Twilight Struggle Variant Rules

Welcome to the world of Twilight Struggle! This guide will introduce you to some variant rules that add new layers of excitement to the game.

1. Balance of Power

In the original game, the USA starts with a slight advantage over the USSR. However, by implementing the Balance of Power rule, both players will have an equal chance to win. This rule limits the number of cards in the Early War deck that can be played in the first few rounds, evening the playing field.

2. Defcon Suicide

For experienced players looking for a challenge, the Defcon Suicide variant is a great option. The Defcon track represents the world’s level of crisis, but in this variant, if it reaches Defcon 1, the game ends immediately. This adds new tension and strategic considerations to your every move.

3. Optional Cards

If you’re looking to mix things up, the Optional Cards variant is a must-try. With this rule, certain cards that are usually discarded can be kept and used by either player. These optional cards can drastically change the game’s dynamics and provide exciting new possibilities.

4. Late War Start

Short on time? The Late War Start variant allows you to skip the Early and Mid War phases and jump straight to the Late War. This accelerates the game, focusing on the crucial late stages while still maintaining the strategic depth of Twilight Struggle.

5. Nuclear War

For a truly explosive experience, the Nuclear War variant is sure to satisfy. In this rule, each player has the ability to launch nuclear attacks, adding a new layer of intensity and consequences to your decisions. Be prepared for the potential destruction of regions and a heightened level of unpredictability.

So there you have it – some exciting variant rules to enhance your Twilight Struggle experience. Give them a try and discover new strategies, challenges, and excitement in the ever-changing landscape of the Cold War. Enjoy the game!

Here’s the thing: these rules I’m about to tell you are not set in stone. You don’t have to follow them if you’re just playing for fun. But if you’re in a serious Twilight Struggle tournament, they’re worth considering.

First off, if you’re playing in a tournament, you have to show your opponent all the cards you have at the end of each round. This is to make sure nobody tries to hold onto a scoring card on purpose.

If you’re caught with a scoring card during the Reveal Held Card phase, you’re out. It’s as if you’ve started a nuclear war by accident. That’s game over for you.

During a tournament, the Soviet player always gets the first card in every deal. And then the players take turns until they’ve each got a full hand.

If one player needs more cards than the other, they can get consecutive ones in a deal. It keeps things fair.

By the way, check out the Chinese Civil War Variant!

Hey there! Let me tell you about the Chinese Civil War Variant. It’s a special way to play the game that focuses on the China Card.

Now, sometimes the variant’s rules might clash with the regular rules or the event cards. In those cases, the variant rules are the ones you follow. Simple, right?

The Chinese Civil War Space

When it comes to the game board, the Chinese Civil War space is special. It’s right next to the Soviet Union, and you can only do stuff there if you’re the Soviet player. You can’t use that space to score points, though. It’s off-limits for that.

Here’s the deal: the Soviet player can put Influence Points in the Chinese Civil War space. That’s the only action allowed there. But the US player, well, they can’t use any Operations or event cards to do anything there. It’s all about the Soviets in that space.

Once I, as the Soviet player, have placed 3 Influence Points on the Chinese Civil War space, it no longer has any effect. I can return the markers to my pool and completely ignore the Chinese Civil War space for the rest of the game.

Control

To Control the Chinese Civil War space, I, as the Soviet Union, need to place three Influence points on it. I can place my Influence in the Chinese Civil War space following the rules for placing Influence in countries. However, if the China card remains unclaimed throughout the game, no player will receive a victory point for possessing the China Card during end game scoring.

Impact of Control

Until the Soviet Player has placed 3 Influence Points on the Chinese Civil War space, no player has the China Card. When the Soviet player places 3 Influence Points into the space, they immediately receive the China Card face up and ready to use. You can now play the Red Scare/Purge and Formosan Resolution events, as the ban on them is lifted.

Event Restrictions

While the Soviet player has not yet placed 3 Influence Points on the Chinese Civil War space, they cannot play Red Scare/Purge or Cultural Revolution as events. Also, the US player cannot play Formosan Resolution as an event. These cards can still be used for Operations Points.

Special US Condition:

Hey there! Just wanted to let you know about a special condition in the game. If you’re playing Ussuri River Skirmish or Nixon Plays the China Card and you’re the US, there’s something important you should consider. You see, if the Soviet Player hasn’t placed the 3 Influence Points on the Chinese Civil War space yet, you’re considered to be in possession of the China Card. Cool, right?

While the Soviet Player hasn’t put those 3 Influence Points on the Chinese Civil War space, you get an extra advantage – when you roll for the resolution of the Korean War event, you subtract 1 from the result. That could really come in handy!

Oh, and by the way, if there are any events that are made unplayable or restricted because of rule 12.4, you can still use them as Operations points. Just wanted to make sure you knew!

A Scenario from the Later Years of Twilight Struggle

If you’ve played a lot of Twilight Struggle, you might have noticed that the Early and Mid-War event cards tend to get more worn out than the Late War cards.

If you’re eager to jump into the post-Quagmire era and explore the exciting possibilities of cards like Landed Eagle, Star Wars, Chernobyl, Aldrich Ames, the Hostage Crisis, and Terrorism, then this scenario is for you.

In my opinion, each game turn roughly represents a span of four years:

• Turn 1 covers the years 1945-1948
• Turn 2 covers the years 1949-1952
• Turn 3 covers the years 1953-1956
• Turn 4 covers the years 1957-1960
• Turn 5 covers the years 1961-1964
• Turn 6 covers the years 1965-1969
• Turn 7 covers the years 1970-1974
• Turn 8 covers the years 1975-1979
• Turn 9 covers the years 1980-1984
• Turn 10 = 1985-1989

So, the Late War period would start around 1975, when Saigon fell. That’s the date I’ve chosen to represent the influence and events for the beginning of the Late War Scenario.

To my surprise, when playing this scenario, the US seems to be in a pretty strong position after the Vietnam War. They still dominate Asia, for example. But the game showed that the Soviet player can still win if they can manage a more graceful decline of the Socialist experiment.

Remember to have fun and maybe avoid thinking about what could happen The Day After.

Markers

• Turn at 8
• DEFCON at 4
• Space Race at Soviet Space Walk; US Eagle Landed
• VP at -4

Events In Play Counters

There have been important events in history that have shaped the world as we know it. Some of these events include the US/Japan Pact, the Marshall Plan, NATO, the Warsaw Pact, DeGaulle, and Flower Power.

Control And Influence

• The United States has had a strong influence in South America and Asia.
• The Soviet Union has had a dominant presence in the Middle East.

We can measure the level of control and influence by the indicated side. In most cases, the minimum level needed for control is marked, except where it is shown as (US#/Sov#).

US Control:

The United States has had significant control in various countries, including the UK, Italy, Benelux, West Germany (with a control ratio of 5:1), Denmark, Norway, Israel, Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, Zaire, Somalia, Kenya, Nigeria, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Philippines (with a control ratio of 3:1), Thailand, Indonesia, Australia, Malaysia (with a control ratio of 3:1), Nicaragua, Panama, Haiti, Honduras, Venezuela, Chile, Argentina, Colombia (with a control ratio of 2:1), and the Dominican Republic.

Soviet Control:

If you’re trying to understand the dynamics of the world during the Cold War, it’s important to look at the countries that were directly involved. Some are well-known, like East Germany, Poland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia. Others might not be as familiar, such as Bulgaria, Cuba, North Korea, Iraq, Syria, India, Afghanistan, Libya, Algeria, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Angola, Laos, Vietnam, or the countries in Southeast Africa.

Neutral With Influence

There were also countries that tried to maintain a neutral stance but still held some influence. Spain, France, and Romania fall into this category, along with Jordan, Egypt, South Africa, Finland, Burma, Peru, Yugoslavia, and Saudi Arabia.

Cards

When it comes to the game of Cold War strategy, choosing the right cards is crucial. It’s recommended to remove all early and midwar events, except for notable ones like Bear Trap, Camp David, John Paul, and the Panama Canal. The China card, for instance, should always be given to the Soviet player. Finally, shuffle the remaining early, midwar, and late war cards together and deal them out to begin turn 8.

Victory

Understanding the victory conditions is key to winning the game. After turn 10, it’s time for the final scoring. If the US has 20 or more victory points at this point or if the US plays the WARGAMES event, the US is declared the winner. Otherwise, the Soviet player takes the victory.