This is one of my favorite board games. It gets you involved, it gets you stressed, it gets you jubilant at things that go well, and crushed when the situation is bleak. In other words, it's the Cold War, all over again, on a board! Besides that, this game will mention neat things about history, and the strategy will get you thinking. This isn't a "win by the rules" game. It isn't a "win by the people" game. It's a "win by compromise" game.
This truly is an excellent game. However, it is involved to learn the first time, so if you're playing for the first time you should be determined to put in the effort. It's best to learn with an experienced player who goes a bit easier on you to teach you, or, if you know how to play (or can put a solid hour in to read the rules), pull a friend in and go easy to get them hooked into learning it!
The goal is simple. Score 20 points. Or, score the most points by the end. And whatever you do, don't start nuclear war.
The actual method of doing that is more complex. You have a deck of cards. Cards are essentially of 4 types. Soviet events, US events, Neutral events, and Scoring. Scoring cards when you play them let you score a region (and they must be played during the turn). Apart from that other cards can be played one of two ways: for the event, or for the points.
Here is where the most clever mechanic of the game comes in. I'm the US player. I have a Soviet event card in my hand. Hey, I'll just play it for points instead of the event! Except that when you do this, the event happens anyways. The game literally forces history to happen as you play. The events are split into three decks - early, mid, and late war (and each is shuffled in throughout the game).
But that's also where the genius of the game lies, and the stress of the game. You have to compromise. You have to do things which benefit your enemy. And yet, you still have to find a way to mitigate, and hopefully come out on top, even as you play the event that brings your enemy to the brink of victory. Have I played turns where the US player had entirely Soviet events, and the Soviet player had entirely US events? Yes, yes I have. Those are the most interesting rounds, and the most entertaining. The other dilemma: what if you need the operations points (and it's the max amount), but the event is yours and also really good? The game is a game of compromises, and balancing.
Think - if people played this, and were used to a give-and-take with their opponents, compromising and yet still achieving, how would discourse look between people? How would politics look? If only we realized, as you must in this game, that the ideal and the perfect are out of reach and aiming for them ends only in disappointment. Instead, we must work together and do our best. And this game - despite you and your opponent being enemies in the Cold War, teaches you to work together even which fighting each other.
Again, it takes some time to learn. But every person that I've taught the game (you don't need to read the rule book to learn the game if you play with someone who knows it already) has enjoyed it and become hooked, even if they weren't previously incredibly interested in detailed or complicated strategy games. By mid-war, they're giving me a run for my money (or countries!).
Incredible game. Recommend 10/10.
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From the manufacturer
GMT Games Twilight Struggle Deluxe Edition
Twilight Struggle is a two-player game simulating the forty-five year dance of intrigue, prestige, and occasional flares of warfare between the Soviet Union and the United States. The scope of the game covers the entire world as it was found in 1945. Players move units and exert influence in attempts to gain allies and control for their superpower.
- Heavy duty 9 x 12 x 2 inch box
- Mounted map
- Two double-thick counter sheets with 228 counters
- Deck of 110 event cards
- Revised rules and player aid cards
- Two six-sided dice
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Cold War strategy done to perfection!
Aside from the expected GMT games “text book” quality look, this game is phenomenal in its simple to learn mechanics yet shifting and tense strategic gameplay.It’s a more intellectual, “nerdy” game but if history, thinking and logic are a desired attribute in your gaming experience TS delivers resoundingly!Each game is different and the careful maintenance of the balance of power is executed so satisfyingly.Game length for a beginner may be 2-3 hours. It’s easy to overthink each card and option but after a few plays this game flows.It ain’t pretty but neither was the Cold War. This game reflects that geopolitical condition as well as the constant battle for regional influence.
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Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2011
