Wilko Fennema
Netherlands
Apeldoorn
Gelderland
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1945: the world lies in ruins. Truman and Stalin are the two most powerful men in the world and are lined up in a very dangerous chicken game.
In the following TS-simuation I played the USA because my opponent had chosen to enact the Chinese Civil War variant, which I were not familiar with.
Off we go ….
Start
USSR: Poland to 0/4*, East Germany to 0/4*, Austria to 0/1
USA: West Germany to 4*/0, Italy to 3*/0.
Not very weird or exciting.
Turn 1
Headline
USSR: Arab-Israeli war
USA: Defectors
A cunning plan developed by the Politburo to obtain the newfounded Israelian state crashes into smithereens due the fact that the master mind behind the war defects to the American embassy in Amman.
Note: I didn’t know what to expect from my opponent, but ‘Defectors’ was a safe choice. No matter what he intended to do: it would fail.
Turn 1, round 1
USSR: Socialist governments
Coup attempt in Iran: Iran to 0/1
USA: US/Japan mutual defence pact
Coup attempt in Iran: Iran to 5*/0
Note: the first (and standard) skirmishes turn out to favor the Americans. Iran won’t be contested in the short run. The Shah sits firmly on his throne.
Turn 1, round 2
USSR: Fidel
Afghanistan to 0/2*
USA: Nuclear test ban
Pakistan to 2*/0, Egypt to 2*/0.
A young Cuban lawyer smoking cigars as big as telephone poles travels through the Afghan mountains and show the locals the advantages of communism. Harry Truman feels guilty about the thrown nukes and announces a onesided nuclear ban. Approving comments sound from Cairo and Karachi.
Note: door slammed to Central Asia for the Soviets. Placing influence in Egypt is quite safe: ‘Nasser’ is smiling in my hand.
Turn 1, round 3
USSR: Indo-Pakistani war
India invades Pakistan: unsuccesful.
USA: De Gaulle leads France
France to 0/1 due to event; France to 3/1
Red Sikhs try to overthrow the Pakstani government only to end in prison or worse. In France a new era starts with the election of general De Gaulle for president. He announces to go for strong bonds with the Reds and even stronger bonds with the Blues, although ‘the last time I looked at a map the USA were not in Europe …’.
Note: nice effort by my opponent; I hadn’t expect this move, because of the low chance of success but he goes for it anyway. I kick a Russian event out of the game without causing much damage.
Turn 1, round 4
USSR: CIA created
France to 4*/1 due to event; Spain/Portugal to 0/1.
USA: Red scare/purge
Realignments: Iraq to 0/0, Syria to 0/0.
Note: my opponent also adds an opposite event to the discard pile. I pondered long about my next move and decided to go for a highly risky one: if the realignments would succeed, the Russians would have a hell of a job to enter the Aabian oil field during the early war. I felt pretty satisfied after this round.
Turn 1, round 5
USSR: Truman doctrine
Austria to 0/0 due to event; Spain/Portugal to 0/2*.
USA: Formosan resolution
Lebanon to 1*/0, India to 1/0.
Note: repitition of the Soviet move; kill an American event without much damage. I make my first lemon here: didn’t check DEFCON and went for Middle East domination. Better move would be to put all points in India, Iraq or Libya.
Turn 1, round 6
USSR: Five year plan
Coup attempt in Lebanon: Lebanon to 0/2*
USA: Vietnam revolts
Vietnam to 0/2* due to event; India to 3*/0.
One paragraph in very tiny capitals in the 6th 5-year plan contained a plan of supporting miltary coups in Lebanon and Vietnam. The now former Vietnamese colonizer, president De Gaulle reacts quite surprising: “J’ai vous compris!”.
Note: after the Soviet play I started kicking myself: why not couping some battleground to put DEFCON on 2 (answer: because they weren’t available …). Nevermind: I pick up India while I give Vietnam (and Thailand in the longer run) to the USSR. Smart move? Well, the ‘Vietnam’-card is gone, but India could wait: Libya would be a better idea.
State of the world
The Americans have a strong lead in Europe due to the obtaining of France; Asia is open for grabs and the Middle-East is also an American affair. Not a bad start (for someone playing blue ...).
Turn 2
Headline
USSR: Asia scoring
VP’s to +1
USA: Europe scoring
VP’s to +6
Note: I couldn’t suppress a smile when I saw the two headline events. Apparently we both didn’t have a nice card to open hostilities. Personally I should have waited with cashing in Asia, because of the approaching ‘communisation’ of Thailand.
Turn 2, round 1
USSR: Marshall plan, event cancelled by ‘UN intervention’
Coup attempt in Pakistan: Pakistan to 0/2*
USA: The Cambridge five
Coup attempt in Lebanon: Lebanon to 1*/0.
The Soviet ambassador in the UN vetoes the American plans of funding the rebuilding of the European society. Due to the efforts of a double spy group of British students the just installed communist government of Lebanon is overthrown and replaced by a militay junta.
Note: in hindsight it is here that I start to play like a newbee. I missed that DEFCON was at 4 and that Asian countries could be couped; my opponent makes use of the opportunity (why not before ‘Asia scoring’?). With my eyes fixed on the Middle East I succeed into erasing all Russian influence there forgetting that couping a non battleground doesn’t affect DEFCON.
Turn 2, round 2
USSR: Olympic games
Coup attempt in Lebanon: Lebanon to 0/2*.
USA: Suez crisis
France to 2/1, United Kingdom to 4/0, Israel to 0/0 due to event; France to 4*/1, United Kingdom to 5*/0.
Note: “Sports and politics do not mingle”. Don’t you believe it. I decided to use this round to get rid of another red card. That Israel is empty I took for granted.
Turn 2, round 3
USSR: Comecon
Jordan to 0/1, Syria to 0/1, Laos/Cambodia to 0/1*.
USA: NATO
Philippines to 2*/0, Indonesia to 1*/0, Libya to 2*/0.
Note: both superpowers strengthen their position in the Middle East and (South East) Asia.
Turn 2, round 4
USSR: East European unrest
Finland to 0/0, East Germany to 0/3*, Poland to 0/3* due to event; Iraq to 0/3*
USA: Duck and cover
Coup attempt in Iraq: Iraq to 0/1.
A wave of riots falls over the Soviet satellite states. Many flee to seek a sanctuary: they find it in the Iraqian desert. An overzealous attempt to take over power in Iraq is smashed down harshly.
Note: my opponent crosses the Middleeastern bridgehead made in former rounds and collects a battleground. My attempt to kick the Soviets out by a coup doesn’t succeed: not surprising (only a 6 would have been enough).
Turn 2, round 5
USSR: Romanian abdication
Thailand to 0/1
USA: Korean war
South Korea to 0/1, VP’s to +4 due to event; Canada to 4*/0.
Note: my opponent starts collecting Thailand which I can’t prevent. I could choose between three red cards. This one was the least bad, but works out fine for my opponent anyway. Asia falls rapidly into communist hands. No problem: e can have it as long as I keep Europe.
Turn 2, round 6
USSR: Blockade
West Germany to 0/0 due to event.
USA: Decolonization
Unsuccesful space race attempt.
Note: OUCH!!! Another proof that I’ve neglected my TS-training. Totally forgotten about the ‘Blockade’-card and now it’s “Bye, bye, West Germany” and “Bye, bye, European domination!”. The fact that – on top of this – my space race attempt also fails, contributes to my New York state of mind. You’ll see that ‘Decol’ will return next turn in Soviet hands….
State of the world
World focus has shifted this turn. Europe has scored, but also flattened out due to the blockade of Berlin. Asia is getting red and the Middle East is heavily contested. The rest of the world stays quiet, at least: up till now.
Turn 3
Headline
USSR: Fidel
Cuba to 0/3* due to event
USA: Duck and cover
VP’s to +7
Fidel Castro returns form hies ourney through the Afghan mountains and initiates a revolt in Cuba. President Eisenhower of the US sees the danger Fidel brings with him and decides to launch a propaganda campaign about nukes, atomic bombs, etc.
Note: my opponent plays a prelude to the Mid War while I take a gamble to put DEFCON on 2 ruling out any plans involving coups.
Turn 3, round 1
USSR: US/Japan mutual defense pact
Japan to 4*/0 due to event; South Korea to 0/2, Burma to 0/2*, Thailand to 0/2*.
USA: Containment
Algeria to 2*/0, Panama to 2*/0.
Note: the commies strengthen their hold of Asia at the cost of Japan. I tak emy first careful steps into the mid war collecting batlegrounds in Africa and Central America.
Turn 3, round 2
USSR: The Cambridge five
Iraq to 0/3*
USA: Comecon
Finland to 0/1, Austria to 0/1, East Germany to 0/4*, Poland to 0/4* due to event; South Africa to 3*/0, Angola to 1*/0.
The Englsh spies reconsider their terrain of work and move from Lebanon to Iraq. The founding of a communist trade organisation make the Southafrican states feel tha they are ‘concurred out’ by the Eastern European states.
Note: funny, the damage done by ‘Eastern European unrest’ has been totally annihilated by ‘Comecon’. I get a strong position in Africa – nice – and my opponent crawls back in the cradle of the world.
Turn 3, round 3
USSR: Middle East scoring
VP’s to +9
USA: Warsaw pact formed
Poland to 0/6*, Austria to 0/3, Finland to 0/2 due to event; South Korea to 3/2.
Note: I’ve been sleeping again! The Midde East hasn’t been scored, so i should have focused there. I didn’t and miss the opportunity to dominate the oil. My hand is quite miserable so I decide to give my opponent a foothold in Europe to be able to contest him in Asia.
Turn 3, round 4
USSR: Defectors
VP’s to +10 due to event; South Korea to 3/4.
USA: Independent reds
South Korea to 5/4
At the 38th Parallel a bunch of North Koreans are being arrested. For punishment they are locked up in the Southkorean embassy under surveillance of a political commissionar. As a reaction a group of young students decide to form a new socialistic party ‘as a reaction to the militaristic communist party of our northern brothers …’.
Note: It’s a rule of thumb that the American player is doing a great job when he can limit the damage in early war to –10 VPs. Well, the 10’s correct in this case and I’m only slightly worried (yet).
Turn 3, round 5
USSR: Special relationship
Benelux to 1/0 due to event; South Korea to 5/6.
USA: Nasser, event cancelled by ‘UN intervention’
Soutch Korea to 6/6.
Note: I choose not to put anything in France because ‘De Gaulle’ and ‘Suez’ are already gone. South Korea levels out.
Turn 3, round 6
USSR: De-Stalinization
Vietnam to 0/1*, Finland to 0/0, Austria to 0/2, Chile to 0/1, Mexico to 0/1, Venezuela 0/2* due to event.
USA: Asia scoring
VPs to +5.
Note: my opponent has a nasty surprise in his sleeve; the Americas are no longer communist-free. The fact that I ‘have’ to score Asia is surmoutable, but I’d rather not see the Russians on th eleft side of the board (which depend on what side of the board you’re playing).
State of the world
Mid war will be contested in the new world: so far it’s clear. America is the stronger side in Africa; the Soviets in South America and Europe. Central America is drawn. Middle East and Asia are less interesting (just being scored), but ‘South East Asia scoring’ can become pretty annoying.
Turn 4
USSR: Missile envy
USSR obtains and plays ‘We will bury you!’.
USA: Nuclear subs
Note: I’m not too disappointed about this play. Pity that I can’t use the 4 opps, but I can easily miss the 3 VPs for the fact that ‘’We will bury you!’ won’t come back. DEFCON on 2? Great, the Ruskies can’t coup and I can coup freely!
Turn 4, round 1
USSR: U2-incident
Brazil to 0/1, Mexico to 0/2*, South Korea to 6/7.
USA: Missile envy (obliged)
VPs to +2 due to not playing ‘UN intervention’ after ‘We will bury you’. Coup attempt in Brazil: Brazil to 3*/0.
Note: my opponent desperately likes to see a red marker in South Korea, that’s clear. I’d like to have a base in South America: the placing of a single influence point in Brazil gives me an easy target (if not, I would have tried Venezuela. Chile is no option becase I see a photograph of mr. Allende on one of my cards).
Turn 4, round 2
USSR: East European unrest
Austria to 0/1, East Germany to 0/3*, Poland to 0/5* due to event. West Germany to 0/3.
USA: NATO
West Germany to 4/3.
Note: hmmmm, … shifting attention to another part of the globe, Europe to be precise. West Germany is open for grabs, so both players pump up their influence there.
Turn 4, round 3
USSR: Shuttle diplomacy
West Germany to 4/6.
USA: Our man in Teheran
Coup attempt in Venezuela: Venezuela to 2*/0.
Willy Brandt visits several Westgerman politicians at their home address trying to form a new government. The Shah holds a very blunt speech during a visit to Caracas which leads to riots and even the overthrowing of the sitting rulers.
Note: I’m not sure if I’ve made the right decision to leave Europe to its own devices and point my actions towards South America. Nevertheless: my coup result was satisfying.
Turn 4, round 4
USSR: NORAD
West Germany to 4/8*, Chile to 0/2.
USA: Willy Brandt
VPs to +1, West Germany to 4/9* due to event. Coup attempt in Mexico: Mexico to 1/0.
Note: NORAD is active, but DEFCON is already at 2. No problem, by this Russian play I can ditch ‘Willy Brandt’ without much damage. My Centralamerican position looks more rosy now.
Turn 4, round 5
USSR: Che
Chile to 0/3*, Turkey to 0/1, Chinese civil war to 0/1.
USA: OAS founded
Argentina to 2*/0.
Note: focus is shifting again this turn. From South Korea to Europe and now South America. Quite expectable. My opponent starts putting influence into the China-space: good, now I understand this variant of playing TS.
Turn 4, round 6
USSR: ‘One small step …’
Chinese civil war to 0/3*: USSR obtains ‘China’-card.
USA: Captured Nazi scientists
VPs to +3.
With Soviet support the Chinese cosmonaut Li Xiu Kang makes a succesful trip to the moon. America reacts with a new Apollo program under supervision of some old German-looking investigators.
Note: ‘China’-card has entered the game, so now we play ‘normal’ TS. Perfect moment to advance on the space race.
Turn 4, round 7
USSR: Colonial rearguards
Succesful space race attempt: VPs to +2.
USA: Portugese empire crumbles
Unsuccesful space race attempt
Note: both players try to get rid of a nasty card. I was very curious to the headlines of my opponent, but the dice doesn’t give me that privilege.
VPs to +4 due to lacking Soviet military operations.
State of the world
USSR is almost dominating Asia and Europe. Africa is mine, as are the Americas (although my grip is not very tight). The Middle East is anyone’s game.
Turn 5
Headline
USSR: Red scare/purge
USA: ‘Ask not what your country can do for you …’
USA replaces ‘Allende’, ‘Cultural revolution’, ‘Socialist governments’, ‘Muslim revolution’ and ‘Brezhnev doctrine’.
The world enters the sixties and both superpowers see a change of leadership.There is a saying ‘new brooms sweep cleanly’ and that is exactly what happens in Moscow. Fresh president Kennedy’s inaugural speech stuns the American people by it’s clearness, freshness and power.
Note: my opponent cripples my hand. When I looked at my cards I started to get really depressed (‘a red one, … another one and another one AND ANOTHER ONE!!!’), but the last one was the sunbeam I was looking for.
Turn 5, round 1
USSR: Arab-Israeli war
Coup attempt in Angola: Angola to 0/2*. Mexico to 2*/0 due to ‘NORAD’.
USA: Europe scoring
VPs to +3
Note: the actions by both players make perfect sense. Leonid starts spreading communism in the African region, while John F. limits damage in Europe.
Turn 5, round 2
USSR: Flower power
South Korea to 6/9*, Greece to 0/2*
USA: Arms race
Malaysia to 2*/0.
Note: I needed to take some countermeasures because of the ‘South East Asia scoring’-card. My opponent ‘at least’ ends the conquest of South Korea. His play into Greece is a case of ‘bad timing’. Europe has just been scored: when you’d like to have a cheap non-battleground in Europe, grab Turkey (entrance Middle East, ‘Cuba missile crisis’).
Turn 5, round 3
USSR: Grain sales to Soviets
Succesful space race attempt.
USA: ABM treaty
Coup attempt in Angola: Angola to 0/0. West Germany to 5/9* due to ‘NORAD’.
Both superpowers show their middle finger to each other: the grain sold to the Russians is used for space experiments in the brand new spacelab MIR. On the other hand the Soviets sign a treaty concerning missiles with the Americans, which the Yanks misuse to support a UNITA-coup against the Angolese MPLA-government.
Note: again a case of sensible play. I use the opportunity for another free coup (result could be better, although the Reds have no entrance in Africa now). My opponent on the other hand kills a bad card for him.
Turn 5, round 4
USSR: Puppet governments
Succesful space race attempt: VPs to +1
USA: Panama canal returned
Angola to 1*/0.
Note: INTERKOSMOS is doing a great job these years! In the meantime I restore my dominant position in Africa. ‘Africa scoring’ is a card I would like to see now.
Turn 5, round 5
USSR: Summit
Turkey to 0/2*.
USA: Bear trap
Kennedy and Brezhnev meet in Istanbul. In the meantime Estonian rebels announce a ‘Tallinn spring’. The Politburo reacts like being stung by a bee and sends troops: resistance in Estonia is fierce.
Note: I decided to give my opponent something to worry about. That he picks Turkey is a case of ‘better late then never’.
Turn 5, round 6
USSR: Camp David accords
Unsuccesful escape attempt of ‘Bear trap’
USA: Nuclear test ban
DEFCON to 4.
Note: my play shows the advantages of playing on a real board instead of playing over a glassfiber line. I intended to use the operation points and I misclicked. Luckily my opponent stays trapped.
Turn 5, round 7
USSR: Marshall plan
Unsuccesful escape attempt of ‘Bear trap’
USA: South East Asia scoring
VPs to –1
Normally I would have couped some country with the current DEFCON, but I had to play that damn scoring card. My bear trap is quite effective luckily.
VPs to 0 due to lacking Soviet military operations.
State of the world
Asia and Europe are gone for the moment. I have minimized the damage, but the scoring cards of these regions would be disastrous for me. In the rest of the world nothing serious has happened this turn. I was pretty satisfied with the way I handled ‘Red scare’, but I was kicking myself for my blooper with the ‘Nuclear test ban’. Allright, let’s advance ….
Turn 6
Headline
USSR: South America scoring
VPs to +2
USA: ‘How I learned to stop worrying …’
DEFCON to 2.
Note: I saw a possibility to repair the DEFCON-damage and went for it. USSR uses the possibility to limit scoring damage (American domination of South America was luring)
Turn 6, round 1
USSR: Ussuri river skirmish
Succesful escape attempt of ‘Bear trap’
USA: Olympic games
Zaire to 1*/0, Benelux to 2/0.
Note: Central America and Africa are the only regions to be scored, so focus should lay there. My play in the Benelux is a case of long term planning: I need non-battlegrounds to counter Soviet domination in Europe.
Turn 6, round 2
USSR: South African unrest
Angola to 1/ 2*, South Africa to 3/1 due to event.
USA: The voice of America
Angola to 1*/o, South Africa to 3*/0, Thailand to 0/1.
The South African border war takes place: Angola and South Africa take up arms because of a quarrel about Namibia. After a few months hostilities decrease because of an emotional speech by the president Kennedy on broadcasting service ‘The voice of America
Note: USSR renews his attempts to get access into Africa. “OH YEAH? Over my stiff body ,you p*nky little Red!”
Turn 6, round 3
USSR: OPEC
Thailand to 0/2*, Haiti to 0/1*, Nicaragua to 0/1*
USA: Cuban missile crisis
Morroco to 3*/0.
Note: USSR spreads int Central America, USA reaches domination in Africa. Too bad I can’t reach Nigeria at this moment (controlling Africa), but I didn’t like playing into the 1-point-countries in Africa.
Turn 6, round 4
USSR: Brush war
Panama to 0/2* due to event
USA: Junta
Panama to 2/2 due to event
The poor majority in Panama takes up arms against the (from their prospect) incompetent government. The guns are Russian craftsmanship.As a reaction the Panamese army restores order and installs a junta.
Note: I misinterpretated the rules and thought I could coup Panama for free (so: no DEFCON-issues). Wrong. When Panama turns red, Central America is dominated by the commies and I wanted to prevail that.
Turn 6, round 5
USSR: China card
Panama to 2/4*, Peru to 0/2*
USA: Formosan resolution
Coup attempt in Peru: Peru to 0/1.
Note: my opponent picks up Peru to prevent American domination (I don’t have non-battlegrounds in South America. Yet). My reaction was predictable, but false: I should have picked up Uruguay, I think.
Turn 6, round 6
USSR: Central America scoring
VPs to –3
USA: Liberation theology
Succesful space race attempt.
Note: Russia cashes, while I reduce my space race disadvantage.
Turn 6, round 7
USSR: Indo-Pakistani war
VPs to –5, India to 0/3* due to event
USA: Romanian abdication
Romania to 0/3* due to event. Benelux to 3*/0.
The fight over Punjab starts and Pakistan manages to occupy the region. In Romania king Michael serial number 1 abdicates ‘because of health issues’ and moves to the Netherlands similar to Emporor Wilhem II after World War I. Prime minister Ceaucescu grabs his chance and installs a communist regime.
State of the world
The American position in Asia is dramatic due to the loss of India. Europe stays tuned to the red side, as is Central America. Africa and South America tend towards the Land of the Free while the Middle East stays balanced.
At this point I noticed that my capability of judging the position detoriated at lightning speed due to fatigue (“bad day at the office)”. I also sensed that I wouldn’t win this session, so I asked my opponent to abort the game. He understood the reason; I resigned. Readers may judge if i made the right decision
Epilogue
This was my first time playing the ‘Chinese civil war’-variant. I didn’t see any difference compared to a normal game, but I don’t feel playing it like this variant again.
I think both players made some good plays, but also made some strange decisions. Anyway: it was fun to play and I’m looking forward to an new chance. I am very curious for reactions from experienced players concerning the cards played
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Bob Gibson
United States
San Diego
California
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In playing both game options, we've actually began incorporating the Chinese Civil War variant specifically to balance out the move within the very first turn. The variant, in itself, is not powerful in the large scheme of things. However, it does add a bit of an obstacle by forcing the Soviets to first pay the stipend for the card, rather than allowing them, for example, to coup Iran on the first move with a powerful 4 op card.
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