Cuba: The Splendid Little War
Cuba: The Splendid Little War Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Equipment
- 1 Game Board
- 2 Player Aids
- 1 Rulebook
- 38 Information Markers
- 62 Cards (49 Starting Cards and 13 U.S. Intervention Cards)
- 43 Unit Counters: Spanish forces: 18 Divisions, 2 Fleets, 6 Leaders; U.S. forces: 3 Divisions, 2 Fleets, 3 Leaders; Cuban forces: 6 Cuerpos, 3 Leaders
- 4 Dice
Information markers include: Target, Game Round, Reconcentration in Effect, Zafra Forbidden, Current Resources, Spanish Public Support, U.S. War Entry Support, Protecting the Fields, Search & Destroy, Burnt Fields, City Control, Spanish PM, Trocha, and Reforma.
The Map
The game board features the island of Cuba, divided into six Provinces and two City Areas, surrounded by two Sea Zones. Also on the board are the U.S. port of Key West and a number of tracks and holding boxes for game pieces.
Player Aids
The two player aids each feature helpful information pertaining to that player's options for Actions, a holding box for their Units not yet in play, and a track for their Available Resources.
Cards
The cards depict some of the tactics and strategies used by both sides during the war as well as many historical—and some theoretical—events. The cards are played in a shared deck and shared discard pile for both players, but their hands are kept separate. Several cards may be advantageous for either player depending on the situation, and less useful cards can be turned in for Resources (3 cards for 1 Resource).
Unit Counters
These counters represent the military units that participated in the conflict, as well as their leaders. Land Units, including Spanish Divisions, Cuban Cuerpos, and U.S. Divisions, as well as Generals can only be used in the Provinces and City Areas except when being transported in a Convoy (see Naval Transport and U.S. Land Units, page 12). Naval Units—Spanish and U.S. Fleets—and Admirals operate in Sea Zones and City Areas. Note: All U.S. units are controlled by the Cuban player, if/when they come into play.
Leader Abilities: Leaders are Generals or Admirals who can command friendly Units to take certain actions. Most Leaders also have one or more special Abilities, indicated by icons:
- The Resource icon gives that nation an additional (+1) Resource per icon each round (see 3.4, page 18).
- The Anchor icon indicates that the Leader is an Admiral, who can only command Fleets (see 1.2, page 9). All other leaders are Generals, who can only command Land Units.
- The Search icon grants a +1 DRM to Search die rolls for Units under that Leader's command (see 2.3, page 12).
- The Combat icon gives that General an advantageous +1 DRM when attacking and -1 DRM when defending (see 2.3, page 12).
- The Siege icon indicates that this Cuban Leader may attack Cities (see 2.3, page 12).
Combat Strength: This represents the Unit's effectiveness in combat (see 2.3, page 12).
Note: Most Units are double-sided, with a full-strength side and a reduced (lighter-colored) side. Units are placed with their full-strength side face up during setup and when they enter play.
Each Unit has a unique name to identify it. Some names are abbreviated to better fit on the counters.
Information Markers
These tokens are used to record the status of various aspects of the war, including troop status markers, the Resources available to each side, the Game Round, and the political situation.
Roosevelt's Rough Riders (card example): Battle Reaction: The Cuban player adds +1 to an Attack or Counterattack involving U.S. Land Units.
Setting Up the Game
- Set the game board in the center of the table.
- Remove the U.S. Intervention cards from the deck (they have a blue box behind the headline and a U.S. Eagle stamp) and set them aside for later use.
- Shuffle the remaining cards together and create a face-down deck next to the board. Leave space for a discard pile.
- Each player draws 6 cards from the deck. Keep cards secret from your opponent until played.
- Each player takes their player aid.
- Place the information markers as shown:
- U.S. Stance on the "1" space of the U.S. War Entry Track
- Game Round on the 1895 space of the Round Track
- P.M. Canovas on Spain's Prime Minister Box
- Spanish Public Support (on its "Public Support" side) on the "10" space of the Spanish Public Support Track
- Each Resource marker on the "7" space of the appropriate Resource Track on the player aids
- Place the rest of the markers nearby in easy reach.
- Deploy the starting Units and Leaders for Spain. All Units' names are for historical flavor only. Your Land Units are interchangeable and are set up at full strength unless stated otherwise.
- 3 Divisions (each in its own separate "stack"—see Stacking Units, page 8) in Santiago de Cuba
- 1 Division in Puerto Príncipe
- General Campos in the Captaincy General Box (near Havana)
- All remaining Divisions in the Troop Box on the Spanish Player Aid
- All remaining Leaders and all Fleets off the board
- Deploy the starting Units and Leaders for Cuba. All Units' names are for historical flavor only. Your Land Units are interchangeable and are set up at full strength unless stated otherwise.
Note: The starting Resources for both players already take the Rainy Season for 1895 into account. Do not reduce these Resources as you normally would for the Rainy Season—see 3.4, page 18.
Sequence of Play
The game is played over a series of Game Rounds. Each Game Round is divided into an Action Phase and an Administrative Phase.
During the Action Phase, both sides alternate taking Actions, starting with the Cuban player. This phase ends as soon as both players Pass consecutively (see 2.10, page 17).
In the Administrative Phase, check for Cuban Instant Victory and prepare for the next round (see 6.1, page 21).
There can be as many as seven Game Rounds, but the game can end early if an Instant Victory is achieved (see 6.1, page 21).
Key Concepts
How to Succeed at Anything
Cuba: The Splendid Little War is a "success" based system. During certain actions you will be called upon to roll a certain number of dice and count the total number of Successes you have rolled. After modifications (see below), any die that has a total value of 5 or higher is a Success. Any die that has a total value of 4 or less is a Failure.
Usually, only 1 Success is needed to successfully complete a task, but some tasks benefit from additional Successes. For example, in combat, the amount of damage you inflict is equal to the number of Successes you roll.
The Base Differential
The number of dice you roll is determined by the Action you are taking. Often this will involve subtracting two values, such as the Combat Strength of the Units involved in a battle. The result is called the Base Differential. The minimum for any roll is 1 die. The maximum dice from Base Differential is 3 dice.
The Base Differential can then be modified by a number of factors, increasing or decreasing the number of dice you must roll. In all cases, the minimum for any roll is 1 die.
DRMs
A Die Roll Modifier, called "DRM" for short, is anything that changes the number rolled on the die, rather than the number of dice you roll. For example, a General may give the Units under his command a +1 DRM when attacking. Apply all of the applicable DRMs to every die rolled. Then, determine if any of those dice are Successes.
Example: During combat, the attacker has a Base Differential of 2 after comparing the strengths of the two forces. They gain 1 additional die for attacking a Unit that is Protecting the Fields, so they roll 3 dice, getting two dice and a third. A card they played before combat gives them a +1 DRM, which applies to all three dice, modifying the values to 3, 5, and 7: two Successes.
Stacking Units
There is no limit to the number of Units (from both sides) that can share the same area on the board. Whenever one of your Units is activated to perform an Action, you may freely separate or join together any number of other Units you control in that location to form "stacks" before performing the Action. A stack can have any number of Units. A Unit can also be in a stack by itself.
Example: The Cuban player spends 1 Resource to Move a Unit located in Santiago de Cuba. Before moving, he may freely reorganize all 3 Cuban Units in Santiago de Cuba into any number of stacks he wishes. But, after the Unit moves to Puerto Príncipe (the destination Province), it will not be able to form a stack with any Units that are already there in the same Action.
Units in the same stack may take most Actions together as a group. For example, a stack of three Spanish Divisions can attack or move as a group. There is no additional cost for using a stack to perform an Action instead of a single Unit—essentially, the entire stack is treated like one Unit for most purposes.
Cuban Units and U.S. Units can stack together, but Cuban Units are treated as U.S. Units as long as they are in a stack together. They cannot perform certain actions such as Burning the Fields (see 2.5 page 16) and do not acquire Target markers when acting as part of such a stack (see 1.4, page 10).
Historically, the 5th Cuban Cuerpo under García joined the U.S. Fifth Corps for the battle of Santiago Hill and the siege of Santiago. In fact, it was García who convinced Shafter to not leave the siege, despite suffering 1,500 losses in the battle and having major problems with malaria depleting his lines.
Some Actions the Spanish player may take, such as Protecting the Fields and Forming Search & Destroy Columns, can only be performed by a single Unit (i.e., a Unit alone in a stack by itself). If such a Unit becomes stacked with another Unit, those markers (and the benefits of those actions) are removed.
Leaders and Stacking
You may stack one or more Leaders with Units that you control, including with other Leaders. However, multiple Leaders in the same stack who have the Combat Ability cannot combine their bonuses: somebody has to call the shots!
A General moving alone may join a stack at the end of its move (see 2.2, page 11).
New Units and Stacking
Any time a new Unit enters play for any reason other than the U.S. entering the war, that Unit enters play in its own, separate stack. Units entering play do not allow other Units in that Province to stack or unstack except through a Coordinated Action (see 1.1, page 9).
Naval Units and Stacking
An Admiral must be stacked with a Fleet at all times. If that Fleet is eliminated or removed, the Admiral is also eliminated or removed. You may stack Fleets with other Fleets that belong to the same nation.
Stacking in Cities
All Land Units and Leaders together in a City are considered to be a single stack for all purposes. This rule supersedes all other rules about stacking. We recommend placing those units directly onto the city structures printed on the map. Naval Units can reside at cities as well, and we encourage you to place those in the Stamp symbol just on the edge of the City when there.
[1.0] The Action Phase
During the Action Phase, the players take turns choosing and resolving Actions, starting with the Cuban player. The Action Phase ends when both players choose to Pass, taking no Action and not playing any cards, in consecutive turns (see 2.10, page 17). Then the Administrative Phase begins.
During your turn, you may normally take 1 Action (but see "Coordinated Actions" below) in addition to playing any number of cards (except Special Actions, see section 1.3, page 10). You may only attempt 1 Action, even if the result of that Action is a failure. The various Actions you can take are explained in section 2.0, below.
Most Actions require you to spend 1 Resource in order to take that Action. The Resources you have available are shown on the Resource Track on your player aid. Move your Resource marker down one space on the track for each Resource you spend.
Using Cards to Pay Resource Costs
During your turn, you may discard any 3 cards from your hand (i.e., place them on the discard pile) as if they were 1 Resource to pay for an Action's costs. One-Use cards spent in this way are discarded, not removed from the game (see 1.3, page 10).
[1.1] Coordinated Actions
It is possible to conduct multiple Actions during the same turn by paying for a Coordinated Action. In addition to the normal Resource costs for all of the Actions you want to combine, you must also spend 1 additional Resource for each Action after the first (to represent the additional resources you must spend to "coordinate" multiple hasty actions in a short amount of time). So, you would pay 3 Resources to take 2 Actions, 5 Resources to take 3 Actions, and so on.
The total number of Actions included in a Coordinated Action is not limited, as long as you have the Resources to pay.
You must announce (and pay for) all of the Coordinated Actions you are going to take during your turn before resolving any of them. If a planned Coordinated Action becomes impossible, the Resources spent for it are lost.
Example: The Cuban player wants to attack a Spanish Division in Puerto Príncipe with a stack of Cuerpos in Santiago de Cuba led by General García. He spends 1 Resource to move the stack into Puerto Príncipe, plus 1 more Resource for the Attack Action, and a third Resource for the Coordinated Action.
[1.2] Leadership & the Spanish Captaincy General
Many Actions require you to have a Leader to "give orders" to the Units involved in the Action. In order to take one of these Actions, you must have a Leader of the appropriate type in the same Province or Sea Zone as the Unit you want to perform that Action.
Only Generals can give orders to Land Units, and only Admirals can give orders to Naval Units. Similarly, only Cuban Leaders can give orders to Cuban Units, and only U.S. Leaders can give orders to U.S. Units, except for U.S. Leaders in a stack with Cuban Units. Cuban Units stacked with U.S. Leaders behave like U.S. Divisions and are limited in their Actions (e.g., they cannot Burn the Fields; see 2.0, Action Chart).
Generally, the Leader only needs to be present at the beginning of the Action. The Units receiving the orders can then execute them even if they are separated from the Leader. For example, a General could order a Unit to move into a different Province while remaining behind (possibly even ordering some Units in his stack to move while others remain behind with him).
You may notice that at the start of the game there are no Spanish Generals on the board except the one located in the Captaincy General Box near Havana. Fear not! If there is a Spanish General in the Captaincy General box, it can serve as the required General for any Spanish Unit in any Province, though at an additional cost.
The Captaincy General represents the command and administrative infrastructure of the existing Spanish government in Cuba. In the game, this allows the Spanish player to take Actions with Units that do not have a Leader. However, you must pay 1 additional Resource for any Action taken using this ability.
Example: The Spanish player wants to take a Move Action with a Division in Santa Clara, but there are no Spanish Generals there. Since Campos is in the Captaincy General Box, he can act as a General for the Unit in Santa Clara. The Spanish player must pay 1 Resource for the Move Action, plus a second Resource for using the Captaincy General.
A General in the Captaincy General Box is considered to be in Havana Province. So, it only costs the normal 1 Resource to conduct an Action in Havana using that General.
General Weyler: If Weyler is located in the Captaincy General Box, he cannot apply his Search Ability (see 2.3, page 12) to any Search Tests initiated using a Captaincy General Action.
Entering and Leaving the Captaincy General Box
Any time a new Spanish General enters the game, you may place it directly in the Captaincy General Box if that box is empty, except for General Linares, who may be placed in any Province/City of the Board as Linares is not a Captain General.
As a free move during any Spanish turn, you may move a General that is in Havana City or Havana Province into the Captaincy General Box or vice versa. This does not count as an Action, and there is no cost for moving a General in this way.
The Fall of Havana
If Havana is taken from the Spanish, any General in the Captaincy General box is eliminated and removed from play (Public Support effects apply—see 4.0, page 20).
[1.3] Playing Cards
The cards represent various historical events as well as tactical and strategic methods used by both sides during the war. Each card explains its own effects and any conditions that must be met in order to play that card, along with some brief historical notes.
Important: Any time there is a conflict between the text on a card and these rules, the card text always takes precedence.
Except for Special Actions (see below), all cards can be played without using your Action on your turn. There is no limit to the number of cards you may play on a turn, but you must do everything that is explained on each card played. If you cannot carry out an effect for any reason, then you cannot play that card. With the exception of One-Use Cards (see below), cards go to the discard pile after being played.
Special Action Cards
If a card says that it is a Special Action, playing that card does count as your one Action for that turn. You must also pay 1 Resource to play a card of this type, as you would for most other Actions. Any Actions that are included as part of the effects of that card (such as Move or Attack) do not require the expenditure of additional Resources: these costs are included in the cost of playing the card. A Special Action card may be part of a Coordinated Action.
Example: The Spanish player plays the "José Maceo is Killed" card on her turn, paying 1 Resource to do so. This card requires a Spanish Unit in Santiago de Cuba to Attack a Cuban Unit there. The Spanish player does not have to pay a Resource for the Attack (that cost is covered by the cost of the card), and they can attack even though there is no Spanish General present.
(Card example shown: "José Martí is Killed" – One-Use, Special Action (Costs 1 Resource): 1 Spanish Unit must immediately attempt to Attack a Cuban Unit in the Province occupied by General Gómez. Regardless of the result of the Attack, increase Spanish Public Support by 1 afterwards.)
Reaction Cards
Cards that have the word Reaction are Reaction cards. Unlike other cards, these cards can be played at any time if the requirements on that card are met, even during your opponent's turn. Often, these cards provide a modifier during combat or cancel an opponent's action. Playing a Reaction card does not count as an Action.
One-Use Cards
Usually, after playing a card, you place it face up on the discard pile. Some cards, however, depict historical events that can only occur once. These cards can be used only one time for the entire game.
Cards of this type are marked by having "One-Use" printed near the top of the card text. When these cards are played, after resolving the effects, they are permanently removed from play. However, if a Reaction card cancels the effects of one of these cards, or if the card is discarded to pay for an Action (see 1.0, page 9), it is not removed from the game and is placed on the discard pile instead (since the event effect was not resolved).
(Card example shown: "Yellow Fever" – One-Use: The opposing player must reduce any 1 of their Land Units (of their choice) by 1 step. In 1896 alone, 232,714 Spanish troops contracted malaria or yellow fever (black vomit). Between a third and a half of all Spanish troops were out of duty during the war, and some 41,000 men eventually died of these illnesses.)
Cards that Inflict Damage
Some cards damage Units or remove them from the game. Units affected by such cards are chosen by the player who owns those Units unless the card says otherwise. These losses do not affect the Spanish Public Support level like combat losses do (see 4.0, page 20).
Example: The Cuban player plays the "Malaria" card. The Spanish player must reduce a Spanish Division of her choice 1 step, but the Spanish Public Support is not reduced.
Spanish and U.S. Units are placed in the Graveyard when removed from the board. Cuban Units are returned to the Troop Box (see "Damage to Units," page 14).
[1.4] Target Markers
The key to the success of the Cuban revolutionaries was their ability to operate undetected among the populace, hiding their inferior numbers from the Spanish who sought to destroy them. But, many of the essential operations of the Cuban army, such as moving and recruiting new fighters, had the unfortunate side effect of attracting unwanted attention and alerting the Spanish to their presence. In the game, this is represented through the use of Target markers.
When a Cuban Cuerpo or Lone Cuban General performs any of the following Actions, it immediately receives a Target marker:
- Successfully Recruiting (whether adding a Unit to the map or restoring one to full strength)
- Engaging in a battle (either attacking or defending)
- Burning the Fields
- Moving
The Target marker remains on the Cuban counter until the next Administrative Phase (see 3.6, page 19).
A counter can only have one Target marker at a time. If any Unit or Leader in a stack has a Target marker, it affects all of the counters in that stack. If a counter with a Target marker joins a stack, all of the counters in that stack suffer the effects. If a Unit or Leader leaves the stack, it receives a Target marker of its own while one remains with the rest of the stack also.
As long as a Unit or Leader is affected by a Target marker, Spanish forces receive a +1 DRM on all Search Tests to locate them (see 2.3, page 13). (The Search Table on page 13 lists this as +1 die; the table's "+1 die if Defender has Target Marker" is as printed.)
Cuban Units in a stack with U.S. Units are treated as if they are U.S. Units and do not acquire Target markers.
[2.0] The Actions
Here are the different Actions available to each nationality:
[2.1] Lobby the U.S.
- This Action can be taken by either player
- No Leader required
- Costs 1 Resource
Attempt to influence the U.S. entry into the war by spending 1 Resource and rolling 1 die. If you get a Success, your lobbying effort moves the U.S. Stance marker one space:
- A Cuban Success increases the U.S. Stance by 1.
- A Spanish Success decreases the U.S. Stance by 1.
The effects of the U.S. Stance are discussed in section 5.0, page 20.
[2.2] Move
- This Action can be taken by either player
- Requires a Leader
- Costs 1 Resource
- Applies Target marker (only when Cuban Units move)
Move a stack of Land Units in a Province that includes a General you control to an adjacent Province, or, move a stack of Naval Units that includes an Admiral you control to an adjacent Sea Zone (see Fleet Movement below).
Any number of Units in the same location, including the Leader ordering the action, may be combined into the moving stack or left behind (removed from the stack) as part of the Move Action, for free. Though it is inefficient, you may choose not to move to an adjacent location, but instead to use the Move Action just to re-stack your Units in that location (in preparation for an attack, for example) (see Stacking Units, page 8).
Moving Generals
As an Action, a lone General (with no Units) may move to any Province as long as the General does not pass through or end up in a Province under the enemy's full control (see 3.4, page 18). This Action still costs 1 Resource. Cuban Generals that move in this way still receive a Target marker.
If a Cuban General tries to move past a Trocha, you must roll a die in order to successfully move (see below).
Unlike other Units, a General may immediately join a stack that you control in the destination Province.
Moving into and out of Cities
A City is a distinct location within a Province. The two Cities in the game are Havana City and Santiago City, both of which begin under Spanish control. A City remains under Spanish control until it is taken by the Cuban player, not when just its surrounding Province is taken.
When your Unit enters a Province, it may remain outside the City (i.e., in the countryside) like any other Province or it can move directly into the City if you control that City.
A Unit that is already in a Province with a City may take a Move Action to enter the City if you control it.
A Unit in a City may take a Move Action to exit the City, either moving into that Province or into an adjacent Province as a single Action.
Note: Even though a City is part of a Province, Units in that City cannot perform Actions that affect the rest of the Province (such as Attack, Burn the Fields, or Form Search & Destroy Columns).
Moving into and out of Trochas
A Trocha was a series of fortifications built across the island, with blockhouses and trenches to house soldiers and barbed wire and walls to restrict movement through the area.
A Trocha can only be built by playing the appropriate card, and it can only be built along one of the designated Province borders. Once built, it can be occupied by only a single Spanish Division at a time (with or without Spanish Generals). A Spanish General located in a Trocha can be used to activate Units inside the Trocha or in either of the two adjacent Provinces. Similarly, a General in a Province adjacent to a Trocha can activate a Unit in that Trocha.
If a Trocha is garrisoned by a Spanish Division, any Cuban stack that attempts to move across the Trocha line into another Province must first roll 1 unmodified die and get a Success. If the roll fails, the Unit remains where it was located before. Any Resources spent for the movement attempt are not refunded. Whether the attempt succeeds or fails, the Unit still receives a Target marker. A Trocha does not affect movement by Spanish or U.S. Units (or Cuban units in a stack with U.S. Units), and only Spanish Units and Generals can enter a Trocha.
Moving Fleets
Moving Naval Units is similar to moving Land Units in that it costs 1 Resource and requires an Admiral (or card effect).
You can only move your Naval Units between Sea Zones or into or out of a City that you control within their current Sea Zone. U.S. Units may also enter the Key West space, located within the Atlantic Ocean Sea Zone, in the same manner that they would enter a City within their current Sea Zone. Naval Units can never move into Provinces or enemy-controlled Cities, and Spanish Units cannot enter Key West.
There are two Sea Zones on the map, the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, represented to the north and south of Cuba respectively. For the purposes of movement, Santiago City is considered to be within the Carribean Sea and both Key West and Havana City are considered to be within the Atlantic Ocean, but remember: Spanish Units cannot enter Key West.
Safe Harbor: During the Administrative Phase, all Naval Units automatically return to the nearest friendly City, or Key West if applicable (see 3.6, page 19).
Moving U.S. Land Units (Naval Transport)
U.S. Land Units, which enter play in Key West as a result of U.S. War Entry (see 5.0, page 20), can move, stack, and unstack in the same way that Naval Units do, traveling between Sea Zones and into or out of Cities and Key West. However, moving from a Sea Zone to a Province is a one-way ability. Once in a Province, a U.S. Land Unit cannot use Naval Transport again. They then can move into adjacent Provinces like other Land Units.
U.S. Land Units crossing a Sea Zone are defenseless. They can, however, be protected by stacking with a U.S. Fleet to form a Convoy. They may join or leave a Naval stack at the beginning or end of a Move Action, as normal (see Stacking Units, page 8).
To land U.S. Divisions or Generals in a Convoy, take a Move Action (paying 1 Resource as usual) and move those Units into any Province adjacent to their current location. The Naval Units in that Convoy remain at sea. Once the Land Units enter a Province, they cannot use Naval Transport again.
[2.3] Attack
- This Action can be taken by either player
- Requires a Leader
- Costs 1 Resource
- Applies Target marker (only when Cuban Units fight)
Designate one Unit or stack of Units with a Leader to attack a designated enemy Unit or stack in the same location. You cannot attack only part of a stack: you must attack the entire stack at once. Spanish Units in a Trocha can attack Cuban Units in either adjacent Province, and vice versa.
You are known as the "attacker" in combat, and your opponent is the "defender." In most cases, combat begins immediately (see Combat below). However, when Spanish Units wish to attack Cuban Units, they first have to find them (see Search Tests below).
Search Tests
Before Spanish Units can attack Cuban Units, they must locate them! Cuban guerilla groups were very good at avoiding large search parties, so the larger the Spanish stack, the more difficult this will be.
To make a Search Test:
- The Spanish player declares which Unit or stack will attack and which Unit or stack will be defending.
- Consulting the Search Table (below), determine the number of dice to roll: a. The Base Differential is calculated by subtracting the number of Spanish Divisions that are attacking from the number of Cuban Cuerpos they are trying to locate (do not count Generals in either stack). b. The number of dice you will roll is equal to the Base Differential. If the Base Differential is 0 or less, roll 1 die. c. Add dice based on any Search Modifiers that apply, up to a maximum of 3 dice.
- Calculate any DRMs that apply to the Search Test, as shown on the Search Table.
- Roll the final number of dice and apply all DRMs: a. If at least 1 Success is rolled, the Cubans have been found and the battle commences (see Combat, below). b. If no Successes are rolled, the Spanish fail to locate the Cubans and there is no battle. Any Resources spent are lost.
Search Table
| Cuban Units minus Spanish units | Result |
|---|---|
| -1 or less | 1 die (-2 DRM) |
| 0 | 1 die (-1 DRM) |
| 1 | 1 die |
| 2 | 2 dice |
| 3 or more | 3 dice |
Additional Dice / DRMs (cumulative):
- +1 die if Defender has Target Marker
- +1 die for Search & Destroy Marker
- +1 DRM for Weyler
Example: 3 full-strength Spanish Divisions in Matanzas under the command of General Weyler are attempting to attack a lone Cuban Cuerpo with a Target marker led by Maceo (at a cost of 1 Resource). The Spanish player determines the Base Differential by subtracting 3 Divisions from 1 Cuerpo for a total of -2. Since the minimum is always 1 die, she uses that value instead. The Cuban Cuerpo has a Target marker, so the Spanish receive +1 die, bringing the total to 2 dice. Since the Base Differential was less than 0, the Spanish suffer a -2 DRM, but Weyler's Search ability grants a +1 DRM, for a net modifier of -1. The 2 dice are rolled, getting a {3} and a {6}, which are modified by the DRM to {2} and {5}. That's still 1 Success, so the attack can continue.
Note: Spanish Units do not need to make a Search Test to attack U.S. Units. Cuban and U.S. Units do not need to make Search Tests before attacking Spanish Units.
Combat
When two forces engage in combat (after a successful Search Test, if needed), follow these steps:
- The attacker may play up to 1 appropriate Reaction card or choose not to.
- The defender may also play up to 1 appropriate Reaction card or choose not to (with full knowledge of the attacker's decision). If they play a Reaction card, then the attacker may play a Reaction Card, and so on until either player decides not to play a Reaction card.
- Consult the Combat Table (below) to determine how many dice the attacker will roll. a. Determine the attacker's total Combat Strength by adding the Combat Strength of all units in the attacking stack. Similarly, add the Combat Strength of all units in the defending stack to determine the defender's Combat Strength. Note that Naval Units in Cities and U.S. Divisions at sea (see 2.2, Moving U.S. Land Units (Naval Transport), page 12) have a Combat Strength of 0 and cannot attack or defend. b. The Base Differential is calculated by subtracting the defender's total Combat Strength from the attacker's total Combat Strength. c. Add or subtract dice based on any Combat Modifiers that apply (see chart below) to the Base Differential. d. The number of dice you will roll is equal to the Base Differential with any Combat Modifiers, with a minimum of 1 die. Exception: If you want to attack into a City and your Base Differential is less than 0, you cannot make the attack. (See Combat in Cities, page 15). e. Calculate any DRMs that apply to the Combat Roll (including any on the Combat Table below and from any cards played in Steps 1 and 2).
- Roll the final number of dice, apply all DRMs, and then determine the result. a. If at least 1 Success is rolled, the defender suffers damage equal to the total number of successes (see Damage to Units, below). b. If the attacker does not roll any Successes, the defender may immediately launch a Counterattack for free. This is resolved just like a regular Attack (starting from Step 1, above) except that the defender is now the attacker and the former attacker is now the defender. No Search Test is ever required to make a Counterattack. Regardless of the outcome of the Counterattack, combat ends; you cannot Counterattack a Counterattack. Note: Some cards allow you to make a Counterattack even if the attacker rolls Successes. In this case, always use the defender's beginning Combat Strength for the Counterattack (i.e., their Combat Strength before applying any losses).
- All surviving Cuban Units (attacker or defender) in the battle receive a Target marker (unless part of a U.S. stack).
- Adjust Spanish Public Support (see 4.0, page 20): a. For each Cuban or U.S. Land Unit that suffers damage or is eliminated, increase Spanish Public Support by 1. b. For each U.S. Naval Unit that suffers damage or is eliminated, increase Spanish Public Support by 2. c. For each Spanish Land Unit that suffers damage or is eliminated, reduce Spanish Public Support by 1. d. For each Spanish Naval Unit that suffers damage and is eliminated, reduce Spanish Public Support by 2.
Combat Table
| Attacker Strength minus Defender Strength | Result |
|---|---|
| -1 or less (*) | 1 die |
| 0 | 1 die |
| 1 | 1 die (+1 DRM) |
| 2 | 2 dice (+1 DRM) |
| 3 or more | 3 dice (+1 DRM) |
(*) Not permitted when attacking into cities.
Additional Dice or DRMs (cumulative):
- +1 die if defender is Protecting the Fields
- +1 die if attacking a Convoy
- -1 die if attacking with a Convoy
- -1 DRM if Attacking into a Trocha
- +1 DRM if Maceo or Gomez attacking
- -1 DRM if Maceo or Gomez defending
- +1 DRM if attacking into a city and adjacent sea contains only your fleets
- Successes count twice when attacking into a City.
Example (cont.): Now that General Weyler has located his quarry, it's time to fight! The Spanish player uses the "Ambush!" card, which gives her a +1 DRM for an attack. The Cuban player declines the option of playing a card in this battle. The total Combat Strength of the attacking stack is 6 (3 Divisions x 2 Combat Strength each). Subtracting the defender's Strength (2) leaves a Base Differential of 5. None of the modifiers on the Combat Table apply, so she will roll the maximum 3 dice (even though the Base Differential was higher). Since the Base Differential was more than 0, the Spanish player receives a +1 DRM, and she gets another +1 DRM from the "Ambush!" card. However, Maceo's Combat Ability applies a -1 DRM, so the end result is a +1. The Spanish player rolls 3 dice, getting {2} {3} {4}—only 1 Success after applying the +1 DRM. The Cuban Cuerpo is flipped to its reduced side (see Damage to Units, below).
Normally, there would be no Counterattack, but feeling spiteful, the Cuban player uses "False Retreat," which allows him to make a Counterattack even though the Spanish had a success! The same steps are followed with the Cuban acting as the attacker, and again there is 1 Success, so one of the Spanish Divisions is reduced.
Since both sides had one Unit damaged in the fighting, the Spanish Public Support remains unchanged (+1 then -1). Maceo would receive a Target marker, but he already has one and no Unit can ever have more than one at a time.
Damage to Units
Most Units have two levels of Strength, called "steps."
A "full-strength" Unit has the side with the higher Combat Strength showing. The side with the lower Combat Strength is its "reduced" side. Thus, the Unit has 2 steps.
When a Unit suffers damage from any source, it loses 1 step for each point of damage inflicted. Normally, if a full-strength Unit suffers 1 damage, it is flipped over to its reduced side. If a reduced-strength Unit suffers damage again, it is "eliminated" and removed from the map.
When there is a choice of where to apply damage, the defender decides which Units suffer damage.
Leaders, as well as all Spanish and U.S. Units that are eliminated, are placed in the Graveyard. These Units will not be available again for the rest of the game. Eliminated Cuban Units are placed in the Troop Box; they can re-enter play later with a successful Recruit Fighters Action (see 2.4, page 16).
Generals in stacks are not eliminated, even if enough damage is done to the stack to eliminate them and all other Units in that stack; instead, the General escapes (remaining in the same region of the map) (see Attacking Lone Generals, page 15). However, they do retain any Target marker previously acquired.
Admirals, which must be in stacks with Fleets at all times, are eliminated if their stack is eliminated.
If both stacks/ units are totally destroyed, cancel 1 damage in both sides to avoid this total destruction.
A Cuban Cuerpo at reduced strength can still act and fight as normal, it just does not contribute any value to the total Strength. In contrast, a Spanish Fleet is destroyed after only 1 hit.
Attacking Lone Generals
You can only attack a General if it is not stacked with other Units (Divisions or Cuerpos). To attack a lone General:
- The attacker must make a successful Search Test as described above (hey, it's hard to find just one guy...). As an exception to the normal rules for Search Tests, the General counts as 1 Unit when determining the number of dice to roll.
- If the General is located, the attack is automatically a Success: no die roll is necessary and no Counterattack is permitted.
- The defeated General is removed from play and placed in the Graveyard.
- Adjust Spanish Public Support (see 4.0, page 20): a. For each Cuban or U.S. General eliminated, increase Spanish Public Support by 1. b. For each Spanish General eliminated, reduce Spanish Public Support by 1.
Combat in Cities
There are a few special rules that apply to battles involving Units in Cities:
- Attacking Out of a City: Land Units in a City cannot Attack Units in the surrounding Province. They must first move into the Province (see 2.2, page 11). Note, however, that Land Units in a City can Counterattack normally.
- Attacking Into a City: U.S. and Spanish Units can attack a City in the same Province. Cuban Units can only attack a City if they are stacked with U.S. forces or if they are commanded by General Garcia (who has the Siege ability—see page 4).
- When you attack a City, the normal process is used except that a Search roll is never required.
- Cities have an intrinsic defensive Combat Strength of 1. This Combat Strength is added to any Land Units defending the City (never Naval Units), or the City can defend itself on its own. Naval Units are not considered defenders.
- If there are defending Units, the attacker must eliminate all of them first. Then, if the attacker rolls 1 more Success than needed to eliminate the defending Units, the city is captured. If there was only a Lone General in the City, the attacker must still roll the dice and get at least 1 Success to capture the City even though the General is automatically eliminated.
- If there are no defending Units, the attacker must roll the dice and get at least 1 Success to capture the City.
- If a City is captured, Leaders and any Naval Units in the city belonging to the defending player are automatically destroyed. This supersedes the Lone General rules in Provinces.
- You cannot attack a City with an inferior-strength force! You must have at least the same Combat Strength as the defender. There were no Napoleons in this war, so city sieges were attempted only with numerically equal or superior forces, even by guerilla groups!
- Being in a city provides some protection, but it is a risky place to be cornered! All Successes made by the attacker count twice for the purposes of applying results.
- If an attack captures a City, the attacker may choose to move some, all, or none of their victorious Units into the City (for free).
- If a Spanish City is captured using only Cuban Units, place a Cuba Libre! marker in the City to show that it is controlled by the Cuban player. The marker remains there unless and until the Spanish recapture the City. If the capture was accomplished using any U.S. Units, use the U.S. Control marker instead (the flip side of the Cuba Libre! marker).
Example: Earlier in the war, the Cubans were able to capture Santiago City, which is now defended by a single reduced-strength Cuerpo. Desperate to recover the City, the Spanish attack with 2 full-strength Divisions commanded by General Linares. Even though the Spanish are attacking a Cuban force, no Search Test is needed when attacking into a City. The Base Differential is 2 (4 Strength for the attacking Divisions - 1 for the Cuban Cuerpo - 1 for the intrinsic defense Strength). The Spanish player is only able to roll a single Success during the battle, which is enough to eliminate the already-reduced Cuerpo and enough to take the City back since successes are counted twice when sieging a City! Spanish Public Support is then increased by 2: 1 for recapturing the City, and 1 for eliminating the Cuerpo.
If the Cuerpo had been at full strength, the 1 success (doubled to 2) would have eliminated the Unit, but not recaptured the City.
Naval / Convoy Combat
The following apply when U.S. Units are at sea:
- U.S. Divisions at sea cannot attack. They defend with a Combat Strength of 0 if caught in a naval combat.
- If a U.S. Fleet in a Convoy suffers damage, then a U.S. Division in that Convoy also suffers damage (see 2.3, Damage to Units, page 14).
- If Spanish Naval Units Attack a Convoy, they roll 1 additional die in that battle (to a maximum of 3 dice).
- If a Convoy Attacks or Counterattacks, they roll 1 less die in that battle (to a minimum of 1 die).
[2.4] Recruit Fighters
- Cuba only
- Requires a General
- Costs 1 Resource
- Applies Target marker to new or strengthened Unit
A Cuban General can use this Action to try to add a Cuban Cuerpo to the map or return a reduced Cuerpo to full strength. After paying 1 Resource, consult the Cuban Recruitment Table (below) to see if any DRMs apply, then roll the dice indicated.
If at least 1 Success is rolled, the Cuban player may either add a new full-strength Cuerpo (in a stack by itself) to the Province occupied by the General or flip a reduced-strength Cuerpo in that Province back to full strength.
The new or restored Cuerpo receives a Target marker, but the General who recruited it only receives a Target marker if it's in the same stack as the restored Unit, as the Target marker will apply to the entire stack.
Recruitment Table
| Spanish Public Support | Result |
|---|---|
| 4 or less | 2 dice |
| 5 | 1 die (+1 DRM) |
| 6 or more | 1 die |
Additional Dice / DRMs (cumulative):
- Round 1 or 2: +1 DRM
- U.S. Has Entered the War: +1 DRM
- Reconcentration in Effect: -1 DRM
Example: In Puerto Príncipe, during the 1895 turn, Gomez is attempting to recruit. The Spanish Public Support is at 6. The Cuban player spends 1 Resource and rolls 1 die, getting a {4}. Thanks to the +1 DRM that applies during this Game Round, it's a Success: He adds the Cuarto Cuerpo to Puerto Príncipe and places a Target marker on it.
[2.5] Burn the Fields
- Cuba only
- Requires a General
- Costs 1 Resource
- Applies Target marker
The Cuban revolutionaries can reduce the production of the island by burning the fields. If you have a Cuerpo in a Province that does not have a Spanish Division Protecting the Fields (see below), you may spend 1 Resource to Burn the Fields:
- Place a Burnt Fields marker in that Province covering the resource(s).
- The Cuban Cuerpo taking this action receives a Target marker.
- Reduce Spanish Public Support by 1.
- During the next Administrative Phase, that Province will not generate Resources for either side (see 3.4, page 18).
Remember, if NO Burnt Fields markers are placed during a Game Round, Spanish Public Support will increase by 1 during the Administrative Phase!
[2.6] Request Reinforcements
- Spain only
- No Leader Required
- Costs 1 Resource
The Spanish player can add additional forces to the map with this action. After paying 1 Resource, take exactly 2 Divisions (if available) from the Spanish Troop Box and place them in any Province, Spanish-controlled City, or constructed Trocha. You may place them in the same or different Provinces, as you prefer. Each time you take this Action, you must reduce Spanish Public Support by 1.
Example: The Spanish player feels that she needs to respond to growing unrest in the west, so she takes a Request Reinforcements Action. First, she spends 1 Resource, then she takes 2 Divisions out of the Spanish Troop Box. She places 1 of them in Matanzas and the other in Pinar del Rio. She then lowers Spanish Public Support from 8 to 7.
[2.7] Protect the Fields
- Spain only
- No Leader required
- Costs 1 Resource
In order to prevent raiding parties from destroying crops, Spanish Divisions would be split into smaller garrisons. If you have a Division in a Province, but not in a Trocha or City, you may spend 1 Resource to Protect the Fields:
- Place a Protecting the Fields marker on one Spanish Division in that Province. If that Unit was in a stack, it is immediately unstacked.
- As long as the Division is Protecting the Fields, the Cuban player cannot take a Burn the Fields Action in that Province.
- If the Cuban player attacks a Division that is Protecting the Fields, they receive 1 additional combat die.
- If a Division with a Protecting the Fields marker takes any other Action (including moving, attacking, etc.), or it joins a stack for any reason (such as from a card effect), it immediately loses the marker and is no longer Protecting the Fields.
- If a Division that is Protecting the Fields is attacked, it may Counterattack normally without losing the marker.
[2.8] Form Search & Destroy Columns
- Spain only
- Requires a General
- Costs 1 Resource
In order to better locate and engage Cuban forces, Spanish Divisions can be divided into smaller, coordinated columns. After spending 1 Resource, you can order one Division in the Province or bordering Trocha, but not in a City, to form columns:
- Place a Search & Destroy marker on one Spanish Division. If that Unit was in a stack, it is immediately unstacked.
- If you wish, that Division may then immediately make an Attack in its Province at no additional cost. A Division in a Trocha may attack either neighboring Province.
- As long as the Division has the Search & Destroy marker, it rolls 1 additional die on all Search Tests, making it easier to bring Cubans to battle.
- If a Division with a Search & Destroy marker takes any Action other than move or attack, or it joins a stack for any reason (ex: due to a card effect), it immediately loses the marker.
- If a Division with a Search & Destroy marker is attacked, it may Counterattack normally without losing the marker.
- Divisions in a Trocha that are forming Search & Destroy columns may operate in both provinces bordering the Trocha.
[2.9] Repatriate Divisions
- Spain only
- Maximum once per Game Round
- No Leader required
- Costs 1 Resource
The Spanish player may spend 1 Resource to permanently remove 2 Divisions from the map, placing them in the Graveyard. These Divisions can be at full- or reduced-strength. After removing those Divisions, Spanish Public Support increases by 1.
This action may only be performed once per Game Round, and cannot be performed during the last Game Round (Round 7). After taking this action, flip the Public Support marker to the "Repatriated" side as a reminder. Flip the marker back over during the Administrative Phase (see 3.6, page 19).
[2.10] Pass
You are never required to take an Action during your turn; you do not have to spend any Resources or play any cards. You may choose to pass instead and do nothing. If you do anything on your turn, whether it costs Resources or not, it means that you are not passing.
If you cannot do anything on your turn (if you have no Resources or cards to play, for example), you must pass.
If you pass, your opponent begins their turn as normal. When it is your turn again, you may choose either to take some other action or continue to pass.
If both players pass consecutively (i.e., if your opponent passes immediately after you do), the Action Phase ends and the Administrative Phase begins.
[3.0] The Administrative Phase
During the Administrative Phase, you will check if either player has won the game and prepare for the next Game Round if the war continues. Carry out the following steps in this order:
[3.1] Victory Check
Determine if either side has achieved an Instant Victory (see 6.1, page 21). If so, the game ends immediately.
Instant Victory Conditions:
Any time:
- Spanish Public Support is 0
- No Cuban and No U.S. Units or Generals in play
Administrative Phase:
- Spanish Public Support is 1
- Spanish Public Support ≤ 5 and Cubans control 1 City
- Cubans control both Cities
[3.2] U.S. Stance Hardens
If the U.S. has not yet entered the war, advance the U.S. Stance marker one space higher on the U.S. War Entry Track. If Zafra Forbidden is in effect, tracked by the appropriate marker on the board, the U.S. Stance marker moves up one additional space.
If the marker reaches the 10 space, this immediately triggers U.S. intervention (see 5.0, page 20); resolve that before continuing.
[3.3] Discard Cards
Both players must discard all of their remaining cards, but they may keep cards by spending 1 Resource for each card they want to keep.
Skip steps 3.4 through 3.6 after the seventh (last) Game Round's Action Phase.
[3.4] Produce Resources
Both players calculate their Resource income for the next Game Round. This is primarily based on which Provinces you control, but may be influenced by other factors such as the Leaders you have in play. Keep track of your Resources by moving your Resource marker on your Resource Track.
Province Income
Each Province has a Resource Income value of 1 or 2, indicated by resource icons on the map.
A Province can be in one of three states of control: Spanish controlled, Cuban controlled, or contested:
- If only one player has Land Units (Cuerpos and/or Divisions) in a Province, they fully control that Province. Lone Generals cannot control or contest Provinces.
- If a Province is occupied by Land Units belonging to both players, that Province is contested.
- If a Province has no Land Units, that Province is fully controlled by Spain.
Cites are counted towards control of their Provinces as if they were Land Units. So, for example, if Cuba controls Santiago and Spain controls the rest of Santiago de Cuba Province, control is contested.
If you fully control a Province, you receive the full income value for that Province. If a Province is contested, both players receive half of that Province's income value. Add together any fractions until the end of this step, then round down if needed.
Remember: Cities are Spanish by default, even if the Province is controlled by the Cuban player. If the Cubans or Americans control a City, place the Cuba Libre! or U.S. Controlled marker on that City to track this. Naval Units cannot control a City and do not count towards control of the City.
Burnt Fields
Any Province marked with a Burnt Fields marker produces no income for either side (see 2.5, page 16).
Leader Abilities
Some Leaders have the Resource Ability, indicated by the Resource icon on that Leader's counter. Each icon adds 1 Resource to that side's income each Game Round.
Example: General Weyler provides 2 Resources to the Spanish player each round that he is in play.
Zafra Forbidden
If the Zafra Forbidden card is in effect, tracked by the appropriate marker on the board, the Cuban player must reduce the number of Resources they collect each Game Round by 1.
The Rainy Season
If the next Game Round is a Rainy Season, both players must reduce the number of Resources they produce by 1.
Example: At the end of Game Round 2, Spain controls Pinar del Rio, Havana, Santa Clara (but Santa Clara has a Burnt Fields marker), and Santiago de Cuba. Puerto Príncipe is contested. Cuba controls Matanzas. The only Spanish Leader in play is Campos, and both Cuban generals Gómez and Maceo are on the map. Spain adds up their income, collecting 4.5 Resources from their Provinces plus 1 Resource from Campos' Ability, for a total of 5.5, which rounds down to 5. The Cubans get 1.5 from the contested Provinces plus 1 Resource for control of Matanzas and 1 from Gómez' Ability, for a total of 3.5, which rounds down to 3. Then, since Round 3 is a Rainy Season, both players gain 1 fewer Resource, leaving Spain with 4 and Cuba with only 2. Fortunately, Cuba had 1 Resource left over from the previous turn, giving them a final total of 3 Resources.
Resource Limit
Players keep resources from one round to the next. Add your total Resources generated to your current amount.
Neither player may ever have more than 10 Resources at a time (the highest value on the Resource Track). If you ever acquire more than 10 Resources, the excess is lost.
Similarly, you may never have less than 0 Resources at any time. It is possible to gain 0 Resources for a round, but you cannot lose Resources from this step. If your Resources gained would be a negative number (due to Zafra and/or Rainy Season), gain 0 instead.
[3.5] Refresh Cards
Shuffle all of the cards that are in both the draw deck and the discard pile together to create a new draw deck. Do not include any One-Use cards that have left the game or any cards you spent Resources to keep in your hand. Then, deal a number of cards to each player based on their position on the Resource Track.
Example: Spain has 4 Resources, so they draw 5 cards. Cuba has 3 Resources, so they draw 4 cards.
[3.6] Housekeeping
Now, tidy up the map:
- Remove all Target markers from Cuban Units.
- If there are no Burnt Fields markers on the map, increase Spanish Public Support by 1.
- Remove all Burnt Fields markers.
- Flip the Spanish Support marker back to its "Public Support" side if it is showing the "Repatriated" side.
- Return all Naval Units to the nearest City under their side's control (or Key West, if a U.S. Naval Unit). If there are no Cities under Spanish control, retire the Spanish Fleets from the game, symbolizing their return to Spain.
- Search & Destroy and Protecting the Fields markers remain in play.
[3.7] Advance Game Round
Finally, move the Game Round marker forward to the next space on the Round Track and begin the next Game Round. If this was the last Game Round, check for victory instead as described in "Winning the War" (see 6.0, page 21).
[4.0] Spanish Public Support
Spain was only able to continue fighting the war as long as the Spanish people were willing to support the effort. This is represented in the game by the Spanish Public Support Track on the game board. The lower the Public Support goes, the more likely Spain is to grant Cuba independence (and lose the game—see 6.1, page 21).
Spanish Public Support can never go higher than 10. Various Actions and other effects can change Public Support:
Effects that INCREASE Public Support
- +2 each time a U.S. Naval Unit is damaged in combat
- +1 each time a Cuban or U.S. Land Unit is damaged in combat
- +1 each time a Cuban or U.S. Leader is eliminated in combat
- +1 when Spain recaptures an enemy City
- +1 for each Repatriate Action
- +1 during the Housekeeping Step if no Fields were burned that Game Round
Effects that REDUCE Public Support
- -2 each time a Spanish Naval Unit is damaged in combat
- -1 each time a Spanish Land Unit is damaged in combat
- -1 each time a Spanish Leader is eliminated in combat
- -2 when a Spanish City is captured
- -1 for each Request Reinforcements Action
- -1 each time a Burnt Fields marker is added to the map
Important: Normally, only combat and Actions can affect Public Support. Cards may affect Public Support, but only if they specifically say that they do. If a card damages a Unit, this does not affect Public Support.
[5.0] U.S. Intervention
The U.S. War Entry Track records the current level of animosity between the United States and Spain as a result of the conflict in Cuba. Each Game Round, the current U.S. Stance increases by 1, and certain Actions and cards can influence this value as well. If the U.S. Stance ever reaches the "10" box, the U.S. immediately declares war and enters the conflict. Turn over the U.S. Stance marker to its "War" side as a reminder.
If the U.S. enters the war, the game is temporarily interrupted while you prepare for their intervention:
- Place all 3 U.S. Divisions with General Shafter and the 2 U.S. Fleets (each with an Admiral) in Key West. You may arrange them in a stack or several stacks, as you want (remember that US Divisions do not need a Fleet to move into the Sea, see Moving US Land Units, page 12).
- Put the Spanish Expeditionary Fleet stacked with Admiral Cervera and the Reserve Fleet stacked with Admiral Camara in the Caribbean Sea Zone. (Historically, Admiral Camara's fleet was kept in Spain, but it could easily have been deployed to turn the tide of the war.)
- Immediately increase the available Cuban Resources by 5. (This accounts for the Resource Abilities on all the U.S. Leader Units). As usual, Resources cannot exceed the maximum limit of 10.
- Shuffle the U.S. Intervention Action cards and the discard pile into the draw deck to create a new face-down draw deck.
- Both players now draw cards based on the current position of their respective Resource markers (as per rule 3.5, see page 19). This can happen in the middle of the Action Phase or during the Administrative Phase, in which case the players will draw "double hands" for that Game Round. In either case, keep your old cards and add the new ones to your hand.
- If the U.S. Entry occurs during the Action Phase, the Cuban player automatically gets the next action, even if this means that they get to take a "double turn." The U.S. seizes the initiative!
Note: All U.S. Units are controlled by the Cuban player when they come into play.
[6.0] Winning the War
The game ends as soon as either side achieves an Instant Victory Condition or at the end of the seventh Game Round, whichever comes first. Determine which player won the game and read the associated epilogue!
[6.1] Instant Victory Conditions
If either side fulfills the requirements for an Instant Victory Condition, the game ends immediately. Two triggers will end the game immediately upon fulfillment: Spanish Public Support reaches 0, or if there are no Cuban and no U.S. forces left on the map. The remaining triggers are checked only during the beginning of the Administration Phase.
Cuban Instant Victory Conditions
The Cuban player achieves an Instant Victory Condition if any of the following occurs:
- The Spanish Public Support drops to 0 at any time during play
- The Spanish Public Support is at 1 at the beginning of the Administrative Phase (it can be at 1 during any other part of the turn, but the Spanish had better do something to increase it before the turn is over!)
- The Cubans (not the U.S.) control at least 1 City AND the Spanish Public Support is 5 or lower at the beginning of the Administrative Phase
- The Cubans (not the U.S.) control both Cities at the beginning of the Administrative Phase
If any of these conditions are met, the game ends immediately. If the U.S. has not yet entered the war, the Cuban player wins the game, achieving a Triumph, and the Spanish player is Defeated.
If the U.S. has entered the war, the U.S. interests will supersede those of the Cubans. If the U.S. controls both Cities, the Cuban player will achieve a U.S. Triumph and win the game. If the U.S. controls only one City, the Cuban player will achieve a U.S. Minor Victory and win the game. If the U.S. controls no Cities, the game ends in a Draw and neither player wins.
Spanish Instant Victory Condition
If at any time there are no Cuban Units or Generals on the map and no U.S. Units or Generals on the map, the Spanish achieve an Instant Victory Condition and win the game. The Cubans are Defeated. If the U.S. has not entered the war, this is a Spanish Triumph. If the U.S. has entered the war, this is a Notable Victory.
[6.2] 1898 Victory (End of Game)
At the end of Game Round 7, remember to check for Instant Victory Conditions as described above. If the U.S. has not entered the war and the Cubans have not achieved any of their Instant Victory Conditions, the Spanish achieve a Minor Victory and win the game. If the U.S. has entered the war, but controls no Cities, the Spanish player achieves a Notable Victory and wins the game. If U.S. or Cuban forces control one or more Cities, the game is a Draw and neither player wins.
[6.3] Alternate Historical Epilogues
Based on the level of victory achieved, read the appropriate story below.
Cuban Triumph: Due to the remarkable successes of General Gómez's military campaigns and swift routing of Spanish forces, the Cubans throw off the chains of colonialism and seize their independence free from foreign meddling and interference. Similarly to their powerful northern neighbors, their blossoming democracy spurs more colonial revolts in the region. Through a conglomeration of tobacco and sugar trade alliances and strategic military partnerings with other Latin American countries, Cuba establishes itself as the strongest socioeconomic power in the Caribbean.
U.S. Triumph: The United States intervenes and crushes the Spanish forces in a matter of months, claiming vast swathes of formerly Spanish territory through both the mechanical superiority of weapons like the Gatling gun and the bravery of such legends as Roosevelt's Rough Riders. Cuba is added to the list of countries Spain cedes to the U.S. in the Treaty of Paris, and the U.S. swiftly passes the Platt Amendment just a few years later, preventing Cuba from signing treaties with other nations or contracting public debt. This assures American control of Cuba and establishes the United States as the dominant imperial power in the Americas.
U.S. Minor Victory: Spurred on by the journalistic efforts of Joseph Pullitzer and reports from the U.S. Consul General Fitzhugh Lee, the United States joins the Cuban revolutionaries. Thanks to the large amount of Cuban-controlled territory gained by General Gómez's military successes and the mechanical superiority of U.S. weapons like the Gatling gun, the Cuban-American joint forces drive the Spanish from Cuba. The Treaty of Paris is signed on December 10, 1898 and Spain's claim of sovereignty over Cuba is relinquished. However, despite the Teller Amendment and the promise not to annex Cuba, the U.S passes the Platt Amendment, which prevents Cuba from signing treaties with other nations or contracting public debt. This assures American meddling in Cuban affairs for decades to come.
Draw: Despite American involvement and bloody battles across the island, the war drags on for two more years with no clear triumph for either side. Eventually, political pressures in the Spanish parliament force Spain to abandon the expensive war, leaving Cuba ravaged and war-torn, while the United States, having spent sizable resources in its war efforts, effectively relinquishes control of the island, as well. Due to the passing of the Platt Amendment, America continues its heavy-handed manipulation of Cuban affairs for years, but the stalemate's significant cost destroys any seat of power Cuba may once have held in the Central American theatre.
Spanish Triumph: After Sagasta's infamous speech to Parliament, Spain rallies its forces and tightens its grip on Cuba. Hundreds of thousands of Cubans die in concentration camps as the Spanish root out the remaining rebels, whose actions are further quelled after the slayings of José and Antonio Maceo. The empire is preserved and cultural unity is restored as the province of Cuba is welcomed back as the jewel of the Spanish nation. Spain thus emerges as the most powerful cultural and political force in the West Indies.
Spanish Notable Victory: With the arrival of the Spanish Reserve Fleet and the June 1898 typhoon destroying American efforts to hold Santiago, Spain delivers crippling blows to the United States' navy and infantry and forces the United States into a treaty in a matter of weeks. This humiliation crushes any remaining efforts by the Americans at fostering Carribean influence and reasserts Spanish control of Cuba, driving out the last of the Cuban revolutionaries. Spanish nationalism sweeps the Parliament and bolsters imperialistic efforts for decades to come, reestablishing Spain as the dominating force in Latin America for nearly a century.
Spanish Minor Victory: Dissuaded by threats of Spanish siege and the emergence of the Spanish destroyers Pluton and Furor, the U.S. refuses to aid the Cuban revolutionaries. Spain spends another six months stamping out the Cuban Revolt and retains hold of the island, although Spanish profits from trade and production are greatly diminished. Spain maintains partial control of the West Indies despite continuing coups in Puerto Rico and Latin America, until ultimately relinquishing control of the island during the Spanish Civil War in 1936.
[7.0] Extended Example of Play
It's the beginning of the third Game Round. Let's take a look at the current situation (in the original, a map illustration shows the starting positions).
First, the Action Phase:
Cuban Turn 1: The Cuban player always starts. They open the Game Round by playing "Hearst Yellow Press," which advances the U.S. Stance marker 1 space on the U.S. War Entry Track to "6." After playing the card, they can still take an Action: They spend 1 Resource to move Gómez and the Tercero Cuerpo to Pinar Del Rio, placing a Target marker on them because they moved. The Cuarto Cuerpo is left behind to contest control of Havana, with no Target marker because it did not move.
Spanish Turn 1: The Spanish player decides they must respond to this threat, so they announce a Coordinated Action. Since they are combining 2 Actions into a single turn, they must pay a total of 3 Resources (1 for each Action plus 1 for the "overhead" cost of a Coordinated Action—see 1.1, page 9). They discard 2 cards from their hand to pay for the first Resource, then move their marker down 2 spaces, to the "4," on the Resource Track.
The first part of the Coordinated Action is Request Reinforcements: they take 2 Divisions from the Spanish Troop Box and put them directly into Pinar Del Rio (they can place their new Divisions in any Province on the map). Since they Requested Reinforcements, they must move the Spanish Public Support down 1 space to "4."
The second part is Protect the Fields. They place a Protecting the Fields marker on one of their new Divisions.
Cuban Turn 2: They start by playing another card: "Cuban Great Western Invasion" (One-Use: The Cuban player gains 4 Resources), which gives Cuba 4 Resources, bringing their total to 5—this is a huge windfall for the Cuban player! Since this is a One-Use card, it is permanently removed from play.
(In October 1895, Maceo and Gómez united to form a 4,000-man invasion column, and in three months spread the revolution from Santa Clara to Pinar, destroying and outmaneuvering Spanish units, recruiting troops, and burning fields.)
Then, they Attack the Spanish Division in Santa Clara with Maceo and the Primero Cuerpo. Since the Cubans are attacking, no Search Test is needed and they proceed directly to combat. To improve their odds, they also play an "Ambush!" card. The Spanish player has no combat cards, so they play none.
Comparing their Combat Strength gives a Base Differential of -1, so Cuba starts with 1 die (the minimum is always 1) plus 1 die since the defender is Protecting the Fields, for a total of 2 dice. They roll a {5} and a {2}. Both dice have a +2 DRM (+1 from the Ambush card and +1 for Maceo's Combat Ability), increasing their values to 7 and 4, giving the Cubans 1 Success and 1 Failure.
The 1 Success damages the defender, flipping the counter over to its reduced side. A Spanish Land Unit was damaged, so Spanish Public Support goes down 1. Since they attacked, Maceo's stack receives a Target marker.
Spanish Turn 2: The Spanish player orders Campos (in Havana) to activate the Matanzas Division, with its Search & Destroy marker, and attack the Cuban Cuarto Cuerpo in Havana Province, spending 1 Resource to do so (they do not have to pay an extra Resource for the Captaincy General since the action is occurring in Havana Province—see 1.2, page 9).
First, they have to locate the Cuban forces. Their Base Differential on the Search Test is 0 (1 attacking Spanish Division – 1 defending Cuban Cuerpo), so they get the minimum of 1 die. They add 1 die for the Search & Destroy marker, so they roll 2 dice. But there is a -1 DRM for having a Base Differential of 0. The results are a worthless {2} and a fortuitous {6}, which despite being reduced to a 5 is still a Success. The Cubans have been found and brought to battle!
Neither side plays a card, so they compare Combat Strength: The Spanish 1 minus the Cuban 1 gives a Base Differential of 0 (resulting in the minimum of 1 die). They get a {5}, which is 1 Success. The Cuarto Cuerpo is flipped to its reduced side, and the Spanish Public Support goes up 1 on the news of this "glorious victory" over the Cuban rebels. Finally, a Target marker is placed on Cuarto Cuerpo since it was "found" and survived the attack. The Spanish Attack succeeded, so there is no Counterattack.
Cuban Turn 3: The Cuban player spends another Resource to doggedly continue attacking the Alquizar Division in Santa Clara. After calculating their dice and DRMs, they get 2 dice (1 for the Base Differential plus 1 for Protecting the Fields) with a +1 DRM thanks to Maceao's Ability. Things are looking hopeful for the Cubans... But, they roll an ineffective {1} {2}. Even with Maceo's skills, they completely miss the Spanish troops! This gives the Spanish an opportunity to Counterattack!
Launching a Counterattack with their unscathed Unit, the Spanish player rolls 1 die with a -1 DRM (Maceo's Combat Ability works both ways, giving an advantage in attack and defense—see page 14). The end result is another worthless {2}, so the Counterattack sputters out.
Spanish Turn 3: It seems to be a good time to finish off the Cubans in Havana Province, so the Spanish player spends 1 Resource to launch another attack. Even though they found the Cuarto Cuerpo before, they have to make another Search Test, rolling 3 dice this time (1 base, +1 for Search & Destroy, +1 for the Target marker), again getting 1 Success despite the -1 DRM.
This time, the Base Differential is 0 for 1 die (Spanish Combat Strength 1 - Cuban Combat Strength 1) with no DRM since the Base Differential is 0 or less. They roll {5} and {4}, which equals 1 Success! The Cuarto Cuerpo is destroyed, removing it from the map and boosting the Spanish Public Support by 1.
Cuban Turn 4: The situation looks grim after the defeat in Havana Province. Hoping to regain the initiative, the Cubans try to finish off the Alquizar Division in Santa Clara. As before, no Search Test is needed, and the combat roll results in 1 Success: enough to eliminate the already-reduced Spanish Division and driving Spanish Public Support back down to 4.
Spanish Turn 4: The Spanish player decides that they want to save their remaining 2 Resources and simply Passes, waiting to see what the Cuban's next move will be.
Cuban Turn 5: The Cuban player seizes the opportunity to burn the fields in Santa Clara (spending 1 Resource to do so), which reduces Spanish Public Support by 1 and ensures it won't increase during the Administrative Phase.
Spanish Turn 5: The Spanish player chooses to pass again.
Cuban Turn 6: The Cuban player spends their last Resource for a Move Action, shifting Gómez and his Tercero Cuerpo to Havana Province. They had hoped to burn the fields in Pinar Del Rio, but the Spanish player foiled that with their Coordinated Action. They decide to return their forces to where they started, as splitting the 2 Resources for Havana is more appealing than splitting 1 Resource in Pinar Del Rio.
Spanish Turn 6: Seeing that the Cubans are out of Resources, and concerned at how high the U.S. Stance is, they decide it's worth risking a Resource to attempt a Lobby the U.S. Action. Sadly, they roll a {3}, which has no effect.
Ending the Action Phase: Both players then Pass consecutively, so the Action Phase ends and the Administrative Phase begins. Neither player has won the game, so the U.S. Stance goes up 1 space (to 7). Both players discard the cards they have in their hands, but the Spanish player decides to spend their last Resource to hold 1 card in their hand for the next Game Round. Then, both players add up their Resource income:
The Spanish gain 5 Resources from their Provinces (1 for Pinar Del Rio, 1 for splitting Havana, 1 for Matanzas, 1 for Puerto Príncipe, and 1 for splitting Santiago de Cuba) plus 1 Resource from Campos, for a total of 6 Resources.
The Cubans get only 2 Resources from Provinces (1 each for splitting control of Havana and Santiago de Cuba—although they fully control Santa Clara, the fields were burned so it produces no Resources this turn). They also get 1 Resource from Gómez, for a total of 3 Resources.
Next, all of the cards in the draw decks and discard piles are shuffled. The Spanish player is dealt 6 cards and the Cuban player 4, as shown on their Resource Tracks.
Spanish Public Support remains at 3 because there was a Burnt Fields marker on the map, so the Spanish need to consider their next turns carefully.
Lastly, all of the Target and Burnt Fields markers are removed from the map. There are no Naval Units to send to a City or Key West. The Game Round marker is moved to the next space, and the fourth Game Round can begin....
[8.0] Scenarios
If you are looking for a quicker way to enjoy Cuba: The Splendid Little War, 1895-1898, you can try one of these scenarios. Each scenario begins at a different historical moment in the war and continues until the normal end of the game (Instant Victory or Round 7).
All Units begin in separate stacks unless indicated otherwise. All other Units begin play in the Spanish Troop Box or Cuban Troop box (except those listed in the Graveyard or on the map). Both parties begin with 7 Resources in each Scenario, except in the Spanish American War, that begins with 10 for the Cubans, and 7 for the Spanish.
The various markers are indicated using these abbreviations: (PF) Protecting the Fields marker; (SD) Search & Destroy marker; (R) reduced-strength Unit; (B) Burnt Fields.
(In each scenario below, the "Graveyard:" entry is blank in the original.)
[8.1] The Invasion of the West
Dry Season 1895-96: The Cubans cross the country and expand the revolution across the provinces to Pinar del Río.
- Round 2. PM: Canovas
- Graveyard:
- Cards: Cuban Great Western Invasion
- Units: none
- Spanish Public Support: 7; U.S. Stance: 2
- Provinces:
- Santiago de Cuba (B): Santiago Division (PF); Manzanillo Division (R)(SD); Primero Cuerpo; Segundo Cuerpo
- Puerto Príncipe (B): Pto Ppe Division (PF)
- Santa Clara (B): St Clara Division (PF); Campos and Holguin Division (SD) stacked; Gómez; Maceo; Tercero and Cuarto Cuerpos stacked
- Matanzas (B): Matanzas Division
[8.2] Weyler Counterattacks
Rainy Season, 1896: Weyler begins offensives in Pinar and Havana.
- Round 3. PM: Canovas
- Graveyard:
- Cards: Cuban Great Western Invasion, General Weyler Arrives, and Gómez's Lanzadera Campaign
- Units: Campos
- Spanish Public Support: 7; U.S. Stance: 3
- Provinces:
- Santiago de Cuba: Santiago Division (PF); Manzanillo Division (SD); Holguin Division (SD); Primero Cuerpo; Segundo Cuerpo
- Puerto Príncipe: Pto Ppe Division (PF); Tercero Cuerpo
- Santa Clara (B): St Clara Division (PF); Sancti Spiritus Division (R)(SD); Cuarto Cuerpo
- Matanzas (B): Matanzas Division (PF)
- Havana (B): Havana Division (PF); Weyler and T Mariel Division (SD) stacked; Gomez and Quinto Cuerpo stacked
- Pinar del Rio (B): Pinar Division (PF); Maceo and Sexto Cuerpo stacked
[8.3] Weyler Defeats Maceo
Dry Season, 1896-7: Weyler defeats and kills Maceo in Pinar, attacks in Santa Clara, and blocks Gómez against the Trocha of Jucaro.
- Round 4. PM: Canovas
- Graveyard:
- Cards: Cuban Great Western Invasion, General Weyler Arrives, Gómez's Lanzadera Campaign, José Maceo is Killed, Antonio Maceo is Killed, 1x Construct Trocha, Reconcentration, and Zafra Forbidden
- Units: Campos, Maceo
- Markers: Zafra, Reconcentration
- Spanish Public Support 7; U.S. Stance 5
- Provinces:
- Santiago de Cuba: Santiago Division (PF); Manzanillo Division (SD); Holguin Division (SD); García and Segundo Cuerpo stacked; Primero Cuerpo
- Puerto Príncipe: Pto Ppe Division(R) in the Trocha (with Trocha marker); Gomez and Tercero Cuerpo stacked
- Santa Clara: St Clara Division (PF); Sancti Spiritus Division (R)(SD); Cuarto Cuerpo
- Matanzas: Matanzas Division (PF)
- Havana: Havana Division (PF); T Mariel Division (SD) and Weyler stacked; Quinto Cuerpo (R)
- Pinar del Rio: Pinar Division (PF); Pinar N Division (SD)
[8.4] Canovas is Killed
Rainy Season, 1897: Weyler's final offensive in the East is stopped by the assassination of Prime Minister Canovas.
- Round 5. PM: Sagasta
- Graveyard:
- Cards: Cuban Great Western Invasion, General Weyler Arrives, Gómez's Lanzadera Campaign, José Maceo is Killed, Antonio Maceo is Killed, 2x Construct Trocha, Canovas Assassinated, Sagasta's Speech in Parliament, Reconcentration, and Zafra Forbidden
- Units: Campos, Maceo, Pinar N Division, T Mariel Division, Weyler
- Spanish Public Support: 7; U.S. Stance: 8
- Markers: Zafra, Reconcentration
- Provinces:
- Santiago de Cuba: Santiago Division (PF); Manzanillo Division (SD); Holguin Division (SD); Primero Cuerpo, García and Segundo Cuerpo (R) stacked
- Puerto Príncipe: Pto Ppe Division (PF); T Jucaro Division (SD) in the Trocha (with Trocha marker); Tercero Cuerpo (R)
- Santa Clara: St Clara Division (PF); Sancti Spiritus Division (SD); Weyler and HQ Division (SD) stacked; Gomez and Cuarto Cuerpo (R) stacked; Reforma marker in play
- Matanzas: Matanzas Division (PF)
- Havana: Havana Division (PF); Quinto Cuerpo (R)
- Pinar del Rio: Pinar Division (PF) (with Trocha marker); Sexto Cuerpo (R)
[8.5] The Last Spanish Offensive
Dry season, 1897-98: Blanco begins the cleaning of Santiago de Cuba, but stops to apprise the U.S. Intervention.
- Round 6. PM: Sagasta
- Graveyard:
- Cards: Cuban Great Western Invasion, General Weyler Arrives, Gómez's Lanzadera Campaign, José Maceo is Killed, Antonio Maceo is Killed, 2x Construct Trocha, Canovas Assassinated, Sagasta's Speech in Parliament, Reconcentration, End of Reconcentration, Zafra Forbidden, Zafra is Re-Established, and Weyler's Declaration to the Press
- Units: Campos, Maceo, Weyler, Pinar N Division, T Mariel Division, HQ Division
- Spanish Public Support: 6; U.S. Stance: 9
- Markers: Zafra Ended, Reconcentration Ended
- Provinces:
- Santiago de Cuba: Santiago Division (PF); Manzanillo Division (SD); Holguin Division (R)(SD); Cauto Division (SD) stacked with Linares; Primero Cuerpo; García and Segundo Cuerpo stacked
- Puerto Príncipe: Pto Ppe Division (PF); T Jucaro Division (SD) in the Trocha (with Trocha marker); Tercero Cuerpo (R)
- Santa Clara: St Clara Division (PF); Sancti Spiritus Division (SD); Gomez and Cuarto Cuerpo (R) stacked; Reforma marker.
- Matanzas: Matanzas Division (PF)
- Havana: Havana Division (PF); Blanco in Captaincy General; Quinto Cuerpo (R)
- Pinar del Rio: Pinar Division (PF) (with Trocha marker); Sexto Cuerpo (R)
[8.6] The Spanish-American War
Rainy season, 1898: After a pyrrhic victory in Santiago Hills, the U.S. takes Santiago and destroys the Spanish Fleet; Spain surrenders to the U.S.A.
- Round 7. PM: Sagasta
- Graveyard:
- Cards: Cuban Great Western Invasion, General Weyler Arrives, Gómez's Lanzadera Campaign, José Maceo is Killed, Antonio Maceo is Killed, 2x Construct Trocha, Canovas Assassinated, Sagasta's Speech in Parliament, Reconcentration, End of Reconcentration, Zafra Forbidden, Zafra is Re-Established, Weyler's Declaration to the Press, Papal Mediation, and Armistice
- Units: Campos, Maceo, Weyler, Pinar N Division, T Mariel Division, HQ Division, Cauto Division, Pinar Division
- Add all the U.S. Intervention cards to the deck
- Spanish Public Support: 5; U.S. Stance: 10
- Markers: None
- Provinces:
- Santiago de Cuba: Santiago Division (PF) stacked with Linares; Manzanillo Division (SD); Holguin Division (SD); Primero Cuerpo; García and Segundo Cuerpo stacked
- Puerto Príncipe: Pto Ppe Division (PF); T Jucaro Division (SD) in the Trocha (with Trocha marker); Tercero Cuerpo (R)
- Santa Clara: St Clara Division (PF); Sancti Spiritus Division (SD); Gomez and Cuarto Cuerpo (R) stacked; Reforma Marker
- Matanzas: Matanzas Division (PF), Cardenas Division
- Havana: Havana Division (PF); Guanajuay Division; Blanco in Captaincy General; Quinto Cuerpo (R)
- Pinar del Rio: Alquizar Division (PF) (with Trocha marker); Sexto Cuerpo (R)
- Key West: Place all U.S. Generals, Admirals, Divisions, and Fleets in one or more stacks, determined by the Cuban player.
- Caribbean Sea: Spanish Expeditionary Fleet stacked with Admiral Cervera; Reserve Fleet stacked with Admiral Camara.