DEC 2013 TS forum game archive

[GJK]

Also, is there a full list of all cards with their content (events, points, etc) available for perusal? After all, if one owned the physical game then one could have familiarize one's self with them ahead of time.

Yes:  http://twilightstrategy.com/card-list/

[GJK]

A note about the DEFCON level.

This one can confuse some players.  In overview, DEFCON 5 means the world is a peaceful, happy little place.  DEFCON 2 means we are about to get in to each others $h*t.  DEFCON 1 and it's Game Over: "would you like to play a game of Chess instead professor?".

The DEFCON level will decrease under the following circumstances:

1. Any COUP attempt in a Battleground Country degrades the DEFCON level by one.  A "Battleground Country" is any country that has its title in white letters on a purple background.  For example, Iran is a battleground country where as the Gulf States are not.  The COUP attempt need not be successful; the DEFCON level will drop because of YOUR actions.  :)

2. A card that is played for the EVENT may lower the DEFCON level.  IMPORTANT NOTE (and I've lost the game because of this before): IF your team is the PHASING PLAYER team, meaning it's your ACTION ROUND and the event triggered lowers the DEFCON to "1", YOU PHASING PLAYER TEAM loses the game.  That could mean, that if you play the card for the OPs, yet the event on it is for the other side and that event triggers and it lowers the DEFCON to "1", YOU lose the game, not the team that event was played for.  When it is your ACTION ROUND, you must be very aware of what the DEFCON level is if there is a possibility of it lowering to a "1" due to the cards in your hand that you are contemplating on playing.  DEFCON level 2 is very edgy!

3. At the beginning of each TURN, the DEFCON level is INCREASED (towards peace) one level so that gives everyone some breathing room.

[BanzaiCat]

I have come back from glorious weekend at Black Sea dacha with glorious "Babes of the Communist Party" calendar for 2014. It is amazing what chicks do to get into Communist calendar. And most even had all their teeth!

In any case I am in agreement. The Olympics is the most beneficial thing we can do right now. If the USA decides to boycott, we need to decide what to do with those 4 OPS points.I think we can wait to see what the reaction is, first.

As for Influence Points, we should get a solid foundation in Eastern Europe and I had wanted us to pull a coup off in Iran as well.

Excellent starting point for the Communist party! I believe we are in agreement unless either comrade has had a revelation since communicating these requests?

[GJK]

A note about REQUIRED MILITARY OPERATIONS:

Section 8.2 of the rules.  By the end of a turn (a turn is divided in to several Action Rounds), each side must of performed a number of Military Operations EQUAL TO (or greater) than the current DEFCON level as it is at the end of the turn or else the OTHER SIDE will GAIN VP's equal to the number of MilOps that you failed to play.  So if DEFCON is at "4" and you only conducted 2 MilOps, the OTHER SIDE will have the VP track shifted 2 points towards their end (a gain for them). 

Military Operations are:

1. A coup attempt.  It does NOT have to be in a battleground country (though that will also lower the DEFCON level).  The MilOps points gained for the coup attempt will equal the OPs points of the card that you use for the coup attempt.

2. A "War Card".  If the Event is played and it is a "War" card (Arab-Israeli War, Korean War, Indo-Pakistani War - any card that says it is a "War", that will gain MilOps points for whomever played the event.  SO, I'll copy and paste the example from the rules since it states it very concisely:

EXAMPLE: The US player uses the 'Arab-Israeli War' card for Operations points, thereby also triggering the War Event (as it is associated with the Soviet Union player - has a "red star" on the card). In addition to the Event taking place as directed on the card, the USSR player moves his Military Operations marker two spaces on the Military Operations track.

So, if you're getting beat up in the VP total, pay close attention to the number of Military Operations that you are playing and make sure that you hit your number each turn!

[GJK]

A great idea Gary. I've already asked on the main thread so maybe Brant can move my posts into the new FAQ one.

I've just replied there instead of starting another thread - I think that I've covered the few rules that confuse new players.  If it gets to be a longer laundry list of Q&A's, then I'll consolidate them all to a new thread.  So, check back in the main area for some notes on other rules that I just posted.

[undercovergeek]

From what I've read and understood our ip set up is sound, I like Turkey

Eastern Europe card looks good too for opening move

[Staggerwing]

Geek, are you good with Redscare/Purge card to open?

[undercovergeek]

Geek, are you good with Redscare/Purge card to open?

Definitely

[Barthheart]

Da, looks good to me.

[bob48]

Agreed.

[GJK]

Just a reminder you Commies, but we need to get the rest of your "At Start" Influence markers placed before we can begin.  The USSR has 6 IP's that can be placed anywhere in EASTERN EUROPE. 

The All-Seeing Eye, out.

[GJK]

Just a reminder for you Capitalist Dogs, but we need to get the rest of your "At Start" Influence markers placed before we can begin.  The U.S. has 7 IP's that can be placed anywhere in WESTERN EUROPE.

The All-Seeing Eye, out.

[bob48]

^lol....Thanks Gary.

That rules Turkey out then gents.

[Staggerwing]

Turkey shows dark purple just like the Western European countries so it looks to be part of WE through Greece and Italy.

[undercovergeek]

Turkey shows dark purple just like the Western European countries so it looks to be part of WE through Greece and Italy.

I'm new but I agree all the start up strategies I've read include Turkey as an option

By the way chaps all those same strategies ignore France - apparently there are some quite nasty anti France cards