Let me do cards because I’ve double counted Warsaw pact
The issue with playing CIA is that it will give him coup access to our De Stal locations. However, if we don’t play it then it’s a game loser if we’re forced to play at DEFCON 2 so it’s worth the risk to get it out of the game.
5YP would be better to space in Turn 3 after the reshuffle. However, it’s not always certain we get to turn 3 against Ben.
Is 5YP a legal play with the last card of your hand, so it can’t trigger a game losing event?
If we’ve got 3 cards left and DEFCON is 3 or higher then from a damage limitation exercise we could play CIA this turn and let him do his worst, then 5YP. Korean War would get discarded, but having it hang around is good for us and we’ve defused two of the worst Early War cards.
5 year plan is actually a wonderful card for Soviet players. You can use it to discard a scoring card. In your case that would be Europe if you are lucky enough to draw it (if you don’t snatch France somehow), or Asia if you lose India to I-P War and get dominated. If you play CIA and let Ben go first then you risk losing Venezuela and Brazil (or Egypt & Libya I suppose), but the fun thing is whoever coups first loses Angola and Zaire. Ben might even not coup but instead play into Colombia, depends whatever he has left in his hand to deal with. Duck and Cover is the card that will lower DEFCON btw. Anyway, good luck!
So….
We’re playing CIA?
Put a point of influence in South Korea?
I think we have to play it.
I’d play into Venezuela as a little bit of protection
I’m happy with that.
I say Korean war
1 into South Korea (gain control of the battleground)
1 into……???
Venezuela?
I was thinking Israel (Access to Egypt)
Burma ( To beat him to Thailand)
Not sure
Final call for suggestions on the second influence point
No response so let’s stick with Venezuela
Turn 2 cards to be posted and it’s a terrible hand
Either waste one of the scoring cards, like Europe, or use Blockade. Though it’s the only card this round that isn’t going to suck for you.
I’m inclined towards Asia scoring as well
Shall we play duck and cover whilst we can?
I suggest
1 into Burma
1 into Israel
1 into Brazil
I think playing D&C makes sense. Has Africa scoring been played? If not, may be worth expanding a bit in there by taking Angola, especially as he will be unable to coup it, at least this turn, unless he has a card that improves Defcon.