Friday, March 31, 2006

Twilight Struggle (Dennis Menear)

Dennis, my consistent We the People opponent, and I also fire up this new game. This time, I am trying the Soviet side.

Setup:
USSR: Poland (2), Romania (2), Austria (1), Sweden (1).
USA: W Germany (4), Italy (3)



Turn 1

Headline - USSR: Warsaw Pact Formed. Influence in Poland (3), Romania (3), Yugoslavia (1), Czechoslovakia (1), Finland (2) USA: Europe Scoring. USSR has presence, USA has presence. USSR has 2 Battleground countries (Poland, E Germany), USA has 1 (W Germany, Italy). No change.

Card 1 - USSR: Decolonization as event. Influence in Thailand (1), Laos (1), Vietnam (1), Indonesia (1). USA: CIA Created as Event. Influence in Iran (1).

Card 2 - USSR: Asia Scoring. USSR has domination, USA has presence. USSR has 1 Battleground countries (N Korea), USA has 0. Net 5 point shift for USSR. USA: Olympic Games for Influence: Lebanon (1), Jrdan (1). Based on CIA reports, Dennis knows that I have the MidEast Scoring card, so he's going to get busy here.

Card 3 - USSR: Marshall Plan on Space Race, to no avail. USA: Suez Crisis for Influence. The UK loses 2 (3) and Israel lose 1 (0) USA Influence. USA then places Influence: UK (4), Israel (1), Jordan (2).

Card 4 - USSR: Nasser as Event. 2 USSR Influence in Egypt (2). USA: Indo-Pakistani War for Coup in Egypt, reduces USSR Influence to 1.

Card 5 - USSR: Arab-Israeli War for Coup in Lebanon. Lebanon loses 1 USA Influence (0) and gains 5 USSR Influence (5). USA: Comecon on Space Race, the USA launches an Orbital Satellite.

Card 6 - USSR: MidEast Scoring. I never had enough to salvage the situation. USSR has presence, USA has domination. USSR has 0 Battleground countries, USA has 1 (Iran). Net 3 point shift for USA. USA: Socialist Governments for Influence. I place 3 influence and he removes 3, so thec ard is a complete wash.

USA and USSR lose 2 VP for Military Operations.

At Turn's Start:
VP: 0
Space Race: USSR:0 USA:1
DEFCON: 5
China Card: USSR



Turn 2

Headline - USSR: Red Scare/Purge. USA: Defectors cancels out my Headline card.

Card 1 - USSR: NATO for a Coup in Italy. 3 USA Influence Removed (0) and 1 USSR Influence added (1). USA: US/Japan Mutual Defense Pact as Event. Japan now has 4 USA Influence.

Card 2 - USSR: DeGaulle Leads France for Influence: Italy (2), France (2). USA: Nuclear Test Ban for Influence: UK (5), France (1), Malaysia (2).

Card 3 - USSR: Formosan Resolution on the Space Race, and the USSR puts Sputnik into orbit. USA: Korean War for Coup in Thailand, which is not successful. North Korea wins the War, 1 USSR Influence in S. Korea.

Card 4 - USSR: Vietnam Revolts for Influence: Iraq (3). USA: UN Intervention with De-Stalinization for Influence: France (2), Thailand (1).

Card 5 - USSR: East European Unrest for Influence, as a wash-out. The USSR simply replaces the Influence the USA removes. USA: Fidel on the Space Race to put a monkey into space.

Card 6 - USSR: Blockade as Event. I figure better to play this late and hope his last card isn't a 3Ops event. It isn't and all USA Influence is removed from W Germany. USA: Romanian Abdication for Influence: W. Germany (1).

USA and USSR lose 0 VP for Military Operations.

At Turn's Start:
VP: -3 USSR
Space Race: USSR:1 USA:2
DEFCON: 3
China Card: USSR



Turn 3

Headline - USSR: Fidel: Cuba (3) USA: Independent Reds: Romania (3).

Card 1 - USSR: Formosan Resolution for Influence: Thailand (3) USA: Europe Scoring. USSR has presence, USA has presence. USSR has 3 Battleground countries (Poland, Italy, E.Germany), USA has 0. Net 3 point shift for USSR.

Card 2 - USSR: Asia Scoring. USSR has domination, USA has presence. USSR has 3 Battleground countries (N.Korea, Thailand, E.Germany), USA has 1 (Japan). Net 5 point shift for USSR. USA: Olympic Games for Realignment: Iraq (USSR Influence to 0), Cuba (fails).

Card 3 - USSR: Captured Nazi Scientist as Event to put a dog into space. USA: MidEast Scoring. USSR has presence, USA has domination. USSR has 0 Battleground countries, USA has 1 (Iran). Net 3 point shift for USA.

Card 4 - USSR: Duck and Cover for Influence: W.Germany (3). USA gains 3VP for the Event. USA: De-Stalinization with UN Intervention for Influence: W.Germany (3), France (3).

Card 5 - USSR: Marshall Plan on the Space Race to send up a Lunar Probe. USA: Five Year Plan for Influence: France (5), Pakistan (1).

Card 6 - USSR: Containment for Influence: Egypt (2), Libya (1), Nicaragua (1). USA: Indo-Pakistani War for Influence: Saudi Arabia (3).

Both sides lose 2 VP for Military Operations.

At Turn's Start:
VP: -7 USSR
Space Race: USSR:3 USA:2
DEFCON: 3
China Card: USSR


Turn 4

MidWar cards are added to the deck.

Headline - USSR: Red Scare/Purge. USA: OAS Founded: Cuba (1), Panama (2).

Card 1 - USSR: How I Learned to Stop Worrying for Influence: Cuba (4), Costa Rica (1). USA: Cultural Revolution for Influence: Mexico (2). USSR gains 1VP for the card's Event.

Card 2 - USSR: The China Card for Influence: Honduras (2), Costa Rica (3). USA: Brush War: Guatemala (1), El Salvador (1).

Card 3 - USSR: Allende as Event: Chile (2). USA: Muslim Revolution on the Space Race but the Lunar Probe dies in transit.

Card 4 - USSR: South African Unrest as Event: S.Africa (1), Botswana (2). USA: OPEC for Influence: Haiti (1), Phillipines (2). USSR gains 1VP (Egypt)

Card 5 - USSR: Bear Trap for Influence: Chile (3), Peru (1). The USSR is now under the Bear Trap restrictions. USA: Central America Scoring. USSR has presence, USA has domination. USSR has 1 Battleground country adjacent to the USA (Cuba), USA has 2 (Mexico, Panama). Net 2 point shift for USA.

Card 6 - USSR: The USSR has no 2Ops cards to discard for Bear Trap, so it plays Africa Scoring. USSR has domination, USA has no presence. USSR has 1 Battleground country (Angola), USA has 0. Net 5 point shift for USSR. USA: Kitchen Debates for Influence. The USA gets no Ops because of Red Scare, but the card will be re-cycled.

Card 7 - USSR: The USSR has no 2Ops cards to discard for Bear Trap, so it plays South America Scoring. USSR has presence, USA has no presence. USSR has 1 Battleground country (Chile), USA has 0. Net 3 point shift for USSR. USA: Lone Gunman for Influence. The USA gets no Ops because of Red Scare and the USSR sees the USA Held Card (Willy Brandt).

USA and USSR lose 0 VP for Military Operations.

At Turn's Start:
VP: -15 USSR
Space Race: USSR:3 USA:2
DEFCON: 4
China Card: USA


Turn 5

USSR finds itself in a Bear Trap as the turn starts.

Headline - USSR: Brezhnev Doctrine. All USSR cards are +1Ops for the turn. USA: Puppet Governments: Venezuela (1), Nigeria (1), India (1).

Card 1 - USSR: Alliance for Progress is discarded and the USSR rolls to escape the Bear Trap. USA: Missile Envy as Event to steal We Will Bury You from the USSR. We Will Bury You is used for Influence: Burma (2), Pakistan (2), S.Korea (2).

Card 2 - USSR: Missile Envy for a Coup in Pakistan, but no change occurs. USA: The Voice of America as Event, removing USSR Influence from: Laos (0), Indonesia (0), Vietnam (0), Thailand (2).

Card 3 - USSR: Cuban Missile Crisis for a Coup in Iran. USA Influence is removed and a slightly pro-USSR (1) government comes to power. USA: Shuttle Diplomacy for Influence: Laos (1), Vietnam (1). Serious mistake on the USSR part not to renew our Influence in these countries right away; Asia is now solidly blue!

Card 4 - USSR: Liberation Theology as Event: Mexico (2), Panama (1). USA: ABM Treaty as Event. DEFCON to 3. Influence in Panama (3), Venezuela (2), Algeria (2).

Card 5 - USSR: Truman Doctrine for Influence: Libya (2). USA removes USSR Influence from W.Germany (0). USA: DeGaulle Leads France for a Coup in Angola which brings a pro-USA government (1) to power. USSR Event removes 2 USA Influence from France (3) and adds 1 USSR Influence in France (3).

Card 6 - USSR: Camp David Accords on the Space Race and Yuri Gagarin becomes the first person in space. USA: Willy Brandt on the Space Race. The USA follows with a Lunar Probe success.

Card 7 - USSR: Sadat Expels the Soviets for Influence: Iran (2). The USA Event removes all USSR Influence from Egypt and adds 1 USA Influence (1). USA: The USA is out of cards. Neither of us is clear why, but a mistake was made somewhere. We press on...

USA and USSR lose 0 VP for Military Operations.

At Turn's Start:
VP: -15 USSR
Space Race: USSR:4 USA:3
DEFCON: 3
China Card: USA


Turn 6

Headline - USSR: Junta: Brazil (2) and a Coup in Mexico which brings a pro USSR government to power (USA:0 USSR: 3) USA: Panama Canal Returned: Venezuela (3), Panama (4), Costa Rica (1).

Card 1 - USSR: Arab-Israeli War as Event and the Arabs win the war. All USA Influence removed from Israel, USSR now has 1 Influence. USA: One Small Step to leapfrog the USSR to put a man in Earth Orbit.

Card 2 - USSR: COMECON for Influence: Israel (4). USA: Ussuri River Skirmish as Event: Thailand (3), S.Korea (4).

Card 3 - USSR: East European Unrest for Space Race and the USSR puts the second person into orbit. (Had I been paying attention, I would have gone for these VPs with my first card, since I am so close to auto-victory...this was a bad mistake on my part and I almost paid for it dearly since from this point my VPs dropped steadliy!). USA: Colonia Rearguards as Event: S.Africa (2), Zaire (1), Zimbabwe (1), Thailand (4). My status in Africa and Asia is dreadful with few spots available to start changing it!

Card 4 - USSR: Portuguese Empire Crumbles as Event: SE African States (2), Angola (2). USA: Nuclear Subs for Influence: Egypt (2), Iraq (1). And the Middle East is getting bluer all the time also!

Card 5 - USSR: John Paul II Elected Pope. The USA Event reduces USSR Influnec in Poland (1) and increases USA Influence (1). The USSR plays the card for Influence: Poland (3). USA: Latin American Death Squads for Influence: W.Germany (4), Iraq (2).

Card 6 - USSR: Ask Not What Your Country Can Do For You for a Coup in Algeria and the country becomes pro-USSR (2). USA: Quagmire on the Space Race and the first Space Walk is scrubbed.

Card 7 - USSR: Defectors for Influence: Peru (2), Costa Rica (4). USA: SALT Negotiations for a Coup in Peru, and the people change governments (USSR:0 USA:3)

USA and USSR lose 0 VP for Military Operations.

At Turn's Start:
VP: -14 USSR
Space Race: USSR:5 USA:5
DEFCON: 3
China Card: USA


Turn 7

The USSR VPs are in great shape, but the board position is dreadful in Asia and bad in the Middle East. And all the scoring cards are reshuffled into the deck.

Headline - USSR: De-Colonization: Thailand (3), Burma (1), Malaysia (1), Phillipines (1). USA: Marshall Plan: Greece (1), Spain (1), France (4), W.Germany (5), Sweden (1), Denmark (1),

Card 1 - USSR: SouthEast Asia Scoring. It's not good, but without De-Colonization it could have been much worse. USA receives VP for Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia. USA: Nixon Plays the China Card for 2VP.

Card 2 - USSR: COMECON for Influence: Poland (4), India (2). USA: Nuclear Subs for Influence: Spain (2), Turkey (2).

Card 3 - USSR: Socialist Governments to remove USA Influence from Turkey (0) and Greece (0). USA: Brush War as Event in Brazil and pro USA forces take over the government (USSR:0 USA:2).

Card 4 - USSR: Junta as Event: Argentina (2). Free Coup in Brazil at least reduces the government's pro-USA fervor (1). USA: Arms Race and the USA gains more VPs!

Card 5 - USSR: U2 Incident for Influence: India (4), Syria (2). USA: Grain Sales to the Soviets as Event. The USA pulls Red Scare/Purge from the USSR hand and plays it.

Card 6 - USSR: Arab-Israeli War for Influence: Uruguay (1). USA: Flower Power on the Space Race and the USA fails for the second time at a Space Walk.

Card 7 - USSR: Nuclear Test Ban for Influence: Greece (2), Uruguay (2). USA: Colonial Rearguards as Event: Thailand (5), Malaysia (3), Phillipines (3), S. Africa (3).

USA and USSR lose 0 VP for Military Operations.

At Turn's Start:
VP: -5
Space Race: USSR:5 USA:5
DEFCON: 3
China Card: USA


Turn 8

Late War Cards added to the deck.

The situation is dreadful in most areas and my long-term prospects are fairly dim. But I get dealt Wargames and DEFCON is at 3. I need to gain 2VPs before I play it to win the game. This is a dicey proposition however. If I never get to play it I have Asia Scoring which will turn the VP on its head if I spend no time rectifying the Influence problem in Asia.

Here goes nothing...

Headline -

USSR: Missile Envy. I will pull a good card from his hand (hopefully) use it's OPs to run a coup in a BG country, plus know what card he is playing on Action Round 1 (Missile Envy). On Action Round 1 I can play OPEC to gain 2VP (to get to -7) assuming nothing changes in the Headline phase. Since he has to play Missile Envy on Action Round 1, he can't affect the VPs (no VPs in the next box on the Space Race and it is a 3OPs box) so I can play Wargames on Action Round 2 to win. Everything depends on his Headline card...

USA: Latin America Debt Crisis. A USSR Event that forces the USA to discard a card to avoid placing USSR influence in South America. Either he has a hand full of USSR Events or he thought it would be useful to play the card and discard Glasnost, which is what he does.

He gives me Shuttle Diplomacy for my card and I use it as a Coup in Brazil (USA:0 USSR:4) and DEFCON to 2.

Card 1 - USSR: OPEC for 2VPs (Iraq, Libya) to -7VPs USA: Missile Envy for Influence: France (6).

Card 2 - USSR: Wargames as Event. VPs to -1 and the game ends with a USSR victory...barely.


Conclusions

An interesting game. Lots of people hate the Wargames card ending. It certainly took a near-certain loss for me and gave me a win, which I suppose is the point of the card...you can never be sure.

I got close to an auto-victory and got so focused on it that I let the board position slip away and dennis would almost certainly have won a long game. Plus I got very lucky that none of the scoring cards recycled quickly!

Thursday, March 23, 2006

Twilight Struggle (Sean Rowan)

Sean and I hooked up to play via ConsimWorld. Sean took the USSR and I took the USA. As always, when Influence is shown, the number shown is the total influence after any is added or subtracted, not the amount placed or removed.

Turn 1

USSR Initial Influence: Poland (3), Czechoslovakia (1), Hunagry (1), Yugoslavia (1)
USA Initial Influence: W.Germany (4), Italy (2), Sweden (1),

Headline - USSR: Red Scare/Purge. USA: Defectors to cancel the USSR Event.

Card 1 - USSR: Vietnam Revolts as Event to place Influence in Vietnam (2). USA: NATO for Influence: Iran (2), Pakistan (2), Lebanon (1).

Card 2 - USSR: Duck and Cover for a Coup in Pakistan. The USA gains 1VP, the USSR succeds in their Coup, removing all USA Influence and placing 2 of their own. USA: MidEast Scoring. USSR has no presence, USA has domination. USSR has 0 Battleground countries, USA has 1 (Iran). Net 6 point shift for USA.

Card 3 - USSR: Asia Scoring. USSR has domination, USA has presence. USSR has 2 Battleground countries (N.Korea, Pakistan), USA has 0. Net 6 point shift for USSR. USA: East European Unrest as Event to remove Influence: E.Germany (2), Poland (2), Yugoslavia (0).

Card 4 - USSR: Nuclear Test Ban for Influence: E. Germany (3), Poland (3), Yugoslavia (1), Iraq (2). USA: De-Stalinization for Influence: Jordan (1), Spain (1), Sweden (2). USSR uses event to move influence from Iraq (1), Vietnam (1), N. Korea (2), Czechoslovakia (0) to France (2), Greece (2).

Card 5 - USSR: Containment on Space Race, but the effort fails. USA: Warsaw Pact Formed on the Space Race and the USA has the first satellite in orbit.

Card 6 - USSR: CIA Created for Influence: France (3). USSR Reveals that Marshall Plan remains in their hand. USA: Olympic Games for Influence: E.Germany (1)

USA lose 3 VP for Military Operations.

At Turn's Start:
VP: 0
Space Race: USSR:0 USA:1
DEFCON: 4
China Card: USSR

Turn 2

Headline - USSR: Captured Nazi Scientist to put a satellite in Orbit. USA: Five Year Plan causes the USSR to discard Arab-Israeli War.

Card 1 - USSR: Independent Reds for Influence: E.Germany (4), Spain (1). USA: DeGaulle Leads France for Influence: E.Germany (3). USSR Influence in France increases to 4.

Card 2 - USSR: Marshall Plan for Influence: E.Germany (6), Spain (3). USA places Marshall Plan Influence: W.Germany (5), Italy (3), Sweden (3), Finland (1), Benelux (1), Denmark (1), Austria (1). USA: US/Japan Mutual Defense Pact for Influence: Sweden (4), E.Germany (5).

Card 3 - USSR: Socialist Governments as Event to remove Influence: Italy (1), UK (4). USA: Comecon with UN Intervention for Influence: Italy (3), UK (5).

Card 4 - USSR: De-Colonization for Influence: E.Germany (8). USA: Europe Scoring. USSR has domination, USA has presence. USSR has 3 Battleground countries (France, E.Germany, Poland), USA has 2 (W.Germany, Italy). Net 5 point shift for USSR.

Card 5 - USSR: Truman Doctrine for Influence: Algeria (1). USA uses Event to remove USSR Influence from Yugoslavia (0). USA: Fidel on the Space Race and the USA puts a monkey into space.

Card 6 - USSR: Blockade as Event. The USA has no "3" cards left in hand and so loses all Influence in W.Germany. USA: Indo-Pakistani War for Influence: W.Germany (2).

USA and USSR lose 4 VP for Military Operations.

At Turn's Start:
VP: -6 USSR
Space Race: USSR:1 USA:2
DEFCON: 5
China Card: USSR

Turn 3

Headline - USSR: Nasser for 2 Influence in Egypt (2). USA: Containment.

Card 1 - USSR: Suez Crisis for Influence: Libya (2), Iraq (2). USA: Formosan Resolution for a Coup in Pakistan. When the dust settles, Pakistan has 3 USA Influence and 0 USSR Influence.

Card 2 - USSR: Nuclear Test Ban for Influence: Iraq (3), Iran (2). USA: Asia Scoring. USSR has presence, USA has domination. USSR has 0 Battleground countries, USA has 1 (Pakistan). Net 5 point shift for USA.

Card 3 - USSR: MidEast Scoring. USSR has presence, USA has presence. USSR has 3 Battleground countries (Iraq, Egypt, Libya), USA has 0. Net 3 point shift for USSR. USA: Duck and Cover for Influence: W.Germany (4), Yugoslavia (3).

Card 4 - USSR: Indo-Pakistani War as Event. Victory for India and all USA Influence is removed and replaced by USSR Influence (3). USA: Five Year Plan as Event. This time the Korean War is discarded.

Card 5 - USSR: Warsaw Pact Formed as Event to remove USA Influence: Yugoslavia (0), Austria (0), E.Germany (0), Finland (0). USA: Fidel on the Space Race, but the attempt at a Lunar Probe fails.

Card 6 - USSR: Comecon for Influence: Saudi Arabia (3). USA: Romanian Abdication on Space Race and this time the probe lands on the Moon.

USA loses 1VP and USSR lose 2VP VP for Military Operations.

At Turn's Start:
VP: -3 USSR
Space Race: USSR:1 USA:3
DEFCON: 5
China Card: USSR

Turn 4

Headline - USSR: South African Unrest to place Influence: S. Africa (1), Angola (1). USA: Red Scare/Purge.

Card 1 - USSR: Europe Scoring. USSR has domination, USA has presence. USSR has 3 Battleground countries (France, E.Germany, Poland), USA has 2 (W.Germany, Italy). Net 5 point shift for USSR. USA: Panama Canal Returned as Event: Panama (2), Costa Rica (1), Venezuela (1).

Card 2 - USSR: Muslim Revolution for Influence: Iran (4), Saharan States (1). USA: One Small Step for Realignment: Spain (fails), France (all USSR Influence removed).

Card 3 - USSR: Africa Scoring. USSR has domination, USA has no presence. USSR has 1 Battleground country (Angola), USA has 0. Net 5 point shift for USSR. USA: Flower Power for Coup in Pakistan, which brings a pro-USA (2) Government to power.

Card 4 - USSR: Muslim Revolution for a Coup in Pakistan which removes all USA Influence. (there was a Cyberboard bobble that left Muslim Revolution in Sean's hand and neither of us noticed that he played it twice in the turn.) USA: John Paul II Elected Pope for Influence: Pakistan (2).

Card 5 - USSR: Ussuri River Skirmish on Space Race to put a dog into space. USA: Summit for Influence: India (1).

Card 6 - USSR: Arab-Israeli War as Event, and the Arabs defeat Israel, bringing a pro-USSR (1) government to power. USA: Lone Gunman for Influence: Venezuela (2). USA has Brezhnev Doctrine and Ask Not... cards left in their hand.

Card 7 - USSR: We Will Bury You as Event. USSR VPs are getting dangerously close to 20. USA: Brezhnev Doctrine for Influence: Costa Rica (3), Colombia (1).

USA and USSR lose 0 VP for Military Operations.

At Turn's Start:
VP: -18
Space Race: USSR:2 USA:3
DEFCON: 4
China Card: USSR


Turn 5

Headline - USSR: Brush War in Venezuela succeeds and the USSR now controls Venezuela (2). USA: South America Scoring, and with the change in Venezuela, Sean pushing his VP over 20 for the win.

Conclusion

A good old fashioned throttling by Sean who got in front on the board and kept the pressure up the whole game.

I think I made a mistake spending too many Ops fighting a losing battle in Europe, in turn 2, hoping I could keep him away from Domination. But playing De-Stalinization earlier was also a mistake since it handed him France and Spain for a long time and caused problems I never recovered from.

Twilight Struggle (Randy Mauldin)

Randy also helped me tremendously with the Cyberboard kit, and he and I started a game as soon as we could. Randy is playing the USSR, and I am playing the USA. As always, when Influence is shown, the number shown is the total influence after any is added or subtracted, not the amount placed or removed.

Setup:
USSR: Poland (3), Czechoslovakia (1), E Germany (4), Austria (1).
USA: Sweden (1), Italy (2), W Germany (3), Austria (1),

Turn 1

Headline - USSR: Vietnam Revolts places 2 Influence in Vietnam (2). USA: Marshall Plan. USA Influence in W Germany (4), Italy (3), Austria (2), Norway (1), Denmark (1), France (1), Sweden (2).

Card 1 - USSR: Romanian Abdication as Event brings Romania under USSR control (3). USA: Blockade for Influence: Lebanon (1). Event forces US to discard Socialist Governments.

Card 2 - USSR: Asia Scoring. USSR has domination, USA has presence. USSR has 1 Battleground country (N.Korea), USA has 0. Net 5 point shift for USSR. USA: Independent Reds as Event in Romania (3).

Card 3 - USSR: Indo-Pakistani War for Influence: Syria (2), Romania (4). USA: Olympic Games for Coup in Syria. No effect.

Card 4 - USSR: Fidel for Realignment in Lebanon and Romania. USA loses 1 Influence in Lebanon (0) and USSR loses 1 Influence in Romania (3). USA: Formosan Revolution for Coup in Poland. No effect.

Card 5 - USSR: East European Unrest for Influence. USA removes USSR Influence for Event: Poland (2), E.Germany (3), Romania (2). USSR Places influence in Poland (3), Czechoslovakia (3) USA: Defectors on Space Race, and the USA puts a satellite in orbit.

Card 6 - USSR: Europe Scoring. USSR has presence, USA has presence. USSR has 2 Battleground countries (E.Germany, Poland), USA has 2 (Italy, W.Germany). No VPs. USA: NATO for Influence: Pakistan (2), Malaysia (1), Lebanon (1).

USSR lose 4 VP for Military Operations.

At Turn's Start:
VP: +1 USA
Space Race: USSR:0 USA:1
DEFCON: 5
China Card: USSR

Turn 2

Headline - USSR: Red Scare/Purge. USA: US/Japan Mutual Defense Pact. Japan now has 4 USA Influence.

Card 1 - USSR: Korean War as Event. But the ROK is victorious. USA: De-Stalinization for Influence: Iran (2), Thailand (1). USSR moves Influence from Austria (0) to Romania (3) and Vietnam (1) to Iraq (2).

Card 2 - USSR: Nuclear Test Ban for Influence: Romania (4), Iraq (3), Jordan (2). USA: Suez Crisis on the Space Race, and the USA puts a monkey into space.

Card 3 - USSR: Captured Nazi Scientist as Event. USSR puts a satellite into orbit. USA: Arab-Israeli War on the Space Race, but the USA attempt to land a lunar probe fails.

Card 4 - USSR: Comecon as Event. USSR Influence in Hungary (1), Yugoslavia (1), Bulgaria (1), E.Germany (4). USA: MidEast Scoring. USSR has presence, USA has presence. USSR has 1 Battleground country (Iraq), USA has 1 (Iran). Net 0 point shift.

Card 5 - USSR: DeGaulle Leads France as Event. France now has 1 USSR Influence. USA: Five Year Plan as Event. The USSR discards UN Intervention.

Card 6 - USSR: CIA Created for a Coup in Iran, which improbably succeeds in removing 2 USA Influence (0). USA: Truman Doctrine. 4 USSR Influence are removed from Romania (0).

USA and USSR lose 0 VP for Military Operations.

At Turn's Start:
VP: 0
Space Race: USSR:1 USA:2
DEFCON: 4
China Card: USSR

Turn 3

Headline - USSR: Nasser, giving the USSR 2 Influence in Egypt. USA: Olympics, and the USA wins!

Card 1 - USSR: Mideast Scoring. USSR has domination, USA has presence. USSR has 2 Battleground countries (Iraq, Egypt), USA has 0. Net 4 point shift for USSR. USA: Fidel for a Coup in Egypt. And just as soon as Nasser arrives, he is sent packing. USSR has 0 Influnce, USA has 1. USSR gets 3 Influence in Cuba.

Card 2 - USSR: Indo-Pakistani War as Event. India invades Pakistan, but fails to achieve a victory. USA: Duck and Cover as Event, for 3VP as DEFCON moves to 2.

Card 3 - USSR: Warsaw Pact Formed as Event to remove all USA Influence from Romania. USA: Nuclear Test Ban for Influence: France (2), S.Korea (3).

Card 4 - USSR: The China Card for Influence: S.Korea (1), Thailand (3). USA: Decolonization on the Space Race, to send up a lunar probe successfully.

Card 5 - USSR: Formosan Resolution for Influence: France (2), Iran (1). USA: Arab-Israeli War for Influence: France (3), Egypt (2). The Israelis prevail in the war.

Card 6 - USSR: Five Year Plan for Influence: Iran (2), W.Germany (1). USA: Socialist Governments on the Space Race, puting the first man into space.

USA and USSR lose 0 VP for Military Operations.

At Turn's Start:
VP: +3 USA
Space Race: USSR:1 USA:4
DEFCON: 3
China Card: USA

Turn 4

Headline - USSR: SE Asia Scoring. USSR Controls Thailand and Vietnam. USA Controls Laos. Net 2 point shift for USSR. USA: Junta. USA Influence in Brazil (2) and an unsuccessful realignment roll in Cuba.


Card 1 - USSR: Allende as Event, USSR has 2 Influence in Chile. USA: How I Learned to Stop Worrying for Influence: Sudan (1), Angola (1).

Card 2 - USSR: Arms Race for Influence: Pakistan (2). USA: Africa Scoring. USSR has no presence, USA has domination. USSR has 0 Battleground countries, USA has 1 (Angola). Net 5 point shift for USA.


Card 3 - USSR: Bear Trap on Space Race, and the USSR successfully sends a dog into space. USA: Cuban Missile Crisis for a Coup in Iran. 2 USSR Influence removed (0), 2 USA Influence placed (2).

Card 4 - USSR: SALT Negotiations as Event. DEFCON to Level 4 and USSR retreives Socialist Governments. USA: Brush War as Event in Pakistan. The Brush War results in a victory, removing 2 USSR Influence (0) and replacing them with USA Influence (4).

Card 5 - USSR: Asia Scoring. A timely result on that Brush War for the USA. USSR has presence, USA has presence. USSR has 2 Battleground countries (N.Korea, Pakistan), USA has 2 (Japan, Thailand). Net 0 point shift. USA: Ask Not What Your Country Can Do for Influence: W.Germany (5), France (5).

Card 6 - USSR: Nuclear Subs for a Coup in Brazil which succeeds, removing 2 USA Influence (0) and adding 1 USSR Influence (1). USA: Sadat Expels the Soviets for Influence: Columbia (1).

Card 7 - USSR: Latin American Death Squads for Coup in Columbia, removing all USA Influence. USA: Camp David Accords as Event. USA Influence in Israel (2), Jordan (1), Egypt (3).

USA and USSR lose 0 VP for Military Operations.

At Turn's Start:
VP: +7 USA
Space Race: USSR:2 USA:4
DEFCON: 4
China Card: USA

Turn 5

Headline - USSR: Socialist Goverments to remove Influence: W.Germany (4), Italy (1) USA: Containment.

Card 1 - USSR: NATO for Influence: W.Germany (2), Italy (1), Brazil (2), Chile (3). USA: Panama Canal Returned as Event. Influence added to Panama (2), Costa Rica (1), Venezuela (1).

Card 2 - USSR: Flower Power for Influence: Peru (2), Nicaragua (1), Italy (2) USA: U2 Incident for a Coup in Brazil, which succeeds. 2 USSR Influence removed (0), 3 USA Influence added (3).

Card 3 - USSR: Puppet Governments for Coup in Brazil, which fails. USA places Influence in Argentina (1), India (1), and Mexico (1). USA: OAS Founded as Event. Influence in Costa Rica (2).

Card 4 - USSR: We Will Bury You for Influence: Argentine (3), Haiti (1). USA: OPEC for Influence; W.Germany (6), India (3).

Card 5 - USSR: South America Scoring. USSR has domination, USA has presence. USSR has 2 Battleground countries (Chile, Argentina), USA has 1 (Brazil). Net 4 point shift for USSR. USA: Colonial Rearguards as Event. Place Influence in Thailand (2), Vietnam (1), Algeria (1), Morocco (1).

Card 6 - USSR: The Voice of America on the Space Race, without success. USA: The China Card for Influence: S.Korea (4), Thailand (5), Taiwan (1).

Card 7 - USSR: Grain Sales to Soviets for Influence: Iran (1). USA gets to play Summit, and gets the better of the Summit for 2VP. USA: Cultural Revolution for Influence: Mexico (2), Italy (4),

USSR loses 1 VP for Military Operations.

At Turn's Start:
VP: +3 USA
Space Race: USSR:2 USA:4
DEFCON: 4
China Card: USSR

Turn 6

Headline - USSR: Brezhnev Doctrine USA: Defectors cancels the USSR event. Having the lead in the Space Race and the Defectors card can be a very useful combination.

Card 1 - USSR: Missile Envy as Event. The USSR pulls ABM Treaty from the USA hand, which it uses for a Coup in Mexico after which the USSR has 2 Influence in the country and the USA has none. USA: Missile Envy for Coup in Mexico. Turnabout is fair play and the Mexican people overthrow the pro-Soviet government in favor of a middle-of-the-road government (no Influence for either side).

Card 2 - USSR: Portuguese Empire Crumbles as Event: USSR Influence in Angola (2) and SE Saharan States (2). USA: Europe Scoring. USSR has presence, USA has domination. USSR has 2 Battleground countries (E.Germany, Poland), USA has 3 (France, W.Germany, Italy). Net 5 point shift for USA.

Card 3 - USSR: Liberation Theology as Event. USSR Influence in Mexico (2) amd Guatemala (1). USA: Ussuri River Skirmish for Coup in Mexico. Mexico continues to ping-pong between ideologies and now has 2 USA Influence.

Card 4 - USSR: One Small Step as Event, the USSR puts a man in space. USA: Suez Crisis for Space Race and the USA responds by making a Lunar Orbit.

Card 5 - USSR: Muslim Revolutions for Realignment. Two attempts to realign Mexico fail; the third attempt removes the two USA Influence from the country. One attempt to realign Costa Rica fails.. USA: Kitchen Debates as Event and 2VP for the USA.

Card 6 - USSR: Eastern European Unrest for Influence: Mexico (3). USA uses Event to remove USSR Influence from: Poland (2), Czechoslovakia (2), Yugoslavia (0). USA: John Paul II Elected Pope as Event. Poland now has USSR 0, USA 1.

Card 7 - USSR: Central American Scoring. USSR has domination, USA has presence. USSR has 2 Battleground countries (Mexico, Cuba), USA has 1 (Panama). USSR has 2 countries adjacent to USA. Net 5 point shift for USSR. USA: Willy Brandt for Influence. 1 USSR VP and 1 Influence in W.Germany (3) for Event and 2 more USA Influence (8) in W.Germany.

USA and USSR lose 0 VP for Military Operations.

At Turn's Start:
VP: +7 USA
Space Race: USSR:4 USA:5
DEFCON: 3
China Card: USSR

Turn 7

Headline - USSR: How I Learned to Stop Worrying. DEFCON is set at 5. USA: Red Scare/Purge

Card 1 - USSR: Arms Race as Event to score 3VP. USA: MidEast Scoring. USSR has presence, USA has presence. USSR has 1 Battleground country (Irag), USA has 1 (Brazil). No VPs. The Middle East is unlikely to get better for the USA, so I was happy to bury this card early!
Card 2 - USSR: Quagmire as Event. USA: South African Unrest is discarded in order to get the USA out of the Quagmire.

Card 3 - USSR: Sadat Expels Soviets for Realignment against Poland. The USA places Influence in Egypt (4) and the USSR Realignment against Poland succeeds in removing all USA Influence from the country. USA: Grain Sales to Soviets as Event. The USA pulls We Will Bury You from the USSR hand and returns it without playing it. Instead, Grain Sales is used for Influence: Algeria (2), Zaire (1)

Card 4 - USSR: We Will Bury You as Event. DEFCON to 4 and the USSR gets 3VP. USA: Africa Scoring. USSR has presence, USA has domination. USSR has 1 Battleground country (Angola), USA has 2 (Algeria, Zaire). Net 4 point shift for USA.

Card 5 - USSR: Alliance for Progress for Realignment in Panama (no effect) and Brazil (-1 USA Influence to 2). The USA gains 2VP for the Event. USA: Olympic Games for a Coup in Mexico, removing 2 USSR Influence (1). The poor people of Mexico continue to be center stage in Cold War politics.

Card 6 - USSR: Flower Power for Influence: Poland (3). USA: Nixon Plays the China Card as Event to take the China Card from the USSR.

Card 7 - USSR: Shuttle Diplomacy for Influence: Mexico (3) USA: Lone Gunman reveals the USA hand (Junta is the only card left) and then is used for a Coup in Guatemala, which succeeds: USSR 0, USA 2.

USA and USSR lose 0 VP for Military Operations.

At Turn's Start:
VP: +7 USA
Space Race: USSR:4 USA: 5
DEFCON: 4
China Card: USA

Turn 8

Headline - USSR: Aldrich Ames. USA: Soviets Shoot Down KAL-007. USA gains 2VP and places 4 Influence: Venezuela (2), Uraguay (2), El Salvador (1).

The USSR Places the USA cards in the following order: South America Scoring, Marine Barracks Bombing, The Iron Lady, Latin America Death Squads, Junta, Asia Scoring, Ussuri River Skirmish, North Sea Oil.

Card 1 - USSR: Suez Crisis for a Coup in Brazil before South America Scoring is played, which succeeds in removing all USA Influence from Brazil. USA: South America Scoring. USSR has presence, USA has presence. USSR has 2 Battleground countries (Chile, Argentina), USA has 1 (Venezuela). Net 1 point shift for USSR.
Card 2 - USSR: Iranian Hostage Crisis for Realignment: 3 attampts versus S Korea fail, however. USA: Marine Barracks Bombing for Influence: Taiwan (3). The USSR Event Removes USA Influence from Lebanon (0), Iran (0).

Card 3 - USSR: Iran-Iraq War for Influence: Thailand (4) USA: The Iron Lady for Influence: Thailand (6), N.Korea (1).

Card 4 - USSR: An Evil Empire for Influence: N.Korea (4), Thailand (5). USA gains 1VP from the Event. USA: Latin America Death Squads for Influence: Thailand (8).

Card 5 - USSR: Arab-Israeli War for Influence: S. Korea (2). USA: Junta for Influence: S. Korea (6).

Card 6 - USSR: Bear Trap for Influence: S. Korea (4). USA: Asia Scoring. USSR has no presence (due to Shuttle Diplomacy), USA has domination. USSR has 0 Battleground countries, USA has 4 (Japan, India, Pakistan, Thailand). Net 11 point shift for USA and a USA auto-victory!


Conclusions

From my point of view there were two key things in the game that determined its outcome.

The first is Randy's terrible results using realignment. A lot of bad luck went against him there, but realignment carries that risk with it. As yet, I don't use it much for precisely that reason.

The second is which scoring card came out first after the reshuffle: Asia or Central America. My lead in Asia was overwhelming. Randy's lead in central America (especially with 2 BG countries adjacent to the USA was also pretty overwhelming. I got lucky that Asia Scoring came out. Aldrich Ames gave Randy a chance to stave off auto-defeat, but it just wasn't enough in the end.