So the events couldn’t happen? Cool
Tricky call. The main downside I can see to Cuba is it would mean we couldn’t get a battleground coup either. Although Puppet Government gives us a play into Africa.
What’s more, he can’t use them because there are no targets anyway
We’re going to create some though
I like the missile crisis headline idea. I don’t know what DEFCON would be best to set. If your cards were all 3s and 4s I’d say set it to 5 and go to town
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I believe it sets it to 2 which denies US a crucial coup.
I think it was Missile Test Ban that allows defcon to be freely set
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Yep, DEFCON 2 so no non Battleground coup for us either
I would go for Our Man in Teheran (not Puppets as I first wrongly typed) as a headline here. It would be a shame to work so hard to deny him a coup target and then ruin it in your headline.
One problem I do have with your hand: no 4’s! That makes couping somewhat harder to succeed (although still worth it, even if just for Military Ops)
I was thinking this, but if we headline Cuba then he can’t coup Jordan either, so it’s safe, apart from influence play.
Yes, I was talking nonsense. Sorry.
I’m tempted by Cuban Missile Crisis, as you have a three cards that can get you presence in countries he cannot reach at the moment, but would be easy to coup. Unfortunately, it is one of your only two 3 ops cards in hand this turn though.
By playing it does it imply to Ben you have other 3 and higher cards?
I don’t think so.
Twilight Struggle is generally played at DEFCON 2, which means that you are always one mistake from starting nuclear war and losing the game. At the start of every Turn (not round) DEFCON is raised by one level - so generally DEFCON 3.
The Soviets always go first, so they can always coup a battleground ( DEFCON 5 you can coup in any region, 4 means no coups in Europe, 3 none in Asia or Europe, 2 none in Middle East, Asia or Europe). You can coup non Battleground states in Africa and the Americas at DEFCON 2.
In each Turn you need to perform a required number of military ops and you lose points if you don’t meet that target and have fewer than your opponent. Ben has taken 2 points of us in each of Turns 2&3 by couping in his first Action Round and then leaving us no target for our coup.
The only other way to get military ops are from events - usually wars, but they are mostly Soviet events or a few other cards.
So, DEFCON is currently at 3. The only country of ours he can coup is Jordan, which is non Battleground. That means he can remove our influence, get military ops, but it won’t reduce DEFCON - so we could coup back. We could target a battleground though - Iran, South Africa, Algeria or Panama.
An African or Panama coup (if successful) gets us access to those regions so it’s a really good play. However, we have Puppet Government which will enable us to play into Africa or the Americas. With DEFCON at 2 he can’t coup us out. Under Cuban Missile he also couldn’t coup us out of a non Battleground state. We miss the chance to coup, but he can’t coup anywhere for the entire turn. If he gives us a non Battleground target we could still coup there.
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The low op events are good though.
I think it’s worth it.
Right let’s go for it
Turn 4 Headline
Cuban Missile Crisis
Obviously we’ll react to what he does, but I think Puppet Government next - Nigeria, Mexico, Argentina. Out of reach of influence play.
Then Our Man
USSR headlines Brush War in Jordan, rolls 4: Jordan 0/2, -1 VP, 3 MilOps
USSR Middle East Scoring: -11 VP
USSR wins
Thanks for the game! I’ll be reading the public thread soon as I can.
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Good effort everyone.
Was good to read along, I’ll have to scratch the itch and play a game soon. As soon as I find the time.
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Wow. That Middle East scoring card + Brush War combo is checkmate.
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Brutal
I’m really interested to see how @Benkyo would have played our side. He’s got a lot of reading first!
Thanks everyone for getting involved, I’ve really enjoyed this.
Ouch. Oh well
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Play Benkyo. It doesn’t last long!!!
I have a couple of times, nearly a year or two ago. I never made it past mid war either. =)
Gosh did I learn some things though.