impossible to backfire on you.
I almost always try to headline this, even if I have NORAD in play — the only possible exception isif I’m headlining Red Scare/Purge and have Bear Trap in hand. In that case I will save Grain Salesfor the next turn headline (but ideally trigger it before Turn 7).
Keep in mind that the handsize reduction for the Soviets is just as painful as the Operations youget to conduct; accordingly, I almost always take the card and play it rather than return it. (Alsoremember that because you’re just playing it like you’re playing any other card, you can do thingslike send it to space.) Even taking a neutral 1 Ops is often superior to returning the card because ofthe handsize problems.
There are a very few instances, however, where I would return the card:
• Scoring cards, assuming that the USSR is unlikely to improve its position, are a good candidateto return so that you can actually conduct Operations.
• Extremely strong USSR events like Brezhnev Doctrine or Decolonization, IF you can’t or don’twant to space it. For example, if I draw We Will Bury You, I typically just keep it and send itto space, but if I already have a card in my hand I need to space, or if I really need to conductOperations, then I will return it to the USSR.
• Harsh US events, like OAS Founded, are sometimes better left as crises for the USSR player(assuming he can’t space it).
• 1 Op events, if you desperately need 2 Ops for some particular reason. (This is rare.)
Mid War 166
John Paul II Elected Pope
John Paul II Elected Pope
1978
The first non-Italian to be elected Pope since the 16th Century, Pope John Paul IIrepresented a rejuvenation of Catholic influence upon the world stage. The UnitedStates gave formal diplomatic recognition to the Papacy for the first time in its history.As a Pope elected from communist Poland, John Paul II presented an enormouschallenge for Poland’s leadership. To criticize the new papacy would only alienatethe public, to embrace it would be antithetical to communist doctrine. Furthermore,John Paul II was known to be an ardent critic of communism. John Paul’s electionmarked a turning point in internal Polish political dynamics that would culminate inthe Solidarity movement. Mikhail Gorbachev remarked that the fall of the iron curtainwould have been impossible without John Paul II.
Time:Mid WarSide: USOps: 2Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
Mid War 167
This isn’t really a problem to deal with influence-wise, since most Soviet Premiers alreadyoverprotect Poland with some mixture of Comecon/Warsaw Pact/opening setup influence.
The real issue is Solidarity, which can prove quite annoying later on. John Paul II won’t controlPoland for the US, but Solidarity (coupled with East European Unrest) can.
Therefore, at best, this event is only a wash for you, and at worst, it creates further problems for youdown the line. This makes John Paul II a very attractive recruit for the Soviet cosmonaut program.
As US
For the reasons listed above, I try to trigger John Paul II so that the USSR has to worry aboutSolidarity later. It’s a nice AR7 play, especially if you hold Truman Doctrine, because Poland is notonly adjacent to the USSR but also a key realignment modifier on East Germany when Tear DownThis Wall arrives in the Late War. It gets even better with NORAD in play, because it providesanother good place for NORAD influence.
But I wouldn’t over-invest into Eastern Europe until I’m sure that Warsaw Pact is safely disposedof. Trigger John Paul II, make the USSR sweat a little bit, but don’t immediately pour in influenceunless you know you can’t be thrown out by the Warsaw Pact.
Mid War 168
Latin American Death Squads
Latin American Death Squads
1960 – 1989
Throughout the Cold War, both left and rightwing governments supported reactionaryregimes that resorted to disproportionate force when reacting to threats to that govern-ment. While this was a particular penchant of rightwing governments in Latin America,leftist governments also proved their deft use of brutality. El Salvador, Guatemala,and Columbia remain the most harrowing examples of the practice of governmentsponsored murder. President Osorio of Guatemala once infamously remarked “If it isnecessary to turn the country into a graveyard in order to pacify it, I will not hesitateto do so.”
Time:Mid WarSide: NeutralOps: 2Removed after event: No
A somewhat speculative headline, Latin American Death Squads is most useful when engaged in abattle for Central America (as the coup targets are better than in South America). It can also be usedas a prophylactic defense for one of your battlegrounds in case your opponent gets the battlegroundcoup.
Mid War 169
The main limit to its usefulness is that you don’t really need that many non-battleground coups.Therefore, events that allow more battleground coups by either side (SALT Negotiations, How ILearned to Stop Worrying, ABM Treaty, Nuclear Subs, etc.) all make LADS more useful, providedthat South America/Central America is yet to be scored.
Mid War 170
OAS Founded
OAS Founded
1948, 1967
Founded with the specific aim of promoting democracy in the western hemisphere, theOAS has been an occasionally useful body for the promotion of US interests withinthe hemisphere. It provided international legitimacy for US actions during both theCuban Missile Crisis and the US invasion of Grenada. Trade promotion and economicdevelopment were added to the OAS charter in Buenos Aires in 1967. The revision ofthe charter also established the existence of permanent OAS diplomatic venues with thecreation of a General Assembly in Washington, DC.
Time:Mid WarSide: USOps: 1Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
Several things combine to make this one of the nastiest US cards in the game for the USSR to dealwith:
Mid War 171
1. For starters, 1 Op is obviously not enough to offset the 2 influence. It also makes it unspaceable.2. If neither side is in South America, then it is terrible to just hand it over to the US with such
an event.3. Even if both sides are already in South America, OAS Founded has so many different targets
for its influence that it is therefore nearly impossible to preemptively defend against (like theUS can with Allende).
4. In particular, all of the 2-stability battlegrounds in the Americas are vulnerable to OASFounded. If Brazil is 0/2, then OAS Founded will make it either 2/2 or 2/3, and then a 3 Opscard is enough to take it over.
Accordingly, unless one side or the other has thoroughly locked up the Americas, I hold onto it untilI can find one of the following ways of discarding it:
• If neither side is in South America, it’s sometimes worth a speculative gamble to headlineOAS Founded, thereby giving you a juicy coup target on AR1. This could backfire horribly,though, if the US lowers DEFCON in the headline, denying you the coup, or if the US putsinfluence into Chile, whereupon you probably have to realign Chile instead (and give the USthe battleground coup).
• Brezhnev Doctrine allows you to space the card or repair its damage with 2 Ops instead of 1.The latter is usually preferable, but the former can be better if the US isn’t in South Americayet.
• Five Year Plan, in addition to being able to magically discard scoring cards, can also magicallydiscard OAS Founded if played on AR7 holding only these two cards. It will still trigger theevent, but now you have 3 Ops with which to deal with OAS Founded, rather than just 1.
As US
This is a gigantic pain for the USSR to deal with, and so it’s nice if you can return it to the draw deckfor the USSR to draw. I often find, however, that I can put it to better use either as a normal event (ifneither side is in South America and DEFCON has dropped to 2), or as a particularly painful AR7play. It is also a nice headline by threatening an advantageous AR1 scoring.
Mid War 172
Nixon Plays the China Card
Nixon Plays the China Card
1972
Realizing that normalization of relations with China was key for US withdrawal fromSouth Vietnam, Nixon sought a summit between himself and Mao. Nixon dispatchedHenry Kissinger to secret talks with the PRC’s foreign minister Chou En-lai to lay thegroundwork for the visit. Capitalizing on deteriorating Sino-Soviet relations, Nixonscored perhaps the greatest diplomatic coup of the Cold War. The Shanghai Com-munique that followed the summit danced around several fundamental disagreementsbetween the two countries, including Taiwan and Vietnam. However, it was clear thatthe Soviet Union could no longer depend upon Chinese support in regional conflicts.While Nixon expressed his desire to fully normalize relations between the two countriesquickly, Watergate interrupted these plans. It would fall to Jimmy Carter to restore fulldiplomatic relations between the two countries.
Time:Mid WarSide: USOps: 2Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
Mid War 173
An annoying China Card event with a choose-your-poison dilemma. The best solution to thisdilemma is to ignore it altogether by sending Nixon to space; if forced to play it, I would usuallyrather fork over 2 VPs than the China Card, but of course this may depend on the state of the scoringtrack.
As US
A good event. 2 Ops for 2 VPs is a strong trade, particularly towards the end of the Mid War, and theChina Card itself is worth at least 2 VPs (because possession at the end of the game gives +1 VP foryou rather than your opponent). The main drawback is that you only get the China Card facedown,thus depriving you of an Action Round of Ops, but if you have an AR to spare, it is worth playing.
Mid War 174
Sadat Expels Soviets
Sadat Expels Soviets
1972
Anwar Sadat was an early participant in anti-colonial activities against the British-sponsored Egyptian monarchy. He became vice president under Nasser, and inheriteda deteriorating relationship with the USSR when he transitioned into the presidency.The Soviets refused Egyptian demands for increased economic and military aid, andthe Egyptians were trying hard to keep a foot in both camps. In reaction, Sadat expelledthe 5,000 Soviet military advisors and 15,000 air force personnel in Egypt. After thebrokered Mideast peace following 1973 war, Sadat became convinced of the need forcloser relations with Washington.
Time:Mid WarSide: USOps: 1Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
Another in a long line of annoying, unspaceable US MidWar 1 Op cards. Coupled with Camp DavidAccords, Sadat gives Egypt to the US, throwing awrench in yourMiddle East Scoring or OPEC plans.
Mid War 175
But you don’t really have any other options — sometime in the Mid War, Sadat almost certainly willbe triggered. So it’s better to plan for him in advance: if the US breaks control of Egypt with CampDavid Accords, I don’t bother reinforcing it if I’m going to be expelled by Sadat soon afterwards.
For the most part Sadat can be effectively neutralized by keeping either Nasser orMuslim Revolutionin the deck.
As US
This is a great event if the USSR controls Egypt, and almost always worth triggering. It is better toplay Camp David Accords first, then Sadat, to keep the Sword of Damocles Sadat hanging over theUSSR’s head.
Mid War 176
Shuttle Diplomacy
Shuttle Diplomacy
1973
Personalized diplomacy that uses advances in transportation and communications,Shuttle Diplomacy was a hallmark of Henry Kissinger’s term as Secretary of State.Most famously, it was utilized to broker a cease-fire between Israel and Egypt afterthe Yom Kippur War. By acting as personal go-between for the Egyptians and Israelis,Kissinger maintained the pivotal role in discussions and minimized Soviet influenceover the negotiation process. Kissinger utilized a similar style when dealing with thenormalization of relations between the United States and the People’s Republic of China.
Time:Mid WarSide: USOps: 3Removed after event: No
As USSR
This event functions a lot like a US Flower Power, in that the USSRwill usually just bite the bullet andtrigger it, but the US will rarely find a reason to. Unlike Flower Power, however, Shuttle Diplomacyis guaranteed to have an effect — at a minimum, it will cost you 1 VP. Because both the Middle East
Mid War 177
and Asia have an even number of battlegrounds, nothing will usually happen if the USSR alreadyhas Domination and a 4-2 advantage in battlegrounds. But if you are tied 3-3 on battlegrounds, thenShuttle Diplomacy will often give the US Domination (usually the worst case scenario).
In summary, the possible outcomes for Shuttle Diplomacy are:
Middle East Asia
Does not affect scoring bonuses 1 VP 1 VPDenies USSR Presence 4 VP 4 VPAffects Domination 3 VP 5 VPDenies USSR Control 3 VP 3 VP
I’m therefore OK with playing Shuttle Diplomacy for the Ops. It is pretty far down the list in termsof Space Race priority unless I know for sure that it will affect the next Domination. Usually at leastone of the two regions should only be a 1VP swing.
Generally, you would rather Shuttle Diplomacy get triggered on the Middle East. Not only is thepotential Domination swing smaller, it is also more likely to have no effect on Domination in thefirst place.
As US
Like the USSR and Flower Power, it’s hard to find a reason for the US to play Shuttle Diplomacy forthe event. 3 Ops are immediately useful, whereas the event’s benefit is speculative and uncertainunless you also have the scoring card in hand. It is most effective when the battlegrounds are tied3-3, but even then, depending on non-battlegrounds, it still may not affect Domination. And even ifit affects Domination this turn, it may no longer by the time either of the scoring cards is played.
Rules clarifications:
• The US gets to choose which battleground to deny the USSR. This is relevant only in theextraordinarily rare circumstance where the USSR controls Japan.
• The USSR can lose Presence as a result of Shuttle Diplomacy, if they only control one country(which happens to be a battleground).
• The US cannot gain Control as a result of Shuttle Diplomacy.
Mid War 178
The Voice of America
The Voice of America
1947
Formed in 1942 under the War Information Office, the VOA initially broadcast warnews into Nazi occupied Europe. In 1947, it altered its mission to begin broadcastinginto the Soviet Union. Voice of America has become one of the best known internationalbroadcast efforts in the world. It provided a powerful outside link to the state-controlledmedia systems of the Eastern Bloc. Together with Radio Free Europe and Radio FreeAsia, Voice of America became a hallmark of US public diplomacy efforts during theCold War.
Time:Mid WarSide: USOps: 2Removed after event: No
As USSR
The Voice of America is a wholly unplayable event for the USSR. It ranks alongside DEFCON suicidecards in terms of Space Race priority; at least with Duck and Cover, you could headline it or play
Mid War 179
it on AR1 when DEFCON is still at 3. The Voice of America is never safe for the USSR to play andnever mitigatable, not even if boosted with Brezhnev Doctrine.
The event is at its worst when you just made inroads into a region and VOA eliminates you entirely:for instance, it is a perfect antidote to a Mid War De-Stalinization. It is therefore imperative for youto try to establish footholds of 5 influence (or one country with 3 influence) whenever and whereveryou fear VOA. Losing 4 influence is tough but at least salvageable; losing access entirely can decidethe game. This means, for instance, that you cannot just rely on 2 Venezuela / 2 Brazil as your solefoothold in South America, or 1 Angola / 1 Zaire / 1 Nigeria as your sole foothold in Africa.
As US
As indicated above, The Voice of America is best when you can use it to knock the USSR out of aregion entirely. Sometimes such a situation will naturally fall into your lap; other times, you canmanufacture such situations with an eye towards VOA as the knockout blow. A couple of strategiccoups and realignments can reduce the USSR down to what he thinks is a last stand, before VOAtakes him out by the knees.
If you can’t eliminate access, then the next best effect of VOA is in countries where you haveinfluence and can immediately control or threaten to immediately control. It is a good way tosimultaneously threaten two regions at once and force the USSR to choose between them.
VOA is one of the best AR7 plays. In particular, VOA is at its most devastating on Turn 10 AR7. If Idraw VOA in the Late War, I will do everything possible to make sure that I can hold it until thenfor a crippling final blow.
It is somewhat athematic that VOA cannot affect Europe, but I suppose the event is strong enoughwithout it being a quasi-East European Unrest as well.
Mid War 180
Liberation Theology
Liberation Theology
1969 – ?
An outgrowth of the Second Vatican Council, liberation theology stresses Jesus Christ asliberator. The theological strain that sustained this outlook originated in Latin Americaand flourished there, particularly with the Jesuit order. While never embraced by PopeJohn Paul II due to its Marxist undercurrents, liberation theology remains very popularwith individual priests and the laity in the third world. Its emphasis on social justiceand its critique of capitalist excess has, however, been incorporated into broader Churchdoctrine.
Time:Mid WarSide: USSROps: 2Removed after event: No
As USSR
A lifesaver in the Mid War by getting you into Central America. I almost always play this for theevent, unless Central America Scoring has been triggered unusually early. It is a strong headline
Mid War 181
that often breaks US control of multiple battlegrounds and opens the door for a highly advantageousCentral America Scoring (like Socialist Governments and Europe).
It is often used to get to Mexico, otherwise inaccessible as Fidel gets you Cuba and Panama can becouped. Beware being realigned out of Mexico, however, especially if you lose Guatemala. You canalso use it to grab a lot of non-battlegrounds to cement your or deny their Domination.
As US
One of the few genuinely unpleasant MidWar USSR events. I usually send this to space, particularlyif the USSR has no access to Central America. Even if they do, it takes 3 Ops to repair the damage, andso it’s usually just easier to send it to space rather than preemptively fortify the region. In addition,Central America Scoring is often decided by non-battlegrounds, and Liberation Theology can veryinconveniently take a whole bunch of non-battlegrounds all at once.
One of the main ways to defuse this card is to make sure to play into Mexico. Most US players getcomplacent about their southern border, and end up losing it to Liberation Theology before theyhad a chance to contest it. Yes, you can realign the USSR out, but I’d rather not have to worry aboutit in the first place.
Mid War 182
Ussuri River Skirmish
Ussuri River Skirmish
1969
After years of deteriorating relations and China’s first nuclear test, forces of the People’sRepublic of China and the Soviet Union clashed along their long and porous border.The Ussuri and Amur Rivers’ possession remained uncertain between the two nationsand were a source of friction. Following a military buildup on both sides of theborder, tensions spilled over into a several sharp skirmishes. While full-blown war wasavoided, the fighting led directly to the People’s Republic of China’s interest in rapidlynormalizing relations with the United States.
Time:Mid WarSide: USOps: 3Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
This is like an amped-up version of Nixon Plays the China Card, in that you are presented with twovery unappealing choices.
Mid War 183
There are really two options to this — either you can just fork over the China Card face-up, which isbad for all sorts of reasons, or you can give the US 4 influence, knowing you can only repair 3. Thelatter is better if the US doesn’t have a face-up China Card, i.e., you played the China Card earlierin the turn.
Regardless of the path you chose, triggering this event basically means the loss of Asia or the ChinaCard, rendering you very vulnerable to DEFCON suicide. As a result I almost always send it tospace.
As US
Themain appeal of Ussuri River Skirmish is that Asia is very difficult to flip. This event coupled withthe China Card is therefore one of the few ways to swing the region in your favor in the Mid Warif it has yet to be scored. 5 Ops is enough to flip any uncontrolled 3-stability country or any non-overcontrolled 2-stability country. I usually target Thailand first, then Pakistan/North Korea/SouthKorea, depending on which I control.
Although Ussuri is a powerful event, it’s also easily parried with a 4 Ops card. Therefore, you wantto time Ussuri so that the USSR either can’t respond to it (late in the turn, when he has used up hishigh Ops cards), or must hand over the initiative in order to do so (i.e., headlining Ussuri or playingit on AR7). It’s even better when you can headline Ussuri River Skirmish on top of an AR7 playthat already de-stabilized Asia, because then the damage is hopefully irreparable in a single ActionRound.
You can also just play Ussuri for the China card, which I often do if I need to hold an extra card thisturn (and would therefore like to play the China Card), take away a safety outlet for the USSR, or ifAsia has already been scored.
Mid War 184
“Ask Not What Your Country Can Do For You…”
“Ask Not What Your Country Can Do For You…”
1961 – 1973
The seminal line of perhaps the most powerful inaugural address ever given by a USpresident, President Kennedy ushered in an era of American confidence and resolveduring the Cold War. Popular with American youth, Kennedy inspired a reneweddedication for public service both with ambitious goals for government sponsoredscience and youth oriented public service like the Peace Corps. His call for selflessdedication to the needs of the nation reflected the passion of a restless generation ofyoung Americans eager to make their mark upon the world.
Time:Mid WarSide: USOps: 3Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
The standard way to get rid of this is to play it on the last Action Round, when hopefully the US hasalready taken care of all its problematic cards and has nothing left to discard.
Mid War 185
But before you do so, you should consider whether it’s possible that a) the US knows you have it, orb) the US is still holding on to Lone Gunman or a bad scoring card. Many experienced US playerssometimes hold onto bad cards in the Mid War in hopes of a USSR Ask Not… that will save themfrom Lone Gunman / bad scoring cards.
The best “double agent” trick here is if the US sees you have Ask Not… in your hand (via CIACreated), assumes you’ll play it, and then you instead make a vicious AR7 play that forces a responsefrom them using the very card they had hoped to discard.
Regardless, I rarely space this event. I really don’t want the US to draw it in their hand, even in theLate War. Sooner or later there’ll be a time when you can safely play this on AR7 knowing that thereis not much the US can discard.
As US
An absolute life-saver for the US, and potentially one of the most powerful cards in the gamedepending on what you’re discarding. When I draw this, I hold onto it from turn to turn, potentiallyeven using the China Card to hold more bad cards, so that I can assemble together the worst possiblehand to discard. Generally this means Lone Gunman and bad scoring cards, plus some combinationof unpleasant USSR events like We Will Bury You, Muslim Revolution, and OPEC. (Yes, this meansthat I am holding onto President Kennedy’s inaugural speech to get rid of Lee Harvey Oswald. Got aproblem, history?) If there’s anything I can even remotely deal with, I will try to deal with it withoutenlisting the services of President Kennedy.
When I do finally discard to Ask Not…, I usually also discard weak low Ops neutral events (goodbye,Summit), or sometimes even low Ops US events if they aren’t helpful (e.g., Sadat Expels Soviets ifI already control Egypt). Sometimes I’ll hold onto a high Ops starred USSR event that I don’t mindtriggering, or would rather trigger than send back into the deck, but those are rare. U-2 Incident andCultural Revolution are perhaps the only ones that comes to mind.
If I don’t have Ask Not…, I try to keep it in my mind. If holding Lone Gunman or a killer scoringcard, I will sometimes hold onto it until AR7 (as described above) and hope for a miracle discard.
If somehow Ask Not… ends up in the discard, remember that it is potentially a great target for SALTNegotiations and/or Star Wars if necessary.
Finally, keep in mind that Ask Not is potentially a suicide card — not DEFCON suicide, but if youdraw more scoring cards than you have Action Rounds available. And even if it isn’t immediatesuicide, discarding when you don’t need to at the end of a turn can sometimes force you into doingsomething that you would not rather do. Exercise caution, therefore, when you are given the optionof discarding with just two cards and one play left.
Mid War 186
Alliance for Progress
Alliance for Progress
1961 – 1973
Initiated by President Kennedy as a counter for growing Cuban influence in Central andSouth America, the Alliance for Progress was to help integrate the economies of Northand Latin America. Emphases for the program included land reform, democratic reformand tax reform. By the late 60’s the United States had become fully embroiled in Vietnamand South Asia, thus aid for Latin America waned. Furthermore, few Latin Americancountries provedwilling to undertake the required reforms. As a result, the Organizationof American States disbanded its “permanent” Alliance for Progress Committee in 1973.
Time:Mid WarSide: USOps: 3Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
A lot like the US OPEC, with two very crucial differences: 1) Alliance for Progress is not recurring;2) Alliance for Progress often starts off scoring very low, but almost always scores quite high by theend of the game.
Mid War 187
It is therefore almost always an autoplay if I draw it early in the Mid War and the US doesn’t havemany battlegrounds. But if they already control more than 2, I’ll just send it to space and hope thatI draw it again later and can space it again. (Remember that like all discards, it is better discardedon Turn 7 than Turn 6.) If unable to space it, you can just use the Ops to break control of at least oneof the US battlegrounds first.
One of the best uses of this card is as your AR1 coup. Trigger the event after your coup, and oh,what’s this, I happened to coup away your only Latin American battleground. How unfortunate …
As US
The reverse of the USSR analysis holds: if this can’t score you 3 or more VPs, play it for Ops andtrigger it in the Late War for more. Once it gets to 3+ VPs, I tend to prepare to trigger it lest the USSRdraw it in the Late War.
Mid War 188
“One Small Step…”
“One Small Step…”
1961 – 1969
After years of lagging behind Soviet space exploits, the United States put its fullintellectual and economic weight behind the “race to the moon”. President Kennedyinitiated Project Mercury. Ultimately, the National Aeronautics and Space Administra-tion would overcome enormous technological hurdles to place a man on the moon. AsNeil Armstrong, the first human to set foot upon the moon’s surface, descended fromthe space craft, he uttered the immortal line “one small step for a man, one giant leapfor mankind.” In so doing, he confirmed an American come-back victory in the spacerace between the superpowers.
Time:Mid WarSide: NeutralOps: 2Removed after event: No
There are a couple of uses for this card. The most common is to leapfrog onto the 2/0 VP spaceto claim the 2VPs for yourself; then this event is like a 4VP swing (maybe adjusted for space raceluck?) and worth it. You can also stop an opponent from peeking at your headline, and occasionally
Mid War 189
be able to jump ahead to the 3/1 VP space (even more useful than the 2/0 space). In general it is moreeffective the later it is played, like Captured Nazi Scientist.
It is best played when you are exactly one space behind your opponent, so that you can reap thebenefit of the slot you are jumping to. Occasionally it is worth it to jump to the peek-at-headlinespace when you are two boxes behind your opponent, but ideally you’d space something first, andthen use One Small Step to get the 3/1 VP bonus too.
One Small Step is often also a hidden source of VPs. Among experienced players that try to keeptrack of what cards can still award VPs in the Late War, One Small Step is commonly forgotten.
The great danger One Small Step poses (like Captured Nazi Scientist) is that you could leap too farforward and no longer be able to space cards of 2 Ops or fewer. This is especially a problem for theUSSR, who would love to peek at your headline, but perhaps not if she can no longer send GrainSales to Soviets and The Voice of America to space.
Of course, if you are ahead on the space race, then none of this matters and it’s just 2 Ops.
Incidentally I don’t really understand why this isn’t starred. Perhaps if you play it for a second time,you are going to Mars.
Mid War 190
Che
Che
1955 – 1967
Ernesto “Che” Guevara, commonly known as el Che or simply Che, was an Argen-tine Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, guerrilla leader, diplomat, and militarytheorist. A major figure of the Cuban Revolution, his stylized visage has becomea ubiquitous countercultural symbol of rebellion and global insignia within popularculture. Guevara remains both a revered and reviled historical figure, polarized in thecollective imagination in a multitude of biographies, memoirs, essays, documentaries,songs, and films. As a result of his perceived martyrdom, poetic invocations for classstruggle, and desire to create the consciousness of a “new man” driven by moral ratherthan material incentives, he has evolved into a quintessential icon of various leftist-inspired movements.
Time:Mid WarSide: USSROps: 3Removed after event: No
As USSR
Mid War 191
One of the best (and most underrated) USSR events. Launching two simultaneous coups allows youto set up countries for realignments, defend against US AR7 moves, or threaten multiple countriesat once. Consecutive Action Rounds are one of the holy grails of Twilight Struggle, and Che comesclose.
The best use of Che comes when you can make two threats and the US can only respond to one.Most non-battleground countries are valuable for their connection to a battleground, and sometimesthe only response to an attack on a non-battleground is to coup it back. When you identify two suchnon-battlegrounds, take advantage of the opportunity to double coup. Now the US must choose onenon-battleground to respond in, and you are free to leverage the other non-battleground against anadjacent battleground (either by direct influence placement or realignment).
Che gets better as the game goes on and more influence is invested into non-battlegrounds. Mostgames tend to have a pattern of low investment into non-battlegrounds (out of fear of being coupedout), followed by rapid investment into non-battlegrounds (where there is no longer enough “time”/ Action Rounds to coup them all back efficiently). It is in that later stage that Che becomes sopowerful.
The fact that Che earns you Mil Ops (unlike Junta) is just icing on the cake.
As US
If you don’t have any targets (or only one target), it’s a relatively safe play, particularly since youcan coup back whatever Che coups. It’s also safe if your non-battlegrounds are 3-stability (i.e., CostaRica). But once you get into the stage of owning many non-battlegrounds, as described above, Cheis too dangerous to play (it is equivalent to 6 Ops for the USSR!) and better off sent to space.
Mid War 192
Our Man in Tehran
Our Man in Tehran
1941 – 1979
Replacing his deposed father, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi was central to first Britishand then American plans for the Middle East. While Pahlavi undertook the mantleof western reformer, he often chafed under neo-imperialist economic relationships,particularly where oil was concerned. Nevertheless, Iran’s oil wealth spurred Pahlaviinto the center of global geopolitics and his association with the United States wasvital for both nation’s positions in the region. However, whatever outward elementsof reform Iran projected, Pahlavi also used a brutal internal police force, the SAVAK,and turned despotic and megalomaniacal in the later years of his reign. This was all theopening required for Iran’s seething revolutionary elements.
Time:Mid WarSide: USOps: 2Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
Mid War 193
Our Man in Tehran hovers just at the border of send-to-space and suck-it-up. If I can spare the Ops,I like to send it to space, but I rarely can, and so I often just end up playing it and hoping the USdoesn’t find anything good.
If you’ve already seen the important cards (good scoring cards or good USSR events like LoneGunman, We Will Bury You, Decolonization, Muslim Revolution, OPEC, etc.) go to the discard,then it’s not a big deal. It’s also not a big deal in the rare situation where the US controls no MiddleEast country, or only controls a single one (and you can use the Ops to break control of the country).And although it is slightly less effective on Turn 6 then at other times, that alone is not enough reasonto feel safe about playing it.
As US
A very nice event and one I almost always trigger. It is worst on Turn 6, but even then it is betterthan its 2 Ops, especially if you have not yet seen an important card you wish to discard.
Mid War 194
Mid War recap
Here is a brief summary of the Mid War cards (including Optional Cards, as always):
Mid War Neutral US USSR All cards
Scoring 4 41 Ops 1 4 2 72 Ops 5 9 4 183 Ops 4 5 6 154 Ops 1 3 4
Total cards 15 (11) 18 15 48 (44)Total Ops 27 37 40 104Average 1.80 (2.45) 2.06 2.67 2.17 (2.36)
The cumulative table for both Early War and Mid War cards:
Early War + Mid War Neutral US USSR All cards
Scoring 7 71 Ops 3 6 5 142 Ops 7 13 10 303 Ops 4 10 12 264 Ops 3 3 3 9
Total cards 24 (17) 32 30 86 (79)Total Ops 41 74 73 188Average 1.71 (2.41) 2.31 2.43 2.19 (2.38)
The average Mid War hand should have 19.71 Ops. Subtract headline and hold card, and younormally expect to play about 15-17 Ops per turn.
Late War
Late War 196
Iranian Hostage Crisis
Iranian Hostage Crisis
1979 – 1981
A violent reaction to traditional US support for the repressive regime of the Shah ofIran, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, 65 Americans were held for 444 days after Islamicrevolutionaries stormed the US embassy. The newly installed leader of the Iran’stheocracy, Ayatollah Khomeini, was rabidly anti-American and had urged his followersto take action against Western influences. President Carter undertook two scrubbedrescue missions, one of which resulted in a humiliating accident for the US military andfor the Carter Administration. Carter’s failure to secure the release of the hostages priorto the end of the 1980 campaign season is often credited with his sizable electoral defeat.Ultimately, Iraq’s invasion of Iran in 1980 made Iran more amenable to ending the crisis.Through the use of Algerian intermediaries, negotiations were finally successful. In afinal slap to Carter, the hostages were formally relinquished to US custody on January21, 1981, minutes after Reagan’s inauguration.
Time: Late WarSide: USSROps: 3Removed after event: Yes
Late War 197
As USSR
Clearly this is a quality event if the US still controls Iran, a rarity in the Late War. The Terrorismeffect alone is not worth triggering the event, but is a good bonus on top of flipping Iran to you(which is at least a 2VP swing in final scoring, possibly more).
It’s important to keep in mind because if you are still attacking Middle East battlegrounds in theLate War (or late in the Mid War), it’s probably best to go for Egypt and Iraq as opposed to Libya(Reagan Bombs Libya), Saudi Arabia (AWACS Sales to Saudis), Israel (stability too high), or Iran(Iranian Hostage Crisis).
One of the advantages of controlling Iran is that the US will be more willing to play this event, thusallowing you to trigger a double Terrorism to really cripple a US Late War hand.
As US
It’s almost certainly worth it to send this to space if you control Iran. Even if it doesn’t affectDomination, it definitely is at least 2 VP for Final Scoring, and at least 4 VP if the Middle Eastgets scored one more time.
Sometimes even when the USSR controls Iran, you might be tempted to space this. A doubleTerrorism discard is quite painful, and turning Iran from 0/2 to 0/4 essentially gives up any hope ofever taking the country back. But it’s 3 Ops — so if Iran is already overcontrolled, or if you have nointerest in it, then I will risk possible subsequent Terrorism.
Late War 198
The Iron Lady
The Iron Lady
1979 – 1990
In many ways presaging the “Reagan revolution” in the United States, MargaretThatcher led a rejuvenation of the conservative movement in the United Kingdom.An ardent anti-communist, Thatcher received the moniker “Iron Lady” from the Sovietnewspaper, “The Red Star.” Thatcher provided the perfect partner for Ronald Reagan,and together, they renewed the “special relationship” that formed the lynchpin of thepost-war Atlantic Alliance. Thatcher’s finest moment may have been her vigorousdefense of Britain’s colonial outpost in the Falkland Islands. The military junta rulingArgentina launched an invasion of what they referred to as the Malvinas Islands. In asharp, short military action, the UK expelled the Argentinian forces, and restored somesmall luster to Britain’s former imperial pretensions. Thatcher reigned through the closeof the Cold War, and is Britain’s longest serving prime minister.
Time: Late WarSide: USOps: 3Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
Late War 199
Along with Five Year Plan and Duck and Cover, a great US event for the USSR. The Iron Lady is moreexplicitly and unconditionally favorable to the USSR, and a great choice for an AR1 Argentina coup.Even if you have no intention of attacking Argentina, it’s a good source of initiative by creatinga small threat for the US while you do something else with the 3 Ops. The VP loss is minimal,the UK influence loss is laughable, and the only real consequence is that you can’t play SocialistGovernments anymore.Which is unfortunate (since a Socialist Governments headline +AR1 EuropeScoring remains one of the best sources of VP for the USSR), but it’s a speculative cost, and at leastyou have Pershing II Deployed to substitute in its place.
Rules clarification: you may not trigger The Iron Lady, then play influence adjacent to Argentina ifyou did not previously have access to those countries. This is because the influence placement rulesrestrict you to placing influence in countries adjacent to your existing influence at the beginning ofthe Action Round.
As US
Better known in our gaming group as “Thatcher the Betrayer”, there is very little point to playingThe Iron Lady for the event. The usual caveats about being at +19 or -19 apply, but even in the LateWar, it is very dubious indeed to trade 3 Ops and potential loss of a critical battleground for 1 VP, aspeculative Socialist Governments block, and the elimination of USSR UK influence (usually 0).
If the USSR already controls Argentina, then the Socialist Governments block / 1 VP begins to looka little more attractive, but on the whole I don’t think I’ve ever seen the US play this for the event.
Late War 200
Reagan Bombs Libya
Reagan Bombs Libya
1986
After the fall of Nasser, a petro-dollar empowered strongman, Muamar Qaddafi, soughtLibya’s day in the sun as leader of the Arab world. To prove his bona-fides Qaddafi be-came the leading source for state supported terrorism against the west. As Iran provideda new model for antiwestern resistance, Qaddafi took on an increasingly religious pietyin his defamations of the West. Following earlier show-downs involving the Gulf ofSidra, the United States took swift retribution for Libya’s apparent involvement in aWest German discotheque bombing that killed an American serviceman. Targeting washeavily focused on killing Qaddafi, and his personal residences were targeted. While heescaped death, Qaddafi’s international prestige was much tarnished.
Time: Late WarSide: USOps: 2Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
Late War 201
An uninteresting event. Usually it’s 2 Ops vs 1 VP, and usually that means the 2 Ops are more helpful(especially as you surely havemore pressing US events to space).Wargames and Final Scoring shouldfactor into this generally straightforward decision.
As US
In some cute instances you can put a little more influence into Libya, boosting it to 2/2 and promptingthe USSR to respond to 2/4, pushing this up to 2 VP. But on thewhole it’s not a particularly interestingevent: sometimes you’ll want 2 Ops, and sometimes you just want 1 VP (particularly when concernedabout Wargames).
Late War 202
Star Wars
Star Wars
1983 – ?
More properly known as the Strategic Defense Initiative, President Reagan announcedthis radical departure from the ColdWar doctrine of “mutually assured destruction” in alive television speech to the American public. The initial concept for the “space shield”was developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory by Dr. Peter Hagelstein.Notionally, it would create a series of space based satellites powered by nuclear reactorsthat would create an impenetrable field to block Soviet ICBM’s. While scientificallysound on paper, the concept was never successfully engineered. Later iterations involved“smart pebbles” and missile based interceptors. SDI is frequently credited as one of thefactors that convinced Gorbachev that the Soviet Union could not keep up the ColdWar.
Time: Late WarSide: USOps: 2Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
The USSR doesn’t usually want to advance too far ahead on the Space Race track, but this is thebest reason why it might want to keep ahead of the US. If activated, then by definition, this is close
Late War 203
to the worst possible US event for the USSR because it gives the US the choice of any event in thediscard. Even putting aside the DEFCON suicide cards, the possibilities are too many to list. I havenever seen a discard pile safe enough to play Star Wars as the USSR.
You can try to space something else first, so that the US is not ahead of you in the space race, allowingyou to play Star Wars safely. But if you fail, then you can’t send Star Wars to space, so it’s a big riskto take.
It goes without saying that if you are ahead on the Space Race, you should play this for Ops as soonas you can before the US overtakes you.
As US
An astonishingly strong event, adaptable to just about any board situation. If I’m holding it, then Ikeep it until I have a particularly strong event in the discard that I want to trigger. Sometimes thismeans another event in my hand — being able to play East European Unrest or The Voice of Americatwice can be game-ending.
If the prerequisite isn’t met, however, I usually give up on the card quickly. It is rare to overtake anopponent on the Space Race once they are more than a single box away (One Small Step being themain exception).
Late War 204
North Sea Oil
North Sea Oil
1980
While the first oil discoveries in the North Sea occurred in the 1960’s, it would takethe Iranian oil crisis to make the exploitation of North Sea oil economically viable.The North Sea contains the majority of Europe’s oil reserves and has become one ofthe leading non-OPEC producing regions in the world. Shared between the UnitedKingdom, the Netherlands andNorway, the North Sea fields provided awelcome releasefrom the death grip in which OPEC had hitherto held Western Europe.
Time: Late WarSide: USOps: 3Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
I try to save North Sea Oil for the end of the Turn, to reduce the time the US has to prepare foran AR8. It’s not generally worth sending to space, except on Turn 10, where an AR8 is especiallyuncomfortable.
Late War 205
The event is a lot less threatening when the US does not have the China Card and you’re able to useAldrich Ames Remix and/or Terrorism to cut the US hand size.
As US
North Sea Oil probably makes most sense as a headline, but in a pinch you could play it during theturn. The point is to give up one of your regular Action Rounds (or headline) and 3 Ops in exchangefor two consecutive Action Rounds at the end of the turn, which can be used for all kinds of nefariouspurposes. The OPEC block is just a nice bonus.
It is naturally most effective on Turn 10. It also tends to be better when you have the China Card orSALT Negotiations, both of which would allow you to hold an extra card so you don’t have to playevery card in your hand.
In the Late War, I try (if reasonable) to not hold a problematic card and space it earlier in the turninstead. This allows me to take advantage of a USSR AR7 play of North Sea Oil. (Reminiscent of theUS approach to a possible USSR Containment in the Early War.)
Late War 206
The Reformer
The Reformer
1985 — 1991
Successor to the short-lived premiership of Konstantin Chernenko, Mikhail Gorbachevwas the only Soviet leader to be born after the Russian Revolution of 1917. Hisexperience within the Politburo gave him broad exposure to theWest which profoundlyaffected his thinking about the USSR’s future. “Gorby,” as he would be known in theWest, inspired a sort of fan following. Margaret Thatcher famously remarked on hiscoming to power “I like Mr. Gorbachev—we can do business together.” Ultimately,Gorbachev would oversee the dismantling of the Soviet bloc. While his reformistagenda, including Perestroika (economic reform) and Glasnost (political freedom) madehim extremely popular in the West, it made him less so in the Soviet Union. Ultimately,Gorbachev would be removed from office as the result of a reactionary military coupin 1991. In the wake of its failure, the Russian Federation would turn to a newly mintedhero, Boris Yeltsin.
Time: Late WarSide: USSROps: 3Removed after event: Yes
Late War 207
As USSR
An outstanding event. The standard effect is very strong (like Ussuri River Skirmish), and theenhanced effect is irreparable in a single Action Round.
The Reformer can be used either on offense, defense, or both. It defends against the US Late Warincursion into Eastern Europe, and it can place a significant amount of influence into the WesternEuropean battlegrounds. West Germany is probably too difficult to flip because of its stability, butItaly and France are both vulnerable. Plus, you can dump extra influence into US non-battlegroundsand break/gain Domination (and in the case of Canada, pause NORAD).
That being said, do not hold this too long waiting for that negative VP score, as otherwise the USmight draw and be able to play Glasnost as a -2VP ABM Treaty.
As US
Send Mr. Gorbachev to space, every time. Improving Glasnost is very bad for you, and adding 4-6influence with only 3 Ops to counter is problematic as well.
Late War 208
Marine Barracks Bombing
Marine Barracks Bombing
1983
After the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, the United States and France dispatched troops toform a peace keeping force between the opposing sides. Terrorist attacks on the troopbarracks of both nations resulted in terrible losses. 241 US servicemen and 58 Frenchparatroopers were killed in the attacks. It was the worst single day of casualties sufferedby the US Marine Corps since Iwo Jima. While US suspicions have focused on Iraniansponsored Hezbollah terrorists, precise responsibility remains unknown.
Time: Late WarSide: USSROps: 2Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
You might see this as a headline (sometimes followed by an AR1 Middle East Scoring). But unless itthrows the US out of the region entirely, it is otherwise not a particularly good event, since the 2-3influence is easily replaced.
As US
Late War 209
Generally not much of a problem, since you replace the two influence lost with the two Ops ofthe card and give up on Lebanon temporarily. It is only really annoying when Middle East Scoringis getting ready to be played, and the loss of Lebanon, even for a single Action Round, becomesmeaningful.
Late War 210
Soviets Shoot Down KAL-007
Soviets Shoot Down KAL-007
1983
Flying from New York City, to Seoul, South Korea, the doomed Korean Airlines Flight007 strayed into Soviet Airspace due to a navigational error involving the plane’sautopilot system. While the Soviets contemporaneously claimed that they did not knowthat plane was civilian, tape releases after the Cold War indicate that little if anywarning was given to the airliner. The Reagan administration rallied global reactionagainst the Soviets—even playing decodedmessages before the UN Security Council. 269passengers and crew were killed during the attack, including one member of Congress.
Time: Late WarSide: USOps: 4Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
Unplayable at DEFCON 2, obviously, so the USSR typically sends this to space. Even at DEFCON 3,it’s not such a good idea to give the US 2 VPs in the Late War. But if you must play it, either becauseyou desperately need Ops or have another DEFCON degrader in hand, the South Korea condition is
Late War 211
easily dealt with by first playing some influence into South Korea (and breaking US control) beforetriggering the event.
As US
An extremely strong headline, Soviets Shoot Down KAL-007 accomplishes several things at once.It:
• Reduces DEFCON in headline, denying the USSR an AR1 coup• Provides the chance at an instant win by DEFCON suicide if the USSR drops DEFCON inheadline
• Gives 2 VPs• Allows you to conduct Operations during the headline phase
Even if you don’t control South Korea, the 2 VPs and DEFCON degradation makes it a decentheadline in the Late War.
Soviets Shoot Down KAL-007 also makes both Five Year Plan and Missile Envy slightly moredangerous to play in the Late War at DEFCON 2.
Late War 212
Glasnost
Glasnost
1985 – 1989
The Russian word for openness, Glasnost was introduced as a public policy by MikhailGorbachev. While his long term aim may have been to improve the freedoms of theRussian people, his more immediate goal was to increase pressure on conservativeapparatchiks to accept his “perestroika” economic reforms. While the US typicallyequatedGlasnost with freedom of speech, in fact it was an attempt to bring transparencyto the workings of the Politburo.
Time: Late WarSide: USSROps: 4Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
If The Reformer hasn’t been played, Glasnost is probably not getting played as an event unless youreally want 2 VP for Wargames or autovictory. 4 Ops is a lot to give up, and raising DEFCON isusually inconvenient since you’re just giving the US a battleground coup. If you do want the 2 VPthat badly, then headlining it is probably your best option under these circumstances.
Late War 213
If The Reformer has been played, then Glasnost becomes a great headline. Playing it in an ActionRound is still a little inconvenient, because you can’t use the event to coup DEFCON back down to2 in the same Action Round. But the chance to play 4 Operations in the headline and get 2 VP isdefinitely worth starting AR1 at DEFCON 4.
As US
If The Reformer hasn’t been played, then this event turns into a quasi-ABM Treaty for the US, albeitone that costs 2 VP. Whether this is a worthwhile investment depends on the situation, of course,but if you can use it to flip a battleground it probably pays for itself.
If The Reformer has been played, then you’ll almost certainly send this to space. It’s not a DEFCONsuicide card, but using it as an ABM Treaty doesn’t work any more. You could conceivably use the4 Ops of the card to repair the damage done by the USSR’s 4 Ops, but you’re still giving up 2 VP(not to mention raising DEFCON for the USSR’s next AR).
Late War 214
Ortega Elected in Nicaragua
Ortega Elected in Nicaragua
1985 – 1990
A political dissident since age 16, Daniel Ortega Saavedra spent time in a Managuaprison. Upon his release, he fled to Cuba and established relationships which wouldbe vital for the Sandinista movement. When the Sandinistas ousted the Somoza regime,Ortegamaneuvered himself into the de facto presidency. Ortega’s close ties to the Castroregime in turn prompted US support for the Contra rebels. Operating out of NorthernNicaragua and drawing support from agricultural interests that had been collectivized,the Contras were to prove a major hurdle to the success of Sandinista governance.Ultimately, economic stagnation would prove the undoing of Ortega’s government.
Time: Late WarSide: USSROps: 2Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
An unattractive event, since the influence is removed from a rather unimportant country, and yourchoices for the coup are the three most stable countries in the region (and you don’t even get Mil
Late War 215
Ops for it). Maybe you can headline it and coup Cuba to drop DEFCON in the headline or protectCuba from realignments. And it’s kind of funny to wipe out a lot of US influence from Nicaraguaif they over-couped it and had it at 6/0 or something. But I haven’t ever seen it played for the eventby the USSR.
As US
Everyone knows about Lone Gunman, but Ortega is the hipster’s DEFCON suicide card. If you haveany influence in Cuba, then Ortega is unplayable at DEFCON 2.
If you don’t have influence in Cuba, then Ortega is not much of a concern. The USSR usually getsa coup against 3-stability Costa Rica with a 2 Ops card, Nicaragua gets emptied, and I can just playback into Nicaragua if I really care about it (which I probably don’t).
Late War 216
Terrorism
Terrorism
1949 – ?
While a threat as old as human civilization, the use of terrorism as an instrument tochange international policy ebbed and flowed throughout the Cold War. The SovietUnion and its Warsaw Pact allies were known to train terrorist organizations withintheir borders, including radical elements of the Palestinian Liberation Organization(PLO). In many ways, the PLO provided the archetype for a terrorist organizationthroughout the Cold War. With its anti-Western, anti-Israel ideology, it became a causecelebre for those asserting that the West was on a neo-imperialist crusade in the thirdworld. Palestinian terrorists hijacked planes, attacked the Achille Lauro, and perhapsmost infamously murdered 11 Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics in 1972. Therewere also western based, communist affiliated terrorists such as the Red Brigades inItaly, and the Red Army in Japan. As the ColdWar came to a close, and the Soviet Unionfaced increasing difficulty with Muslim fundamentalism, its support for terrorismwaned.
Time:Mid WarSide: Neutral
Late War 217
Ops: 2Removed after event: No
A fine little event. At this stage of the game, 2 Ops is not a big deal compared to the possibility ofan instant win (by forcing your opponent to now play a card he had planned to hold to next turn).It is especially strong if your opponent does not have the China Card.
Of course, you might hit a card you wish your opponent had held onto, but on balance, discardingcards from your opponent’s hand is a good thing. You could compromise and at least be carefulabout playing Terrorism when your opponent could have a scoring card favorable to you.
Terrorismworks best when you combine it with other hand-reducers like Five Year Plan, Grain Salesto Soviets, or Aldrich Ames Remix. Losing two cards is much more painful than losing one, sinceyou can no longer hold a card even if you have the China Card, and moreover, you might have toskip your AR7 for lack of cards. Accordingly, as USSR, this is an outstanding event if Iranian HostageCrisis has been played, one I almost always trigger.
I tend to play this relatively early in the turn (often on the headline), before my opponent has goneto the Space Race, thus minimizing the chance that I force my opponent to discard a card he wasgoing to hold or Space anyway. Terrorism can also be good as your last play if you suspect that theother side is up to something (especially against the US on Turn 10).
Holding the China Card and playing SALT Negotiations are both decent counters to Terrorism byrestoring your hand size.
Late War 218
Iran-Contra Scandal
Iran-Contra Scandal
1985
In an effort to secure the release of US hostages in Lebanon, the Reagan administrationundertook secret negotiations with Iran involving “arms for hostages.” This was inviolation of the stated US policy of never negotiating with terrorists. Compoundingthis difficulty was the fact that the proceeds from weapons sales to Iran were used tocovertly fund the Contra guerillas in Nicaragua. This was in contravention of statedAdministration policy, as well as laws adopted by the Democrat-controlled Congress.Colonel Oliver North and Admiral John Poindexter both were criminally indicted forthe scandal, though the Congressional report concluded that President Reagan boreultimate responsibility for the scandal.
Time: Late WarSide: USSROps: 2Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
Along with Che, Iran-Contra Scandal is one of the most underrated events in the game. The reasonit is so powerful (compared to Latin American Death Squads) is that the modifier applies to all US
Late War 219
realignment rolls, including their rolls on your realignments. So it’s not a speculative event: youheadline it and then go nuts realigning the US in the Mid War regions. Suddenly, now that evenrolls are favorable, it is a lot easier to find good realignment targets. No need to hold onto bothColombia and Brazil to realign Venezuela any more; just one of the two will suffice.
As US
Play it on your last Action Round, though you can sometimes get away with playing it merely verylate if the USSR doesn’t have time to set up a realignment.
Late War 220
Chernobyl
Chernobyl
1986
The Chernobyl accident was the worst disaster in the history of nuclear power.Radioactive debris spread in a massive cloud that stretched throughoutWestern Europe,and ultimately reached the eastern seaboard of the United States. 200,000 had to berelocated from badly contaminated regions of Soviet controlled Ukraine and Belarus.It is estimated that as many as 4,000 people may die from the deadly exposure theyreceived that day. Chernobyl displayed the kind of staggering incompetence that cameto reflect Soviet bureaucratic decision-making towards the close of the Cold War.
Time: Late WarSide: USOps: 3Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
Not a particularly fearsome event if you draw it, since playing it on the last Action Round is no bigdeal (though remember to announce that your Operations go before the event!).
Late War 221
Chernobyl is one reason to overprotect your European assets a bit more. If you only control EastGermany and Poland at 0/3, then it costs the US 14 Ops to take them over and win with EuropeControl (and this is without considering events like East European Unrest or Tear Down This Wall).But if you have been diligent in using your free eastern Europe influence from US-triggered playsof Comecon and Warsaw Pact Formed to double- or triple-overprotect East Germany/Poland, thenyou are effectively immune to a Chernobyl assault on Europe. (Of course, holding Warsaw Pact isan even better defense against US intrusion into eastern Europe.)
If the US headlines Chernobyl, the response is similar to the response to Nuclear Subs — you tryto distract them with threats elsewhere, such that the US is never able to take advantage of theChernobyl ban.
As US
Chernobyl works best as a headline. Most players tend to headline it immediately and go gung-hofor Europe, but I think this is in error. The USSR almost always overprotects East Germany/Poland,meaning you might not have enough Ops to take them over. So unless those battlegrounds areweakened, or if you have strong Europe events to help you, you’re unlikely to land that knockoutblow (especially considering potential USSR events like The Reformer and Warsaw Pact Formed).
I think Chernobyl is most effective when you line it up with any scoring card. If you can combine itwith Asia Scoring and make use of Chernobyl’s prohibition to swing Domination from one side tothe other, then Chernobyl is effectively a 8+VP swing for 3 Ops plus whatever board position youlost elsewhere by focusing on Asia. (Assuming, of course, that the USSR lacks events that affect thatregion.) This is much more feasible and less costly than trying to go for instant wins in Europe.
Of course, if you do draw Chernobyl with the right events, then by all means use it for the Europewin. I usually hold it from turn to turn, trying to line it up with either a European opportunity, goodEurope events, or a high-value scoring card. Just be mindful that while you focus on the Chernobyl-blocked region you don’t lose too much board position elsewhere. This is especially true for Europe— it’s not uncommon to see people losing while controlling Europe, because they’ve sacrificed somuch of the rest of the world that they lose to autovictory before Europe was scored.
Rules clarifications: the prohibition applies only to “the play of Operations points to place influence”.Coups, realignments, and events like The Reformer are unaffected.
Late War 222
Latin American Debt Crisis
Latin American Debt Crisis
1982 – 1989
A ripple effect from the rise of Middle Eastern oil, Latin American governmentsexperienced phenomenal growth from the 1950’s into the 1970’s. However, this came toan abrupt halt. Unfortunately, even with impressive economic growth, Latin Americancountries like Brazil and Ecuador continued to rack up external debt. Given the newfound global capital from petrodollars, Latin American governments found willinglenders. External debt in Latin America rose 1,000% from 1970 to 1980. When aglobal recession sparked by the Iranian oil crisis buffeted world economies, most LatinAmerican governments simply could not keep up. Eventually, these governments wouldhave to commit to significant restructuring of their economies to reduce their debt.
Time: Late WarSide: USSROps: 2Removed after event: No
As USSR
Late War 223
A bit of a weird event. It’s not nearly as good as an event that requires the US to discard a card (e.g.,Aldrich Ames Remix), because the US will only discard to Latin American Debt Crisis if it doesn’tlead to DEFCON suicide.
LADC tends to get better as more influence is added to countries — for example, it’s clearly a lotbetter if Brazil is 6/4 rather than 3/1. But it’s rare to see South American countries with that muchinfluence from both sides. If they are, then this event can be an easy way to put some pressure onthe US if you don’t have many other options. If they aren’t (i.e., LADC doesn’t pose a threat to theUS position), then don’t bother with the event.
As US
You can usually find a time to play this event where it doesn’t have much effect. (“Oh darn, Chile isnow 0/10 instead of 0/5.”) It’s still annoying even when applied to a USSR-controlled battleground,since it eliminates any possibility of temporarily breaking control, so it’s worth a trip to space, justat very low priority.
Of course, you can also use this to voluntarily discard a bad USSR card. Ordinarily you don’t wantto cut your hand size, but if you’ve already spaced something else this turn and don’t want to holda card to next turn, this can be a good way to deal with Muslim Revolution, OPEC, etc.
Late War 224
Tear Down This Wall
Tear Down This Wall
1987
In a speech that hearkened back to Kennedy’s address in front of the Berlin wall, RonaldReagan challenged newly installed Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. Reagan, with theBrandenburg gate in the background, declared: “General Secretary Gorbachev, if youseek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seekliberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev,tear down this wall!” While provocative, the speech leveled a difficult criticism at theSoviet Union. Successful countries do not have to wall their citizens in. Two short yearslater, the Berlin Wall would come down.
Time: Late WarSide: USOps: 3Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
The USSR always sends Tear Down This Wall to space. It is unplayable at DEFCON 2, but even atDEFCON 3 the event is too strong to trigger.
Late War 225
The two best ways to guard against Tear Down This Wall are Warsaw Pact Formed and EastGermany overprotection. This event is another reason to fight for Poland against John Paul II ElectedPope and Solidarity, since control of Poland defends against a realignment of East Germany. It isalso why Czechoslovakia is a common dumping ground for free USSR influence from Comecon orWarsaw Pact.
As US
The defining card of the US Late War Europe onslaught. Tear Down This Wall all but guarantees thetakeover of at least one European battleground and is a key factor behind most US Late War EuropeControl victories.
You almost always want to realign, since only Italy among the battlegrounds has a low enoughstability to consider couping, and even then it’s not coupable at DEFCON 2. The most commonrealignment targets are France and East Germany: France you should have significant positivemodifiers on, and East Germany is usually the last USSR battleground in Europe standing betweenyou and Europe Control.
To maximize Tear Down This Wall’s effectiveness, try to hold it to combine with other Europeanevents like East European Unrest or Chernobyl. In addition, try to prepare your realignmentwith better odds—if you plan to realign East Germany, you’ll want to take over Poland andCzechoslovakia before doing so, lest you just realign away your own influence.
Rules clarification: the “free coup” only signifies that you are permitted to coup in Europe even ifDEFCON is lower than 5. It still degrades DEFCON if you coup a battleground.
Late War 226
“An Evil Empire”
“An Evil Empire”
1983
First used by President Ronald Reagan before the National Association of Evangelicals,conservatives applied the term “evil empire” to the Soviet Union. This change interminology encapsulated the conservative movement’s rejection of Nixon’s morallyambiguous policy of detente. The speech sparked controversywithin the NATO alliance,as many European leaders found the speech unnecessarily provocative. Domestically,the left argued that the United States had no room to criticize Soviet actions during theCold War, and pointed to CIA involvement in places like Chile. The speech gave furtherindication that the last phase of the Cold War would be a confrontational one.
Time: Late WarSide: USOps: 3Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
Not much of a concern, since even in the Late War 3 Ops is probably better than 1 VP. It’s best ifplayed at the end of the turn, but if you can’t manage that it’s not a huge deal. This event is only
Late War 227
irritating in the sense that all of the US +1 VP cards tend to show up right as you’re trying to winby Wargames.
As US
Not a good event, unless you hold a lot of “war” cards and desperately need to cancel Flower Power,or if that 1 VP matters for Wargames / autovictory / The Reformer.
Late War 228
Aldrich Ames Remix
Aldrich Ames Remix
1985 – 1994
The first known successful penetration of the CIA by the KGB, Aldrich Ames com-promised hundreds of CIA operations and provided information that resulted in theexecution of 10 US sources. The CIA spent years looking for another explanation for theleaks—in particular the possibility that the KGB had bugged CIA headquarters. Ames’motivation was not ideological, and he and his wife enjoyed the extravagance that his$2.5 million in bribes provided. Ames first walked into the Soviet embassy in 1985. Atthat time, he oversaw the analysis of Soviet intelligence operations in Europe.
Time: Late WarSide: USSROps: 3Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
A phenomenal headline. In someways it is even stronger than the original Aldrich Ames (see below):Aldrich Ames Remix still retains DEFCON win possibilities (it is usually an instant win if the US isholding Lone Gunman), and even if you don’t get to win by DEFCON, you do get to discard the best
Late War 229
US event in their hand (ideally a scoring card) and see the US hand for the rest of the turn. All inall, it makes Aldrich Ames Remix one of the best USSR headlines in the Late War, especially sinceit’s almost impossible to backfire or be mitigated.
As US
This is typically painless if you play it in your last action round, and in fact is probably a boon asyou can use it to discard a strong USSR card (or even a bad scoring card), reminiscent of the USSRFive Year Plan trick. It is not advisable to play Aldrich Ames Remix before your last action round.
Aldrich Ames Original
The original version of Aldrich Ames, included in pre-Deluxe Editions of the game, is a 4 Ops USSRstarred event with the following text:
US player must display his/her hand. USSR player then orders the US player’s cards. USplayer must play hand in that order. US player may not play The China Card for therest of this turn.
I don’t recommend playingwith the original AldrichAmes, the simplest reason being that it is hugelytime-consuming as the USSR will likely spend quite a while planning out their turn to calculate thebest possible order of the US cards. It also cripples the US decision-making for that turn and is agenerally unpleasant experience (especially if it ends the game).
Late War 230
Pershing II Deployed
Pershing II Deployed
1984 – 1985
The Pershing II missile was designed as a direct counter to the Soviet IntermediateRange Missile, the SS-20. The deployment of 108 of these missiles in West Germany,Italy and the United Kingdom proved a major test for NATO’s resolve. Public protestsagainst the deployments were massive. However, despite the strains, the weapons weredeployed, providing NATO with a bargaining chip in the proposed Intermediate rangeNuclear Forces (INF) treaty discussions. These negotiations had been suspended in 1983,and the successful deployment of the Pershing II’s provided impetus for restarting thetalks in 1985. Ultimately, the talks would succeed at the Reykjavik summit in Iceland in1986.
Time: Late WarSide: USSROps: 3Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
Late War 231
Like a much weaker Socialist Governments, except with a 1 VP bonus and not cancellable by TheIron Lady. It is worth playing if the VP matters for Wargames or if the influence loss affects scoring.A decent headline in the Late War.
As US
If your European countries are overcontrolled (and you have nothing to fear from the event), thenit’s often worth losing a VP to have 3 Ops. But if you’re just going to spend your Action Roundrepairing the damage done by the event, you may as well send this to space and save the VP.
Late War 232
Wargames
Wargames
1956 – 1995
Brinksmanship was a term coined by John Foster Dulles to describe a policy ofcoming close to war, without falling into the abyss. At different times, during differentcrises, this policy was pursued by both superpowers. However, there was always thedanger that brinksmanship could turn the “cold” war, hot. Additionally, brinksmanshipencouraged a nuclear posture of “launch on warning.” Game theory demanded that ifyour opponent were launching a massive nuclear strike, you would have to launch yourown weapons before they could be destroyed in their silos. These doctrines shortenedreaction times of world leaders from hours to minutes. On November 9th, 1979, theUnited States made preparations for a retaliatory nuclear strike when a NORADcomputer glitch indicated an all-out Soviet strike had been launched. As recently as1995, Russia mistook a Norwegian scientific missile launch for an attack, and BorisYeltsin was asked to decide whether or not to counterattack.
Time: Late WarSide: NeutralOps: 4Removed after event: Yes
Late War 233
Love it or hate it, Wargames is the most important Late War card in the game. No card sodramatically affects the game depending on who draws it. The entire Late War is often dictatedby the struggle for this card, fueling the Cold War paranoia by giving you yet one more thing toworry about. Does he have Wargames? Does he know I have Wargames? How close can I pushDEFCON this turn? Should I cash in this scoring card now to prevent a Wargames loss, or hold ontoit for an Action Round to get even more VP out of it?
The card is thus a brilliant fusion of theme and gameplay: it balances the allure of the instantwin against the fear of an opponent’s scoring card, set against the looming backdrop of potentialDEFCON suicide for the overeager Wargamer.
Although ostensibly a neutral event, Wargames tilts towards the USSR because Final Scoring usuallyfavors the US. If the US is able to build a +7 VP lead in the Late War, they are almost certainly goingto win anyway. Where Wargames tends to reverse the result are those boards where the USSR isclearly destined to lose in Final Scoring despite a -7 VP lead.
This isn’t to say that the US doesn’t use Wargames; it does, but it usually does so later in the LateWar, and it usually doesn’t actually change what the outcome of the game would have been.
There are three main scenarios involving Wargames:
You hold Wargames and have (or are close to) a 7 VP lead:
• Congratulations, you win, provided you can degrade DEFCON to 2 safely. Depending on whatscoring cards remain for your opponent, you need to degrade DEFCON as quickly as possible.
– The USSR can degrade DEFCON in the headline and score Wargames on AR1 beforethe US can do anything. This is probably best unless you are worried about DEFCONsuicide, and you don’t think the US can take away your Wargames win on their AR1.
– The US must give the USSR at least one AR before they could trigger Wargames.Therefore:* If the USSR is going to score on AR1 and take away your shot atWargames, youmayas well not degrade DEFCON in the headline, and drop it on your Action Roundinstead (with a coup)
* If the USSR isn’t able to take away your Wargames win on AR1, but couldpotentially do so given multiple Action Rounds, then you do want to drop DEFCONto 2 by your AR1. This may call for degrading DEFCON in the headline and riskingDEFCON suicide.
* If the USSR isn’t able to take away your Wargames win, period, then there is noneed to risk DEFCON suicide.
– If you don’t actually have the 7 VP yet, but you’re close, hold onto Wargames no matterwhat. Even if you don’t have advantageous scoring cards, your opponent might.
Your opponent holds Wargames and has (or is close to) a 7 VP lead:
• Cash in your scoring cards as quickly as possible.
Late War 234
• If that’s out of the question, your best bet is now a DEFCON victory as your opponentis probably trying to drop DEFCON as soon as possible. Hopefully you can catch him inDEFCON suicide in the headline.
• Alternatively, you can attack their hand with Five Year Plan, Missile Envy, Grain Sales toSoviets, Quagmire/Bear Trap, Terrorism, or Aldrich Ames Remix.
• You could always try to keep DEFCON above 2, but this is likely impossible since youropponent can just coup it back down. Cuban Missile Crisis or Yuri and Samantha might help,but this is a real long-shot.
The person who holds Wargames is nowhere near the 7 VP lead:
• Nothing much to do here, then. That player will probably want to hold onto Wargames if theyexpect to be able to swing back the score, but otherwise it is just 4 Ops.
Keep in mind that as you approach the Late War, there are things you can do to maximize yourchance of drawingWargames. Our Man in Tehran can help get rid of it or get rid of cards in the way,and emptying your hand allows you to draw more cards and hopefully find Wargames. Playing theChina Card or SALT Negotiations becomes a bit weaker since you draw one fewer card as a result.
Note that you are permitted to trigger Wargames without giving up the VPs and ending the game.If you do so, the event is removed from the game.¹³ This is desirable if:
• You draw Wargames with Missile Envy;• Your opponent has the 7 VP lead and could play either SALT Negotiations or Star Wars;• The deck will reshuffle and your opponent could draw it (extremely unlikely).
Finally, Wargames is a jarring event and can turn a beginner player off of the game. Withinexperienced players, I recommend either warning them about it up-front, or simply removingit from the game altogether. But once you get better at the game, you should start appreciating whyWargames is included, even if you find its swingness a bit distasteful.
¹³Keep in mind that if you trigger Wargames at DEFCON 3 or higher, you do not remove the event from the game, because its prerequisite was notmet. But you do remove it from the game if you trigger it at DEFCON 2 and choose not to give the VPs.
Late War 235
Solidarity
Solidarity
1980 – ?
A trade union movement originating in the Polish shipyards of Gdansk, Solidaritybecame the focal point for anti-communist resistance within the Eastern bloc. Soli-darity quickly moved beyond a simple worker’s movement and rallied pro-Catholic,intellectuals and other social dissidents to its banner. Its toleration within a WarsawPact nation was unprecedented, and involved a cat and mouse game heavily relianton public scrutiny of Soviet intentions, the prestige of the Polish Pope, John Paul II,and the political courage of its leader Lech Walesa. While Poland’s communist ledgovernment underWojciech Jaruzelski did crack down on Solidarity and imprisonmuchof its leadership, the organization went underground and began to regrow. By 1988,Solidarity led strikes had forced the Polish Communists into open negotiations.
Time: Late WarSide: USOps: 2Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
Late War 236
Assuming that John Paul II has been elected Pope, then Solidarity falls into the “empty action round”category of US events; it’s worth sending to space, but you can also just repair its damage (assumingyou’ve overprotected Poland).
The main drawback of repairing rather than spacing is that it makes you more vulnerable to EastEuropean Unrest: if the US only has their John Paul II Elected Pope influence in Poland, then EEUcan’t grant them control no matter how many times they play it.
The main advantage of playing it for Ops is that you might be able to later use Warsaw Pact Formedto more efficiently purge eastern Europe of all US influence.
Regardless, it is annoying no matter what to draw Solidarity, which is even further reason to sendJohn Paul II to space if you draw it.
As US
A fine event, suitable for AR7 or headline, especially if you can combo it with Truman Doctrine orsome other Europe-affecting event (Chernobyl, East European Unrest, etc.). It even works well withTear Down This Wall by potentially removing a USSR modifier on East Germany realignments.And as noted earlier, Solidarity is a great way to establish enough influence in Poland so that asubsequent East European Unrest can grant you control.
I do always try to play John Paul II for the event; even if I don’t draw Solidarity later, or don’t intendto contest Poland, it’s still nice to leave a strong US event in the deck.
Late War 237
Iran-Iraq War
Iran-Iraq War
1980 – 1988
Commenting on the war, Henry Kissinger famously remarked, “Too bad they can’t bothlose.” Sparked by simmering land disputes over the Shatt al-Arab, Saddam Husseinsought to establish Iraq as a true regional power, and also check the export of Shiafundamentalism from Iran. Initially, Iraq scored limited gains, but Iranian forces ralliedand began a counter offensive into Iraq. Without set allies in the conflict, the UnitedStates played a cynical game of attempting to keep both sides sufficiently supplied forthe war to continue. Ultimately, the US began to tilt to Iraq as an Iranian victory inthe war would have been an unacceptable outcome. Iran also utilized oil as a weaponnecessitating the US flagging of Kuwaiti tankers to ensure oil supplies. After 8 yearsof war, the border returned to its ante bellum status. However, both nations had beenseverely weakened by the conflict.
Time: Late WarSide: NeutralOps: 2Removed after event: Yes
Late War 238
Towards the end of the game, this area’s countries are usually dominated by the same superpower,and so the odds of Iran-Iraq War succeeding are rather low. Unlike earlier Wars, it’s not commonlyplayed for the Mil Ops, since by this point you should be able to find a non-battleground to coupwith the card itself.
The VPs are therefore the only thing about the card that really matters, and you’ll see people triggerthis event when desperate for VPs. There’s no downside risk, and if you already control all thecountries in the area, then it’s upwards of a 50% chance of 2 VPs. (Yes, you may trigger the war evenif you control both countries.)
Iraq is typically a more popular target, because its neighbors (Iran/Saudi Arabia/Jordan/Gulf States)are usually less filled than Iran (Iraq/Afghanistan/Pakistan), and because it is a higher stabilitycountry.
Late War 239
Yuri and Samantha
Yuri and Samantha
1982 – 1985
In one of the many bizarre, human moments of the Cold War, Samantha Smith, a ten-year-old American school girl, wrote the newly appointed General Secretary of theSoviet Communist Party, Yuri Andropov a letter. Andropov had recently succeededBrezhnev, and as one of the architects of Prague Spring, his ascension was taken asa very inauspicious development for East-West relations. To everyone’s great surprise,Samantha received a personal reply, including an invitation to the Soviet Union. Despiteconcerns expressed by the US State Department, Samantha accepted and traveled to theSoviet Union. Her trip was heralded as important early thaw in relations and improvedAndropov’s public perception in the West. Tragically, Samantha was killed in a planecrash in 1985.
Time: Late WarSide: USSROps: 2Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
Late War 240
A surprisingly good headline for the USSR. Given the value of VPs at this stage, it essentially blocksthe US from all but the most essential coups. This allows you to spread aggressively through the MidWar non-battlegrounds, safe in the knowledge that the US is unlikely to coup.
Of course, if you are not interested in the Mid War regions, then this card loses a lot of value, sincethat was where the US was going to coup anyway. But it is also very powerful if you combine itwith improving DEFCON or use it to counter Nuclear Subs.
As US
Play it on your last Action Round for no effect. You can also play it slightly earlier if you need toand it won’t be disastrous.
Late War 241
AWACS Sale to Saudis
AWACS Sale to Saudis
1981 – 1987
The E3 “AWACS” aircraft is one of the most sophisticated early command and surveil-lance platforms available to the United States Air Force. Imagine Congress’ surprisewhen President Ronald Reagan announced plans to sell 5 of them to Saudi Arabia afterthey have only recently entered service in the United States. The “AirborneWarning andControl System” sale was, at that time, the largest military sale ever. While it met withCongressional resistance, as well as resistance from the Israeli government, ultimately,the objectivewas to cement Saudi Arabia as the US new anchor against Tehran. The highprofile political risk associated with this arms sale would draw the two governmentstogether long after the Cold War was over.
Time: Late WarSide: USOps: 3Removed after event: Yes
As USSR
The damage is easily repaired, but the loss of Muslim Revolution is not. Given that this is essentiallya 1 Op card if you control Saudi Arabia, I will only play it if Muslim Revolution or Middle East
Late War 242
Scoring is not going to be reshuffled into the deck. (Or if I have more important things to send toSpace, which I probably do.)
If the US controls Saudi Arabia already, then I usually play this without a second thought since itdoesn’t affect the scoring of the region. (Though Muslim Revolution might be just what you needto win back the Middle East.)
As US
There are four possible scenarios:
If Muslim Revolution is still in the deck and the USSR controls Saudi Arabia, this is a very goodevent with two positive benefits.
If Muslim Revolution isn’t in the deck and the USSR controls Saudi Arabia, AWACS depends on onwhether you possibly wresting control (which would involve at least 4 Ops after AWACS) is reallyworth it to you. Does it affect Domination scoring, or just the battleground’s VP?
If Muslim Revolution is still in the deck but I control Saudi Arabia, this is an OK event since MuslimRevolution is guaranteed to take out at least 5 influence. But I am probably willing to chance it andjust play AWACS for Ops.
If Muslim Revolution isn’t in the deck and I control Saudi Arabia, then there is definitely no pointto wasting the 3 Ops.
Late War 243
Late War recap
Here is a brief summary of the Late War cards (including Optional Cards, as always):
Late War Neutral US USSR All cards
Scoring1 Ops2 Ops 2 3 5 103 Ops 6 4 104 Ops 1 1 1 3
Total cards 3 10 10 23Total Ops 8 28 26 62Average 2.67 2.8 2.6 2.70
The cumulative table for all cards:
Neutral US USSR All cards
Scoring 7 71 Ops 3 6 5 142 Ops 9 16 15 403 Ops 4 16 16 364 Ops 4 4 4 12
Total cards 27 (20) 42 40 109 (102)Total Ops 49 102 99 250Average 1.81 (2.45) 2.43 2.48 2.29 (2.45)
Regions
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Regions: Europe
Europe Scoring
Some Cold War historians view the entire struggle, costing millions of lives, untoldtrillions of dollars, and conflict around the globe, as a struggle for the future of Germany.While that view may be too myopic, it is clear that Europe always remained in theforefront of strategy and emphasis. Defeat in Europe ultimately meant defeat in theCold War.
Time: Early WarBattlegrounds: 5Countries: 21
General Considerations
Although it is the highest-value region on the board, Europe is rarely one of the highest-scoringregions. It is unusual for either side to earn anything other than 1VP or 5VP from Europe Scoring;high stabilities and DEFCON restrictions means that it is one of the most difficult regions to breakthrough. Only in the Late War does the situation change, thanks to a slew of powerful US eventsthat dramatically reshape the European battlegrounds.
Despite the immense reward of Europe control, it is in practice rarely seen. The Ops investmentneeded is huge, and a player that singlemindedly focuses on Europe usually ends up sacrificing therest of the world, potentially even losing to autovictory before Europe Scoring is played. So if your
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opponent starts to make a push for Europe, and you can’t defend your position (because you’reunder Chernobyl or Red Scare/Purge), give some serious thought to giving up Europe Control inexchange for the rest of the world, and aim to win the game before Europe gets scored.
Early War
Each side typically starts with “their” battlegrounds: East Germany and Poland for the USSR; WestGermany and Italy for the US. The USSR is sometimes able to alter this situation early on: forinstance, a successful Turn 1 Comecon Trap / Italy coup, a successful Blockade, or a well-timedSocialist Governments can all allow the USSR to score a relatively easy Domination from just EastGermany and Poland.
These considerations aside, Europe Domination tends to depend on two things: who controls France,and who controls the 2-stability Mediterranean countries. US players are generally hesitant to playinto France before Suez Crisis and De Gaulle Leads France are played, since they can cripple theUS position. At the same time, without De Gaulle, the USSR is unable to play into France withouteither spending 2 Ops for 1 influence in West Germany or Italy first, or playing Decolonization intoAlgeria.
The 2-stability Mediterranean countries are critical, because the odd number of battlegrounds meansthat one side will be able to score Domination unless the other side has more countries overall. Allof the other non-battlegrounds in Europe are significantly more expensive, though the US is slightlybetter positioned in this fight (with the aid of Canada, the UK, and Independent Reds).
Mid War
At this point, Europe tends to be the most static region on the board. If Truman Doctrine hasalready been triggered, the USSR is sometimes willing to engage in an Ops war for France. Italycan sometimes be the target of Brush War, but with some preparatory investment in its neighbors,your opponent will generally look elsewhere with his BrushWar. John Paul II Elected Pope will playa crucial role for the US, but he is primarily a springboard for the US in the Late War, rather thanan agent of immediate change.
Late War
Unless the USSR has already established a dominant position in Europe, it will have a verydifficult time in Europe in the Late War. Although The Reformer can provide some help, it palesin comparison to Tear Down This Wall, Chernobyl, Solidarity, and East European Unrest. WithChernobyl, the US will often sacrifice the rest of the board in pursuit of Europe control, but it mustbe careful of autovictory and/or Wargames! The one beacon of light for the USSR is Warsaw PactFormed, as it can singlehandedly wipe out all of the USwork in Eastern Europe. It is therefore criticalfor the US to trigger Warsaw Pact as early as possible, removing it from the game, so that it cannotcome back as a much stronger card in the Late War.
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Regions: Middle East
Middle East
In 1946, Truman had to threaten to send warships to the Mediterranean to compel theSoviets to remove troops from Iran. Thus began the Cold War struggle in the MiddleEast. Since this region provided Western economies with their lifeblood—oil—it alsoprovided the USSR with an irresistible opportunity to meddle. US support for Israelgave the Soviets an opening to the Arab world that they would repeatedly exploit.
Time: Early WarBattlegrounds: 6Countries: 10
General Considerations
The Middle East is the only region on the board that is consistently biased towards one sidethroughout the game. By design, the USSR almost always has the advantage in this region, amplifiedby the fact that OPEC is a de facto extra Middle East scoring card. It is quite rare for the US to scoreDomination: usually the primary goal is simply to prevent a USSR Domination (or worse, Control).
Early War
Four things will define the Middle East in the Early War:
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1) The USSR Turn 1 headline: if the USSR can headline Suez Crisis (or Arab-Israeli War with a 50/50shot), it can knock out the US base in Israel and cut off most US access to the western half of theregion.
2) The Iran coup: this almost always goes the way of USSR. With a Suez Turn 1 headline, the USwould be lucky even to get Presence in the Middle East. If the US is knocked out of Iran but can stayin Israel, the US has a fighting chance to avoid Domination if it can mitigate …
3) Nasser, which really determines the outcome of two Middle East battlegrounds, since Egypt is theonly meaningful Early War path to Libya.
4) Also important are Jordan and Lebanon. Both of themmitigate Arab-Israeli War, and Jordan moreimportantly is usually the only US route into Iraq/Saudi Arabia.
What usually ends up happening is that the US is out of Iran but finds a way to get presence in thewest, either with just Lebanon, or by making its way over to Jordan or Libya. Occasionally, the UScan hang onto Iran and possibly score a quick and dirty Domination if they also take Lebanon. Theflip side of that scenario is that the US loses both Iran and Israel, and is forced to coup in just forPresence.
Either way, the best the US can hope for is usually just escaping the Early War having stopped USSRdomination.
Mid War
Muslim Revolution is the great specter looming over the Middle East in the Mid War. If the US hadbeen counting on Iraq and Saudi Arabia, that’s seven influence lost and irreparable with a singleplay. In addition, if the US had relied on Libya and/or Egypt, there’s a very real possibility the UScan’t get back into either country if it has no adjoining influence in Israel or Tunisia. OPEC justkicks the US while they’re down, essentially equivalent to a Domination scoring for the USSR only.Accordingly, the US will be desperate to send either or both off to space.
The sole ray of light for the US is Egypt, where Sadat Expels Soviets and Camp David Accords canundo the effect of Nasser. Since Sadat in particular is a 1Op card, it’s very difficult for the USSRto mitigate or discard on the Space Race, and is therefore almost certain to happen at some pointduring the Mid War.
Shuttle Diplomacy is generally less helpful than it appears. The reason is that the USSR typicallyleads in battlegrounds 4-2, in which case the saved battleground is rather meaningless. Even if thebattlegrounds are split 3-3, Shuttle Diplomacy does not usually give the US domination unless theUS has enough countries overall. It is essentially an uncertain 3VP card at best, and so the US willusually not play it for the event barring special circumstances. Of course, if the USSR plays ShuttleDiplomacy (and it usually will, since there are far worse US events to be sending to space), thenthere is no reason for the US not to take advantage of it.
Generally, the USSRwill keep some combination of Iran, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia (optional). As long asthey can take (or hang onto) one of thewesternMideast battlegrounds (often Egypt/Libya, sometimesIsrael), they should score an easy Domination. Control is difficult but not entirely out of reach.
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The US goal is to survive. This is much easier if they had already stolen Libya in the Early War: solong as Sadat comes out before Middle East Scoring, they only need one more battleground to stopDomination.
Late War
Muslim Revolution and OPEC are likely to strike again, but this time can be prevented with AWACSSales to Saudis and North Sea Oil, two mediocre events made somewhat good by their indirect effecton the Middle East. Nevertheless, the USSR is likely to continue dominating the region, one of theirfew bright spots in a world tilting heavily towards the US. Iranian Hostage Crisis, Marine BarracksBombing, and maybe Iran-IraqWar add a little fuel to the fire, but generally they only slam the doorshut on the US rather than leading to any cataclysmic change in the region.
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Regions: Asia
Asia Scoring
While Europe may have been the object of the Cold War, Asia was the battleground.From the Chinese Civil War, to the Korean War to Vietnam and Afghanistan, Asia wasthe place where the Cold War came closest to growing hot. For this reason, Asia is thesecond most significant region for scoring.
Time: Early WarBattlegrounds: 6Countries: 15
General Considerations
The Early War (more specifically, Turn 1) is more or less a fight for Asia. It’s difficult to get anythingdone in Europe, and the USSR enjoys several major advantages in the Middle East. This leaves Asiaas the one region the two sides will clash over most. Whoever comes out of the Early War with Asiadomination will likely keep it for the rest of the game, though the omnipresent threat of the ChinaCard keeps Asia very much hanging in the balance. The fact that it can’t be couped at DEFCON 3means that the US will often make a control-breaking play in Asia on the final AR of a turn, so onthe next turn, the USSR is forced to choose between its battleground coup or repairing the damagein Asia.
Early War
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The key to Asia lies in the very first Action Round of the game — the Iran coup. If the USSR is ableto rid Iran of US influence before the US has a chance to spread into Afghanistan or Pakistan, thenthe only question is whether the USSR is also able to grab Thailand or South Korea and thereforescore domination. But if the USSR is unable to keep the US out of Iran, then the tables are turned,and it is the USSR that must successfully defend both Thailand and South Korea to prevent the USfrom dominating Asia.
In other words, whichever side comes out of Iran by the end is likely going to be able to take Pakistanand India. The USSR starts with North Korea, and the US has de facto control of Japan. Accordingly,South Korea and Thailand are the keys to Asia, and are therefore much of the focus of Turn 1. The UShas easier access to these countries, but the USSR will look to make use of the Korean War, VietnamRevolts, and Decolonization to even the playing field.
The one wild card in all of this is the Indo-Pakistani War, which can dramatically change westernAsia. Skilled players that suspect an Indo-Pakistani War will make sure to shore up Pakistan’s andIndia’s neighbors before committing to Pakistan and India entirely. But you won’t always have thetempo to do all of this before Asia Scoring, and India in any event can never be entirely safe fromthe War.
As the US, it is also possible to deny domination to the USSR by grabbing all the cheap countries andending up with a higher overall country count. As there are 15 countries on each side, the US onlyneeds to grab 7 countries in addition to Australia to guarantee that it cannot be dominated, even ifit loses the battleground war 4-2. This is easily achieved if you take Thailand and its neighbors inSoutheast Asia, and possible (though unlikely) if the USSR took Thailand.
Formosan Revolution can sometimes turn the tide in favor of the US, but it’s only relevant if the twosides split the battlegrounds 3-3 and Asia Scoring triggers before the US uses the China Card. It isgenerally a harmless 2Ops for the USSR and not worth the event for the US.
Mid War
In the Mid War, several important Asian events enter the deck. Southeast Asia Scoring raises thestakes, and the China Card cards (Nixon Plays the China Card, Ussuri River Skirmish, and CulturalRevolution) all make their presence felt. Of these, Ussuri is easily the most influential; although it’snot very important if the US is already dominating, it can quickly turn USSR domination into USdomination when followed up with the China Card.
On the whole, however, the Mid War is mostly a fight for the new regions: Africa and the Americas.By this point, Asia is frequently already locked down, and you need a gamechanger (Brush War,Red Scare/Purge, Ussuri River Skirmish, or the China Card) as well as high Ops cards to make anyheadway. Nevertheless, Asia is sufficiently high-scoring that it’s probably worth overcontrollingyour key battlegrounds as a prophylactic measure against such gamechangers.
The fact that there is an even number of battlegrounds means that it is very difficult to flip youropponent’s Domination into your Domination. Therefore, Asia tends to be most contested whenneither side exits the Early War with Domination.
Shuttle Diplomacy is generally less helpful than it appears. The reason is that the USSR typically
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leads in battlegrounds 4-2, in which case the saved battleground is rather meaningless. However, ifthe battlegrounds are split 3-3, then Shuttle Diplomacy can be a nice one-time domination if the UShas enough countries overall. It is essentially an uncertain 5VP card, depending on the board, howthe USSR responds, and which scoring card triggers first. Although it’s not much of a big deal forthe Middle East, it can be rather more potent in Asia.
Late War
No LateWar event explicitly targets Asia. (Soviets Shoot DownKAL-007 gives the US an outstandingheadline if they control South Korea, but doesn’t necessarily help them in Asia.) Although it ispossible for Asia to flip from one side to another, in practice, at this point Asia is just as lockeddown as it was through the Mid War. The China Card (and its associated events) continue to ensurethat Asia is never entirely decided until the end of the game, but Asia is generally the least volatileregion in the Late War.
Battlegrounds: Thailand
Experienced players know that the road to Asian domination begins and ends in Thailand. Assumingthat the USSR keeps Pakistan, India, and North Korea (generally safe assumptions in the EarlyWar), the US needs both South Korea and Thailand to stop Asian domination. (Japan is never reallycontested by the USSR.) These countries share the common characteristic of being the only Asianbattlegrounds that both sides will have reasonably easy access to in the Early War.
Unlike South Korea, however, Thailand is much easier to flip, especially with the China Card.Overcontrol is a must against a player with the China Card, because 5Ops can flip a 2/0 country into2/4. (For the US, sometimes double overcontrol is needed against China + Vietnam Revolts.) Even3/0 turns into 3/3 after the China Card.
Thailand is usually taken on Turn 1. There are some complications involving DEFCON, but generallyboth sides are keen to get to Thailand as soon as possible. In the Mid War, Thailand’s low stabilitycombined with Southeast Asia Scoring makes it a frequent target for influence wars (and BrushWar!), and whoever flips Thailand is often able to flip the Asia scoring card to their advantage.
As USSR
The easiest way to get to Thailand is with Decolonization or Vietnam Revolts. With Decolonization,you must be wary that you don’t just get immediately couped out of Thailand. On the other hand,if you coup DEFCON to 3, even with Decolonization, you won’t be able to stop the US from takingThailand first. If DEFCON is still at 4 on Turn 2, you can headline Decolonization into Malaysia andthen reinforce it so that the US never even has access to Thailand, later securing Thailand at yourleisure.
With Vietnam Revolts, you’re a bit safer, as your +1 to Ops in Southeast Asia means that it’s difficultto coup you out of Vietnam. When DEFCON drops to 3, you’ll be able to take Thailand first, and inany event a 6Ops China Card will be difficult for the US to defend against.
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De-Stalinization can also place influence into Thailand, but this is strictly a desperation move: De-Stalinization is in general fairly weak on Turn 1, and especially weak if you are wasting 25-50% ofit in Southeast Asia.
Without these events, your best bet for Thailand is to crawl across Asia (assuming the US doesn’texpose itself to being couped in Southeast Asia). You are thus very unlikely to gain control of iton Turn 1. Nevertheless, Vietnam Revolts will eventually come out and guarantee you access toThailand; you can fight for it then.
As US
The US is usually able to get to Thailand first, because you need no events in order to get intoThailand: you can just walk right through Malaysia. Generally, you try to wait until DEFCONdrops to 3 lest you get couped right out of Malaysia. It is equally critical to play into Malaysiaas soon as DEFCON drops to 3, because if you wait a turn, you allow the USSR to play VietnamRevolts/Decolonization and then take Thailandwhile you are still inMalaysia. If you do get Thailandtaken from you, play into Malaysia to ensure access to this critical battleground, and consider usingyour AR6 play to break Thailand control so that the USSR is forced to choose between shoring upThailand and couping on his next Action Round.
After securing Thailand, it is important to sooner or later take Malaysia and Laos/Cambodia so thatThailand is not an automatic target for Brush War in the Mid War. And since the USSR starts withthe China Card, you absolutely need to overcontrol Thailand so that the China Card doesn’t justflip the country. Even if the USSR doesn’t immediately have access to Thailand, he will sooner orlater, and you don’t want to be caught off guard by a Vietnam Revolts headline followed up withthe China Card to steal your Asian Domination.
Affected by:
• Brush War• Southeast Asia Scoring• The China Card• Decolonization / Colonial Rearguards
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Regions: South America
South America Scoring
The regional penchant to turn to strong men or military juntas to resolve questions ofinstability made South America ripe for leftist reaction throughout the ColdWar. Risingnationalism and the world-wide wave of anti-imperialist sentiment also characterizedthe relationship with the United States and the nations of South America. The Sovietssought to exploit any openings offered, and established close relations with nationslike Argentina. The greatest potential realignment in the region was squashed by anallegedly CIA-instigated coup of Chile’s Salvador Allende.
Time: Mid WarBattlegrounds: 4Countries: 10
General Considerations
South America offers the potential for some of the most lopsided scoring in the game. With only 4battlegrounds, closely-linked, it is the easiest region to gain Control over. In particular, a great manyUSSR Mid War victories can be attributed to a De-Stalinization into South America that locks upthe four battlegrounds early.
Even if you don’t gain control, the difference between a 2-2 battleground deadlock and a 3-1Domination is 5VP. This is equal to a typical Europe Domination, and further suggests that alongwith Africa, South America is one of the key regions of the board.
Regions 255
The eventual trend of the continent is to tilt towards the United States. The USSR must rely oneither De-Stalinization, coups, or neutral events in the Mid War, while the US has a plethora ofevents (including OAS Founded, one of the most irritating 1 Ops events in the game). Accordingly,it is important for a USSR that did manage to De-Stalinize into South America to lock up the regionsecurely, so as to defend against an eventual US onslaught.
South America is also rife with potential for realignments, as it is the only region where everybattleground can be subject to an easy realignment. Common scenarios include Chile/Uruguayrealigning Argentina, Colombia/Brazil realigning Venezuela, Venezuela/Uruguay realigning Brazil,and Peru/Argentina realigning Chile.
Early War
The USSR has the easier job of getting into South America, but if and only if he draws De-Stalinization. If he does, then South America control should be easy; otherwise, the USSR’s onlyhope is to attack the US with coups and events.
The US has only one Early War option for South America, and that’s the AR7 play into Colombia(AR6 in this case, since this is the Early War). Personally, I’m not a fan of this move. As USSR, I’mtotally happy to just coup Colombia and give up a battleground coup; usually, in the Early War, theUS is not terribly interested in battleground coups anyway, and certainly not at the cost of letting theUSSR into South America with a strong Colombia coup. On the other hand, if the USSR is alreadyin South America thanks to De-Stalinization, then the AR7 play into Colombia is still unlikely tosucceed but at least has little downside.
Mid War
ManyMidWar events directly or indirectly target South America. The USSR, however, has very fewoptions, with its only events being:
• Allende– A good desperation way to get into South America if De-Stalinization has not come out.
• Che– A nice way of responding to two threats at once, creating two threats at once, orresponding to one and creating your own simultaneously.
The US has:
• Puppet Governments– If played early enough, this serves as a psuedo-De-Stalinization, perfect if South Americais still empty.
• Panama Canal Returned– A straightforward way to get into Venezuela, very useful as an AR7 play or to get intoan empty South America
• Nuclear Subs
Regions 256
– Although not as persuasive as in Africa, Nuclear Subs offers the US a rare opportunityat multiple battleground coups.
• OAS Founded– A total pain for the USSR to deal with, and a good way to get into an empty SouthAmerica (though make sure DEFCON is at 2, lest you get couped out immediately).
• Alliance for Progress– The “US OPEC”. Usually, however, it’s not worth very much when it first comes out;better to let it stew and collect more points in the Late War.
• The Voice of America– Extremely effective at eliminating the USSR from subregions of South America, espe-cially as Venezuela and Brazil are both 2-stability countries.
In practice, the USSR will hope to draw these neutral events:
• Brush War• Junta• ABM Treaty
– The Holy Trinity of Mid War neutral events, with each serving its own purpose: BrushWar attacks isolated battlegrounds, without regard for overcontrol; Junta is a flexiblecard that allows you to either get access to a region, create realignment opportunities,or coup in the headline phase; and ABM Treaty is … well, it’s a 4Ops battleground coup!What more could you ask?
• Latin American Death Squads– This is usually a non-factor, since it’s mainly useful on non-battlegrounds, and SouthAmerica does not feature many non-battleground coups.
If the USSR did not draw De-Stalinization, and did not draw the neutral events to contest SouthAmerica, then coups are their only real chance to contest the continent, and absent extraordinaryluck they are probably going to break even at best on the region.
In the Mid War, the region can change hands surprisingly quickly. Realignments are a key aspect tocontrolling South America: a US player that controls Colombia/Venezuela/Brazil/Uruguay, with noSoviet influence in any of those four countries, will be very difficult to knock out.
In general, Venezuela tends to be the most contested country, for two reasons: it scores on OPEC,and Colombia is somewhat difficult to hold onto long enough to realign Venezuela.
South America is a region where consecutive plays are critical: taking over a battleground ofteninvolves two steps, and so it’s a one of the most tense regions on the board, as you and your opponentjockey in attempts to set up a critical realign. This is why Junta and Che are such strong events: Juntalets you prepare for and realign in a single Action Round, and Che allows the USSR to do two thingsat once, be it respond to a threat or create one of their own.
Late War
Regions 257
In the Late War, the USSR gets a little help in the way of events, and the US must rely on theircontinued Mid War events:
• The Iron Lady– In theory a US event, but in practice a USSR event. The loss of Socialist Governmentshurts a little, but being able to flip Argentina is more than worth it. It should go withoutsaying that the UK effect is worthless.
• Latin American Debt Crisis– As US, I usually prefer to just let this trigger and not discard. As USSR, it is a good wayof pressuring the US by either making them give up a high Ops card or dramaticallyaltering the situation in the region.
Regions 258
Regions: Africa
Africa Scoring
African history throughout the Cold War reflects the promise and tragedy that go handin handwith that continent’s experience. At first buoyed by the political success of rapiddecolonization, the jubilation would devolve into cynicism. One after another, newlyindependent governments would give way to “presidents for life”, political corruption,economic chaos, and ethnic violence. Lacking resources, African governments quicklytook advantage of the superpower rivalry to maximize economic and military supportfor their regimes. In the post-colonial era, a variety of proxy civil wars were fought onthe continent. Angola, Mozambique, Chad and Ethiopia were but a few of the nationsthat experienced violence, theoretically in the name of the global struggle betweencommunism and capitalism.
Time: Mid WarBattlegrounds: 5Countries: 18
General Considerations
Although theoretically lower-scoring than Europe or Asia, Africa Scoring is in practice often muchmore important. Africa’s Early andMidWar events are much more powerful, and therefore lopsidedscorings are more common. It is very unusual for Europe to score more than 5VP for either side, butit is not at all unusual for one side to gain Africa Control and score 10 or 11VP.
Regions 259
The key theme of Africa is its low stability. It has all three of the map’s 1-stability battlegrounds,meaning they are quite susceptible to being couped or even direct influence placement—it only takesa 3 Ops to flip control of a 1-stability battleground. Overcontrol is therefore highly recommendedin Nigeria / Zaire / Angola.
Given the lopsided scoring potential and low stabilities, it should be no surprise that Africa tends tobe one of the “hottest” regions on the board. As Jason Matthews noted¹⁴, this accurately echoes thehistorical Cold War reality:
Africa has a disproportionate number of battlegrounds, but that was reflective of a starkreality—there was no other continent where the Superpowers played so frequently orso freely as Africa. You can make a case for Asia, but there the powers needed to playcarefully. In Africa, it was a no-holds-barred game.
Africa’s battlegrounds are conceptually divided into three regions: Algeria, Nigeria, and Zaire/An-gola/South Africa. They are separated by volatile, easily-couped non-battlegrounds. The mostimportant non-battleground is Botswana: it plays a central role in potential realignments againstAngola and South Africa. A player trying to break into this subregion must account for the amplerealignment opportunities down there, since it is very easy to get realigned out and have no wayback in.
Morocco presents another interesting non-battleground, as it is the only non-battleground that offersmeaningful stability. If you are desperate to score Domination and cannot afford to spend timecouping back and forth, then Morocco may be the non-battleground you need.
Early War
The US starts in South Africa and should, before the end of the Early War, move out into Angolaand then Zaire. This is because if the USSR successfully takes Angola first, then it will also nabZaire while trapping the US in South Africa, leaving it vulnerable to a realignment from Angola andBotswana. If the Soviets get into France, the US should look to claim Algeria first if it has influencein France: Algeria is a costly 2 Ops, but it is one of the most difficult battlegrounds to flip in Africa.
The USSR’s primary entry point into Africa is Decolonization. Algeria can be infiltrated throughSoviet presence in France, and of course if the US does take Angola/Zaire, the USSR can coup intothose countries.
Mid War
Many Mid War events directly or indirectly target Africa. The USSR has:
• Portuguese Empire Crumbles– An easy way to secure a non-battleground and possibly flip Angola.
• South African Unrest
¹⁴http://boardgamegeek.com/article/2955083#2955083
Regions 260
– A nice recurring event that can get you into a subregion if you are locked out. The 1influence in South Africa and 2 in a neighbor is usually the better choice, since it canflip Angola if it is not overcontrolled or take Botswana.
• Decolonization– The Early War Decolonization establishes you access; the Mid War Decolonization cande-stabilize a whole series of battlegrounds, or grab a ton of non-battlegrounds to denyDomination. It’s extra-powerful because of all the low-stability battlegrounds. Ideallyyou will have played this twice by the time Colonial Rear Guards comes out.
• Che– Being able to coup two non-battlegrounds at once is a gamechanger: a US player mightmove towards Nigeria by playing into Cameroon and Saharan States simultaneously,figuring that even if you coup one of those countries they can still make it into Nigeria.Che is the perfect counter.
The US has:
• Puppet Governments– If played early enough, this serves as a psuedo-De-Stalinization. In Africa, this canusually get to Nigeria without having to go through coupable non-battlegrounds.
• Nuclear Subs– If you have a hand conducive to it, Nuclear Subs will essentially win you every African1-stability battleground by allowing you to freely coup away.
• Colonial Rear Guards– See Decolonization, though the fact that it comes out in the MidWar instead of the EarlyWar hurts a lot.
• The Voice of America– Although it can target any non-European country in the world, it is particularly effectivein Africa because it offers the potential to eliminate the USSR’s presence in certainsubregions of Africa. Unlike most other regions, it is difficult to move between Africansubregions, and so therefore it is much easier to deny entire swaths of battlegrounds tothe USSR. Can be followed up nicely with Puppet Governments.
The focus of the Mid War shifts according to the timing of the Scoring Cards, but in general Africatakes high priority due to its high scoring potential and volatile low stability.
Late War
No new event targets Africa in the Late War. Nevertheless, it continues to be a hot spot in the LateWar for the same reasons as before. Many of the key Africa events are recurring (in particular,Decolonization / Colonial Rear Guards) and can be a nasty Turn 10 surprise.
Regions 261
Regions: Central America
Central America Scoring
Central America and the Caribbean were frequently termed America’s “backyard” and“lake.” With the advent of Fidel Castro in the 1959, Americans could no longer take theregion for granted. The US reaction to communist influence in the area provoked directUS military intervention in the Dominican Republic (1965) and Grenada (1983). In theclosing years of the Cold War, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Honduras, became frontlinestates in the struggle between the superpowers.
Time: Mid WarBattlegrounds: 3Countries: 10
General Considerations
If I had to pick one region to ignore, I’d probably pick Central America. Not that it isn’t important,but by definition, one of the regions has to be the least important, and that region is usually CentralAmerica. Domination is a measly 2VP bonus, meaning that Dominations usually score at +3VP forthe US, and it’s very difficult to hold onto Domination because almost all the non-battlegrounds areso volatile and low-stability.
On the other hand, the region’s main role in the game is a point source for the USSR. In general, theUSSR is going to benefit a lot more from Central America scoring because Mexico/Cuba essentially
Regions 262
score double. And although the US theoretically has easier access to those battlegrounds, Fidel inpractice often sews up Cuba for the USSR, and an early game coup of Panama can leave the Gulf ofMexico feeling very communist indeed.
Central America does offer the potential for one of the easiest Dominations in the game. As US, afortified Panama with control of Costa Rica can easily keep the USSR out of the region and allowan easy +4VP. More commonly, both sides get into the region, and one country will control twobattlegrounds, while the other tries to take a lot of non-battlegrounds to stop Domination.
The USSR often ends up with difficulty getting out of Cuba; without a coup or Liberation Theology,they don’t really have a shot at Panama or Mexico from Cuba. In addition, Cuba and Mexico areextremely vulnerable to US realignment, made all the more volatile by their adjacent 1-stabilityrealignment-modifying non-battlegrounds.
Early War
The USSR has Fidel, which is a pretty easy route into Cuba. Although theoretically De-Stalinizationcould place influence here, it is not worth it: Panama is more easily couped, Mexico is easilyrealigned, and Cuba is likely yours anyway.
The US rarely plays here in the Early War. Once in a while you might shore up Panama, or add aninfluence into Costa Rica, but otherwise that’s that.
Mid War
The primary USSR event here is Liberation Theology This is like Decolonization for Central America,in a way, and it is often a lifesaver because the USSR has a difficult time moving out of Cuba andinto Panama or Mexico without a coup. Che ostensibly provides some support for the region, butthe USSR’s chances are really somewhat defined by their coup success and Liberation Theology.
The US does not really need events for Central America: their Mid War events (OAS Founded,Nuclear Subs, and The Voice of America) are often better used in other regions. The main exceptionsare Panama Canal Returned though even that is most useful for getting into Venezuela; PuppetGovernments which if it comes out late enough is probably best used to just grab a whole bunchof Central American non-battlegrounds; and Alliance for Progress the “US OPEC” which just getsbetter and better as the game goes on.
Likewise, the neutral events are often too valuable to be used in Central America, but Junta, ABMTreaty, and Brush War can all flip a country very easily. Junta in particular can be used for somebrutal realignments by either side.
Latin American Death Squads is theoretically most helpful here, because a Domination fight oftenends up turning on who controls more non-battlegrounds, as both sides coup the 1-stability non-battlegrounds back and forth.
Late War
The only events of note here are Yuri and Samantha, which accomplishes much the same thing thatLatin American Death Squads did in the Mid War, and Ortega Elected in Nicaragua, which is apretty lousy event but a DEFCON-suicide card for the US if the US has influence in Cuba.
Regions 263
Regions: Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia Scoring
In Southeast Asia the process of decolonization intertwined with superpower rivalry inparticularly deadly ways. Beginning with the British counter-insurgency in Malaya, tothe US wars in Vietnam and Cambodia, and ending in 1979 with the Sino-Vietnamesewar, Southeast Asia would commandAmerican attention like no other region. However,after America’s humiliating withdrawal from the region, it would cease to play a centralrole in Cold War politics.
Time: Mid WarBattlegrounds: 1Countries: 7
General Considerations
The main contested countries in the EarlyWar are Burma, Laos/Cambodia, Indonesia, and Thailand.The USSR almost always ends up with control of Vietnam, while the US almost always has 1 inMalaysia and 1 in the Philippines by the end of the Early War, leaving the USSR loath to fight foreither. By the Mid War, Burma will be sewn up, and then it’s a fight for the 1-stability countries,and of course, Thailand, a 4VP swing.
Early War
Regions 264
Since Asia is probably the most fought-over region in the Early War, Southeast Asia can’t help butget dragged into the fight. Thailand is obviously of critical importance, but both sides also have aninterest in taking Laos/Cambodia (limit access from Southeast Asia into western Asia) and Burma(ditto, plus Indo-Pakistani War modifiers). Malaysia is not frequently contested, since it’s more ofa stepping stone to Thailand, nor are the Philippines, but Indonesia often gets a little visit fromDecolonization.
Usually the US ends up doing better in the region, but Vietnam Revolts and/or an early Decoloniza-tion will usually sew it up pretty securely for the USSR.
Occasionally, you will see an Early War Asia fight that boils down to total country count, and hereyou’ll see one side (usually the US) down battlegrounds but able to deny Domination by controllinglots of Southeast Asia countries.
Mid War
The battle for Southeast Asia is usually already decided in the Early War. As the USSR, try to playSoutheast Asia Scoring before the US can spare Ops to secure Malaysia and the Philippines.
The main fight will be over Thailand, easily the most valuable country, amplified by the fact thatthis will also affect Asia Scoring as a whole. Expect Brush War, ABM Treaty (if used at DEFCON 3),the China Card, and Ussuri River Skirmish to all play a role in deciding Thailand’s fate.
Late War
No Late War event explicitly targets Southeast Asia, and more to the point, Southeast Asia Scoringis usually no longer in the deck.
Annotated Game #1
Annotated Game #1 266
Early War
This is an analysis of a game against a strong opponent where the US emerges triumphant despitepoor luck and no influence adjustment. Contrary to popular opinion, it is my firm belief that betweenexperienced players, the Deluxe Edition of Twilight Struggle is adequately balanced with Optionalcards and no additional adjustments. And although luck shapes the course of the game—sometimesunevenly—it is exceedingly rare that bad luck cannot be overcome with skillful play.
The game is played on Wargameroom¹⁵. Optional cards are included. The save game itself can bedownloaded here¹⁶, if you wish to replay the game on Wargameroom. As an alternative, there is acomplete record of play here¹⁷ as well.
1 Wargameroom.com Presents:
2
3 Twilight Struggle 6.0
4 Game by Ananda Gupta, Jason Matthews, and GMT Games
5 Program by Bruce Wigdor
6
7 ** The Server chooses to use the following optional rule: **
8 Optional Cards
9 The server chooses to have the sides selected randomly...
10 The server will be playing the USA
11 The client will be playing the USSR
12 ************************************************************
13 ** The deck is being shuffled. **
14 ************************************************************
My opening hand:
¹⁵http://www.wargameroom.com/index.html¹⁶http://dl.dropbox.com/u/17269972/Twilight%20Strategy%20Annotated%20Game%20%231.wgr¹⁷https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ai0msB3_N-FhdDVCemZraFJJUmlxa2FmZXBLUElJZ2c
Annotated Game #1 267
Annotated Game #1 268
The first question is how to deal with Blockade. When you discard to Blockade, you end the turnwith no cards held in your hand. This is bad if I am holding Decolonization or De-Stalinization,because those are the two cards the US desperately needs to keep out of the Turn 3 reshuffle. Butsince I have neither of those cards, assuming I don’t get Red Scare/Purged, this will be a good turnto trigger Blockade and discard freely.
The card I will discard to Blockade will be Socialist Governments, which is preferable over the othertwo USSR cards because Warsaw Pact and Suez Crisis can be eliminated from the deck this turn atrelatively little cost. This is the same reason I do not want to use UN Intervention with Blockade:I would rather Blockade to be gone permanently, rather than deal with it later under possibly less-advantageous circumstances.
I normally love the NORAD event, which meshes nicely with my play style, but given the scarcityof Ops in my hand I will almost certainly play it for Ops. (This is generally true of NORAD on Turn1 or 2. On Turn 3, you are more likely to be able to spare the Ops.) Indo-Pakistani War might endup getting used for the event, if I’m desperate to get into western Asia. As discussed earlier, I do notwant to use UN Intervention with Blockade, and there is nothing else that I would consider usingUN Intervention on, so that will also be played for Operations. Olympic Games is a poor event andwill lose me the game if I play it at DEFCON 2. So as is typical for US in the Early War, it is almostcertain that my entire hand will be played for Operations.
1 4 USSR influence added to Poland, now at 4
2 1 USSR influence added to East Germany, now at 4
3 1 USSR influence added to Yugoslavia, now at 1
4
5 3 USA influence added to Italy, now at 3
6 4 USA influence added to West Germany, now at 4
Standard setup, nothing special.
Annotated Game #1 269
I have poor options for my headline. As stated earlier, I want all my cards played for Ops instead ofEvents: the only event I may be interested in is Indo-Pakistani War, and obviously that’s a pointlessplay right now. So normally, in situations like this, you headline your lowest Op card, because thatgives up the fewest Ops. But headlining Blockade here would be devastating if he headlines RedScare/Purge, as Red Scare/Purge would trigger first and then I would have nothing to discard toBlockade. UN Intervention is not allowed as a headline play, and so I have no choice but to playOlympic Games for the event. It is an awful event, but I have no better option.
1 ** Turn 1 Headline Phase **
2 Soviet Headline Card: #3: Middle East Scoring
3 American Headline Card: #20 Ops 2: Olympic Games
4
5 USA Headline Event: #20 Ops 2: Olympic Games
6
7 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
8 #20 Ops 2: Olympic Games
9 ** American Die Roll: 1 (+2 for hosting) = 3 **
10 ** Soviet Die Roll: 5 **
11 The Soviets win the Olympics!
12 VPs down 2, now at -2
13
14 USSR Headline Event: #3: Middle East Scoring
15
16 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
17 #3: Middle East Scoring
18
19 *** Scoring in Middle East ***
20 USSR: No score.
21 USA: No score.
Well that was unlucky. I ammildly surprised to see him puntMiddle East Scoring, since it’s relativelyeasy for USSR to pick up an EarlyWar domination there. I assume this means he has a low-Ops hand.
1 ** Turn 1 Action Phase **
2
3 Turn 1, USSR action round 1
4
5 The Soviets play the following card for a coup attempt:
6 #34 Ops 4: Nuclear Test Ban
7 Coup attempt in Iran (stability 2):
8 ** USSR die roll = 2 (+4) = 6
9 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 2.
Annotated Game #1 270
10 American influence in Iran reduced by 1, now at 0
11 Soviet influence in Iran increased by 1, now at 1
12 DEFCON Level lowered to 4
13 Soviet Military Operations for this turn increased to 4
As is standard on Turn 1, the USSR coups Iran. The point of this play is to eliminate US access towestern Asia, far more critical than control of Iran itself.
However, short of a totally failed coup (not possible with a 4 Ops card), this is the best possible resultfor the US. If he had rolled a 1, then Iran would be empty and I would have nothing to coup. Butwith a 2, he puts in 1 influence and I can coup Iran back. I will do so with the highest op card in myhand. Warsaw Pact is a good candidate, as it is a fantastic USSR Late War event that I wish to getrid of as soon as possible, and in addition its early play may expose him more to Independent Reds.
1 Turn 1, USA action round 1
2 The Americans play the following card for Ops
3 #16 Ops 3: Warsaw Pact Formed * (USSR)
4 They elect to have the Soviet event occur first.
5
6 ** The Warsaw Pact Formed card is permanently removed. **
7
8 2 USSR influence added to Yugoslavia, now at 3
9 2 USSR influence added to Finland, now at 3
10 1 USSR influence added to East Germany, now at 5
11
12 The Americans use the Warsaw Pact Formed card for a coup attempt:
13 Coup attempt in Iran (stability 2):
14 ** USA die roll = 1 (+3) = 4
15 The modified roll does not exceed the doubled stability -- no effect.
16 DEFCON Level lowered to 3
17 American Military Operations for this turn increased to 3
Well that was unlucky. I am unable to restore access to western Asia withmy coup, andmy opponentis unlikely to allow me a second chance at couping Iran.
Annotated Game #1 271
1 Turn 1, USSR action round 2
2
3 The Soviets play the following card for a coup attempt:
4 #18 Ops 1: Captured Nazi Scientists *
5 Coup attempt in Panama (stability 2):
6 ** USSR die roll = 4 (+1) = 5
7 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 1.
8 American influence in Panama reduced by 1, now at 0
9 DEFCON Level lowered to 2
10 Soviet Military Operations for this turn increased to 5
This is the ideal coup result for him. Any higher and he would have gained influence in a Mid Warregion, meaning he would be exposed to DEFCON suicide by CIA Created. As USSR I generally donot coup Panama in the Early War for that reason.
Now that I am out of Iran and cannot enter western Asia, my priorities shift. The number one USgame board priority on Turn 1 after DEFCON drops to 3 or lower is to get to Thailand. My top handpriority is to take care of Suez Crisis while it costs me only 3 influence (instead of 4). I can addressboth with one play: two into Egypt (two instead of one so that even if he plays Nasser, I still have1 influence left, influence in the Middle East, and access to Libya), and one into Malaysia. I willtrigger the event after my Operations, because after my Israel influence is gone I will have no moreaccess to the Middle East. (This is why Suez Crisis is such a fantastic headline for the USSR on Turn1, because coupled with a strong Iran coup, the US will be wiped out of the Middle East and havean extremely difficult time contesting the region.)
1 Turn 1, USA action round 2
2
3 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
4 #28 Ops 3: Suez Crisis * (USSR)
5 2 USA influence added to Egypt, now at 2
6 1 USA influence added to Malaysia, now at 1
7 The Soviets use the USSR event played by the USA
8
9 ** The Suez Crisis card is permanently removed. **
10
11 American influence in United Kingdom reduced by 2, now at 3
12 American influence in Israel reduced by 1, now at 0
13
14 Turn 1, USSR action round 3
15
16 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
17 #30 Ops 2: Decolonization (USSR)
18 Soviet influence in Algeria increased by 1, now at 1
Annotated Game #1 272
19 Soviet influence in Burma increased by 1, now at 1
20 Soviet influence in Thailand increased by 1, now at 1
21 Soviet influence in Indonesia increased by 1, now at 1
Well, that was unlucky (that he drew Decolonization). Now he has a dominating position in Asia aswell as access to France.
Thailand here is more important than France. France will suffer more from De Gaulle, and I haveother options to fight for it later (as you will see shortly). Thailand, on the other hand, scores forboth Asia and Southeast Asia. Because he has locked me out of western Asia by knocking me out ofIran, he is likely assured access to Pakistan and India. Coupled with North Korea, it means I cannotallow him to take any more battlegrounds in Asia or else he will score Domination easily.
Ordinarily, I would use a 4 Op card to take Thailand, because at 3/1 he can play the China Card toflip it back. Since I have no 4 Op card, I must play NORAD and hope he is not good enough to knowabout the China Card trick.
1 Turn 1, USA action round 3
2
3 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
4 #106 Ops 3: NORAD * (USA)
5 3 USA influence added to Thailand, now at 3
6
7 Turn 1, USSR action round 4
8
9 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
10 #6 Ops 4: The China Card
11 4 USSR influence added to Thailand, now at 5
Oh well. Hoping your opponents are bad does not get you very far in Twilight Struggle (or life, forthat matter). At least I forced him to give up the China Card.
My hand is now: UN Intervention, Indo-Pakistani War, Blockade, and Socialist Governments. I wishto hold Indo-Pakistani War as late as possible, to see if I can make use of the event, so that meansI’m playing one of the 1Ops now. I choose Blockade, and use it to take Laos/Cambodia, a 2VP swingwhen Southeast Asia scoring comes out as well as threatening play into Burma and then India.
Annotated Game #1 273
1 Turn 1, USA action round 4
2 The Americans play the following card for Ops
3 #10 Ops 1: Blockade * (USSR)
4 They elect to have the Soviet event occur first.
5
6 ** The Blockade card is permanently removed. **
7
8 The US player discards the following card to avoid losing all Influence in West G\
9 ermany:
10 #7 Ops 3: Socialist Governments (USSR)
11
12 The Americans use the Blockade card to place influence:
13 1 USA influence added to Laos/Cambodia, now at 1
14
15 Turn 1, USSR action round 5
16
17 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
18 #31 Ops 4: Red Scare/Purge
19 3 USSR influence added to France, now at 3
20 1 USSR influence added to Burma, now at 2
Saw the France takeover coming, but not much I could do about it there. He also wisely seals me offfrom access to India.
Since I’m still saving Indo-Pakistani War, I am playing the 1 Op of UN Intervention here. My bestoption is to return to the Middle East, and play into Libya while I still have access. I would not wanthim to do something like headline Nasser and then take both Libya and Egypt before I can react.
1 Turn 1, USA action round 5
2
3 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
4 #32 Ops 1: UN Intervention
5 1 USA influence added to Libya, now at 1
6
7 Turn 1, USSR action round 6
8
9 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
10 #12 Ops 1: Romanian Abdication * (USSR)
11 1 USSR influence added to Pakistan, now at 1
When you are behind, you gamble. Triggering the Indo-PakistaniWar here is about as good a gambleas I’ll get: 50/50 shot of 2VP and access to three critical battlegrounds (Iran, Pakistan, India).
Annotated Game #1 274
1 Turn 1, USA action round 6
2
3 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
4 #24 Ops 2: Indo-Pakistani War
5 India invades Pakistan...
6 USA success on a modified die roll of 4-6; USSR modifer is -0
7 ** Die roll: 6 -- USA victory!
8 VPs up 2, now at 0
9 Soviet influence in Pakistan reduced by 1, now at 0
10 American influence in Pakistan increased by 1, now at 1
11 American Military Operations for this turn increased to 5
Well that was lucky. This is the first truly gamechanging moment.
1 Events Played: Warsaw Pact Formed
2
3 USSR battleground countries controlled = 5
4 USA battleground countries controlled = 3
5
6 DEFCON Level raised to 3
7 ** Turn 2 Headline Phase **
The board at the start of Turn 2.
Annotated Game #1 275
My hand:
Annotated Game #1 276
I am very glad I drew De-Stalinization. I will not be discarding it this turn on the Space Race; I willdo that next turn instead so that it doesn’t go in the Turn 3 reshuffle. Everything else in my handis best played for Ops. None of the USSR events are truly dangerous: Nasser is the worst, but I canmanage that as long as I take Libya before he has a chance to. Fidel is typically played for Operationsby the US on Turns 1-2, and sometimes sent to space on Turn 3.
Like Turn 1, I have no 4 Ops cards. On average, the Early War cards are 2.2 Ops (including ScoringCards), so in each Early War hand you should expect about 17.7 Ops on average. Of course, youcan’t actually play all 17.7 Ops, since you headline one card, hold another, and discard some more.This turn I drew 15 Ops; Turn 1 I was at 18 Ops. Not great, but not terrible.
Also like Turn 1, I have nothing worth headlining. Again, I will therefore headline the lowest OpI can get away with. Certainly not Asia Scoring, as I have a chance to contest the continent still.Certainly not Nasser, since that would allow him to take Libya before I can. Certainly not TrumanDoctrine, as that would be a colossal waste of the card. Between Fidel and Arab-Israeli War, it isbasically a tie. I go with Arab-Israeli War, because while I still have control of Egypt, his chances of“victory” and 2VP are reduced.
1 Soviet Headline Card: #2: Europe Scoring
2 American Headline Card: #13 Ops 2: Arab-Israeli War (USSR)
3
4 USA Headline Event: #13 Ops 2: Arab-Israeli War (USSR)
5 USSR success on a modified die roll of 4-6; USA modifer is -1
6 ** Die roll: 6 (-1) = 5 -- USSR victory!
7 VPs down 2, now at -2
8 Soviet Military Operations for this turn increased to 2
9
10 USSR Headline Event: #2: Europe Scoring
11
Annotated Game #1 277
12 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
13 #2: Europe Scoring
14
15 *** Scoring in Europe ***
16 USSR: 7(domination) +3(battlegrounds) = 10
17 USA: 3(presence) +2(battlegrounds) = 5
18 VPs down 5, now at -7
19 ** Turn 2 Action Phase **
20
21 Turn 2, USSR action round 1
22
23 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
24 #21 Ops 4: NATO * (USA)
25 1 USSR influence added to Thailand, now at 6
26 3 USSR influence added to Pakistan, now at 3
27 The Americans use the USA event played by the USSR
28
29 ** The NATO card is permanently removed. **
30
31 USSR player may no longer make Coup or Realignment rolls in any US Controlled cou\
32 ntries
33 in Europe. US Controlled countries in Europe may not be attacked by play of the B\
34 rush War event.
35
36 May not be played until Marshall Plan or Warsaw Pact Formed (either one) has been\
37 played.
Presumably he wanted to coup, but this is one of those situations where there are more importantthings on the USSR agenda than lowering DEFCON. He wisely overprotects Thailand so I can’t flipit with the China card (like he did). Pakistan, on the other hand, is vulnerable to such a play rightnow, but the empty India is a more important target for me right now. Maybe I can flip Pakistanafter I secure India first.
1 Turn 2, USA action round 1
2
3 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
4 #29 Ops 3: East European Unrest (USA)
5 3 USA influence added to India, now at 3
6
7 Turn 2, USSR action round 2
8 The Soviets play the following card for Ops
9 #27 Ops 4: US/Japan Mutual Defense Pact * (USA)
Annotated Game #1 278
10 They elect to have the American event occur first.
11
12 ** The US/Japan Mutual Defense Pact card is permanently removed. **
13
14 USSR may no longer make Coup or Realignment rolls against Japan
15 American influence in Japan increased by 3, now at 4
16
17 The Soviets use the US/Japan Mutual Defense Pact card to place influence:
18 2 USSR influence added to Afghanistan, now at 2
19 1 USSR influence added to Vietnam, now at 1
20 1 USSR influence added to Pakistan, now at 4
Even though he doesn’t know I have Asia Scoring, Asia’s the only Early War region yet to be scored,and so we’re both playing heavily into it. Given that he’s now shored up Pakistan too, there’s onlyone way for me to stop his Domination: take South Korea. This is a huge risk considering KoreanWar is yet to come out, but I have no better choice. Since I have the China Card, I can take Taiwantoo, to further reduce the risk of losing the Korean War.
1 Turn 2, USA action round 2
2
3 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
4 #6 Ops 4: The China Card
5 3 USA influence added to Taiwan, now at 3
6 2 USA influence added to South Korea, now at 3
7
8 Turn 2, USSR action round 3
9
10 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
11 #102 Ops 2: Defectors (USA)
12 2 USSR influence added to Malaysia, now at 2
13 The Americans use the USA event played by the USSR
14 VPs up 1, now at -6
I think this was a mistake. Domination in Asia is not going to happen so long as I have 3battlegrounds, so better look elsewhere rather than fight for Asian non-battlegrounds. Moreimportantly, this is a move I do not have to react to, thus allowing me some time to do what Ineed to do.
What do I need to do? I could play Asia Scoring. But Iran is wide open. Why not coup it? I have a3Ops, DEFCON is at 3. But there is a pretty decent chance I will fail, since anything short of controland he will just take it on his turn. I’d have to roll a 4 or higher with my 3Ops to control it. Ratherthan risk the 50/50, I simply take the country with the 3Ops card instead.
Annotated Game #1 279
1 Turn 2, USA action round 3
2
3 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
4 #5 Ops 3: Five Year Plan (USA)
5 3 USA influence added to Iran, now at 3
6
7 Turn 2, USSR action round 4
8
9 The Soviets play the following card for a coup attempt:
10 #105 Ops 2: Special Relationship (USA)
11 Coup attempt in Iran (stability 2):
12 ** USSR die roll = 1 (+2) = 3
13 The modified roll does not exceed the doubled stability -- no effect.
14 DEFCON Level lowered to 2
15 Soviet Military Operations for this turn increased to 4
That was lucky. And also why I didn’t gamble on the coup.
There being no immediate threat or opportunity on the board, I take this chance to play Asia Scoring,now that I’ve ended his domination.
1 Turn 2, USA action round 4
2
3 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
4 #1: Asia Scoring
5
6 *** Scoring in Asia ***
7 USSR: 3(presence) +3(battlegrounds) = 6
8 USA: 3(presence) +3(battlegrounds) = 6
9
10 Turn 2, USSR action round 5
11
12 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
13 #23 Ops 4: Marshall Plan * (USA)
14 2 USSR influence added to Turkey, now at 2
15 2 USSR influence added to Spain/Portugal, now at 2
16 The Americans use the USA event played by the USSR
17
18 ** The Marshall Plan card is permanently removed. **
19
20 American influence in Finland increased by 1, now at 1
21 American influence in Canada increased by 1, now at 3
22 American influence in United Kingdom increased by 1, now at 4
Annotated Game #1 280
23 American influence in Benelux increased by 1, now at 1
24 American influence in West Germany increased by 1, now at 5
25 American influence in Italy increased by 1, now at 4
26 American influence in Greece increased by 1, now at 1
A wise way to get rid of Marshall Plan. As the US, Marshall Plan is a near-guarantee that you won’tget Dominated in Europe if you can get it into the three 2-stability Mediterranean countries. But ifyou can’t, then it’s not very helpful at all. Accordingly, 4 Ops of the card make it easy for the USSRto dramatically limit its efficacy by taking two of the Mediterranean countries first.
Now seems like a good time for me to take care of Nasser as well. As stated before: the primarythreat here is that I’d have lost Libya, not that I’d lose Egypt. I’m content losing Egypt because I willget it back later with Sadat Expels Soviets. Also, I have a plan for my remaining cards.
1 Turn 2, USA action round 5
2 The Americans play the following card for Ops
3 #15 Ops 1: Nasser * (USSR)
4 They elect to have the Soviet event occur first.
5
6 ** The Nasser card is permanently removed. **
7
8 Soviet influence in Egypt increased by 2, now at 2
9 American influence in Egypt reduced by 1, now at 1
10
11 The Americans use the Nasser card to place influence:
12 1 USA influence added to Libya, now at 2
13
14 Turn 2, USSR action round 6
15 The Soviets play the following card for Ops
16 #22 Ops 2: Independent Reds * (USA)
17 They elect to have the American event occur first.
18
19 ** The Independent Reds card is permanently removed. **
20
21 American influence in Yugoslavia now at 3
22
23 The Soviets use the Independent Reds card to place influence:
24 1 USSR influence added to Egypt, now at 3
25 1 USSR influence added to Iraq, now at 2
My hand is De-Stalinization, Truman Doctrine, and Fidel. I am holding two cards this turn because Iplayed the China Card. Clearly I am holding De-Stalinization. I can either hold Fidel as well, and getrid of him next turn, or use Fidel to do a sneaky Truman Doctrine play. I go with the latter, becauseI don’t want him to play Truman Doctrine for Ops and then watch him draw it later.
Annotated Game #1 281
1 Turn 2, USA action round 6
2 The Americans play the following card for Ops
3 #8 Ops 2: Fidel * (USSR)
4 They elect to have the Soviet event occur first.
5
6 ** The Fidel card is permanently removed. **
7
8 Soviet influence in Cuba now at 3
9
10 The Americans use the Fidel card to place influence:
11 1 USA influence added to France, now at 1
12 The Americans are 2 military operations short of the DEFCON requirement of 2
13 VPs down 2, now at -8
14
15 Events Played: Warsaw Pact Formed, NATO, US/Japan Mutual Defense Pact, Marshall P\
16 lan
17
18 USSR battleground countries controlled = 7
19 USA battleground countries controlled = 7
Now that he doesn’t have control of France, a Truman Doctrine headline will wipe out his Frenchinfluence and force him to choose between retaking France or couping on AR1.
1 DEFCON Level raised to 3
2 ************************************************************
3 ** The deck is being shuffled. **
4 ************************************************************
5 ** Turn 3 Headline Phase **
Annotated Game #1 282
The board at the start of Turn 3
My hand:
Annotated Game #1 283
20 Ops in hand: this is going to be a good turn. I see no particular reason to deviate from my TrumanDoctrine headline plan. I plan to send De-Stalinization to space, or hold it if I can’t spare the Action.
As for the rest of my cards, they are all being played for Operations as usual. However, NORADmight be a decent event if I find myself with some breathing room, because the way the board isshaping up there are many USSR-controlled countries that I have influence in.
There are a couple of specific play considerations. Vietnam Revolts will be played at the end of theturn to minimize its effect. De Gaulle is easy to manage if I end up controlling France, and a nicepunt if I don’t. The Cambridge Five is ideally played as late as possible in the turn: I don’t have anyscoring cards, but this way I can minimize the amount of information he receives.
I know that he has the following cards in hand: Korean War, Comecon, Duck and Cover,Containment, CIA Created. (I know this because these are Early War cards that have not yet beenplayed and are not in my hand, so therefore I know he must have drawn them.) If he is good, he
Annotated Game #1 284
will predict my Truman Doctrine move and play Duck and Cover (or maybe CIA Created) on theheadline in order to drop DEFCON to 2, so that he can recover France on AR1 without worryingthat I will coup a battleground in response.
1 Soviet Headline Card: #4 Ops 3: Duck and Cover (USA)
2 American Headline Card: #19 Ops 1: Truman Doctrine * (USA)
3
4 USSR Headline Event: #4 Ops 3: Duck and Cover (USA)
5 DEFCON Level lowered to 2
6 VPs up 3, now at -5
7
8 USA Headline Event: #19 Ops 1: Truman Doctrine * (USA)
9
10 The Americans use the Truman Doctrine card as an Event:
11
12 ** The Truman Doctrine card is permanently removed. **
13
14 Soviet influence in France now at 0
15 ** Turn 3 Action Phase **
16
17 Turn 3, USSR action round 1
18
19 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
20 #6 Ops 4: The China Card
21 4 USSR influence added to France, now at 4
Nicely played by him. I might as well dispose of De Gaulle, then, and resign myself to a USSR EuropeDomination. Before I trigger the event, though, I should take Algeria before he does. I currently haveaccess to it, and will no longer after De Gaulle.*
*It should be noted that in-game, I mistakenly played the De Gaulle event first, and my opponentwas kind enough to allow me to take back the move and play my Ops before playing the event.
1 Turn 3, USA action round 1
2
3 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
4 #17 Ops 3: De Gaulle Leads France * (USSR)
5 3 USA influence added to Algeria, now at 3
6 The Soviets use the USSR event played by the USA
7
8 ** The De Gaulle Leads France card is permanently removed. **
9
10 American influence in France reduced by 1, now at 0
Annotated Game #1 285
11 Soviet influence in France increased by 1, now at 5
12 France is not affected by NATO for the rest of the game.
13
14 Turn 3, USSR action round 2
15
16 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
17 #14 Ops 3: Comecon * (USSR)
18 1 USSR influence added to Saharan States, now at 1
19 1 USSR influence added to India, now at 1
A difficult choice. Do I coup the Saharan States to stop him from getting to Nigeria? Or do I shoreup India? I decide to coup the Saharan States, since if I succeed and replace his influence with someof mine, then if he fights for India I take Nigeria as a consolation prize. Plus I’ll need the Mil Opsanyway. I use a low Ops card as Saharan States has a stability of just 1. (Small mistake here: I shouldhave used Formosan Revolution instead of Cambridge Five, for the reasons discussed earlier. Ohwell.)
1 Turn 3, USA action round 2
2 The Americans play the following card for Ops
3 #110 Ops 2: The Cambridge Five (USSR)
4 They elect to have the Soviet event occur first.
5 No scoring cards in the USA hand: no effect.
6
7 The Americans use the The Cambridge Five card for a coup attempt:
8 Coup attempt in Saharan States (stability 1):
9 ** USA die roll = 1 (+2) = 3
10 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 1.
11 Soviet influence in Saharan States reduced by 1, now at 0
12 American Military Operations for this turn increased to 2
Well that was unlucky.
1 Turn 3, USSR action round 3
2
3 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
4 #7 Ops 3: Socialist Governments (USSR)
5 3 USSR influence added to India, now at 4
At least he didn’t play 4Ops into the country, which means I can use my 4 Ops to take it back.
Annotated Game #1 286
1 Turn 3, USA action round 3
2
3 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
4 #34 Ops 4: Nuclear Test Ban
5 4 USA influence added to India, now at 7
6
7 Turn 3, USSR action round 4
8
9 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
10 #11 Ops 2: Korean War * (USSR)
11
12 ** The Korean War card is permanently removed. **
13
14 USSR success on a modified die roll of 4-6; USA modifer is -2
15 ** Die roll: 6 (-2) = 4 -- USSR victory!
16 VPs down 2, now at -7
17 American influence in South Korea reduced by 3, now at 0
18 Soviet influence in South Korea increased by 3, now at 3
19 Soviet Military Operations for this turn increased to 2
Well that was definitely unlucky.
I’m going to go ahead and expand out of South Africa now, as the EarlyWar regions are pretty safelylocked up. I need to expand to both Angola and Zaire, because if I only take Angola, he’ll coup methere next turn and block me from Zaire. (This is incidentally why Decolonization should try todrop an Op into Angola if possible.) I also plan to play NORAD for the event, so I should controlCanada by the end of the turn as well.
My hand: Formosan Revolution, De-Stalinization, NORAD, Vietnam Revolts. I will play VietnamRevolts at the end of the turn, I want the NORAD event, I don’t want the De-Stal event, and so Iplay Formosan Revolution.
1 Turn 3, USA action round 4
2
3 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
4 #100 Ops 2: Formosan Resolution * (USA)
5 1 USA influence added to Angola, now at 1
6 1 USA influence added to Canada, now at 4
7
8 Turn 3, USSR action round 5
9
10 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
11 #20 Ops 2: Olympic Games
12 2 USSR influence added to Greece, now at 2
Annotated Game #1 287
Not a great play, since he already dominates Europe and this is unnecessary. Again, it places nopressure on me and is something I don’t have to react to.
I know he has Containment, and he’ll likely play it at the end of the turn, which means my last ARwill get a +1 Ops boost. I plan to play Vietnam Revolts at that point, since the end of the turn isthe best time to get rid of that card. So this means that I can now either trigger NORAD or spaceDe-Stalinization. I choose to play NORAD so I can have its effect next turn, and I have plenty ofgood NORAD targets.
1 Turn 3, USA action round 5
2
3 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
4 #106 Ops 3: NORAD * (USA)
5
6 ** The NORAD card is permanently removed. **
7
8 Turn 3, USSR action round 6
9 The Soviets play the following card for Ops
10 #25 Ops 3: Containment * (USA)
11 They elect to have the American event occur first.
12
13 ** The Containment card is permanently removed. **
14
15 All further operations cards played by US this turn add one to their value (to a \
16 maximum of 4).
17
18 The Soviets use the Containment card to place influence:
19 1 USSR influence added to Iraq, now at 3
20 1 USSR influence added to Algeria, now at 2
As predicted. Since he returned the China Card to me, I will threaten Thailand (to try and fix Asiafor myself) by removing his overcontrol, and I will move into Zaire (as discussed above). If he coupson AR1, a combination of NORAD and the China Card will flip Thailand for me. Algeria can waitfor later. He can coup Algeria on AR1, but he cannot coup Thailand. If he repairs Thailand, then Ican coup Algeria myself.
Annotated Game #1 288
1 Turn 3, USA action round 6
2 The Americans play the following card for Ops
3 #9 Ops 2: Vietnam Revolts * (USSR)
4 They elect to have the Soviet event occur first.
5
6 ** The Vietnam Revolts card is permanently removed. **
7
8 Soviet influence in Vietnam increased by 2, now at 3
9
10 The Americans use the Vietnam Revolts card to place influence:
11 1 USA influence added to Thailand, now at 4
12 1 USA influence added to Zaire, now at 1
13
14 Events Played: Warsaw Pact Formed, NATO, US/Japan Mutual Defense Pact, Marshall P\
15 lan, De Gaulle Leads France, NORAD
16
17 USSR battleground countries controlled = 10
18 USA battleground countries controlled = 8
19
20 ** The Mid War cards are added to the deck **
The board at the start of Turn 4.
Annotated Game #1 289
Mid War
1 ************************************************************
2 ** The deck is being shuffled. **
3 ************************************************************
4 DEFCON Level raised to 3
5 ** Turn 4 Headline Phase **
The board at the start of Turn 4
I’m currently at -7VP. This is not great: usually US after Early War is hoping to be within -5 or so.-7 means the USSR is clearly ahead, but at least I’m not being steamrolled.
My Turn 4 hand:
Annotated Game #1 290
Annotated Game #1 291
Ordinarily I like to hold Ask Not What Your Country Can Do for You… to get rid of bad scoringcards and DEFCON suicide cards, and manage the other problematic events as long as I can. But inthis hand, there are just too many problems for me to deal with them all and hold Ask Not … to nextturn. So I’m just going to headline it now and discard all my USSR events. I’ll also discard CapturedNazi Scientists in hopes of getting slightly more Ops. A 5-card discard to Ask Not … is pretty goodeven if there’s no bad scoring cards or DEFCON suicide cards.
Annotated Game #1 292
1 Soviet Headline Card: #38: Southeast Asia Scoring *
2 American Headline Card: #77 Ops 3: 'Ask Not What Your Country Can Do for You... \
3 * (USA)
4
5 USA Headline Event: #77 Ops 3: 'Ask Not What Your Country Can Do for You... * (U\
6 SA)
7
8 The Americans use the 'Ask Not What Your Country Can Do for You... card as an Eve\
9 nt:
10
11 ** The 'Ask Not What Your Country Can Do for You... card is permanently removed. \
12 **
13
14 The American player discards the following cards to be replaced:
15 #33 Ops 3: De-Stalinization * (USSR)
16 #53 Ops 2: South African Unrest (USSR)
17 #56 Ops 4: Muslim Revolution (USSR)
18 #18 Ops 1: Captured Nazi Scientists *
19 #30 Ops 2: Decolonization (USSR)
20
21 USSR Headline Event: #38: Southeast Asia Scoring *
22
23 The Soviets use the Southeast Asia Scoring card as an Event:
24
25 ** The Southeast Asia Scoring card is permanently removed. **
26
27 *** Scoring in Southeast Asia ***
28 USSR: 1(Burma) +2(Thailand) +1(Vietnam) +1(Indonesia) = 5
29 USA: 1(Laos/Cambodia) = 1
30 VPs down 4, now at -11
31 ** Turn 4 Action Phase **
32
33 Turn 4, USSR action round 1
34
35 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
36 #61 Ops 3: OPEC (USSR)
37 1 USSR influence added to Thailand, now at 7
38 2 USSR influence added to Algeria, now at 4
My new hand:
Annotated Game #1 293
Annotated Game #1 294
This is a far superior hand, and a rare hand where I will focus on events:
• I can score Africa control if I get Nigeria and South Africa;• Puppet Governments is going to be a key event play early in the turn to get me into SouthAmerica and Nigeria;
• I will save Defectors for next turn as a potential headline;• Cuban Missile Crisis is a clear Ops play;• It is too early for Alliance for Progress, which will earn many more VPs if I return it to thedeck and let it come back later;
• Quagmire is going to space, one because it’s an awful card to play on yourself (it gives youropponent two Action Rounds in a row), and two because it will cancel NORAD;
• Brush War is always a nice event against an isolated country;• And although I normally would play Five Year Plan for the delicious 3 Ops, I know that he isholding CIA Created in his hand. Therefore I will play it for the event to try and force him todiscard a card, and then trap him into losing the game by forcing him to play CIA Created.Hopefully I don’t hit CIA Created itself.
But for now, I must address this Algeria issue, since he’s broken my control. I’ll coup it and try touse NORAD either to patch up a failed coup or create a crisis elsewhere.
Annotated Game #1 295
1 Turn 4, USA action round 1
2
3 The Americans play the following card for a coup attempt:
4 #40 Ops 3: Cuban Missile Crisis *
5 Coup attempt in Algeria (stability 2):
6 ** USA die roll = 3 (+3) = 6
7 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 2.
8 Soviet influence in Algeria reduced by 2, now at 2
9 DEFCON Level lowered to 2
10 American Military Operations for this turn increased to 3
11 *** NORAD -- the US may place 1 influence anywhere they already have influence ***
12 American influence in Algeria increased by 1, now at 4
13
14 Turn 4, USSR action round 2
15
16 The Soviets play the following card for an attempt on the Space Race track:
17 #63 Ops 2: Colonial Rearguards (USA)
18 ** Space Race Die Roll (1-3 needed): = 4 **
19 No effect.
Now for Puppet Governments into Nigeria and South America. (Nigeria because if I play intoCameroon or Saharan States to get to Nigeria he’ll coup me right out immediately.) In general, withevents like these that provide access to critical regions, you want to play them as early as possibleso you can have as many options as possible for your subsequent Operations.
1 Turn 4, USA action round 2
2
3 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
4 #66 Ops 2: Puppet Governments * (USA)
5
6 ** The Puppet Governments card is permanently removed. **
7
8 American influence in Brazil increased by 1, now at 1
9 American influence in Chile increased by 1, now at 1
10 American influence in Nigeria increased by 1, now at 1
11
12 Turn 4, USSR action round 3
13 The Soviets play the following card for Ops
14 #105 Ops 2: Special Relationship (USA)
15 They elect to have the American event occur first.
16 The event cannot be played right now.
17
Annotated Game #1 296
18 The Soviets use the Special Relationship card for realignment rolls:
19
20 Realignment roll in Brazil: USSR modifier = +0, USA modifier = +1
21 ** USSR die roll = 5 (+0) = 5
22 ** USA die roll = 6 (+1) = 7
23
24 Realignment roll in Brazil: USSR modifier = +0, USA modifier = +1
25 ** USSR die roll = 4 (+0) = 4
26 ** USA die roll = 4 (+1) = 5
A good attempt, but unsuccessful. Now I need to expand out of my South American position, whilesimultaneously taking South Africa to score Africa control.
1 Turn 4, USA action round 3
2
3 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
4 #78 Ops 3: Alliance for Progress * (USA)
5 2 USA influence added to South Africa, now at 3
6 1 USA influence added to Venezuela, now at 1
7
8 Turn 4, USSR action round 4
9
10 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
11 #65 Ops 2: Camp David Accords * (USA)
12 1 USSR influence added to Egypt, now at 4
13 1 USSR influence added to Lebanon, now at 1
14 The Americans use the USA event played by the USSR
15
16 ** The Camp David Accords card is permanently removed. **
17
18 American influence in Israel increased by 1, now at 1
19 American influence in Jordan increased by 1, now at 1
20 American influence in Egypt increased by 1, now at 2
21 VPs up 1, now at -10
Africa Scoring literally can’t get any better than this.
Annotated Game #1 297
1 Turn 4, USA action round 4
2
3 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
4 #79: Africa Scoring
5
6 *** Scoring in Africa ***
7 USSR: No score.
8 USA: 6(control) +5(battlegrounds) = 11
9 VPs up 11, now at 1
10
11 Turn 4, USSR action round 5
12
13 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
14 #45 Ops 1: Summit
15 1 USSR influence added to Saharan States, now at 1
Perhaps he will try to realign Algeria at +1. Now that the rest is taken care of, time for me to try myFive Year Plan gambit. Maybe this will win me the game right here.
1 Turn 4, USA action round 5
2
3 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
4 #5 Ops 3: Five Year Plan (USA)
5 The Soviet player discards the following card:
6 #12 Ops 1: Romanian Abdication * (USSR)
7
8 Turn 4, USSR action round 6
9
10 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
11 #41 Ops 2: Nuclear Subs * (USA)
12 1 USSR influence added to Nigeria, now at 1
13 The Americans use the USA event played by the USSR
14
15 ** The Nuclear Subs card is permanently removed. **
16
17 US actions do not affect the DEFCON track for the remainder of this turn
18 (does not affect Cuban Missile Crisis).
Well, my plan worked, but he countered with the perfect response. Now CIA Created won’t losehim the game because my coup won’t lower DEFCON.
My current hand: Quagmire, Defectors, Brush War
Annotated Game #1 298
I decide to space Quagmire instead of defending Nigeria. Reason being, I know he’s playing CIAnext turn, so I can use the Op point from that to coup Nigeria back. Plus I want the Brush War eventand to hold Defectors to next turn in case I have no better headline.
1 Turn 4, USA action round 6
2
3 The Americans play the following card for an attempt on the Space Race track:
4 #42 Ops 3: Quagmire * (USSR)
5 ** Space Race Die Roll (1-3 needed): = 2 **
6 USA progress on the Space Race Track is now at Earth Satellite
7 VPs up 2, now at 3
8
9 Turn 4, USSR action round 7
10 The Soviets play the following card for Ops
11 #26 Ops 1: CIA Created * (USA)
12 They elect to have the American event occur first.
13
14 ** The CIA Created card is permanently removed. **
15
16 The American gets to look at the Soviet Hand:
17 Coup attempt in Nigeria (stability 1):
18 ** USA die roll = 1 (+1) = 2
19 The modified roll does not exceed the doubled stability -- no effect.
20 DEFCON remains the same due to Nuclear Subs
21 American Military Operations for this turn increased to 4
22
23 The Soviets use the CIA Created card to place influence:
24 1 USSR influence added to Nigeria, now at 2
Well, that was unlucky.
Now Brush War. Pakistan is a 50/50 shot and my most valuable choice. (Nigeria is also a target, butit’s much less stable and therefore much easier to affect with a coup instead.) If I am successful intaking Pakistan, it will help me defend India from Indo-Pakistani War.
Annotated Game #1 299
1 Turn 4, USA action round 7
2
3 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
4 #36 Ops 3: Brush War
5 The target country is Pakistan
6 USA success on a modified die roll of 3-6; USSR is -1
7 ** Die roll: 2 (-1) = 1 -- no effect **
8 American Military Operations for this turn increased to 5
9
10 Events Played: Warsaw Pact Formed, NATO, US/Japan Mutual Defense Pact, Marshall P\
11 lan, De Gaulle Leads France, NORAD, Camp David Accords
12
13 USSR battleground countries controlled = 11
14 USA battleground countries controlled = 10
15
16 The Soviets are 2 military operations short of the DEFCON requirement of 2
17 VPs up 2, now at 5
Gah.
1 DEFCON Level raised to 3
2 ** Turn 5 Headline Phase **
Annotated Game #1 300
The board at the start of Turn 5
My hand:
Annotated Game #1 301
Annotated Game #1 302
Seems like Defectors will have to wait. When the US has the China Card, Ussuri River Skirmishcreates all sorts of problems for the USSR. Whichever country he defends, I’ll take over the otherwith the China Card. He could theoretically repair both at once with a 4Ops, but that’s a costlyAR1 play that gives me a coup. In any event, just having influence in the Koreas exposes them toNORAD.
As for the rest of my cards, Panama Canal Returned and OAS Founded is a nice way to break someUSSR control in Americas. The combination of Ussuri, Cultural Revolution, and Nixon Plays theChina Card means that I will likely play Ussuri, use the China Card, punt Cultural Revolution whenit’s least effective, and then use Nixon to take the China Card back if I don’t need Nixon’s 2 Ops.
1 Soviet Headline Card: #75 Ops 2: Liberation Theology (USSR)
2 American Headline Card: #76 Ops 3: Ussuri River Skirmish * (USA)
3
4 USA Headline Event: #76 Ops 3: Ussuri River Skirmish * (USA)
5
6 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
7 #76 Ops 3: Ussuri River Skirmish * (USA)
8
9 ** The Ussuri River Skirmish card is permanently removed. **
10
11 2 USA influence added to North Korea, now at 2
12 2 USA influence added to South Korea, now at 2
13
14 USSR Headline Event: #75 Ops 2: Liberation Theology (USSR)
15
16 The Soviets use the Liberation Theology card as an Event:
17 2 USSR influence added to Panama, now at 2
Annotated Game #1 303
18 1 USSR influence added to Mexico, now at 1
19 ** Turn 5 Action Phase **
20
21 Turn 5, USSR action round 1
22
23 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
24 #59 Ops 4: Flower Power * (USSR)
25 1 USSR influence added to South Korea, now at 4
26 2 USSR influence added to North Korea, now at 5
27 1 USSR influence added to Mexico, now at 2
The fact he played into Mexico as well communicates to me that he’s got Central America Scoring.By giving up South Korea, he costs himself with Asia Scoring in the long run, but I think this is theright call. Otherwise, I would have couped Mexico or Panama, and then he would have had to worka lot harder for Central America Scoring.
In fact, I briefly consider fighting for Central America, but decide I would rather have South Koreainstead. (Interesting tidbit: the difference here between taking North Korea and South Korea is thatNorth Korea scores an extra +1 on each Asia Scoring, but South Korea lets the US headline SovietsShoot Down KAL-007 in the Late War, one of the best headlines around. I think he made the rightcall by defending North Korea.)
1 Turn 5, USA action round 1
2
3 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
4 #6 Ops 4: The China Card
5 5 USA influence added to South Korea, now at 7
6
7 Turn 5, USSR action round 2
8
9 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
10 #37: Central America Scoring
11
12 *** Scoring in Central America ***
13 USSR: 5(control) +3(battlegrounds) +2(adj. to USA) = 10
14 USA: No score.
15 VPs down 10, now at -5
Naturally. Delaying any longer might mean that I would dislodge him from a battleground, meaninghe would have to either retake it or defend a non-battleground to get Domination. Much easier tojust score the Control and deny me Presence.
This means I get a nice little coup. I will seek my revenge against Nigeria. I will use a small Opscard, and since I might want to use OAS Founded or Panama Canal Returned later, I choose WillyBrandt because it’s currently a harmless event as I already overcontrol West Germany.
Annotated Game #1 304
1 Turn 5, USA action round 2
2 The Americans play the following card for Ops
3 #55 Ops 2: Willy Brandt * (USSR)
4 They elect to have the Soviet event occur first.
5
6 ** The Willy Brandt card is permanently removed. **
7
8 Soviet influence in West Germany increased by 1, now at 1
9 VPs down 1, now at -6
10
11 The Americans use the Willy Brandt card for a coup attempt:
12 Coup attempt in Nigeria (stability 1):
13 ** USA die roll = 2 (+2) = 4
14 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 2.
15 Soviet influence in Nigeria reduced by 2, now at 0
16 DEFCON Level lowered to 2
17 American Military Operations for this turn increased to 2
18 *** NORAD -- the US may place 1 influence anywhere they already have influence ***
19 American influence in Venezuela increased by 1, now at 2
Not a great result, but good enough.
1 Turn 5, USSR action round 3
2 DEFCON Level raised to 3
3
4 The Soviets play the following card for a coup attempt:
5 #57 Ops 4: ABM Treaty
6 Coup attempt in Brazil (stability 2):
7 ** USSR die roll = 6 (+4) = 10
8 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 6.
9 American influence in Brazil reduced by 1, now at 0
10 Soviet influence in Brazil increased by 5, now at 5
11 DEFCON Level lowered to 2
12 Soviet Military Operations for this turn increased to 4
13 *** NORAD -- the US may place 1 influence anywhere they already have influence ***
14 American influence in North Korea increased by 1, now at 3
Well that was bad. Now the two of us are contesting South America as it is the only Mid Warregion left to be scored. As discussed earlier, I will use Cultural Revolution now, since the -1VP isway preferable to handing over the China Card (even just holding onto the China Card and neverplaying it is worth at least 2VP, since whoever holds it at the end of the game gets 1VP).
Annotated Game #1 305
1 Turn 5, USA action round 3
2 The Americans play the following card for Ops
3 #58 Ops 3: Cultural Revolution * (USSR)
4 They elect to have the Soviet event occur first.
5
6 ** The Cultural Revolution card is permanently removed. **
7
8 VPs down 1, now at -7
9
10 The Americans use the Cultural Revolution card to place influence:
11 2 USA influence added to Argentina, now at 2
12 1 USA influence added to Chile, now at 2
13
14 Turn 5, USSR action round 4
15
16 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
17 #46 Ops 2: How I Learned to Stop Worrying *
18 2 USSR influence added to Uruguay, now at 2
I need a non-battleground for Domination, now that I can no longer get Control.
1 Turn 5, USA action round 4
2
3 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
4 #80 Ops 2: 'One Small Step...'
5 1 USA influence added to Chile, now at 3
6 1 USA influence added to Colombia, now at 1
7
8 Turn 5, USSR action round 5
9
10 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
11 #24 Ops 2: Indo-Pakistani War
12 Pakistan invades India...
13 USSR success on a modified die roll of 4-6; USA modifer is -0
14 ** Die roll: 2 -- no effect **
15 Soviet Military Operations for this turn increased to 5
A lucky break for me. Since I have a chance to breathe, I will take back the China Card from theUSSR, which is both strong in its own right and also limits his ability to get rid of DEFCON suicidecards.
Annotated Game #1 306
1 Turn 5, USA action round 5
2
3 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
4 #71 Ops 2: Nixon Plays the China Card * (USA)
5
6 ** The Nixon Plays the China Card card is permanently removed. **
7
8 The US receives the China Card, face down, from the Soviet player.
9
10 Turn 5, USSR action round 6
11
12 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
13 #1: Asia Scoring
14
15 *** Scoring in Asia ***
16 USSR: 3(presence) +2(battlegrounds) = 5
17 USA: 3(presence) +3(battlegrounds) = 6
18 VPs up 1, now at -6
My hand: Panama Canal Returned, OAS Founded, Defectors, Missile Envy
Since North Korea is just sitting around uncontrolled, why not play into it? I plan to hold Defectors tonext turn (same reasoning as earlier) and OAS Founded, in case I need it; I also plan to play PanamaCanal Returned on the final AR to create some problems for the USSR to deal with re: Panama. So Iuse Missile Envy.
1 Turn 5, USA action round 6
2
3 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
4 #49 Ops 2: Missile Envy
5 2 USA influence added to North Korea, now at 5
6
7 Turn 5, USSR action round 7
8
9 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
10 #3: Middle East Scoring
11
12 *** Scoring in Middle East ***
13 USSR: 3(presence) +2(battlegrounds) = 5
14 USA: 3(presence) +2(battlegrounds) = 5
This must have been an awful hand for him, since he had three scoring cards. I go ahead with myplan to create a little Panamanian crisis for him.
Annotated Game #1 307
1 Turn 5, USA action round 7
2
3 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
4 #64 Ops 1: Panama Canal Returned * (USA)
5
6 ** The Panama Canal Returned card is permanently removed. **
7
8 American influence in Panama increased by 1, now at 1
9 American influence in Costa Rica increased by 1, now at 1
10 American influence in Venezuela increased by 1, now at 3
11
12 Events Played: Warsaw Pact Formed, NATO, US/Japan Mutual Defense Pact, Marshall P\
13 lan, De Gaulle Leads France, NORAD,
14 Camp David Accords, Willy Brandt
15
16 USSR battleground countries controlled = 10
17 USA battleground countries controlled = 15
18
19 DEFCON Level raised to 3
20 ** Turn 6 Headline Phase **
The board at the start of Turn 6
My hand:
Annotated Game #1 308
Annotated Game #1 309
There are two obvious headline candidates: Defectors and Red Scare/Purge. (Junta, too, is ordinarilyan awesome headline, but in this particular situation not as strong as Defectors or Red Scare/Purge.)Typically, in this situation, I would headline Defectors and headline Red Scare/Purge next turn: thisis because we’re on Turn 6, and I want Defectors to make it back in for the Turn 7 reshuffle.
But when you also have Bear Trap in the same hand, the potential for abuse is just staggering. Playedtogether with Red Scare/Purge, it is absolutely crippling to discard 3+ Ops cards. More importantly,there’s a very real possibility you’ll end up just having to skip Action Rounds if you run out of 3+Ops cards to discard. I once won a game after falling behind -18, because a combination of repeatedRed Scare/Purges and a never-ending Bear Trap cost my opponent 19 (!) straight Action Rounds.
There’s an art to the timing, though. The earlier you play it, the more effect you can get (i.e., themore rounds your opponent might be forced to skip), but the later you play it, the more likely it isthat he will have no 3+ Ops cards to discard.
Annotated Game #1 310
As for the rest of the hand: We Will Bury You will likely be unplayable, but is an easy Space Race.Brezhnev Doctrine is readily taken care of by playing it on the last Action Round. Junta has potential:I can play it into Costa Rica and realign him out of Panama, where he cannot get back in. AndPortuguese Empire Crumbles will be easy to manage and dispose of. Hopefully I will be able to holdDefectors for next turn …
1 Soviet Headline Card: #54 Ops 1: Allende * (USSR)
2 American Headline Card: #31 Ops 4: Red Scare/Purge
3
4 USA Headline Event: #31 Ops 4: Red Scare/Purge
5
6 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
7 #31 Ops 4: Red Scare/Purge
8 -1 to Ops value of Soviet cards this turn (minimum 1 OP)
9
10 USSR Headline Event: #54 Ops 1: Allende * (USSR)
11
12 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
13 #54 Ops 1: Allende * (USSR)
14
15 ** The Allende card is permanently removed. **
16
17 Soviet influence in Chile increased by 2, now at 2
18 ** Turn 6 Action Phase **
19
20 Turn 6, USSR action round 1
21
22 The Soviets play the following card for a coup attempt:
23 #39 Ops 3: Arms Race
24 Coup attempt in Zaire (stability 1):
25 ** USSR die roll = 1 (+2) = 3
26 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 1.
27 American influence in Zaire reduced by 1, now at 0
28 DEFCON Level lowered to 2
29 Soviet Military Operations for this turn increased to 2
30 *** NORAD -- the US may place 1 influence anywhere they already have influence ***
31 American influence in Chile increased by 1, now at 4
I decide it’s a little too early for Bear Trap, and instead look to kick the USSR out of Panama withJunta before I am couped out of Colombia. I get to roll at +1; if I succeed on the first roll, I can realignChile at +2 and negate Allende.
Annotated Game #1 311
1 Turn 6, USA action round 1
2
3 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
4 #47 Ops 2: Junta
5 American influence in Costa Rica increased by 2, now at 3
6
7 The Americans play the following card for realignment rolls:
8 #47 Ops 2: Junta
9
10 Realignment roll in Panama: USA modifier = +2, USSR modifier = +1
11 ** USA die roll = 3 (+2) = 5
12 ** USSR die roll = 2 (+1) = 3
13 Soviet influence in Panama reduced by 2, now at 0
14
15 Realignment roll in Chile: USA modifier = +2, USSR modifier = +0
16 ** USA die roll = 2 (+2) = 4
17 ** USSR die roll = 2 (+0) = 2
18 Soviet influence in Chile reduced by 2, now at 0
19
20 Turn 6, USSR action round 2
21
22 The Soviets play the following card for a coup attempt:
23 #112 Ops 3: Che (USSR)
24 Coup attempt in Colombia (stability 1):
25 ** USSR die roll = 1 (+2) = 3
26 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 1.
27 American influence in Colombia reduced by 1, now at 0
28 Soviet Military Operations for this turn increased to 4
29 The coup is successful: the USSR may make another coup
30
31 The Soviets play the following card for a coup attempt:
32 #112 Ops 3: Che (USSR)
33 Coup attempt in Costa Rica (stability 3):
34 ** USSR die roll = 1 (+2) = 3
35 The modified roll does not exceed the doubled stability -- no effect.
36 Soviet Military Operations for this turn increased to 5
A bit unlucky for him, but it wasn’t really the time for Che.
Now my trigger finger gets itchy and I gamble on the Bear Trap, hoping he’s out of 3+Ops cards.
Annotated Game #1 312
1 Turn 6, USA action round 2
2
3 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
4 #44 Ops 3: Bear Trap * (USA)
5
6 ** The Bear Trap card is permanently removed. **
7
8 On the next action round, USSR player must discard an Operations card worth
9 2 or more and roll less than 5. Repeat each USSR player phase until successful
10 or no appropriate cards remain. If out of appropriate cards, the USSR Player may
11 only play scoring cards until the next turn.
12
13 Turn 6, USSR action round 3
14 The USSR discards the following card because of Bear Trap:
15 #73 Ops 3: Shuttle Diplomacy (USA)
16 Bear Trap ends on a die roll of 1-4: ** Die Roll = 2 -- The Bear Trap is over!
Darn. Incidentally, this was his last 3Ops card in hand, so if I had waited a bit longer …
Time to take Zaire and Panama.
1 Turn 6, USA action round 3
2 The Americans play the following card for Ops
3 #13 Ops 2: Arab-Israeli War (USSR)
4 They elect to have the Soviet event occur first.
5 The event cannot be played right now.
6
7 The Americans use the Arab-Israeli War card to place influence:
8 1 USA influence added to Zaire, now at 1
9 1 USA influence added to Panama, now at 2
10
11 Turn 6, USSR action round 4
12
13 The Soviets play the following card for realignment rolls:
14 #69 Ops 2: Latin American Death Squads
15
16 Realignment roll in Venezuela: USSR modifier = +1, USA modifier = +1
17 ** USSR die roll = 3 (+1) = 4
18 ** USA die roll = 4 (+1) = 5
Probably should have done this last turn, but hey, North Korea is still open. I should grab that aswell. I use the China Card because I have no good 3 or 4Ops card to play to take North Korea. Theextra Op goes to Colombia, as I still need a non-battleground for Domination in South America.
Annotated Game #1 313
1 Turn 6, USA action round 4
2
3 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
4 #6 Ops 4: The China Card
5 3 USA influence added to North Korea, now at 8
6 1 USA influence added to Colombia, now at 1
7
8 Turn 6, USSR action round 5
9 The Soviets play the following card for Ops:
10 #68 Ops 2: John Paul II Elected Pope * (USA)
11 They also play UN Intervention to cancel the American event
12
13 The Soviets play the following card for a coup attempt:
14 #68 Ops 2: John Paul II Elected Pope * (USA)
15 Coup attempt in Colombia (stability 1):
16 ** USSR die roll = 4 (+1) = 5
17 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 3.
18 American influence in Colombia reduced by 1, now at 0
19 Soviet influence in Colombia increased by 2, now at 2
20
21 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
22 #32 Ops 1: UN Intervention
Since he’s under Purge, I would probably win the coup back-and-forth on Colombia. Here I give upDefectors, because my hand is Defectors, Portuguese Empire Crumbles, Brezhnev Doctrine, OASFounded, and We Will Bury You. Portuguese Empire Crumbles doesn’t give me any Ops, since Ineed to use it to defend against itself; Brezhnev goes at the end of the turn; WWBY is unplayable,and I’d like to save OAS for a rainy day. So I’m going to hold WWBY and OAS, and play Defectors.
1 Turn 6, USA action round 5
2
3 The Americans play the following card for a coup attempt:
4 #102 Ops 2: Defectors (USA)
5 Coup attempt in Colombia (stability 1):
6 ** USA die roll = 6 (+2) = 8
7 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 6.
8 Soviet influence in Colombia reduced by 2, now at 0
9 American influence in Colombia increased by 4, now at 4
10 American Military Operations for this turn increased to 2
11
12 Turn 6, USSR action round 6
13
Annotated Game #1 314
14 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
15 #2: Europe Scoring
16
17 *** Scoring in Europe ***
18 USSR: 7(domination) +3(battlegrounds) = 10
19 USA: 3(presence) +2(battlegrounds) = 5
20 VPs down 5, now at -11
Time to take care of Portuguese Empire Crumbles. I don’t want to space this and see it come backin the Turn 7 reshuffle.
1 Turn 6, USA action round 6
2
3 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
4 #52 Ops 2: Portuguese Empire Crumbles * (USSR)
5 2 USA influence added to Angola, now at 3
6 The Soviets use the USSR event played by the USA
7
8 ** The Portuguese Empire Crumbles card is permanently removed. **
9
10 Soviet influence in SE African States increased by 2, now at 2
11 Soviet influence in Angola increased by 2, now at 2
12
13 Turn 6, USSR action round 7
14
15 The Soviets play the following card for a coup attempt:
16 #48 Ops 1: Kitchen Debates * (USA)
17 Coup attempt in Colombia (stability 1):
18 ** USSR die roll = 3 (+1) = 4
19 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 2.
20 American influence in Colombia reduced by 2, now at 2
21 The Americans use the USA event played by the USSR
22
23 ** The Kitchen Debates card is permanently removed. **
24
25 USA controlled Battleground countries = 17
26 USSR controlled Battleground countries = 10
27 ** POKE! ** POKE! ** POKE! **
28 VPs up 2, now at -9
And as the last play, I play Brezhnev Doctrine harmlessly. I solidify Nigeria and Zaire, as 1-stabilitycountries can be flipped with a 3Ops. I also take the UK, for no real good reason other than I thinkSpecial Relationship might make a comeback, and with NATO in effect it’s pretty good.
Annotated Game #1 315
1 Turn 6, USA action round 7
2 The Americans play the following card for Ops
3 #51 Ops 3: Brezhnev Doctrine * (USSR)
4 They elect to have the Soviet event occur first.
5
6 ** The Brezhnev Doctrine card is permanently removed. **
7
8 All USSR operations cards increase their value by one (+1) for the remainder
9 of this turn (Maximum of 4).
10
11 The Americans use the Brezhnev Doctrine card to place influence:
12 1 USA influence added to United Kingdom, now at 5
13 1 USA influence added to Nigeria, now at 2
14 1 USA influence added to Zaire, now at 2
15
16 Events Played: Warsaw Pact Formed, NATO, US/Japan Mutual Defense Pact, Marshall P\
17 lan, De Gaulle Leads France, NORAD, Camp David Accords, Willy Brandt
18
19 USSR battleground countries controlled = 10
20 USA battleground countries controlled = 17
21
22 DEFCON Level raised to 3
23 ************************************************************
24 ** The deck is being shuffled. **
25 ************************************************************
26 ** Turn 7 Headline Phase **
Annotated Game #1 316
The board at the start of Turn 7
My hand:
Annotated Game #1 317
So many great cards! The headline is going to be Grain Sales to Soviets, which is pretty much thebest possible US headline, period. Voice of America and ABM Treaty are going to be great events,and if I choose to I can reclaim one with SALT Negotiations. And I have only one problematic USSRcard (We Will Bury You), as U-2 Incident is an auto-play-for-Ops every day of the week and twiceon Sunday. One bad card is rarely a problem. Two can be, and three is often deadly.
The Mid War cards I know he has in his hand, because they haven’t shown up yet and aren’t inmine: Lone Gunman, South America Scoring, Sadat Expels Soviets, Summit, Our Man in Tehran.Theoretically, I should also know he has East European Unrest and Arab-Israeli War, because thosewere disposed of prior to Turn 3 and therefore should also be drawn somewhere between Turn 3and Turn 7, but I am not such a savant to track that in-game. The Mid War cards are easier becauseit’s fairly easy to remember, for instance, that South America hasn’t been scored. But this illustratesthat given disciplined focus, you should be able to identify nearly all of your opponent’s hand onTurns 3 and 7.
Annotated Game #1 318
1 Soviet Headline Card: #31 Ops 4: Red Scare/Purge
2 American Headline Card: #67 Ops 2: Grain Sales to Soviets (USA)
3
4 USSR Headline Event: #31 Ops 4: Red Scare/Purge
5
6 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
7 #31 Ops 4: Red Scare/Purge
8 -1 to Ops value of American cards this turn (minimum 1 OP)
9
10 USA Headline Event: #67 Ops 2: Grain Sales to Soviets (USA)
11
12 The Americans use the Grain Sales to Soviets card as an Event:
13 Card selected from USSR hand: #108 Ops 2: Our Man in Tehran * (USA)
Oof, the Purge (one of two cards I could not theoretically account for in his hand) hurts. Luckily Ihave many events I plan to play, thereby lessening its impact.
When you draw your Grain Sales card, you should almost always play it. The handsize reductionhurts just as much as playing the card, generally. The only exceptions are when playing the cardwill kill you (because it’s an opponent’s event that degrades DEFCON), or when you draw a scoringcard (sometimes). Here, Our Man in Tehran happens to be a fantastic event at the best possible time(the card is very strong on Turn 7, because its discards are basically permanent now), so I’m willingto give up the potential Ops benefit (namely, couping in headline phase) to trigger the card.
1 The USA Player elects to keep and play the card.
2
3 The Americans use the Our Man in Tehran card as an Event:
4
5 ** The Our Man in Tehran card is permanently removed. **
6
7 Card discarded: #7 Ops 3: Socialist Governments (USSR)
8 ************************************************************
9 ** The deck is being shuffled. **
10 ************************************************************
Trust me when I say this was the only bad card of the bunch. Oh well.
Annotated Game #1 319
1 ** Turn 7 Action Phase **
2
3 Turn 7, USSR action round 1
4
5 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
6 #62 Ops 1: 'Lone Gunman' * (USSR)
7
8 ** The 'Lone Gunman' card is permanently removed. **
9
10 The Soviet gets to look at the American Hand:
11
12 The Soviets play the following card for a coup attempt:
13 #62 Ops 1: 'Lone Gunman' * (USSR)
14 Coup attempt in Zaire (stability 1):
15 ** USSR die roll = 2 (+1) = 3
16 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 1.
17 American influence in Zaire reduced by 1, now at 1
18 DEFCON Level lowered to 2
19 Soviet Military Operations for this turn increased to 1
20 *** NORAD -- the US may place 1 influence anywhere they already have influence ***
21 American influence in Egypt increased by 1, now at 3
A wise choice, as Lone Gunman is normally played for Ops so that it can end up in the US handand cause DEFCON suicide. But if discarded on Turn 7, it isn’t going to end up in my hand again.So triggering the event is strictly superior than playing it for Ops.
Unfortunately his coup doesn’t really get him anywhere. Time for me to launch a coup of my own:on Brazil, as I know he has South America Scoring and I’d like to grab Control.
1 Turn 7, USA action round 1
2 DEFCON Level raised to 3
3
4 The Americans play the following card for a coup attempt:
5 #57 Ops 4: ABM Treaty
6 Coup attempt in Brazil (stability 2):
7 ** USA die roll = 5 (+3) = 8
8 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 4.
9 Soviet influence in Brazil reduced by 4, now at 1
10 DEFCON Level lowered to 2
11 American Military Operations for this turn increased to 3
12 *** NORAD -- the US may place 1 influence anywhere they already have influence ***
13 American influence in Zaire increased by 1, now at 2
Not quite good enough, as he can patch it back up.
Annotated Game #1 320
1 Turn 7, USSR action round 2
2
3 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
4 #6 Ops 4: The China Card
5 1 USSR influence added to Brazil, now at 2
6 2 USSR influence added to Paraguay, now at 2
7 1 USSR influence added to Syria, now at 2
A critical mistake, and one that a seasoned USSR player would not make. Always leave 5 in aregion when you are worried about Voice of America! The real threat of Voice of America is notjust the influence loss: it is the loss of access. Here, I will use VoA to kick him out of Brazil andUruguay, stranding him without access to Brazil. He will not be able to retake Brazil before I do.Had he instead maintained 5 influence in Uruguay and Brazil, Voice of America would not be ableto eliminate him from the subregion.
It’s all the worse because he should know that I have Voice of America.
1 Turn 7, USA action round 2
2
3 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
4 #74 Ops 2: The Voice of America (USA)
5 Soviet influence in Brazil reduced by 2, now at 0
6 Soviet influence in Uruguay reduced by 2, now at 0
7
8 Turn 7, USSR action round 3
9
10 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
11 #35: South America Scoring
12
13 *** Scoring in South America ***
14 USSR: 2(presence) = 2
15 USA: 5(domination) +3(battlegrounds) = 8
16 VPs up 6, now at -3
Of course. Better to score it now before I get Control.
I do want to take Brazil, but I have no need to until he plays into Uruguay first. So let’s take a gambleon Pakistan. My Ops are precious enough while under Red Scare that I need to conserve them torespond to the USSR.
Annotated Game #1 321
1 Turn 7, USA action round 3
2
3 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
4 #24 Ops 2: Indo-Pakistani War
5 India invades Pakistan...
6 USA success on a modified die roll of 4-6; USSR modifer is -1
7 ** Die roll: 3 (-1) = 2 -- no effect **
8 American Military Operations for this turn increased to 5
9
10 Turn 7, USSR action round 4
11 The Soviets play the following card for Ops
12 #29 Ops 3: East European Unrest (USA)
13 They elect to have the American event occur first.
14 Soviet influence in East Germany reduced by 1, now at 4
15 Soviet influence in Poland reduced by 1, now at 3
16 Soviet influence in Yugoslavia reduced by 1, now at 2
17
18 The Soviets use the East European Unrest card to place influence:
19 1 USSR influence added to Uruguay, now at 1
20 1 USSR influence added to Argentina, now at 1
Now, of course, I should take Brazil. Unfortunately I can’t patch up both Brazil and Argentina, butI have OAS Founded at least to salvage Argentina later.
1 Turn 7, USA action round 4
2 The Americans play the following card for Ops
3 #60 Ops 3: U-2 Incident * (USSR)
4 They elect to have the Soviet event occur first.
5
6 ** The U-2 Incident card is permanently removed. **
7
8 VPs down 1, now at -4
9 If UN intervention played later this turn as an Event, Soviets gain an additional\
10 1 VP.
11
12 The Americans use the U-2 Incident card to place influence:
13 2 USA influence added to Brazil, now at 2
14
15 Turn 7, USSR action round 5
16
17 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
18 #13 Ops 2: Arab-Israeli War (USSR)
19 2 USSR influence added to Argentina, now at 3
Annotated Game #1 322
I decide to keep fighting for Argentina. At this point my hand is: OAS Founded, Latin AmericanDeath Squads, SALT Negotiations, and WeWill Bury You. I decide to perform the SALT trick as US:SALT ABM Treaty back to my hand as the last Action, raising DEFCON to 4. DEFCON then rises to5 on the headline, where I headline ABM Treaty and get to do 4 realignments in Europe: specifically,France at +2.
So my best bet to fight for Argentina is OAS Founded for 2 into Argentina. Not the best use of thecard, but I’m thankful that I didn’t need it that much this game.
1 Turn 7, USA action round 5
2
3 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
4 #70 Ops 1: OAS Founded * (USA)
5
6 ** The OAS Founded card is permanently removed. **
7
8 2 USA influence added to Argentina, now at 4
9
10 Turn 7, USSR action round 6
11
12 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
13 #56 Ops 4: Muslim Revolution (USSR)
14 American influence in Libya now at 0
15 American influence in Egypt now at 0
Hurts, especially since I can’t get back into Libya. With my 1 Op of Latin American Death Squads,though, I can either recontrol Argentina or make an ineffectual play for the Middle East. As I knowhe has Sadat left in his hand, I go for the former. (Incidentally, he should have played Sadat and thenMuslim Revolution.)
1 Turn 7, USA action round 6
2
3 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
4 #69 Ops 2: Latin American Death Squads
5 1 USA influence added to Argentina, now at 5
6
7 Turn 7, USSR action round 7
8
9 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
10 #72 Ops 1: Sadat Expels Soviets * (USA)
11 1 USSR influence added to Libya, now at 1
12 The Americans use the USA event played by the USSR
13
Annotated Game #1 323
14 ** The Sadat Expels Soviets card is permanently removed. **
15
16 Soviet influence in Egypt now at 0
17 American influence in Egypt increased by 1, now at 1
Now time for the aforementioned SALT trick. There were tons of great candidates to draw from thediscard (Red Scare/Purge, Grain Sales, Voice of America) but I like this one the best as Europe is mybiggest threat: an early Europe Scoring + Wargames next turn is the most likely way I can lose atthis point. Plus a higher DEFCON means more VP loss for the USSR on Mil Ops.
1 Turn 7, USA action round 7
2
3 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
4 #43 Ops 3: SALT Negotiations *
5
6 ** The SALT Negotiations card is permanently removed. **
7
8 DEFCON Level raised to 4
9 The USA player reclaims the following card from the discard pile:
10 #57 Ops 4: ABM Treaty
11 The Soviets are 3 military operations short of the DEFCON requirement of 4
12 VPs up 3, now at -1
13
14 Events Played: Warsaw Pact Formed, NATO, US/Japan Mutual Defense Pact, Marshall P\
15 lan, De Gaulle Leads France, NORAD,
16 Camp David Accords, Willy Brandt
17
18 USSR battleground countries controlled = 8
19 USA battleground countries controlled = 17
Entering the Late War at -1 is great for me, considering that the board heavily favors me. Asmentioned above, my biggest danger is dropping 6VP quickly to something like Europe Scoringand then getting Wargamed before I can make up the deficit.
Annotated Game #1 324
The board at the start of Turn 8.
Annotated Game #1 325
Late War
1 ** The Late War cards are added to the deck **
2 ************************************************************
3 ** The deck is being shuffled. **
4 ************************************************************
5 DEFCON Level raised to 5
6 ** Turn 8 Headline Phase **
The board at the start of Turn 8
My hand:
Annotated Game #1 326
Annotated Game #1 327
I see no reason not to proceed with my ABM Treaty headline as planned. There is no possibleheadline that can interfere with me, because 4Ops cards go first and the US headline always takespriority over the USSR. Not always a good thing, but definitely a good thing here.
The rest of my hand is not terribly tricky to play. I plan to space one of Quagmire / South AfricanUnrest, maybe use Iran-IraqWar on Iraq for the potential VPs and battleground flip. Central AmericaScoring is the main threat: I need to figure out a way to cut my losses from that so I don’t lose toWargames.
Annotated Game #1 328
1 Soviet Headline Card: #49 Ops 2: Missile Envy
2 American Headline Card: #57 Ops 4: ABM Treaty
3
4 USA Headline Event: #57 Ops 4: ABM Treaty
5 DEFCON Level raised to 5
6
7 The Americans play the following card for realignment rolls:
8 #57 Ops 4: ABM Treaty
9
10 Realignment roll in France: USA modifier = +4, USSR modifier = +2
11 ** USA die roll = 2 (+4) = 6
12 ** USSR die roll = 2 (+2) = 4
13 Soviet influence in France reduced by 2, now at 3
14
15 Realignment roll in France: USA modifier = +4, USSR modifier = +2
16 ** USA die roll = 3 (+4) = 7
17 ** USSR die roll = 6 (+2) = 8
18
19 Realignment roll in France: USA modifier = +4, USSR modifier = +2
20 ** USA die roll = 2 (+4) = 6
21 ** USSR die roll = 5 (+2) = 7
22
23 Realignment roll in France: USA modifier = +4, USSR modifier = +2
24 ** USA die roll = 1 (+4) = 5
25 ** USSR die roll = 4 (+2) = 6
Well, that was unlucky. I had planned to use 3 rolls to knock out France and one more onSpain/Portugal.
1 USSR Headline Event: #49 Ops 2: Missile Envy
2
3 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
4 #49 Ops 2: Missile Envy
5 The American exchanges the following card for the Missile Envy:
6 #50 Ops 4: 'We Will Bury You' * (USSR)
7
8 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
9 #50 Ops 4: 'We Will Bury You' * (USSR)
10
11 ** The 'We Will Bury You' card is permanently removed. **
12
13 Unless UN Intervention is played as an Event on the US player's next round, USSR \
Annotated Game #1 329
14 gains 3 VP.
15 DEFCON Level lowered to 4
This is bad, since now it’s even more likely I can succumb to Wargames.
1 ** Turn 8 Action Phase **
2
3 Turn 8, USSR action round 1
4
5 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
6 #111 Ops 2: Yuri and Samantha * (USSR)
7
8 ** The Yuri and Samantha card is permanently removed. **
Because DEFCON is at 4, I can either coup an Asian battleground or save my coup to respond tohis. I choose the latter, since the 2 Ops from my Missile Envy coup is not very convincing.
1 Turn 8, USA action round 1
2
3 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
4 #49 Ops 2: Missile Envy
5 1 USA influence added to Egypt, now at 2
6 1 USA influence added to Libya, now at 1
7 The USA did not play UN Intervention
8 VPs down 3, now at -4
9
10 Turn 8, USSR action round 2
11
12 The Soviets play the following card for a coup attempt:
13 #46 Ops 2: How I Learned to Stop Worrying *
14 Coup attempt in Zaire (stability 1):
15 ** USSR die roll = 6 (+2) = 8
16 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 6.
17 American influence in Zaire reduced by 2, now at 0
18 Soviet influence in Zaire increased by 4, now at 4
19 DEFCON Level lowered to 3
20 Soviet Military Operations for this turn increased to 2
Given a choice between couping Zaire back and couping Mexico, I decide that Zaire is more likelyto succeed.
Annotated Game #1 330
1 Turn 8, USA action round 2
2
3 The Americans play the following card for a coup attempt:
4 #4 Ops 3: Duck and Cover (USA)
5 Coup attempt in Zaire (stability 1):
6 ** USA die roll = 2 (+3) = 5
7 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 3.
8 Soviet influence in Zaire reduced by 3, now at 1
9 DEFCON Level lowered to 2
10 *** Yuri and Samantha -- VPs down 1, now at -5
11 American Military Operations for this turn increased to 3
12 *** NORAD -- the US may place 1 influence anywhere they already have influence ***
13 American influence in Pakistan increased by 1, now at 2
14
15 Turn 8, USSR action round 3
16 The Soviets play the following card for Ops
17 #73 Ops 3: Shuttle Diplomacy (USA)
18 They elect to have the American event occur first.
19 Play in front of US player. During the next scoring of the Middle East or Asia
20 (whichever comes first), subtract one Battleground country from USSR total,
21 then put this card in the discard pile.
22
23 The Soviets use the Shuttle Diplomacy card to place influence:
24 1 USSR influence added to Pakistan, now at 5
25 2 USSR influence added to Libya, now at 3
Time to make a play for Central America. Let’s go for Nicaragua, which would allow me to realignCuba at +1. I need only one Op and luckily have a harmless 1Op USSR event to use.
1 Turn 8, USA action round 3
2 The Americans play the following card for Ops
3 #12 Ops 1: Romanian Abdication * (USSR)
4 They elect to have the Soviet event occur first.
5
6 ** The Romanian Abdication card is permanently removed. **
7
8 Soviet influence in Romania now at 3
9
10 The Americans use the Romanian Abdication card to place influence:
11 1 USA influence added to Nicaragua, now at 1
12
13 Turn 8, USSR action round 4
Annotated Game #1 331
14
15 The Soviets play the following card for a coup attempt:
16 #93 Ops 2: Iran-Contra Scandal * (USSR)
17 Coup attempt in Nicaragua (stability 1):
18 ** USSR die roll = 1 (+2) = 3
19 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 1.
20 American influence in Nicaragua reduced by 1, now at 0
21 Soviet Military Operations for this turn increased to 4
He’s not going to let me keep Nicaragua, and this couping back-and-forth takes time that I do nothave because I have the scoring card. So I will gamble on the Iran-Iraq War instead.
1 Turn 8, USA action round 4
2
3 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
4 #101 Ops 2: Iran-Iraq War *
5
6 ** The Iran-Iraq War card is permanently removed. **
7
8 Iran invades Iraq...
9 USA success on a modified die roll of 4-6; USSR modifer is -0
10 ** Die roll: 6 -- USA victory!
11 VPs up 2, now at -3
12 Soviet influence in Iraq reduced by 3, now at 0
13 American influence in Iraq increased by 3, now at 3
14 American Military Operations for this turn increased to 5
This was quite fortunate. Thismeans that absent any other VP shenanigans, Central America Scoringat -3 will take me to -6, so I can’t lose on Wargames.
1 Turn 8, USSR action round 5
2
3 The Soviets play the following card for an attempt on the Space Race track:
4 #105 Ops 2: Special Relationship (USA)
5 ** Space Race Die Roll (1-3 needed): = 6 **
6 No effect.
My hand is: Central America Scoring, Defectors, Quagmire, and South African Unrest. I decide Iwant to flip Zaire with the China Card at some point, so I will hold Defectors and one more cardto next turn. I will play Central America Scoring as late as possible since he won’t be improving hisposition and I don’t want to give away how close he is to Wargames. I will therefore space SouthAfrican Unrest (or Quagmire, not much difference, though I suppose Quagmire is more unplayable).
Annotated Game #1 332
1 Turn 8, USA action round 5
2
3 The Americans play the following card for an attempt on the Space Race track:
4 #53 Ops 2: South African Unrest (USSR)
5 ** Space Race Die Roll (1-4 needed): = 4 **
6 USA progress on the Space Race Track is now at Animal in Space
7 The Americans may now make two space race attempts per turn
8
9 Turn 8, USSR action round 6
10 The Soviets play the following card for Ops:
11 #85 Ops 2: Star Wars * (USA)
12 They also play UN Intervention to cancel the American event
13
14 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
15 #85 Ops 2: Star Wars * (USA)
16 2 USSR influence added to Botswana, now at 2
17
18 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
19 #32 Ops 1: UN Intervention
Time to flip Zaire. Just like Thailand can be flipped with the China Card, 1-stability countries canbe flipped with a 3 Ops. I use all 4 Ops to overcontrol the country and make sure he can’t do thesame to me.
1 Turn 8, USA action round 6
2
3 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
4 #6 Ops 4: The China Card
5 3 USA influence added to Zaire, now at 3
6
7 Turn 8, USSR action round 7
8
9 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
10 #45 Ops 1: Summit
11 1 USSR influence added to Zimbabwe, now at 1
And of course I must play the Scoring Card.
Annotated Game #1 333
1 Turn 8, USA action round 7
2
3 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
4 #37: Central America Scoring
5
6 *** Scoring in Central America ***
7 USSR: 1(presence) +2(battlegrounds) +2(adj. to USA) = 5
8 USA: 1(presence) +1(battlegrounds) = 2
9 VPs down 3, now at -6
10
11 Events Played: Warsaw Pact Formed, NATO, US/Japan Mutual Defense Pact, Marshall P\
12 lan, De Gaulle Leads France, NORAD, Camp David Accords, Willy Brandt
13
14 USSR battleground countries controlled = 8
15 USA battleground countries controlled = 19
16
17 DEFCON Level raised to 3
18 ** Turn 9 Headline Phase **
The board at the start of Turn 9
My hand:
Annotated Game #1 334
Annotated Game #1 335
I’m thrilled that I drew Wargames. I won’t be able to use it this turn, so I will hold it until next turnin hopes of using it then.
Everything is getting played for Operations here, especially The Iron Lady aka Thatcher the Betrayer.Iranian Hostage Crisis and Quagmire are both problematic, Quagmire more so. Since I’m holdingWargames, I’ll just have to swallow Iranian Hostage Crisis. Flower Power could be problematic, butI doubt that it will make much difference. Although I could use Formosan Revolution to squeeze anextra VP out of Asia Scoring, I’d probably rather play it for Ops. I don’t want him to catch on that Ihave Asia Scoring and use the China Card to start a fight with me for Asia.
Since I have no other compelling candidates, Defectors is the clear Headline choice.
1 Soviet Headline Card: #36 Ops 3: Brush War
2 American Headline Card: #102 Ops 2: Defectors (USA)
3 The Defectors card cancels out the Soviet-played Headline Event.
4 ** Turn 9 Action Phase **
5
6 Turn 9, USSR action round 1
7
8 The Soviets play the following card for a coup attempt:
9 #90 Ops 4: Glasnost * (USSR)
10 Coup attempt in Brazil (stability 2):
11 ** USSR die roll = 2 (+4) = 6
12 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 2.
13 American influence in Brazil reduced by 2, now at 0
14 DEFCON Level lowered to 2
15 Soviet Military Operations for this turn increased to 4
16 *** NORAD -- the US may place 1 influence anywhere they already have influence ***
17 American influence in Libya increased by 1, now at 2
Annotated Game #1 336
Repair the damage, and try to flip Libya, as Middle East Scoring has yet to come out.
1 Turn 9, USA action round 1
2
3 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
4 #83 Ops 3: The Iron Lady * (USA)
5 2 USA influence added to Brazil, now at 2
6 1 USA influence added to Libya, now at 3
7
8 Turn 9, USSR action round 2
9
10 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
11 #80 Ops 2: 'One Small Step...'
12 USSR progress on the Space Race Track is now at Animal in Space
13 The Americans may no longer make two space race attempts per turn
I get the sense he is chasing some Space Race VPs, as the next box is 2/0. So I’ll space Quagmire now.
1 Turn 9, USA action round 2
2
3 The Americans play the following card for an attempt on the Space Race track:
4 #42 Ops 3: Quagmire * (USSR)
5 ** Space Race Die Roll (1-3 needed): = 6 **
6 No effect.
7
8 Turn 9, USSR action round 3
9
10 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
11 #18 Ops 1: Captured Nazi Scientists *
12
13 ** The Captured Nazi Scientists card is permanently removed. **
14
15 USSR progress on the Space Race Track is now at Lunar Probe
16 VPs down 2, now at -8
If I were not holdingWargames, then right here I would immediately cash in Asia Scoring. But sinceI know he can’t play Wargames on me, I take Libya first.
Annotated Game #1 337
1 Turn 9, USA action round 3
2
3 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
4 #20 Ops 2: Olympic Games
5 2 USA influence added to Libya, now at 5
6
7 Turn 9, USSR action round 4
8
9 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
10 #40 Ops 3: Cuban Missile Crisis *
11 3 USSR influence added to Jordan, now at 3
Perhaps suspecting I had Middle East Scoring. In fact I have …
1 Turn 9, USA action round 4
2
3 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
4 #1: Asia Scoring
5
6 *** Scoring in Asia ***
7 (-1 to Russian battleground total due to Shuttle Diplomacy)
8 USSR: 3(presence) +1(battlegrounds) = 4
9 USA: 7(domination) +4(battlegrounds) +1(adj. to USSR) = 12
10 VPs up 8, now at 0
11
12 Turn 9, USSR action round 5
13
14 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
15 #6 Ops 4: The China Card
16 3 USSR influence added to Saudi Arabia, now at 3
17 1 USSR influence added to Uruguay, now at 2
I need a non-battleground to get Domination. I choose Lebanon, since I can flip it with a 3Ops. I loseIran, but I was going to lose it no matter what if I’m holding Wargames to next turn.
Annotated Game #1 338
1 Turn 9, USA action round 5
2
3 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
4 #82 Ops 3: Iranian Hostage Crisis * (USSR)
5 2 USA influence added to Lebanon, now at 2
6 The Soviets use the USSR event played by the USA
7
8 ** The Iranian Hostage Crisis card is permanently removed. **
9
10 American influence in Iran now at 0
11 Soviet influence in Iran increased by 2, now at 3
12
13 Turn 9, USSR action round 6
14
15 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
16 #87 Ops 3: The Reformer * (USSR)
17
18 ** The The Reformer card is permanently removed. **
19
20 2 USSR influence added to West Germany, now at 3
21 2 USSR influence added to Canada, now at 2
I think he misplayed this hand, possibly out of fatigue, possibly out of frustration. Clearly TheReformer should have been played first, and while the score is still negative. Then Glasnost becomeseven better. As it stands, The Reformer is like Ussuri River Skirmish: reparable with a 4Ops, but youdon’t have the equivalent of the China Card to help.
1 Turn 9, USA action round 6
2 The Americans play the following card for Ops
3 #59 Ops 4: Flower Power * (USSR)
4 They elect to have the Soviet event occur first.
5
6 ** The Flower Power card is permanently removed. **
7
8 USSR gains 2 VP for every subsequently US played 'War' Event Card
9 (Arab-Israeli War, Korean War, Brush War, Indo- Pakistani War or Iran- Iraq War),\
10 unless
11 the card is played on the Space Race, or the war made unplayable by a subsequent \
12 card.
13 This event cancelled by 'An Evil Empire'.
14
15 The Americans use the Flower Power card to place influence:
Annotated Game #1 339
16 2 USA influence added to West Germany, now at 7
17 2 USA influence added to Canada, now at 6
18
19 Turn 9, USSR action round 7
20
21 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
22 #94 Ops 3: Chernobyl * (USA)
23 2 USSR influence added to Bolivia, now at 2
24 1 USSR influence added to Malaysia, now at 3
25 The Americans use the USA event played by the USSR
26
27 ** The Chernobyl card is permanently removed. **
28
29 USSR may not add Influence to Europe with Ops points for the remainder of th\
30 e turn.
My next move is a mistake. I should have instead used Formosan Revolution to coup somewhereand gain 2 Mil Ops. Instead I needlessly lose 2 VP by playing into France.
1 Turn 9, USA action round 7
2
3 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
4 #100 Ops 2: Formosan Resolution * (USA)
5 1 USA influence added to France, now at 1
6 The Americans are 2 military operations short of the DEFCON requirement of 2
7 VPs down 2, now at -2
8
9 Events Played: Warsaw Pact Formed, NATO, US/Japan Mutual Defense Pact, Marshall P\
10 lan, De Gaulle Leads France, NORAD, Camp David Accords, Willy Brandt, Iranian Hos\
11 tage Crisis, The Reformer, Flower Power
12
13 USSR battleground countries controlled = 8
14 USA battleground countries controlled = 19
15
16 DEFCON Level raised to 3
17 ** Turn 10 Headline Phase **
Annotated Game #1 340
The board at the start of Turn 10
My hand:
Annotated Game #1 341
Annotated Game #1 342
The rest of the game is a formality. So long as I cash in Africa Scoring for +10VP and drop DEFCONto 2, I will win handily withWargames. Given the US LateWar advantage, this is not all that unusual;the later Wargames comes out, the more likely it is to benefit the US instead of the USSR.
1 Soviet Headline Card: #98 Ops 3: Pershing II Deployed * (USSR)
2 American Headline Card: #5 Ops 3: Five Year Plan (USA)
3
4 USA Headline Event: #5 Ops 3: Five Year Plan (USA)
5
6 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
7 #5 Ops 3: Five Year Plan (USA)
8 The Soviet player discards the following card:
9 #68 Ops 2: John Paul II Elected Pope * (USA)
10
11 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
12 #68 Ops 2: John Paul II Elected Pope * (USA)
13
14 ** The John Paul II Elected Pope card is permanently removed. **
15
16 Soviet influence in Poland reduced by 2, now at 1
17 American influence in Poland increased by 1, now at 1
18
19 USSR Headline Event: #98 Ops 3: Pershing II Deployed * (USSR)
20
21 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
22 #98 Ops 3: Pershing II Deployed * (USSR)
23
24 ** The Pershing II Deployed card is permanently removed. **
Annotated Game #1 343
25
26 American influence in France reduced by 1, now at 0
27 American influence in West Germany reduced by 1, now at 6
28 American influence in Italy reduced by 1, now at 3
29 VPs down 1, now at -3
30 ** Turn 10 Action Phase **
31
32 Turn 10, USSR action round 1
33
34 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
35 #78 Ops 3: Alliance for Progress * (USA)
36 3 USSR influence added to Poland, now at 4
37 The Americans use the USA event played by the USSR
38
39 ** The Alliance for Progress card is permanently removed. **
40
41 VPs up 5, now at 2
42
43 Turn 10, USA action round 1
44
45 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
46 #79: Africa Scoring
47
48 *** Scoring in Africa ***
49 USSR: 1(presence) = 1
50 USA: 6(control) +5(battlegrounds) = 11
51 VPs up 10, now at 12
52
53 Turn 10, USSR action round 2
54
55 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
56 #3: Middle East Scoring
57
58 *** Scoring in Middle East ***
59 USSR: 3(presence) +2(battlegrounds) = 5
60 USA: 3(presence) +3(battlegrounds) = 6
61 VPs up 1, now at 13
62
63 Turn 10, USA action round 2
64
65 The Americans play the following card for a coup attempt:
66 #34 Ops 4: Nuclear Test Ban
Annotated Game #1 344
67 Coup attempt in Iran (stability 2):
68 ** USA die roll = 5 (+4) = 9
69 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 5.
70 Soviet influence in Iran reduced by 3, now at 0
71 American influence in Iran increased by 2, now at 2
72 DEFCON Level lowered to 2
73 American Military Operations for this turn increased to 4
74 *** NORAD -- the US may place 1 influence anywhere they already have influence ***
75 American influence in West Germany increased by 1, now at 7
76
77 Turn 10, USSR action round 3
78
79 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
80 #47 Ops 2: Junta
81 Soviet influence in Venezuela increased by 2, now at 2
82
83 The Soviets play the following card for a coup attempt:
84 #47 Ops 2: Junta
85 Coup attempt in Colombia (stability 1):
86 ** USSR die roll = 6 (+2) = 8
87 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 6.
88 American influence in Colombia reduced by 2, now at 0
89 Soviet influence in Colombia increased by 4, now at 4
90
91 Turn 10, USA action round 3
92
93 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
94 #99 Ops 4: Wargames *
95
96 ** The Wargames card is permanently removed. **
97
98 VPs down 6, now at 7
99 ********************************************************
100 The USA player wins the game!!!
101 ********************************************************
Annotated Game #1 345
The board at the end of the game
Five concluding thoughts:
• Although Europe and Asia are technically the most valuable regions, in practice it is oftenSouth America and Africa that are the highest-scoring and decides the game.
• In a tight game, Wargames can often swing from one side to the other. With a better draw,the USSR could have won with it on Turn 8. Instead, by Turn 10, it is a US card.
• At the start of each turn, you should have a plan for each of your cards: which to play forthe event, which to play for Ops, which to hold, and whether you’re playing any cards in aparticular order or time in the turn. As the turn progresses, you then adapt your plan to thechanging board situation.
• Pressure is everything! The game is about crisis management, and you must create crises foryour opponent to deal with. Parrying your opponent’s threats is important, but no one everwon a game just by putting out fires.
• Controlling reshuffles is critically important. Being able to discard De-Stalinization after theTurn 3 reshuffle dramatically changed the power alignments in South America.
Annotated Game #2
Annotated Game #2 347
Early War
This is an annotated game I played as USSR against Gabor Foldes, the 2012 Internet Twilight StruggleLeague champion¹⁸. We play with Optional Cards and +1 influence for the US player (to be placedin any country where the US already has influence).
The game is played on Wargameroom¹⁹. The save game can be downloaded here²⁰, if you wish toreplay the game on Wargameroom. As an alternative, there is a complete record of play here²¹ aswell.
1 Wargameroom.com Presents:
2
3 Twilight Struggle 6.1
4 Game by Ananda Gupta, Jason Matthews, and GMT Games
5 Program by Bruce Wigdor
6
7 ** The Server chooses to use the following optional rule: **
8 Optional Cards
9 ** The server awards 1 extra starting influence to the US **
10 The server chooses to have the sides selected randomly...
11 The server will be playing the USSR
12 The client will be playing the USA
13 ************************************************************
14 ** The deck is being shuffled. **
15 ************************************************************
My opening hand:
¹⁸http://www.wargameroom.com/itsl12.htm¹⁹http://www.wargameroom.com/index.html²⁰http://dl.dropbox.com/u/17269972/Twilight%20Strategy%20Annotated%20Game%20%232.wgr²¹https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ai0msB3_N-FhdGFOWWVFQTBIQXB2SnNmZ0F2QnJJNXc
Annotated Game #2 348
Annotated Game #2 349
I have 22 Ops, which is far above average (17.7) for the Early War. Even better, I’ve drawnDe-Stalinization, the most important starred event in the game. My Ops strength is somewhatoverstated, though, since 3 of my Ops are tied up in De-Stalinization, and 4 in Marshall Plan, whichis one of the few very strong Early War US events. Still, I have an extremely strong hand.
Aside from Marshall Plan, I have no particular problem cards to deal with. Containment will beplayed on the final Action Round to minimize its effect for the US. As is usual for the USSR, Turn 1is going to be about placing maximum pressure on the US and expanding over the empty board asmuch as possible. As such I might hold De-Stalinization until next turn, when things quiet down alittle bit.
1 4 USSR influence added to Poland, now at 4
2 1 USSR influence added to East Germany, now at 4
3 1 USSR influence added to Yugoslavia, now at 1
4
5 3 USA influence added to Italy, now at 3
6 1 USA influence added to Spain/Portugal, now at 1
7 1 USA influence added to Greece, now at 1
8 1 USA influence added to Turkey, now at 1
9 1 USA influence added to Canada, now at 3
10 1 USA extra influence added to Iran, now at 2
11 ** Turn 1 Headline Phase **
Annotated Game #2 350
The opening setup
This is an extremely unusual US opening setup, which leads me to believe that he is trying toavoid Blockade. In other words, he wants to be able to play Blockade without discarding to it. Themain reason you would want to do this is either if you have no 3+ Ops cards (rare) or if you areholding either Decolonization / De-Stalinization and would like to hold it to Turn 3. Since I haveDe-Stalinization, I assume it’s Decolonization that he holds.
None of my headline options change as a result of his setup, since none of them affect Europe.(It does mean that I have to be even more careful about playing Marshall Plan, because it will bemaximally effective for him.) My headline will be Arab-Israeli War: as described earlier, it’s one ofthe best Turn 1 headlines. Not quite as good as Suez Crisis, but almost as good.
I’m not terribly concerned about Defectors. As USSR, you should distinguish between bad headlines,headlines that are good because they combowith your AR1, and headlines of “necessary” events. It isonly the last (events like Decolonization and De-Stalinization) where you should be concerned aboutDefectors: this is one of the reasons I will not headline De-Stalinization right now. (Others being menot having enough influence to De-Stalinize, and the risk that my influence may get couped out.)Arab-Israeli War is an example of a headline that can be Defected without much harm to you.
Annotated Game #2 351
1 Soviet Headline Card: #13 Ops 2: Arab-Israeli War (USSR)
2 American Headline Card: #10 Ops 1: Blockade * (USSR)
3
4 USSR Headline Event: #13 Ops 2: Arab-Israeli War (USSR)
5
6 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
7 #13 Ops 2: Arab-Israeli War (USSR)
8 USSR success on a modified die roll of 4-6; USA modifer is -0
9 ** Die roll: 1 -- no effect **
10 Soviet Military Operations for this turn increased to 2
11
12 USA Headline Event: #10 Ops 1: Blockade * (USSR)
13
14 ** The Blockade card is permanently removed. **
15
16 The US player does not choose to discard a card to avoid the penalty
17 American influence in West Germany now at 0
18 ** Turn 1 Action Phase **
Unfortunately, my Arab-Israeli War does not work out. Now I have an interesting choice: do I coupIran (buffed to 2, thanks to the +1 influence adjustment), or do I coup Italy and go for a Europeknockout? The Asia Scoring card in my hand tilts me towards couping Iran; if I can knock him outwith a 4Ops coup (anything other than a 1), then I can hopefully keep western Asia secure for therest of the game.
1 Turn 1, USSR action round 1
2
3 The Soviets play the following card for a coup attempt:
4 #34 Ops 4: Nuclear Test Ban
5 Coup attempt in Iran (stability 2):
6 ** USSR die roll = 3 (+4) = 7
7 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 3.
8 American influence in Iran reduced by 2, now at 0
9 Soviet influence in Iran increased by 1, now at 1
10 DEFCON Level lowered to 4
11 Soviet Military Operations for this turn increased to 5
The worst possible coup result here would have been a 1. A 3 is the second-worst, because it allowshim to coup me back easily.
Annotated Game #2 352
1 Turn 1, USA action round 1
2 The Americans play the following card for Ops
3 #14 Ops 3: Comecon * (USSR)
4 They elect to have the Soviet event occur first.
5
6 ** The Comecon card is permanently removed. **
7
8 Soviet influence in East Germany increased by 1, now at 5
9 Soviet influence in Poland increased by 1, now at 5
10 Soviet influence in Czechoslovakia increased by 1, now at 1
11 Soviet influence in Yugoslavia increased by 1, now at 2
12
13 The Americans use the Comecon card for a coup attempt:
14 Coup attempt in Iran (stability 2):
15 ** USA die roll = 5 (+3) = 8
16 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 4.
17 Soviet influence in Iran reduced by 1, now at 0
18 American influence in Iran increased by 3, now at 3
19 DEFCON Level lowered to 3
20 American Military Operations for this turn increased to 3
Now this is troubling. I could use another 4 Ops to coup, but now I need to roll at least a 3 to denythe US access to western Asia. Rolling a 1 or 2 would cripple me.
As a result, I decide to pass on this risk, and instead start attacking Asia through other means. I wantto place an influence into Afghanistan, so that I can reach Pakistan, and also place influence intoSouth Korea. I also want to play into the empty West Germany: I don’t really intend to take it, butat least I am threatening to take it (and also threatening France) with a single 3 Ops. This may forcehim to respond.
Unfortunately I don’t have a good card with which to do this. De-Stalinization and Marshall Planare out. I want to save Korean War until later in the turn to deter him from playing into SouthKorea. Containment has to be played on the final Action Round. As such, I have no choice but touse US/Japan Mutual Defense Pact, which is rather annoying given that we are contesting Asia.
Annotated Game #2 353
1 Turn 1, USSR action round 2
2
3 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
4 #27 Ops 4: US/Japan Mutual Defense Pact * (USA)
5 1 USSR influence added to Afghanistan, now at 1
6 1 USSR influence added to West Germany, now at 1
7 2 USSR influence added to South Korea, now at 2
8 The Americans use the USA event played by the USSR
9
10 ** The US/Japan Mutual Defense Pact card is permanently removed. **
11
12 USSR may no longer make Coup or Realignment rolls against Japan
13 American influence in Japan increased by 3, now at 4
14
15 Turn 1, USA action round 2
16 The Americans play the following card for Ops
17 #17 Ops 3: De Gaulle Leads France * (USSR)
18 They elect to have the Soviet event occur first.
19
20 ** The De Gaulle Leads France card is permanently removed. **
21
22 American influence in France reduced by 0, now at 0
23 Soviet influence in France increased by 1, now at 1
24 France is not affected by NATO for the rest of the game.
25
26 The Americans use the De Gaulle Leads France card to place influence:
27 1 USA influence added to France, now at 1
28 2 USA influence added to Pakistan, now at 2
He’s now dominating Asia. I have an opportunity here to use the China Card’s 5 Asia Ops to flipPakistan, because it is not overcontrolled. If I can flip Pakistan, then even if he takes India I can stilldominate Asia with North Korea + South Korea + Pakistan + Afghanistan before he gets to Thailand.
Normally as USSR I don’t like using the China Card on Turn 1, because that means that if the USdraws both De-Stalinization and Decolonization on Turn 2 they can play the China Card and be ableto hold both until Turn 3. But I don’t have to worry about that here since I hold De-Stalinizationmyself.
There is, of course, one risk to this move…
Annotated Game #2 354
1 Turn 1, USSR action round 3
2
3 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
4 #6 Ops 4: The China Card
5 4 USSR influence added to Pakistan, now at 4
6
7 Turn 1, USA action round 3
8
9 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
10 #24 Ops 2: Indo-Pakistani War
11 India invades Pakistan...
12 USA success on a modified die roll of 4-6; USSR modifer is -0
13 ** Die roll: 5 -- USA victory!
14 VPs up 2, now at 2
15 Soviet influence in Pakistan reduced by 4, now at 0
16 American influence in Pakistan increased by 4, now at 6
17 American Military Operations for this turn increased to 5
This is a crippling blow to me. I decide to take South Korea to temporarily stop his Domination; hecan take India to regain Domination, but it is cheaper for me to take South Korea than it is for himto take India. Plus, if I ever do get Thailand, having both Thailand and South Korea will protect mefrom being Dominated in Asia.
1 Turn 1, USSR action round 4
2
3 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
4 #11 Ops 2: Korean War * (USSR)
5 2 USSR influence added to South Korea, now at 4
6
7 Turn 1, USA action round 4
8
9 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
10 #22 Ops 2: Independent Reds * (USA)
11 1 USA influence added to West Germany, now at 1
12 1 USA influence added to France, now at 2
Since he did not take India, this is my chance to get away with a neutral Asia Scoring. I think mySouth Korea move should have tipped him off to playing into Asia now, and waiting to respond inEurope later.
Annotated Game #2 355
1 Turn 1, USSR action round 5
2
3 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
4 #1: Asia Scoring
5
6 *** Scoring in Asia ***
7 USSR: 3(presence) +2(battlegrounds) = 5
8 USA: 3(presence) +2(battlegrounds) = 5
9
10 Turn 1, USA action round 5
11
12 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
13 #4 Ops 3: Duck and Cover (USA)
14 2 USA influence added to France, now at 4
15 1 USA influence added to West Germany, now at 2
Now I’ll play Containment as my final Action. Asia was just scored, so that’s out. I’d like to fight forEuropean battlegrounds, but not only am I already behind, I run the risk of getting all my influencekilled by Truman Doctrine. (This is one of the advantages of the empty West Germany setup: USSRis often so intimidated by the threat of Truman Doctrine that they’re not willing to engage in anOps war in Europe.) So I look to the Middle East. Because DEFCON is at 3, I could coup Iran withContainment, but then I’d need 4 or higher. Better to make the safer play and build towards aneventual Domination. I secure Iraq and take Lebanon, a crucial cheap non-battleground in theMiddleEast that aids me in future Arab-Israeli Wars.
1 Turn 1, USSR action round 6
2
3 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
4 #25 Ops 3: Containment * (USA)
5 2 USSR influence added to Iraq, now at 3
6 1 USSR influence added to Lebanon, now at 1
7 The Americans use the USA event played by the USSR
8
9 ** The Containment card is permanently removed. **
10
11 All further operations cards played by US this turn add one to their value (to a \
12 maximum of 4).
13
14 Turn 1, USA action round 6
15
16 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
17 #19 Ops 1: Truman Doctrine * (USA)
Annotated Game #2 356
18 2 USA influence added to West Germany, now at 4
19 DEFCON Level raised to 4
20
21 Events Played: US/Japan Mutual Defense Pact, De Gaulle Leads France
22
23 USSR battleground countries controlled = 5
24 USA battleground countries controlled = 5
25
26 ** Turn 2 Headline Phase **
The board at the start of Turn 2
My hand:
Annotated Game #2 357
Annotated Game #2 358
This hand also has 22 Ops, though again, a lot of the Ops are tied up in De-Stalinization andMarshallPlan. Nevertheless, I’ve definitely had the Early War luck in terms of stronger hands.
A couple of play considerations:
• I need to make sure I play NATO as soon as possible, before Warsaw Pact or Marshall Planare triggered. I’d rather not have it in effect, and if the US draws it they’ll never play it for theevent. So if I can punt it away now there’s a good chance it’ll never come back in. And it’srelevant because …
• I want to be able to play Special Relationship under any (preferably all) of these circumstances:– ideally when the UK is not US-controlled– hopefully after he controls Canada, so the influence is somewhat wasted– definitely before NATO is in effect (if NATO does go into effect).
• CIA Created is ordinarily a DEFCON suicide card. But right now it’s perfectly harmlessbecause I have no influence in a Mid War region. So as long as he doesn’t play Fidel (andI play it before I De-Stalinize), I can play this late in the turn.
• Vietnam Revolts is going to get me into Thailand, which can save me from Asia Domination.• This is a good time to play Formosan Resolution, while the US has the China Card.
The headline is clearly going to be Red Scare/Purge. I have enoughOps that I don’t need its 4 Ops, andI have no other decent headline choices anyway (since I don’t want to De-Stalinize until DEFCONreaches 2 so I am not immediately couped out, and since DEFCON is at 4 I might get couped out ifI play Vietnam Revolts).
Annotated Game #2 359
1 Soviet Headline Card: #31 Ops 4: Red Scare/Purge
2 American Headline Card: #106 Ops 3: NORAD * (USA)
3
4 USSR Headline Event: #31 Ops 4: Red Scare/Purge
5
6 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
7 #31 Ops 4: Red Scare/Purge
8 -1 to Ops value of American cards this turn (minimum 1 OP)
9
10 USA Headline Event: #106 Ops 3: NORAD * (USA)
11
12 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
13 #106 Ops 3: NORAD * (USA)
14
15 ** The NORAD card is permanently removed. **
16
17 ** Turn 2 Action Phase **
NORAD is going to be a pain. I must try to minimize the number of countries with both US andUSSR influence (easier said than done).
What I’d really like to do is play Vietnam Revolts for the event so that I can start spreadingcommunism in Southeast Asia. Unfortunately, if I do that, DEFCON 4means that I might get coupedout. Of course, I’d hold the upper hand in a back-and-forth coup war (both because of Red Scareand Vietnam Revolts’ +1), but the risk is that Vietnam gets couped out exactly, to 0, in which case Ihave nothing to coup back.
So the first thing I do is drop DEFCON. Keeping in mind the CIA Created restriction from earlier, Ichoose to coup Iran, even though Panama offers better odds. I use Formosan Resolution, so that ifthe US plays the China Card this turn it’ll be cancelled. In addition, the 2 Ops card is all I need forMil Ops at the end of the turn (assuming DEFCON goes to 2). Using a 4 Ops is a bit of a waste whenI’m not actually all that interested in the coup and have influence to place later.
1 Turn 2, USSR action round 1
2 The Soviets play the following card for Ops
3 #100 Ops 2: Formosan Resolution * (USA)
4 They elect to have the American event occur first.
5
6 ** The Formosan Resolution card is permanently removed. **
7
8 Taiwan shall be treated as a Battleground country for scoring purposes, if the US
9 controls Taiwan when the Asian Scoring Card is played. Taiwan is not a battlegro\
10 und
Annotated Game #2 360
11 country for any other game purpose. This card is discarded after US play of The \
12 China Card.
13
14 The Soviets use the Formosan Resolution card for a coup attempt:
15 Coup attempt in Iran (stability 2):
16 ** USSR die roll = 6 (+2) = 8
17 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 4.
18 American influence in Iran reduced by 3, now at 0
19 Soviet influence in Iran increased by 1, now at 1
20 DEFCON Level lowered to 3
21 Soviet Military Operations for this turn increased to 2
22
23 Turn 2, USA action round 1
24 The Americans play the following card for Ops:
25 #7 Ops 3: Socialist Governments (USSR)
26 They also play UN Intervention to cancel the Soviet event
27
28 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
29 #7 Ops 3: Socialist Governments (USSR)
30 2 USA influence added to Egypt, now at 2
31
32 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
33 #32 Ops 1: UN Intervention
34 Play this card simultaneously with another card that has your opponent's associat\
35 ed event.
36 The event is canceled, but you may use its Operations value normally. The cancel\
37 ed event
38 card returns to the discard pile.
It was an unexpectedly good coup result. Now I will trigger Vietnam Revolts, so that I can gainaccess to the subregion.
1 Turn 2, USSR action round 2
2
3 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
4 #9 Ops 2: Vietnam Revolts * (USSR)
5
6 ** The Vietnam Revolts card is permanently removed. **
7
8 Soviet influence in Vietnam increased by 2, now at 2
9
10 Turn 2, USA action round 2
Annotated Game #2 361
11 The Americans play the following card for Ops
12 #16 Ops 3: Warsaw Pact Formed * (USSR)
13 They elect to have the Soviet event occur first.
14
15 ** The Warsaw Pact Formed card is permanently removed. **
16
17 1 USSR influence added to Yugoslavia, now at 3
18 2 USSR influence added to Poland, now at 7
19 2 USSR influence added to East Germany, now at 7
20
21 The Americans use the Warsaw Pact Formed card to place influence:
22 1 USA influence added to Canada, now at 4
23 1 USA influence added to Malaysia, now at 1
So much for punting NATO. Oh well. Now I will shore up Thailand — keeping in mind both that Ihave a +1 thanks to Vietnam, and that I need to overcontrol it to protect against the China Card.
Luckily, he just controlled Canada (in anticipation of DEFCON dropping to 2 this turn), so Iwill use Special Relationship, which is perfectly-suited Ops-wise. Now his influence from SpecialRelationship is mostly wasted.
1 Turn 2, USSR action round 3
2
3 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
4 #105 Ops 2: Special Relationship (USA)
5 3 USSR influence added to Thailand, now at 3
6 The Americans use the USA event played by the USSR
7 American influence in France increased by 1, now at 5
8
9 Turn 2, USA action round 3
10 The Americans play the following card for Ops
11 #110 Ops 2: The Cambridge Five (USSR)
12 They elect to have the Soviet event occur first.
13 No scoring cards in the USA hand: no effect.
14
15 The Americans use the The Cambridge Five card for a coup attempt:
16 Coup attempt in Iran (stability 2):
17 ** USA die roll = 6 (+1) = 7
18 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 3.
19 Soviet influence in Iran reduced by 1, now at 0
20 American influence in Iran increased by 2, now at 2
21 DEFCON Level lowered to 2
22 American Military Operations for this turn increased to 1
Annotated Game #2 362
23 *** NORAD -- the US may place 1 influence anywhere they already have influence ***
24 American influence in South Korea increased by 1, now at 2
That was an annoying coup result, and the NORAD influence was irritating. Now I’ll start spreadingin Southeast Asia, shore up South Korea, and make a play for India by forcing myself into Pakistan.I can force him to respond; even if I don’t actually get India, he probably has to use the China Cardto defend it.
1 Turn 2, USSR action round 4
2 The Soviets play the following card for Ops
3 #21 Ops 4: NATO * (USA)
4 They elect to have the American event occur first.
5
6 ** The NATO card is permanently removed. **
7
8 USSR player may no longer make Coup or Realignment rolls in any US Controlled cou\
9 ntries
10 in Europe. US Controlled countries in Europe may not be attacked by play of the \
11 Brush War event.
12
13 May not be played until Marshall Plan or Warsaw Pact Formed (either one) has been\
14 played
15
16 The Soviets use the NATO card to place influence:
17 1 USSR influence added to South Korea, now at 5
18 1 USSR influence added to Laos/Cambodia, now at 1
19 1 USSR influence added to Pakistan, now at 1
20
21 Turn 2, USA action round 4
22
23 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
24 #6 Ops 4: The China Card
25 3 USA influence added to India, now at 3
26 1 USA influence added to Malaysia, now at 2
My prediction is accurate. Now seems like a good time to safely play CIA Created, before he playsFidel and makes it unplayable. I’ll use it in Southeast Asia, taking advantage of my Vietnam bonus.
Annotated Game #2 363
1 Turn 2, USSR action round 5
2 The Soviets play the following card for Ops
3 #26 Ops 1: CIA Created * (USA)
4 They elect to have the American event occur first.
5
6 ** The CIA Created card is permanently removed. **
7
8 The American gets to look at the Soviet Hand:
9 1 USA influence added to West Germany, now at 5
10
11 The Soviets use the CIA Created card to place influence:
12 2 USSR influence added to Burma, now at 2
13
14 Turn 2, USA action round 5
15 The Americans play the following card for Ops
16 #12 Ops 1: Romanian Abdication * (USSR)
17 They elect to have the Soviet event occur first.
18
19 ** The Romanian Abdication card is permanently removed. **
20
21 Soviet influence in Romania now at 3
22
23 The Americans use the Romanian Abdication card to place influence:
24 1 USA influence added to Libya, now at 1
I certainly would prefer to play De-Stalinization rather than Marshall Plan, and now that DEFCONis safely at 2, I can start my expansion into theMidWar regions. Because I don’t have Decolonization(and don’t expect to get it), I will split my De-Stalinization influence between South America andAfrica.
1 Turn 2, USSR action round 6
2
3 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
4 #33 Ops 3: De-Stalinization * (USSR)
5
6 ** The De-Stalinization card is permanently removed. **
7
8 1 De-Stalinization influence removed from Czechoslovakia, now at 0
9 1 De-Stalinization influence removed from Poland, now at 6
10 1 De-Stalinization influence removed from East Germany, now at 6
11 1 De-Stalinization influence removed from Finland, now at 0
12 1 De-Stalinization influence added to Angola, now at 1
Annotated Game #2 364
13 1 De-Stalinization influence added to Venezuela, now at 1
14 1 De-Stalinization influence added to Chile, now at 1
15 1 De-Stalinization influence added to Nigeria, now at 1
16
17 Turn 2, USA action round 6
18 The Americans play the following card for Ops
19 #8 Ops 2: Fidel * (USSR)
20 They elect to have the Soviet event occur first.
21
22 ** The Fidel card is permanently removed. **
23
24 Soviet influence in Cuba now at 3
25
26 The Americans use the Fidel card to place influence:
27 1 USA influence added to Colombia, now at 1
28 The Americans are 1 military operation short of the DEFCON requirement of 2
29 VPs down 1, now at 1
30 DEFCON Level raised to 3
31
32 Events Played: US/Japan Mutual Defense Pact, De Gaulle Leads France, NORAD, Warsa\
33 w Pact Formed, NATO
34
35 USSR battleground countries controlled = 9
36 USA battleground countries controlled = 8
37
38 ************************************************************
39 ** The deck is being shuffled. **
40 ************************************************************
41 ** Turn 3 Headline Phase **
His Fidel play is a common AR7 move and a good one. Next turn I will face a bit of a crisis withrespect to couping to drop DEFCON and protecting Venezuela.
Annotated Game #2 365
The board at the start of Turn 3
My cards in hand:
Annotated Game #2 366
For the first time, I draw a slightly below-average Ops hand. But I have little reason to complain: Idrew Defectors, which means that I’ll have worry-free headlines between now and Turn 6, and FiveYear Plan, which is a great way to discard unwanted US scoring cards. Since I have none of those atthe moment, I plan on holding Five Year Plan to next turn.
The cards I know he has in hand: Europe Scoring, Nasser, Olympic Games, Suez Crisis, andDecolonization. I’ll keep in mind the Europe Scoring and Nasser (relevant for Marshall Plan andMiddle East scoring, respectively, though I doubt I will contest Europe at this point); I assume hewill space Decolonization.
I have nothing especially worth headlining, so I headline Captured Nazi Scientist. If I didn’t haveCaptured Nazi Scientist, I might have headlined Defectors to save 1VP.
Annotated Game #2 367
1 Soviet Headline Card: #18 Ops 1: Captured Nazi Scientists *
2 American Headline Card: #2: Europe Scoring
3
4 USSR Headline Event: #18 Ops 1: Captured Nazi Scientists *
5
6 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
7 #18 Ops 1: Captured Nazi Scientists *
8
9 ** The Captured Nazi Scientists card is permanently removed. **
10
11 USSR progress on the Space Race Track is now at Earth Satellite
12 VPs down 2, now at -1
13
14 USA Headline Event: #2: Europe Scoring
15
16 The Americans use the Europe Scoring card as an Event:
17
18 *** Scoring in Europe ***
19 USSR: 3(presence) +2(battlegrounds) = 5
20 USA: 7(domination) +3(battlegrounds) = 10
21 VPs up 5, now at 4
22 ** Turn 3 Action Phase **
Vaguely risky as a headline, since I could have headlined Socialist Governments, but it worked outall right. Now my Marshall Plan is rather meaningless, and I may as well let him have the event.
I now have a choice of couping a battleground (probably Libya, given my Middle East scoring card),or couping Colombia to protect South America. Given said scoring card, and the fact that I would getone ofmyAfrican battlegrounds couped if I couped Colombia, I decide to go for Libya. Unfortunatelythis means that I will not be able to stop him from taking Venezuela. (The ideal card in this scenariowould have been Duck & Cover, which would have allowed me to place influence into Venezuelaor coup Colombia while simultaneously dropping DEFCON.)
I don’t need that many Ops for the coup (since I will need to save my Ops for South Americainfluence placement), so I use Defectors.
Annotated Game #2 368
1 Turn 3, USSR action round 1
2
3 The Soviets play the following card for a coup attempt:
4 #102 Ops 2: Defectors (USA)
5 Coup attempt in Libya (stability 2):
6 ** USSR die roll = 6 (+2) = 8
7 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 4.
8 American influence in Libya reduced by 1, now at 0
9 Soviet influence in Libya increased by 3, now at 3
10 DEFCON Level lowered to 2
11 Soviet Military Operations for this turn increased to 2
12 The Americans use the USA event played by the USSR
13 VPs up 1, now at 5
14 *** NORAD -- the US may place 1 influence anywhere they already have influence ***
15 American influence in South Korea increased by 1, now at 3
16
17 Turn 3, USA action round 1
18
19 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
20 #34 Ops 4: Nuclear Test Ban
21 3 USA influence added to Venezuela, now at 3
22 1 USA influence added to South Korea, now at 4
This was a very fortunate roll. Now I have two goals: shore up South Korea and take Brazil to stophis southward expansion into South America. This requires a 4 Ops card, and so I use Marshall Plan.The event text is powerful but isn’t possibly going to change the scoring any more.
1 Turn 3, USSR action round 2
2
3 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
4 #23 Ops 4: Marshall Plan * (USA)
5 2 USSR influence added to South Korea, now at 7
6 2 USSR influence added to Brazil, now at 2
7 The Americans use the USA event played by the USSR
8
9 ** The Marshall Plan card is permanently removed. **
10
11 American influence in United Kingdom increased by 1, now at 6
12 American influence in West Germany increased by 1, now at 6
13 American influence in France increased by 1, now at 6
14 American influence in Spain/Portugal increased by 1, now at 2
15 American influence in Italy increased by 1, now at 4
Annotated Game #2 369
16 American influence in Turkey increased by 1, now at 2
17 American influence in Greece increased by 1, now at 2
18
19 Turn 3, USA action round 2
20
21 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
22 #20 Ops 2: Olympic Games
23 2 USA influence added to Algeria, now at 2
I don’t want to move into Uruguay just yet, since that allows the US to coup it and gain Mil Opsto save VPs at the end of the turn. Instead I will begin to threaten the Middle East. If I take SaudiArabia he must take Israel in response to stop Middle East domination, and that is vulnerable toArab-Israeli War. Likewise, Nasser in his hand will complicate things for him.
1 Turn 3, USSR action round 3
2
3 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
4 #11 Ops 2: Korean War * (USSR)
5 2 USSR influence added to Saudi Arabia, now at 2
6
7 Turn 3, USA action round 3
8 The Americans play the following card for Ops
9 #28 Ops 3: Suez Crisis * (USSR)
10 They elect to have the Soviet event occur first.
11
12 ** The Suez Crisis card is permanently removed. **
13
14 American influence in Israel reduced by 1, now at 0
15 American influence in United Kingdom reduced by 2, now at 4
16 American influence in France reduced by 1, now at 5
17
18 The Americans use the Suez Crisis card to place influence:
19 1 USA influence added to United Kingdom, now at 5
20 2 USA influence added to Israel, now at 2
I’ll play East European Unrest here. Although theoretically I need to replace the influence heremoves, in practice I don’t care about Europe very much any more. I have much more pressingobligations: first, to take Saudi Arabia; second, to expand out of Angola into Zaire; third, to shoreup South Korea against future NORADs so I am not perpetually faced with a crisis there.
Annotated Game #2 370
1 Turn 3, USSR action round 4
2 The Soviets play the following card for Ops
3 #29 Ops 3: East European Unrest (USA)
4 They elect to have the American event occur first.
5 Soviet influence in East Germany reduced by 1, now at 5
6 Soviet influence in Poland reduced by 1, now at 5
7 Soviet influence in Yugoslavia reduced by 1, now at 2
8
9 The Soviets use the East European Unrest card to place influence:
10 1 USSR influence added to Saudi Arabia, now at 3
11 1 USSR influence added to Zaire, now at 1
12 1 USSR influence added to South Korea, now at 8
13
14 Turn 3, USA action round 4
15
16 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
17 #22 Ops 2: Independent Reds * (USA)
18 2 USA influence added to Israel, now at 4
The Middle East is now even. I’m playing Middle East scoring next and holding Five Year Plan tonext turn. Before I play the scoring card I may as well take a gamble on the Arab-Israeli War.
1 Turn 3, USSR action round 5
2
3 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
4 #13 Ops 2: Arab-Israeli War (USSR)
5 USSR success on a modified die roll of 4-6; USA modifer is -2
6 ** Die roll: 6 (-2) = 4 -- USSR victory!
7 VPs down 2, now at 3
8 American influence in Israel reduced by 4, now at 0
9 Soviet influence in Israel increased by 4, now at 4
10 Soviet Military Operations for this turn increased to 4
11
12 Turn 3, USA action round 5
13
14 The Americans play the following card for an attempt on the Space Race track:
15 #30 Ops 2: Decolonization (USSR)
16 ** Space Race Die Roll (1-3 needed): = 5 **
17 No effect.
That was definitely very lucky. Now I’ll score Domination.
Annotated Game #2 371
1 Turn 3, USSR action round 6
2
3 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
4 #3: Middle East Scoring
5
6 *** Scoring in Middle East ***
7 USSR: 5(domination) +4(battlegrounds) = 9
8 USA: 3(presence) +2(battlegrounds) = 5
9 VPs down 4, now at -1
10
11 Turn 3, USA action round 6
12
13 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
14 #24 Ops 2: Indo-Pakistani War
15 1 USA influence added to Brazil, now at 1
16 The Americans are 2 military operations short of the DEFCON requirement of 2
17 VPs down 2, now at -3
18
19 Events Played: US/Japan Mutual Defense Pact, De Gaulle Leads France, NORAD, Warsa\
20 w Pact Formed, NATO, Marshall Plan
21
22 USSR battleground countries controlled = 13
23 USA battleground countries controlled = 10
24
25 ** The Mid War cards are added to the deck **
26 ************************************************************
27 ** The deck is being shuffled. **
28 ************************************************************
29 DEFCON Level raised to 3
30 ** Turn 4 Headline Phase **
Annotated Game #2 372
The board at the start of Turn 4
Annotated Game #2 373
Mid / Late War
1 ** The Mid War cards are added to the deck **
2 ************************************************************
3 ** The deck is being shuffled. **
4 ************************************************************
5 DEFCON Level raised to 3
6 ** Turn 4 Headline Phase **
The board at the start of Turn 4
The score is currently at -3, which is OK for the USSR but not great.
My hand:
Annotated Game #2 374
Annotated Game #2 375
I don’t have much in the way of headlines. Che is a great USSR event but one that is not worthtriggering right now.
Of the US cards in my hand, OAS Founded is the most irritating. But Five Year Plan is a good wayto dispose of it: if I play Five Year Plan with just OAS Founded in my hand, I effectively have 3 Opswith which to respond to OAS, rather than just 1. Kitchen Debates is not a problem as I currentlycontrol more battlegrounds. Nor is Alliance for Progress, which I can dump right now for minimalloss. Shuttle Diplomacy can turn the tide of Asia Scoring, but unfortunately I probably need its 3Ops. One Small Step and Summit are useless to me.
As a result, I headline Lone Gunman. I normally hope that the US will draw this card, but this won’tbe until Turn 7 at the earliest. Plus it lets me save Brazil in the headline phase and get a sense ofwhether I should delay Shuttle Diplomacy for later in the turn in case he has Asia Scoring.
Annotated Game #2 376
1 Soviet Headline Card: #62 Ops 1: 'Lone Gunman' * (USSR)
2 American Headline Card: #71 Ops 2: Nixon Plays the China Card * (USA)
3
4 USA Headline Event: #71 Ops 2: Nixon Plays the China Card * (USA)
5
6 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
7 #71 Ops 2: Nixon Plays the China Card * (USA)
8
9 ** The Nixon Plays the China Card card is permanently removed. **
10
11 The US receives the China Card, face down, from the Soviet player.
12
13 USSR Headline Event: #62 Ops 1: 'Lone Gunman' * (USSR)
14
15 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
16 #62 Ops 1: 'Lone Gunman' * (USSR)
17
18 ** The 'Lone Gunman' card is permanently removed. **
19
20 The Soviet gets to look at the American Hand:
This is the American hand:
Annotated Game #2 377
There’s nothing in here that is especially damning. Whether or not he uses Ask Not… this turn isthe big question: on the one hand, it’s best when used to discard truly awful cards (DEFCON suicidecards and bad scoring cards), and none of these cards qualify (though they are certainly very bad,Quagmire, Nasser, and Muslim Revolution especially). On the other hand, Lone Gunman is alreadyout, and I know what the rest of his hand is right now and can adjust my play accordingly. I thinkit can go either way depending on the needs of the turn: Ask Not has to be played early in the turn,and early in this turn the fight for South America might be too hectic to allow for it.
I will use my Lone Gunman influence to shore up Brazil so that I can coup Venezuela. I’ll coupVenezuela with Alliance for Progress, triggering the event after I use the Ops to hopefully punt the“US OPEC” for 0VP. (This is why Alliance for Progress is substantially worse than OPEC.)
Annotated Game #2 378
1 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
2 #62 Ops 1: 'Lone Gunman' * (USSR)
3 1 USSR influence added to Brazil, now at 3
4 ** Turn 4 Action Phase **
5
6 Turn 4, USSR action round 1
7
8 The Soviets play the following card for a coup attempt:
9 #78 Ops 3: Alliance for Progress * (USA)
10 Coup attempt in Venezuela (stability 2):
11 ** USSR die roll = 4 (+3) = 7
12 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 3.
13 American influence in Venezuela reduced by 3, now at 0
14 DEFCON Level lowered to 2
15 Soviet Military Operations for this turn increased to 3
16 The Americans use the USA event played by the USSR
17
18 ** The Alliance for Progress card is permanently removed. **
19
20 *** NORAD -- the US may place 1 influence anywhere they already have influence ***
21 American influence in Brazil increased by 1, now at 2
22
23 Turn 4, USA action round 1
24 The Americans play the following card for Ops
25 #56 Ops 4: Muslim Revolution (USSR)
26 They elect to have the Soviet event occur first.
27 American influence in Iran now at 0
28 American influence in Egypt now at 0
29
30 The Americans use the Muslim Revolution card to place influence:
31 3 USA influence added to Venezuela, now at 3
32 1 USA influence added to Brazil, now at 3
I am somewhat surprised he was willing to just eliminate himself from the Middle East like that, butMiddle East scoring did just come out, and Nasser in his hand would have only made matters worse.Muslim Revolution is devastating, but as he shows, sometimes it is better to just bite the bullet andaccept it. Sometimes it is better to lose the Middle East instead of fighting for it, losing, and losingthe other regions too.
I will shore up Brazil, naturally. I don’t have enough Ops to take both Brazil and Uruguay, and inany event I have access to Argentina via Chile anyway.
Annotated Game #2 379
1 Turn 4, USSR action round 2
2
3 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
4 #80 Ops 2: 'One Small Step...'
5 2 USSR influence added to Brazil, now at 5
6
7 Turn 4, USA action round 2
8
9 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
10 #40 Ops 3: Cuban Missile Crisis *
11 3 USA influence added to Uruguay, now at 3
Now is the time for Che, a fantastic USSR event. It can be better than this, but this is a good enoughuse of it. Its ideal use is to create two threats at once for the US. Here, if successful, it will createone threat (a realign against Venezuela), and defend against one at the same time (by denying himaccess to Argentina). Even if my Uruguay coup is not successful, he will have to choose betweenArgentina and Venezuela.
Obviously, I will use Che on Colombia first, then Uruguay.
1 Turn 4, USSR action round 3
2
3 The Soviets play the following card for a coup attempt:
4 #112 Ops 3: Che (USSR)
5 Coup attempt in Colombia (stability 1):
6 ** USSR die roll = 3 (+3) = 6
7 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 4.
8 American influence in Colombia reduced by 1, now at 0
9 Soviet influence in Colombia increased by 3, now at 3
10 Soviet Military Operations for this turn increased to 5
11 The coup is successful: the USSR may make another coup
12
13 The Soviets play the following card for a coup attempt:
14 #112 Ops 3: Che (USSR)
15 Coup attempt in Uruguay (stability 2):
16 ** USSR die roll = 4 (+3) = 7
17 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 3.
18 American influence in Uruguay reduced by 3, now at 0
19
20 Turn 4, USA action round 3
21
22 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
23 #46 Ops 2: How I Learned to Stop Worrying *
24 2 USA influence added to Uruguay, now at 2
Annotated Game #2 380
I now opt to realign Venezuela, on the theory that I will likely be successful, and he will not haveenough Ops to simultaneously take back Venezuela and also take Argentina.
Given that I have Shuttle Diplomacy, two 1 Ops cards, and then my Five Year Plan / OAS Foundedplan, I must use Shuttle Diplomacy. Hopefully I’ll still be able to avert Asia domination when itcomes.
1 Turn 4, USSR action round 4
2 The Soviets play the following card for Ops
3 #73 Ops 3: Shuttle Diplomacy (USA)
4 They elect to have the American event occur first.
5 Play in front of US player. During the next scoring of the Middle East or Asia
6 (whichever comes first), subtract one Battleground country from USSR total,
7 then put this card in the discard pile.
8
9 The Soviets use the Shuttle Diplomacy card for realignment rolls:
10
11 Realignment roll in Venezuela: USSR modifier = +2, USA modifier = +1
12 ** USSR die roll = 3 (+2) = 5
13 ** USA die roll = 2 (+1) = 3
14 American influence in Venezuela reduced by 2, now at 1
15
16 Realignment roll in Venezuela: USSR modifier = +2, USA modifier = +0
17 ** USSR die roll = 3 (+2) = 5
18 ** USA die roll = 6 (+0) = 6
19 Soviet influence in Venezuela reduced by 1, now at 0
20
21 Realignment roll in Venezuela: USSR modifier = +2, USA modifier = +1
22 ** USSR die roll = 5 (+2) = 7
23 ** USA die roll = 3 (+1) = 4
24 American influence in Venezuela reduced by 1, now at 0
Annotated Game #2 381
The board at the middle of Turn 4, Action Round 4
However, my plan backfires. In retrospect, this was a not-insignificant risk that I should have plannedfor. But now the US can use a 4 Ops to take both Venezuela and Argentina, and what should havebeen USSR domination of South America has turned into a dead heat (and likely US domination).
1 Turn 4, USA action round 4
2
3 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
4 #57 Ops 4: ABM Treaty
5 2 USA influence added to Venezuela, now at 2
6 2 USA influence added to Argentina, now at 2
Now I have two turns of 1 Op plays. Although I’m in danger of being realigned out of Brazil, my1 Op won’t do anything. Probably the correct move here would be either to pressure South Africa,build up Chile, or go for Middle East control. (I could also realign Venezuela, but I prefer realigningwith more Ops rather than risk a null result.) But I play into Nicaragua instead, on some vaguetheory of achieving Central America domination. Maybe I can scare him into thinking I have CAscoring, but I think this is a dubious move in retrospect.
Annotated Game #2 382
1 Turn 4, USSR action round 5
2
3 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
4 #45 Ops 1: Summit
5 1 USSR influence added to Nicaragua, now at 1
6
7 Turn 4, USA action round 5
8 The Americans play the following card for Ops
9 #15 Ops 1: Nasser * (USSR)
10 They elect to have the Soviet event occur first.
11
12 ** The Nasser card is permanently removed. **
13
14 Soviet influence in Egypt increased by 2, now at 2
15
16 The Americans use the Nasser card for realignment rolls:
17
18 Realignment roll in Brazil: USA modifier = +2, USSR modifier = +1
19 ** USA die roll = 1 (+2) = 3
20 ** USSR die roll = 4 (+1) = 5
21 American influence in Brazil reduced by 2, now at 1
This was a very lucky break for me.
I use my Kitchen Debates to move into South Africa, knowing that Portuguese Empire Crumbleswill get me Domination by getting me the SE African States. In retrospect, again, Chile or Iran isprobably the right move here, since who controls South Africa won’t affect Africa Scoring at themoment.
1 Turn 4, USSR action round 6
2
3 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
4 #48 Ops 1: Kitchen Debates * (USA)
5 1 USSR influence added to South Africa, now at 1
6
7 Turn 4, USA action round 6
8
9 The Americans play the following card for an attempt on the Space Race track:
10 #42 Ops 3: Quagmire * (USSR)
11 ** Space Race Die Roll (1-3 needed): = 3 **
12 USA progress on the Space Race Track is now at Earth Satellite
13 VPs up 1, now at -2
Annotated Game #2 383
With my final play, I do the Five Year Plan/OAS Founded trick. Depending on where he addsinfluence, I can choose to respond to it, or just use the 3 Ops to take South Africa. Since he placesone into Chile, meaning I can’t get Chile with my 3 Ops, I place into South Africa instead.
1 Turn 4, USSR action round 7
2 The Soviets play the following card for Ops
3 #5 Ops 3: Five Year Plan (USA)
4 They elect to have the American event occur first.
5 The Soviet player discards the following card:
6 #70 Ops 1: OAS Founded * (USA)
7
8 ** The OAS Founded card is permanently removed. **
9
10 1 USA influence added to Panama, now at 2
11 1 USA influence added to Chile, now at 1
12
13 The Soviets use the Five Year Plan card to place influence:
14 3 USSR influence added to South Africa, now at 4
15
16 Turn 4, USA action round 7
17 The Americans play the following card for Ops
18 #52 Ops 2: Portuguese Empire Crumbles * (USSR)
19 They elect to have the Soviet event occur first.
20
21 ** The Portuguese Empire Crumbles card is permanently removed. **
22
23 Soviet influence in SE African States increased by 2, now at 2
24 Soviet influence in Angola increased by 2, now at 3
25
26 The Americans use the Portuguese Empire Crumbles card for a coup attempt:
27 Coup attempt in Nicaragua (stability 1):
28 ** USA die roll = 6 (+2) = 8
29 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 6.
30 Soviet influence in Nicaragua reduced by 1, now at 0
31 American influence in Nicaragua increased by 5, now at 5
32 American Military Operations for this turn increased to 2
33 DEFCON Level raised to 3
34
35 Events Played: US/Japan Mutual Defense Pact, De Gaulle Leads France, NORAD, Warsa\
36 w Pact Formed, NATO, Marshall Plan
37
38 USSR battleground countries controlled = 16
39 USA battleground countries controlled = 10
Annotated Game #2 384
40
41 ** Turn 5 Headline Phase **
The board at the start of Turn 5
My hand:
Annotated Game #2 385
I know he’s held Ask Not… to this turn. Perhaps he will headline it. My headline is going to be Junta,one of the three key neutral Mid War cards (along with ABM Treaty and Brush War). I will try topunt Asia Scoring ASAP, as even with Shuttle Diplomacy I’m currently not being Dominated (butwill be as soon as he grabs another country or two).
John Paul II and Special Relationship (which is NATO-activated) are both somewhat problematic. Iplan to space one of them for sure, and if I’m successful I will space the other too. If not, then I willuse UN Intervention (though I’d prefer to save it for next turn in case I draw a worse US card).
My plan with Junta is to parachute into Mexico, which is otherwise inaccessible, and then coupArgentina. Later on, I will realign Venezuela.
Annotated Game #2 386
1 Soviet Headline Card: #47 Ops 2: Junta
2 American Headline Card: #67 Ops 2: Grain Sales to Soviets (USA)
3
4 USA Headline Event: #67 Ops 2: Grain Sales to Soviets (USA)
5
6 The Americans use the Grain Sales to Soviets card as an Event:
7 Card selected from USSR hand: #32 Ops 1: UN Intervention
8 The USA Player elects to keep and play the card.
9
10 The Americans use the UN Intervention card for a coup attempt:
11 Coup attempt in Nigeria (stability 1):
12 ** USA die roll = 4 (+1) = 5
13 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 3.
14 Soviet influence in Nigeria reduced by 1, now at 0
15 American influence in Nigeria increased by 2, now at 2
16 DEFCON Level lowered to 2
17 American Military Operations for this turn increased to 1
This was quite fortunate for me, but it does cut my hand size and leave me unable to UN eitherSpecial Relationship or John Paul II.
Since I can no longer coup, I will just realign Venezuela.
1 USSR Headline Event: #47 Ops 2: Junta
2
3 The Soviets use the Junta card as an Event:
4 Soviet influence in Mexico increased by 2, now at 2
5
6 The Soviets use the Junta card for realignment rolls:
7
8 Realignment roll in Venezuela: USSR modifier = +2, USA modifier = +1
9 ** USSR die roll = 6 (+2) = 8
10 ** USA die roll = 3 (+1) = 4
11 American influence in Venezuela reduced by 2, now at 0
12
13 Realignment roll in Panama: USSR modifier = +1, USA modifier = +1
14 ** USSR die roll = 4 (+1) = 5
15 ** USA die roll = 1 (+1) = 2
16 American influence in Panama reduced by 2, now at 0
17 ** Turn 5 Action Phase **
The realign went way better than it should have. I will now use a 4 Ops to take both Venezuela andPanama. I need to take Panama now because he might coup me out of Colombia and then I will no
Annotated Game #2 387
longer have access. (In retrospect, I should have just used U2 Incident to place 1 Op into Panamaand 2 into Venezuela, saving my 4 Ops for later. Oh well.)
1 Turn 5, USSR action round 1
2
3 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
4 #50 Ops 4: 'We Will Bury You' * (USSR)
5 2 USSR influence added to Venezuela, now at 2
6 2 USSR influence added to Panama, now at 2
7
8 Turn 5, USA action round 1
9
10 The Americans play the following card for realignment rolls:
11 #39 Ops 3: Arms Race
12
13 Realignment roll in Cuba: USA modifier = +2, USSR modifier = +1
14 ** USA die roll = 6 (+2) = 8
15 ** USSR die roll = 1 (+1) = 2
16 Soviet influence in Cuba reduced by 3, now at 0
17
18 Realignment roll in Chile: USA modifier = +1, USSR modifier = +0
19 ** USA die roll = 2 (+1) = 3
20 ** USSR die roll = 4 (+0) = 4
21 American influence in Chile reduced by 1, now at 0
22
23 Realignment roll in Chile: USA modifier = +1, USSR modifier = +1
24 ** USA die roll = 6 (+1) = 7
25 ** USSR die roll = 5 (+1) = 6
26 Soviet influence in Chile reduced by 1, now at 0
Given that I no longer have access to Chile, I need to play Allende now so I can get back into thatsubregion. It will also prevent him from being able to take Chile in a single Action Round.
1 Turn 5, USSR action round 2
2
3 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
4 #54 Ops 1: Allende * (USSR)
5
6 ** The Allende card is permanently removed. **
7
8 Soviet influence in Chile increased by 2, now at 2
9
Annotated Game #2 388
10 Turn 5, USA action round 2
11
12 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
13 #66 Ops 2: Puppet Governments * (USA)
14
15 ** The Puppet Governments card is permanently removed. **
16
17 American influence in Cuba increased by 1, now at 1
18 American influence in Peru increased by 1, now at 1
19 American influence in Iran increased by 1, now at 1
Now that I have a breather, I will dump Asia Scoring.
1 Turn 5, USSR action round 3
2
3 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
4 #1: Asia Scoring
5
6 *** Scoring in Asia ***
7 (-1 to Russian battleground total due to Shuttle Diplomacy)
8 USSR: 3(presence) +2(battlegrounds) = 5
9 USA: 3(presence) +3(battlegrounds) = 6
10 VPs up 1, now at -1
11
12 Turn 5, USA action round 3
13
14 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
15 #64 Ops 1: Panama Canal Returned * (USA)
16
17 ** The Panama Canal Returned card is permanently removed. **
18
19 American influence in Panama increased by 1, now at 1
20 American influence in Costa Rica increased by 1, now at 1
21 American influence in Venezuela increased by 1, now at 1
I must respond by defending both Panama and Venezuela. Hopefully he lets up on the pressure soonso I can start spacing my problem cards.
Annotated Game #2 389
1 Turn 5, USSR action round 4
2
3 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
4 #55 Ops 2: Willy Brandt * (USSR)
5 1 USSR influence added to Panama, now at 3
6 1 USSR influence added to Venezuela, now at 3
7
8 Turn 5, USA action round 4
9
10 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
11 #6 Ops 4: The China Card
12 2 USA influence added to Cuba, now at 3
13 2 USA influence added to Chile, now at 2
The board at the start of Turn 5, Action Round 5
This time I make no mistake and take Chile, ensuring USSR domination of South America. (Notehow quickly, in this game, South America has swung from one side to the other.)
Annotated Game #2 390
1 Turn 5, USSR action round 5
2
3 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
4 #60 Ops 3: U-2 Incident * (USSR)
5 3 USSR influence added to Chile, now at 5
6
7 Turn 5, USA action round 5
8
9 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
10 #37: Central America Scoring
11
12 *** Scoring in Central America ***
13 USSR: 1(presence) +2(battlegrounds) +1(adj. to USA) = 4
14 USA: 1(presence) +1(battlegrounds) = 2
15 VPs down 2, now at -3
As the only cards left in my hand are John Paul II and Special Relationship, it’s time to look to thestars. I space John Paul first, because my position in Europe is rather precarious and I’d really liketo not have to deal with the Pope + Solidarity in Poland.
1 Turn 5, USSR action round 6
2
3 The Soviets play the following card for an attempt on the Space Race track:
4 #68 Ops 2: John Paul II Elected Pope * (USA)
5 ** Space Race Die Roll (1-4 needed): = 1 **
6 USSR progress on the Space Race Track is now at Animal in Space
7 The Soviets may now make two space race attempts per turn
This was quite fortunate.
1 Turn 5, USA action round 6
2
3 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
4 #65 Ops 2: Camp David Accords * (USA)
5
6 ** The Camp David Accords card is permanently removed. **
7
8 American influence in Israel increased by 1, now at 1
9 American influence in Jordan increased by 1, now at 1
10 American influence in Egypt increased by 1, now at 1
11 VPs up 1, now at -2
I could defend the Middle East, but it doesn’t really affect the scoring of the region, and besides I’drather he not get the 2VP from Special Relationship.
Annotated Game #2 391
1 Turn 5, USSR action round 7
2
3 The Soviets play the following card for an attempt on the Space Race track:
4 #105 Ops 2: Special Relationship (USA)
5 ** Space Race Die Roll (1-3 needed): = 6 **
6 No effect.
7
8 Turn 5, USA action round 7
9 The Americans play the following card for Ops
10 #51 Ops 3: Brezhnev Doctrine * (USSR)
11 They elect to have the Soviet event occur first.
12
13 ** The Brezhnev Doctrine card is permanently removed. **
14
15 All USSR operations cards increase their value by one (+1) for the remainder
16 of this turn (Maximum of 4).
17
18 The Americans use the Brezhnev Doctrine card to place influence:
19 1 USA influence added to Peru, now at 2
20 1 USA influence added to Iran, now at 2
21 1 USA influence added to Argentina, now at 3
22 The Americans are 1 military operation short of the DEFCON requirement of 2
23 The Soviets are 2 military operations short of the DEFCON requirement of 2
24 VPs up 1, now at -1
25 DEFCON Level raised to 3
26
27 Events Played: US/Japan Mutual Defense Pact, De Gaulle Leads France, NORAD, Warsa\
28 w Pact Formed, NATO, Marshall Plan, Camp David Accords
29
30 USSR battleground countries controlled = 16
31 USA battleground countries controlled = 11
32
33 ** Turn 6 Headline Phase **
Annotated Game #2 392
The board at the start of Turn 6
My hand:
Annotated Game #2 393
Annotated Game #2 394
I have several viable headlines. The Cambridge Five is the one I choose, because there’s a very highprobability that he has either Africa or South America scoring in his hand. Liberation Theologyis the other choice, though since I already control both 2-stability countries (and Central Americascoring just came out) it’s not as important as it usually is. SALT Negotiations is a possibility, butthere’s not that many great finds in the discard right now and I’d rather not let him coup me out ofThailand. Socialist Governments is ordinarily a good one, though I’m so far behind in Europe thatit won’t even make a difference.
The Voice of America, as always, is a giant problem. I can either send it to space this turn, or I cantry to hold onto it for next turn so that it misses the reshuffle. Nuclear Subs can be disposed of onthe last AR (rather than risk the US drawing it and punishing me for a whole turn with it). TrumanDoctrine makes matters worse for me in Europe, but who cares about Europe at this point. SoutheastAsia Scoring I must trigger ASAP, since it won’t get any better for me but potentially another 2VPfor him to claim (plus the threat of Colonial Rear Guards). People often forget about it, becauseit’s such a low priority compared to regions that are scored multiple times, but sooner or later he’llremember to take Indonesia/the Philippines.
1 Soviet Headline Card: #110 Ops 2: The Cambridge Five (USSR)
2 American Headline Card: #77 Ops 3: 'Ask Not What Your Country Can Do for You... \
3 * (USA)
4
5 USA Headline Event: #77 Ops 3: 'Ask Not What Your Country Can Do for You... * (U\
6 SA)
7
8 The Americans use the 'Ask Not What Your Country Can Do for You... card as an Eve\
9 nt:
10
11 ** The 'Ask Not What Your Country Can Do for You... card is permanently removed. \
Annotated Game #2 395
12 **
13
14 The American player discards the following cards to be replaced:
15 #79: Africa Scoring
16 #61 Ops 3: OPEC (USSR)
17
18 USSR Headline Event: #110 Ops 2: The Cambridge Five (USSR)
19
20 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
21 #110 Ops 2: The Cambridge Five (USSR)
22 The USA has the following scoring card:
23 South America Scoring
24 1 USSR influence added to Argentina, now at 1
25 ** Turn 6 Action Phase **
Spectacularly unluckily for him, he discards one scoring card only to draw another. With myCambridge Five influence, and knowledge that he has the only outstanding scoring card, I go all-outfor Argentina, the only South American battleground I do not control.
1 Turn 6, USSR action round 1
2
3 The Soviets play the following card for a coup attempt:
4 #59 Ops 4: Flower Power * (USSR)
5 Coup attempt in Argentina (stability 2):
6 ** USSR die roll = 5 (+4) = 9
7 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 5.
8 American influence in Argentina reduced by 3, now at 0
9 Soviet influence in Argentina increased by 2, now at 3
10 DEFCON Level lowered to 2
11 Soviet Military Operations for this turn increased to 4
12 *** NORAD -- the US may place 1 influence anywhere they already have influence ***
13 American influence in Chile increased by 1, now at 3
14
15 Turn 6, USA action round 1
16 The Americans play the following card for Ops
17 #58 Ops 3: Cultural Revolution * (USSR)
18 They elect to have the Soviet event occur first.
19
20 ** The Cultural Revolution card is permanently removed. **
21
22 VPs down 1, now at -2
23
Annotated Game #2 396
24 The Americans use the Cultural Revolution card to place influence:
25 3 USA influence added to Chile, now at 6
I could fight him back on Chile, but I’d have to use the China Card and he might have Ussuri RiverSkirmish. I decide that I’ll let him take Chile, while I dispose of some other cards that need myattention. Trading position for tempo, is in some sense, one of the keys of the game.
1 Turn 6, USSR action round 2
2
3 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
4 #38: Southeast Asia Scoring *
5
6 ** The Southeast Asia Scoring card is permanently removed. **
7
8 *** Scoring in Southeast Asia ***
9 USSR: 1(Burma) +1(Laos/Cambodia) +2(Thailand) +1(Vietnam) = 5
10 USA: 1(Malaysia) = 1
11 VPs down 4, now at -6
12
13 Turn 6, USA action round 2
14
15 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
16 #69 Ops 2: Latin American Death Squads
17 2 USA influence added to Chile, now at 8
My next move is a mistake. I play Liberation Theology in order to secure a future Central Americadomination. What I should have done instead, though …
1 Turn 6, USSR action round 3
2
3 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
4 #75 Ops 2: Liberation Theology (USSR)
5 2 USSR influence added to Honduras, now at 2
6 1 USSR influence added to Guatemala, now at 1
7
8 Turn 6, USA action round 3
9 The Americans play the following card for Ops
10 #53 Ops 2: South African Unrest (USSR)
11 They elect to have the Soviet event occur first.
12 Soviet influence in Botswana increased by 2, now at 2
13 Soviet influence in South Africa increased by 1, now at 5
14
Annotated Game #2 397
15 The Americans use the South African Unrest card for realignment rolls:
16
17 Realignment roll in Argentina: USA modifier = +2, USSR modifier = +1
18 ** USA die roll = 3 (+2) = 5
19 ** USSR die roll = 5 (+1) = 6
20
21 Realignment roll in Argentina: USA modifier = +2, USSR modifier = +1
22 ** USA die roll = 2 (+2) = 4
23 ** USSR die roll = 4 (+1) = 5
…is defend against the Argentina realignment, made possible by the Chilean takeover. But I amstupidly lucky and get away with it. I take Paraguay to make sure it does not happen again. Oddly,I have no 2 Ops cards, I have an extra influence, and no particularly obvious place to put it. Egyptwill get purged with Sadat, Yugoslavia won’t matter for scoring anyway. I choose Afghanistan, toprotect myself from the US taking it for +1 VP on Asia scoring. Probably overcontrolling Venezuelawould have been wiser, though.
1 Turn 6, USSR action round 4
2
3 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
4 #7 Ops 3: Socialist Governments (USSR)
5 2 USSR influence added to Paraguay, now at 2
6 1 USSR influence added to Afghanistan, now at 2
7
8 Turn 6, USA action round 4
9
10 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
11 #49 Ops 2: Missile Envy
12 The Soviet exchanges the following card for the Missile Envy:
13 #43 Ops 3: SALT Negotiations *
14
15 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
16 #43 Ops 3: SALT Negotiations *
17
18 ** The SALT Negotiations card is permanently removed. **
19
20 DEFCON Level raised to 4
21 The USA player reclaims the following card from the discard pile:
22 #57 Ops 4: ABM Treaty
Annotated Game #2 398
The board at the start of Turn 6, Action Round 5
I suppose the question of what to do with SALT Negotiations has resolved itself. As I must playMissile Envy for Ops, and since DEFCON is 4, I use it to coup, and Nigeria is the obvious target.
1 Turn 6, USSR action round 5
2
3 The Soviets play the following card for a coup attempt:
4 #49 Ops 2: Missile Envy
5 Coup attempt in Nigeria (stability 1):
6 ** USSR die roll = 3 (+2) = 5
7 1 subtracted from die roll for Salt Negotiations, making 4
8 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 2.
9 American influence in Nigeria reduced by 2, now at 0
10 DEFCON Level lowered to 3
11 Soviet Military Operations for this turn increased to 5
12
13 Turn 6, USA action round 5
14
15 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
16 #44 Ops 3: Bear Trap * (USA)
Annotated Game #2 399
17
18 ** The Bear Trap card is permanently removed. **
19
20 On the next action round, USSR player must discard an Operations card worth
21 2 or more and roll less than 5. Repeat each USSR player phase until successful
22 or no appropriate cards remain. If out of appropriate cards, the USSR Player may
23 only play scoring cards until the next turn.
Hemust be somewhat desperate, hoping to salvage South America by anymeans necessary. I usuallyprefer headlining Bear Trap.
The question of what to discard is not trivial. The Voice of America is the obvious choice, but holdingit to next turn keeps it out of the reshuffle. I end up going with the cautious choice and discardingVoA, out of concern that next turn I may draw multiple bad US cards, and then I wouldn’t be ableto deal with all of them at once.
1 Turn 6, USSR action round 6
2 The USSR discards the following card because of Bear Trap:
3 #74 Ops 2: The Voice of America (USA)
4 Bear Trap ends on a die roll of 1-4: ** Die Roll = 4 -- The Bear Trap is over!
5
6 Turn 6, USA action round 6
7 DEFCON Level raised to 4
8
9 The Americans play the following card for a coup attempt:
10 #57 Ops 4: ABM Treaty
11 Coup attempt in Venezuela (stability 2):
12 ** USA die roll = 6 (+4) = 10
13 1 subtracted from die roll for Salt Negotiations, making 9
14 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 5.
15 Soviet influence in Venezuela reduced by 3, now at 0
16 American influence in Venezuela increased by 2, now at 3
17 DEFCON Level lowered to 3
18 American Military Operations for this turn increased to 4
South America is no longer USSR-dominated. But I know that he has South America scoring andmust play it next AR. So if I break control of Chile with my 2 Ops Nuclear Subs, not only is he unableto take advantage of Nuclear Subs, he must also score South America without being able to respondto my play. In any other Action Round, he could easily repair my Chile damage, and I’d be wastingOps, but here he is helpless to react.
This is an extremely powerful and somewhat cruel move. It can be done even outside of the finalAction Round; if you can continually pressure him every turn, and if he can’t stop you from this
Annotated Game #2 400
with an overcontrol, then the fact that he has the scoring card means he has no choice but to giveyou the last word. It is a good illustration of how scoring cards are liabilities, especially when youropponent knows you have them.
1 Turn 6, USSR action round 7
2 The Soviets play the following card for Ops
3 #41 Ops 2: Nuclear Subs * (USA)
4 They elect to have the American event occur first.
5
6 ** The Nuclear Subs card is permanently removed. **
7
8 US actions do not affect the DEFCON track for the remainder of this turn
9 (does not affect Cuban Missile Crisis).
10
11 The Soviets use the Nuclear Subs card to place influence:
12 1 USSR influence added to Chile, now at 6
13
14 Turn 6, USA action round 7
15
16 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
17 #35: South America Scoring
18
19 *** Scoring in South America ***
20 USSR: 5(domination) +2(battlegrounds) = 7
21 USA: 2(presence) +1(battlegrounds) = 3
22 VPs down 4, now at -10
23 DEFCON Level raised to 4
24
25 Events Played: US/Japan Mutual Defense Pact, De Gaulle Leads France, NORAD, Warsa\
26 w Pact Formed, NATO, Marshall Plan, Camp David Accords
27
28 USSR battleground countries controlled = 15
29 USA battleground countries controlled = 10
30
31 ************************************************************
32 ** The deck is being shuffled. **
33 ************************************************************
34 ** Turn 7 Headline Phase **
Annotated Game #2 401
The board at the start of Turn 7
My hand:
Annotated Game #2 402
TheMidWar cards I know hemust have in his hand: BrushWar, Ussuri River Skirmish, and ColonialRear Guards. In addition, Red Scare/Purge was played on Turn 2 and has not yet shown up, so itmust also be in his hand. I am not that affected by this knowledge, except I will hold the China Cardfor a bit longer until Ussuri comes out.
Special Relationship is, once again, a bit of a pain. Our Man in Tehran is a chancy event that isnevertheless something I will try to avoid playing. Sadat I will hold for as long as possible, hopinghe gets impatient and tries to take over Egypt before I play it. And Che and Decolonization will bevery powerful for me, so I’m overall quite happy with the hand.
My headline is clear: Quagmire. Quagmire is a fantastic USSR headline: not only because it cancelsNORAD, but also because it guarantees two AR’s in a row. In particular, with DEFCON at 4, andme holding Duck and Cover, I can coup twice, or I can coup and then use Duck and Cover to placeinfluence while dropping DEFCON to 2. I also have Middle East scoring which I might be able toscore advantageously during my consecutive AR’s.
Annotated Game #2 403
1 Soviet Headline Card: #42 Ops 3: Quagmire * (USSR)
2 American Headline Card: #49 Ops 2: Missile Envy
3
4 USSR Headline Event: #42 Ops 3: Quagmire * (USSR)
5
6 The Soviets use the Quagmire card as an Event:
7
8 ** The Quagmire card is permanently removed. **
9
10 On the next action round, US player must discard an Operations card worth
11 2 or more and roll less than 5. Repeat each US player phase until successful
12 or no appropriate cards remain. If out of appropriate cards, the US player may
13 only play scoring cards until the next turn.
14
15 USA Headline Event: #49 Ops 2: Missile Envy
16
17 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
18 #49 Ops 2: Missile Envy
Given the choice of allowing him Duck and Cover, or Che (and therefore a free three Ops), I chooseDuck and Cover.
(As a side note, I’m not entirely sure why he didn’t just headline Red Scare/Purge.)
1 The Soviet exchanges the following card for the Missile Envy:
2 #4 Ops 3: Duck and Cover (USA)
3
4 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
5 #4 Ops 3: Duck and Cover (USA)
6 DEFCON Level lowered to 3
7 VPs up 2, now at -8
8 ** Turn 7 Action Phase **
Well, I don’t have Duck and Cover any more, and I have to use Missile Envy for a coup. I will go forIran, and hope to roll well.
Annotated Game #2 404
1 Turn 7, USSR action round 1
2
3 The Soviets play the following card for a coup attempt:
4 #49 Ops 2: Missile Envy
5 Coup attempt in Iran (stability 2):
6 ** USSR die roll = 3 (+2) = 5
7 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 1.
8 American influence in Iran reduced by 1, now at 1
9 DEFCON Level lowered to 2
10 Soviet Military Operations for this turn increased to 2
11
12 Turn 7, USA action round 1
13 The USA discards the following card because of Quagmire:
14 #61 Ops 3: OPEC (USSR)
15 Quagmire ends on a die roll of 1-4: ** Die Roll = 4 -- The Quagmire is over!
Revenge of the Muslim Revolution: I rolled just what I needed, and now I can score the Middle Eastand deny the US even presence points. This was a huge swing for me. (In retrospect, I could haveaccomplished the same with zero risk by using the 2 Ops to place 1 influence into Iran. But such amove allows him the battleground coup.)
1 Turn 7, USSR action round 2
2
3 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
4 #3: Middle East Scoring
5
6 *** Scoring in Middle East ***
7 USSR: 5(domination) +3(battlegrounds) = 8
8 USA: No score.
9 VPs down 8, now at -16
10
11 Turn 7, USA action round 2
12
13 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
14 #36 Ops 3: Brush War
15 The target country is Brazil
16 USA success on a modified die roll of 3-6; USSR is -0
17 ** Die roll: 3 -- USA victory!
18 VPs up 1, now at -15
19 Soviet influence in Brazil reduced by 5, now at 0
20 American influence in Brazil increased by 5, now at 6
21 American Military Operations for this turn increased to 3
Annotated Game #2 405
Well, this was unlucky, but it’s not a huge loss. I should have been realigned out of Brazil earlieranyway, and it was only luck that I had held onto it for so long.
Now, in fact, is a very rare and very good opportunity to get rid of Our Man in Tehran while the USdoes not control any Middle East country. I coup Peru with an eye towards potentially realigningChile.
1 Turn 7, USSR action round 3
2
3 The Soviets play the following card for a coup attempt:
4 #108 Ops 2: Our Man in Tehran * (USA)
5 Coup attempt in Peru (stability 2):
6 ** USSR die roll = 4 (+2) = 6
7 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 2.
8 American influence in Peru reduced by 2, now at 0
9 Soviet Military Operations for this turn increased to 4
10
11 Turn 7, USA action round 3
12
13 The Americans play the following card to place influence:
14 #40 Ops 3: Cuban Missile Crisis *
15 2 USA influence added to Peru, now at 2
16 1 USA influence added to Chile, now at 9
With no particular urgencies on the board, I send Special Relationship to space and hope for VPs.I am so close now to autovictory that I must push for VPs as hard as I can before the US Late Waradvantage kicks in.
1 Turn 7, USSR action round 4
2
3 The Soviets play the following card for an attempt on the Space Race track:
4 #105 Ops 2: Special Relationship (USA)
5 ** Space Race Die Roll (1-3 needed): = 3 **
6 USSR progress on the Space Race Track is now at Lunar Probe
7 VPs down 2, now at -17
8
9 Turn 7, USA action round 4
10
11 The Americans play the following card for an attempt on the Space Race track:
12 #7 Ops 3: Socialist Governments (USSR)
13 ** Space Race Die Roll (1-4 needed): = 5 **
14 No effect.
Annotated Game #2 406
The board at the start of Turn 7, Action Round 5
Alas, I have no more VP-granting cards right now. Currently Che is kind of useless, since I onlyhave one decent target (Peru). I don’t want to use the China Card, not while he still has Ussuri inhis hand. So I play Decolonization, which will get me Nigeria and also allow me to threaten Algeria.Where the other Decolonization influence goes is not particularly important.
1 Turn 7, USSR action round 5
2
3 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
4 #30 Ops 2: Decolonization (USSR)
5 Soviet influence in Algeria increased by 1, now at 1
6 Soviet influence in Nigeria increased by 1, now at 1
7 Soviet influence in Zaire increased by 1, now at 2
8 Soviet influence in Indonesia increased by 1, now at 1
9
10 Turn 7, USA action round 5
11
12 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
13 #76 Ops 3: Ussuri River Skirmish * (USA)
14
Annotated Game #2 407
15 ** The Ussuri River Skirmish card is permanently removed. **
16
17 The US receives the China Card, face up, from the Soviet player.
Oddly, he did not defend Algeria, in which case I will gladly take it.
1 Turn 7, USSR action round 6
2
3 The Soviets play the following card to place influence:
4 #112 Ops 3: Che (USSR)
5 3 USSR influence added to Algeria, now at 4
6
7 Turn 7, USA action round 6
8
9 The Americans play the following card for a coup attempt:
10 #48 Ops 1: Kitchen Debates * (USA)
11 Coup attempt in Guatemala (stability 1):
12 ** USA die roll = 4 (+1) = 5
13 The modified roll exceeds the doubled stability by 3.
14 Soviet influence in Guatemala reduced by 1, now at 0
15 American influence in Guatemala increased by 2, now at 2
16 American Military Operations for this turn increased to 4
His control of Guatemala allows him to potentially realign me out of Mexico. So I respond in turn. Iuse Truman instead of Sadat because Sadat actually affects scoring right now, whereas Truman doesnot.
1 Turn 7, USSR action round 7
2 The Soviets play the following card for Ops
3 #19 Ops 1: Truman Doctrine * (USA)
4 They elect to have the American event occur first.
5
6 ** The Truman Doctrine card is permanently removed. **
7
8 Soviet influence in Yugoslavia now at 0
9
10 The Soviets use the Truman Doctrine card for a coup attempt:
11 Coup attempt in Guatemala (stability 1):
12 ** USSR die roll = 1 (+1) = 2
13 The modified roll does not exceed the doubled stability -- no effect.
14 Soviet Military Operations for this turn increased to 5
15
Annotated Game #2 408
16 Turn 7, USA action round 7
17
18 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
19 #63 Ops 2: Colonial Rearguards (USA)
20 American influence in Algeria increased by 1, now at 3
21 American influence in Nigeria increased by 1, now at 1
22 American influence in Laos/Cambodia increased by 1, now at 1
23 American influence in Thailand increased by 1, now at 1
24
25 Events Played: US/Japan Mutual Defense Pact, De Gaulle Leads France, Warsaw Pact \
26 Formed, NATO, Marshall Plan, Camp David Accords
27
28 USSR battleground countries controlled = 14
29 USA battleground countries controlled = 10
30
31 ** The Late War cards are added to the deck **
32 ************************************************************
33 ** The deck is being shuffled. **
34 ************************************************************
35 DEFCON Level raised to 3
36 ** Turn 8 Headline Phase **
Annotated Game #2 409
The board at the start of Turn 8
My hand:
Annotated Game #2 410
I have a very terrible hand, but it doesn’t matter because I have enough VPs to win with Wargames.I choose to headline The Reformer only because headlining We Will Bury You (to drop DEFCON to2 for Wargames, and maybe for the instant win) could potentially lose me the game if he headlinesSoviets Shoot Down KAL-007 (extremely unlikely). There is no rush, since it is unlikely he can getall the way down to -6 before I trigger Wargames.
Annotated Game #2 411
1 Soviet Headline Card: #87 Ops 3: The Reformer * (USSR)
2 American Headline Card: #2: Europe Scoring
3
4 USSR Headline Event: #87 Ops 3: The Reformer * (USSR)
5
6 The Soviets use the The Reformer card as an Event:
7
8 ** The The Reformer card is permanently removed. **
9
10 2 USSR influence added to France, now at 3
11 2 USSR influence added to West Germany, now at 3
12 1 USSR influence added to Canada, now at 1
13 1 USSR influence added to United Kingdom, now at 1
14
15 USA Headline Event: #2: Europe Scoring
16
17 The Americans play the following card as an Event:
18 #2: Europe Scoring
19
20 *** Scoring in Europe ***
21 USSR: 3(presence) +2(battlegrounds) = 5
22 USA: 3(presence) +1(battlegrounds) = 4
23 VPs down 1, now at -18
24 ** Turn 8 Action Phase **
Remember back on Turn 3, when I commented that his Europe Scoring headline was a bit risky? Hegot away with it last time, but this time his headline is unlucky and runs straight intoMr. Gorbachev.
It doesn’t make a big difference, though. I play We Will Bury You to drop DEFCON to 2 forWargames, and maybe he doesn’t have UN Intervention, in which case I don’t even needWargames.
1 Turn 8, USSR action round 1
2
3 The Soviets play the following card as an Event:
4 #50 Ops 4: 'We Will Bury You' * (USSR)
5
6 ** The 'We Will Bury You' card is permanently removed. **
7
8 Unless UN Intervention is played as an Event on the US player's next round, USSR \
9 gains 3 VP.
10 DEFCON Level lowered to 2
11 The USA does not have the UN Intervention card
12 VPs down 3, now at -21
Annotated Game #2 412
13 ********************************************************
14 The USSR player wins the game!!!
15 ********************************************************
Concluding thoughts:
• This game is a good example of how to play, and play against, unusual US opening setups.He ended up dominating Europe anyway — Truman Doctrine was much of the reason why,because even though he never played it I couldn’t get into an Ops war with him in Europe forfear of it.
• Manipulating the timing of scoring cards is just as important as board position. South Americaswung from US domination to USSR domination back to US domination, but the key was thatit got scored during USSR domination. Likewise, Middle East scoring wasn’t really that badfor the US, but it played a critical role towards -20 because I was able to score it when he hadno presence.
• Realignments played a significant role in South America this game.• A good opponent does not let up on you. Here, I had several crises/opportunities that I simplynever found the time to address because the US was pressuring so hard. In an ideal world, Iwould have taken Iran for aMiddle East control, I would have shored up Israel andmade a playfor Europe. But because of his pressure, I was unable to do any of those things. Offense canbe a good defense in TS, by forcing your opponent to choose between creating opportunitiesand responding to your threats.
Designer’s NotesThe Long Twilight Struggle
By Jason Matthews and Ananda Gupta
Like most freshman game designers, we spent many years putting this game together. TwilightStruggle, more than anything else, is a game designed to meet our needs. We are both huge fansof the card driven wargame, and how it has breathed new life into wargaming in general. Like amodern day Lazarus, card driven wargames have brought our hobby back from the grave. Yet evenfive years ago, when Ananda and I first decided we wanted to try our hand at design, the writingwas on the wall. Card driven games were going to become less and less like We The People, andHannibal, and more and more like Paths of Glory and Barbarossa to Berlin. That is not a critiqueof Mr. Raicer’s work. In fact, we think that it took Paths of Glory to demonstrate just how rich acard driven game might be. But it conflicted with another reality. We were getting older. Our liveswere less like the gaming rich days of college, and more like the work-a-day world of the “nuclear”family. Eight hours for a single game was becoming less and less likely. So selfishly, we designed agame to fit our schedules. You can play Twilight Struggle from beginning to end in the same timeit takes to play the “short” scenario of many other games. Heck, you can switch sides and play theCold War from both angles if you are really ambitious. That is a long way of saying the number oneconstraint on the design was time.
The second question that we had to answer was the subject area. I believe that civil wars are theperfect subject for the influence system. So initially, I convinced Ananda to try a Spanish Civil Wardesign. A couple of books on the subject quickly convinced us that it would takes years to masterthe politics of that war, and frankly, we weren’t going to wait years to start. So Ananda, in a strokeof genius, suggested the Cold War as a replacement. It was a great topic. There are very few gamesthat deal with the political aspects of the Cold War in a serious way—there were not that many ofthem even when we were fighting the Cold War. The basic influence system translated well. Thehistory was a non issue, for as an International Relations major in the 1980’s, I basically spent fouryears studying the Cold War. Finally, one of the best gaming experiences that I ever had was ChrisCrawford’s Balance of Power. It was a game about Cold War politics, and even more so, about thebrinksmanship of a crisis between the superpowers. To this day, computer gamers look back onits innovation. I’ll never forget the game’s immortal line when you brought the world to nucleardestruction over something ridiculous like funding guerillas in Kenya.
You have ignited a nuclear war. And no, there is no animated display or a mushroomcloud with parts of bodies flying through the air. We do not reward failure.
Designer’s Notes 414
Had I failed my senior year of high school, it really would have been Chris Crawford’s fault. So,Ananda’s golden idea provided us the chance to try and recreate some of the magic of that game.
We use the term “game” advisedly. Twilight Struggle does not reach beyond its means. Whereverthere were compromises to make between realism and playability, we sided with playability. Wewant to evoke the feel of the Cold War, we hope people get a few insights they didn’t possess, butwe have no pretensions that a game of this scope or length could pretend to be a simulation.
Also important for players to understand is that the game has a very definite point of view. TwilightStruggle basically accepts all of the internal logic of the Cold War as true—even those parts of it thatare demonstrably false. Therefore, the only relationships that matter in this game are those betweena nation and the superpowers. The world provides a convenient chess board for US and Sovietambitions, but all other nations are mere pawns (with perhaps the occasional bishop) in that game.Even China is abstracted down to a card that is passed between the two countries. Furthermore,not only does the domino theory work, it is a prerequisite for extending influence into a region.Historians would rightly dispute all of these assumptions, but in keeping with the design philosophy,we think they make a better game.
One very notable difference between Twilight Struggle and other ColdWar games is that we assumenuclear war would be a bad thing. Many other designs make the whole idea of letting the nucleargenie out the bottle irresistible. From our vantage point of hindsight, nuclear war was unthinkable,and that is why it did not happen. Yes, we came close, but we believe that rational actors would veeraway from the button. Once the button was pushed, nuclear war would have taken on a grim logicof its own, and human extinction might have been the result.
There were many decisions made for playability, but we will touch upon two. First, not all countriesthat are geographically adjacent are connected to one another. There are three reasons for this.For instance, many countries are amalgamations, so that messes with geography from the get go.Secondly, and most importantly, we wanted there to be a real impact to the domino theory, withplayers spreading their influence slowly across the map. Think of the old documentaries with redanimated arrows streaming from the Soviet Union in all directions. Finally, and most rarely, the lackof a connection between countries reflects the local antagonisms between two presumed allies.
The second decision that warrants a bit more elaboration is what nations were labeled “battlegroundstate.” Basically, there were three ways to attain this status. First, recognized regional powers gotit. The South American battlegrounds reflect this well. Secondly, if a nation possessed importantstrategic resources, that also meant battleground status. Obviously, most battlegrounds in theMiddleEast, as well as Angola and Venezuela, would qualify here. Finally, if a nation was an actualbattleground between the superpowers, like South Korea, it received battleground status. So, forour English and Australian cousins, please know that we are not ranking you behind our Frenchallies. Instead, you are anchors of US influence in Europe and Asia at the start of the game.
There are many aspects of the game about which we are proud, but the most amusing is howthe game can capture the psychology of the Cold War. Areas become important just because youropponent thinks they are important—he must be going there for some reason! Also, we are proud ofthe interaction of the DEFCON chart with military operations. It really compels each turn to have
Designer’s Notes 415
a diversity of actions that makes for a more tense and exciting game.
At the end of the day, Twilight Struggle represents a bit of ColdWar nostalgia. In a world of statelessenemies, for whom our destruction is an end in itself, the Cold War seems a quaint disagreementabout economics. As religious chauvinism shoves aside ideology, we yearn for a simpler time absentof invisible menaces, fighting for cherished principle against an enemy that we understood. So letus once more pound our shoes, grab the hotline, and stand watch in Berlin. The Cold War is over,but the game has just begun.
GlossarySome of the terms and abbreviations commonly used in the Twilight Struggle community include:
Term Definition
_/_ Shorthand for describing the influence in a country. France at 2/3 wouldmean that the US has 2 influence in France and the USSR has 3.
AR Action Round. AR1 refers to the first Action Round of a turn; AR6/7 generallymeans the last Action Round of a turn
BG Battleground country. By extension, non-BG refers to a non-battlegroundcountry.
CCW The Chinese Civil War, an optional variantCOMECON Trap A particular USSR opening setup and headline that aims to take over Europe
with Turn 1 realignmentsDecol DecolonizationDEFCON suicide card A card that, if played, will cause that player to lose by thermonuclear war
becauseDEFCON dropped to 1 on his turn.
DEFCON restrictions The current DEFCON affects what regions are able to be couped / realigned.Europe at DEFCON 5 only, Asia at DEFCON 4 and higher, Middle East atDEFCON 3 and higher. The Mid War regions can always be couped orrealigned. Note that this is distinct from DEFCON dropping each time youcoup a battleground. At DEFCON 3 you may coup a Middle East or Mid Warregion battleground, but not an Asian non-battleground. At DEFCON 2, youmay only coup in Mid War regions, and even then, couping a battleground onyour turn will lose you the game because DEFCON will drop to 1. AtDEFCON 2, you may also conduct realignments in Mid War regions, but notany other region.
De-Stal De-StalinizationEarly War regions Europe, Middle East, and Asia.Hold card Ordinarily, you will play all of your cards except one, which becomes your
“held card” for next turn. If you play the China Card, you will hold two cards;if you are forced to discard a card (e.g., via Blockade or Grain Sales toSoviets), you won’t hold any.
Mid War regions South America, Central America, and Africa. Sometimes Southeast Asia, incontext.
Ops Operations. “Playing a card for Ops” refers to playing it for the Operationspoints value, rather than for the event.
Overcontrol To control a country with more influence than necessary. Usually refers tocontrolling the country with one more influence than necessary; doubleovercontrol means controlling with two more. For example, if Thailand is at3/0, then the US has overcontrolled it; if India is at 1/6 then the USSR hasdouble-overcontrolled it.
The Pope Refers to the Mid War event John Paul II Elected Pope
Glossary 417
Term Definition
RS/P Red Scare/PurgeThird World Another term for the Mid War regions: South America, Central America, and
Africa.Turn 3 / Turn 7 reshuffle The draw deck tends to reshuffle on Turns 3 and Turn 7. This has a
considerable strategic impact on the game.VoA The Voice of America
Copyright/ContactTwilight Struggle is copyright GMTGames. The gamewas designed by JasonMatthews and AnandaGupta. Cover art copyright belongs to RBM Studios.
If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, please email me at [email protected],or contact me at the Twilight Strategy Forum²².
²²http://forum.twilightstrategy.com