Twilight Struggle

Does the USSR's 3 starting Influence in East Germany include its 6 free Eastern Europe Influence?

No. The 3 in East Germany are fixed setup Influence; the USSR's 6 discretionary markers go anywhere in Eastern Europe on top of that, so East Germany can end setup with more than 3. The designer confirmed this reading when the example of play seemed to show a different total.

How much US Influence goes in Australia at setup, and what is the US total?

Four in Australia. The designers' errata corrected the first printing to 23 US Influence including 4 in Australia; the later rules added 2 more in Canada, so current editions place 25 in total.

Does the US start with 2 Influence in Canada?

Yes, in the Deluxe edition and later. The designer called this extra Canadian Influence the only mandatory change in that edition; older rule sets and printings don't include it, so follow the current setup.

Is the tournament balancing bid made in VP or in Influence?

In Influence. The designers changed the tournament bid from VP to extra starting Influence in the 2008 reprint, matching how tournaments were already run. Bid for sides before dealing; after the deal the USSR places its free setup Influence, then the US.

Is Saudi Arabia a Battleground country?

Yes. The designers' errata says its stability number should have been printed in red; it is a Battleground. Later printings fix the map.

Is it a misprint that Thailand is a Battleground but Vietnam is not?

No, it is deliberate. The designer explained that Vietnam already features on several cards (Vietnam Revolts, Quagmire, Southeast Asia Scoring) and that US policy in the region was really aimed at Thailand.

During setup, does Influence have to be adjacent, and does it cost double in a country the opponent controls?

Neither. Setup Influence isn't bought with Operations points, so neither adjacency nor the 2-for-1 cost applies; place it anywhere in the area the setup names.

What is the +2 US Influence bonus, and where can it go?

It is a balancing convention, not a core rule. Because the USSR is generally considered stronger, players often bid Influence for sides, and an extra 2 US Influence became the usual tournament balance. It is placed after normal setup, in countries where the US already has Influence.

How does the blind bid for sides work in the Deluxe rules?

Each player secretly writes a side and a number of Influence. If they choose different sides, each gets their choice with no bonus. If both want the same side, the higher bid gets it and the other player receives extra setup Influence equal to that bid; ties are broken randomly.

Is the Chinese Civil War variant mandatory, and should it be combined with the optional cards?

It is optional, even though later editions print it on the map. The designer advised against combining it with the full set of optional cards because together they tilt the game too far toward the US.

To control a country, is exceeding the opponent's Influence by the Stability Number enough on its own?

Yes. Since Influence can't be negative, beating the opponent by at least the Stability Number already means you have at least that much Influence. The designer said redundancies like this were added for the benefit of first-time players.

Who controls a Stability 1 country when both players have 1 Influence there?

Nobody. Your Influence must exceed your opponent's by at least the Stability Number, so a tie never gives control.

How much Influence do I need to take control of a country my opponent has Influence in?

Their Influence plus the country's Stability Number. With 4 USSR Influence in Japan (Stability 4), the US needs 8. While the opponent still controls the country, each of your markers there costs 2 Operations points.

Do I lose control of a country as soon as my margin drops below its Stability Number?

Yes. Control is checked continuously. With 3 US and 1 USSR Influence in South Africa (Stability 3), nobody controls it; a printed example that shows otherwise is wrong.

Is there a maximum amount of Influence a player can have in one country?

No. There is no cap, and both players can pile up large amounts in the same country; use higher-value markers to show the totals.

Do the USA and USSR spaces count as adjacent controlled countries for war cards such as Brush War?

Yes, according to the long-standing collected designer rulings: each superpower space counts as a country controlled by that side when an event checks for adjacent controlled countries.

Do dotted or differently styled lines on the map count as connections?

Yes. Every connecting line counts for adjacency; the styles only distinguish links within a region from links between regions.

Is Japan adjacent to the USA?

Yes. The thick line links Japan to the US superpower, so the US can place there and USSR control of Japan earns the bonus for countries adjacent to the enemy superpower. It does not link Japan to Canada, Mexico or Cuba.

Are countries that touch the same superpower, such as Canada and Mexico, adjacent to each other?

No. Each is adjacent only to the superpower. The USA touches Canada, Mexico, Cuba and Japan; the USSR touches Finland, Poland, Romania, Afghanistan and North Korea.

Are geographic neighbours like France and Benelux, or Turkey and the USSR, adjacent?

No. Only countries joined by a line on the map are adjacent. The board deliberately follows political ties rather than strict geography, so some real neighbours are not connected.

Are North Korea and South Korea adjacent?

Yes. They are connected, though the link is hard to see against the artwork of China.

Do Austria and Finland count as Western Europe, Eastern Europe, or both?

Both. Their two-tone shading puts them in both subregions, so events naming either Eastern or Western Europe (Warsaw Pact Formed, Marshall Plan, setup placement) can affect them. Likewise, every Southeast Asia country is also part of Asia.

Are Turkey and Greece in Western or Eastern Europe?

Western Europe. The split follows Cold War alignment, not geography.

Is Canada part of Europe?

Yes. Canada belongs to the Europe region for scoring and events.

Can players look through the discard pile and the removed cards during the game?

Yes. The designer ruled that anything a player could track anyway is public, so both the discard pile and the cards removed from the game can be checked at any time. Only the draw deck and the opponent's hand are hidden.

“So the discard pile, as well as cards that have been removed from the game are reviewable at any time.”

— JasonMatthews, designer

Do the different editions of the map change gameplay?

No. The designer says the map has not meaningfully changed since first publication; editions differ in card tweaks and art. The 20th Anniversary edition adds an optional alternate-history variant that changes Asia.

Is the rulebook's example of play reliable?

Not entirely. The designers acknowledged errors in it (Korean War's DEFCON drop isn't applied, Central America presence is miscounted), and it still uses the old 2 Ops Red Scare/Purge, among other slips. Where the example and the rules disagree, follow the rules.

Is there an official solo mode?

No. The rules contain no solitaire system; solo players use fan-made variants or play both sides.

When are held cards revealed at the end of a turn, and is it only a tournament rule?

Under the designer's 2013 errata, held cards are revealed before Military Operations are checked, in every game: the two end-of-turn steps swap places and the reveal is no longer tournament-only. You only show the bottom, red-striped part of each held card to prove none is a Scoring card. Later Deluxe printings kept the old order (Military Operations first, reveal for competitive play) but added a note with the same effect: if a player reaches 20 VP during the Military Operations check, held cards are revealed first, and a player holding a Scoring card loses. Either way, a Military Operations award can't rescue a player who is holding a Scoring card.

“Phase E (Check Military Operations Status) and Phase F (Reveal Held Card) should swap places in the sequence of play”

— ASGupta, designer

Do I lose for holding a Scoring card at the end of a turn even in a casual game?

Yes. Scoring cards may never be held, and a player who ends the turn with one in hand loses, tournament or not. If both players are caught holding Scoring cards, the US wins. The Space Race discard ability can't be used to dodge this, because held cards are checked before that discard happens.

Do held cards make my hand grow each turn?

No. You are only dealt up to the hand size for the period (8 in the Early War, 9 from turn 4), so every card you held over means one fewer new card. The China Card never counts toward hand size.

“No you are dealt cards up to the hand size for that era. So if you're holding more cards you are dealt fewer cards.”

— JasonMatthews, designer

Can I end a turn holding more than one card, and do I have to discard the extras?

Yes, and no. Playing the China Card, taking a card with SALT Negotiations, or being stuck under Quagmire or Bear Trap can leave you with several cards, and you keep them all into the next turn. There is no end-of-turn discard; you simply draw fewer cards. Scoring cards are the exception, since they may never be held.

Can I discard the card I'm holding at the end of a turn and draw a fresh one?

No. Leftover cards stay in your hand. The only way to discard a held card at turn end is the Space Race ability that allows it, and that discard can't be a Scoring card.

Can I pass an action round instead of playing a card?

No. If you have a card in hand, you must play one each action round, even if every option hurts. You are never forced to play the China Card, and an 8th action round from the Space Race or North Sea Oil is optional. A held card isn't required either: if discards leave you short, you just end the turn with nothing held.

What happens if I run out of cards before the action rounds are over?

You sit out your remaining action rounds and your opponent keeps playing, possibly several rounds in a row. Nobody draws cards during a turn. A player left holding only the China Card is not forced to play it.

Who goes first in each action round, and are cards played at the same time?

The USSR acts first in every action round of every turn, then the US. Only headlines are chosen and revealed together; in action rounds each player plays and fully resolves a card before the other chooses theirs.

In the Headline Phase, which headline resolves first?

The one with the higher Operations value; on a tie the US headline goes first. Scoring cards count as 0, so they always resolve second.

Does the Headline Phase count as an action round?

No. The headline is a separate phase before the action rounds, which is why effects that trigger at the end of an action round, such as NORAD, don't fire during it.

Does the second headline resolve against the board as the first left it, and can it use the first headline card?

Yes to both. Headlines resolve one at a time, and each card is discarded (or removed) as soon as it resolves. So a SALT Negotiations or Star Wars headline that resolves second can take the opponent's first headline card from the discard pile, but a headline that hasn't resolved yet can't be taken.

Does a Red Scare/Purge headline reduce the Ops of my opponent's headline in the same turn, such as Junta?

Yes. Revealing headlines together doesn't make them simultaneous plays. Red Scare/Purge resolves first and is already in effect when Junta's event uses its Ops, so Junta loses 1 Op exactly as it would in an action round.

“yes, Red Scare/Purge modifies Junta when they are played in the same Headline Phase, just as it would in the regular action rounds.”

— JasonMatthews, designer

Can I headline a card with my opponent's event?

Yes. Any card except the China Card and UN Intervention can be headlined. A headline is played for its event, so an opponent's event resolves for them and nobody gets Operations points. It is sometimes a useful way to clear a bad card.

Can I headline an event whose prerequisite isn't met, such as NATO or Solidarity?

Yes. The event has no effect and the card is discarded, not removed, so it can come back later. Players sometimes do this deliberately to get rid of a card.

Which cards can't be headlined?

The China Card and UN Intervention, since UN Intervention has to be played together with another card. Everything else can be headlined, Scoring cards included.

If my headline event grants Operations points or a coup, can I use them in the Headline Phase?

Yes. You can't headline a card just for its Ops, but when the event itself gives you Ops or a free coup (CIA Created, Lone Gunman, Junta, a boycotted Olympic Games), you use them right away in the headline. That can mean an early coup, so watch DEFCON.

Is my chosen headline card still in my hand for events like Cambridge Five, Five Year Plan, Grain Sales or Missile Envy?

No. Once a card is committed as a headline it is no longer in your hand, even if it resolves after the opponent's headline or was revealed early. The designer agreed that a headlined Scoring card doesn't count for Cambridge Five.

If a headline event drops DEFCON to 1, who loses?

The player who headlined that card, even when it is the opponent's event. Each headline's player counts as the phasing player while it resolves, and headlines resolve one after another, so they never cause DEFCON 1 together.

If the first headline gives a player 20 VP, does the second headline still resolve?

No. Reaching 20 VP ends the game immediately, so the second headline, often a Scoring card resolving last, never happens.

In what order are cards dealt each turn?

One at a time, alternating, starting with the USSR. If the deck runs short, the US ends up with the smaller hand; if it runs out partway, the remaining cards are dealt first and then the reshuffled discards. The order comes from the tournament rules but is the standard way to deal in any game.

When is the discard pile reshuffled, and is it shuffled in when the Mid War or Late War cards are added?

Discards are reshuffled into a new draw deck only when the draw deck runs out. When the Mid War (turn 4) or Late War (turn 8) cards come in, shuffle them into whatever remains of the draw deck and leave the discard pile alone. Removed cards never come back.

If the draw deck is exactly empty at the end of a turn, do I reshuffle before adding the next war's cards?

Yes. The rules say to reshuffle the discards as soon as the draw deck is empty, not when a card next needs to be drawn, so an exactly empty deck is reshuffled right away and the new war's cards are then shuffled into that deck. A minority of players read it as reshuffling only when a draw is needed, which would deal the first turn of the new war from the new cards alone, but the wording favors reshuffling at once.

If the draw deck runs out in the middle of an event like Our Man in Tehran, do I reshuffle and keep drawing?

Yes. Reshuffle the discards into a new deck as soon as it's needed, even mid-action round, and keep drawing. The designer confirmed the reshuffle for Our Man in Tehran.

What is the 8th space on the action round track for?

An extra action round: for a player who reaches the last Space Race box first, or for the US after North Sea Oil. Normally turns 1-3 have 6 action rounds and turns 4-10 have 7. Taking the 8th round is optional.

Who is the phasing player when an opponent's event resolves during my action round?

You are. The phasing player is whoever's action round it is, even while the opponent's event resolves. The opponent still makes the event's choices.

Can I play a card with my opponent's event as an event so that nothing happens?

No. In an action round you may only choose the Event option for a card whose event is yours or belongs to both sides. A card carrying your opponent's event must be played for Operations, and their event then fires. The designer confirmed this is the intended reading and corrected the wording of rule 7.1 accordingly. To get rid of such a card without its event, send it to the Space Race.

“cards with the opponent's associated Event may not be played purely as events. Instead they must be played as operations, with the opponent's event occurring as per 5.2.”

— ASGupta, designer

If I play a card with my own event for Operations, does the event also happen?

No. A card with your own event is played either for its Event or for its Operations points, never both. If you take the Ops, the event is skipped and the card goes to the discard pile, so it can come back after a reshuffle.

If I play a neutral card (half red, half blue star) for Operations, does anyone get its event?

No. A card whose event belongs to both superpowers behaves like your own card: you pick the event or the Ops. Played for Ops, the event simply does not happen for either side.

Does my opponent's event still happen if I use their card for a coup or realignment rather than placing Influence?

Yes. Any use of the card's Operations points, whether Influence, realignment rolls or a coup, triggers the opponent's event. The only routine way to play the card without the event is the Space Race.

When I play my opponent's card for Operations, who decides whether the event or my Operations go first?

You do. The phasing player (the one who played the card) chooses whether the opponent's event resolves before or after the Operations, and whichever goes first is resolved completely before the other starts.

If I let my opponent's event resolve first, do I have to announce how I will spend the Operations points?

No. You only say you are playing the card for Operations. You decide whether to place Influence, realign or coup after the event has finished, so you can react to what it did. DEFCON restrictions are checked when you actually make the coup, so an event that degrades DEFCON first can rule one out.

Does playing my opponent's card on the Space Race trigger its event?

No. A card sent to the Space Race never triggers its event, which makes the Space Race the standard way to dump a dangerous opponent card (once per turn). The card is discarded, not removed, so it can return after a reshuffle.

What are the ways to get rid of an opponent's card without its event happening?

Play it on the Space Race, play it together with UN Intervention, discard it when Quagmire, Bear Trap or Blockade calls for a discard, or just hold it into the next turn. Otherwise any Operations use triggers the event.

If my opponent plays my event card for Operations, can I decline the event?

No. The event happens automatically whether either player wants it, unless it is cancelled or its prerequisite isn't met. If it is a starred card, it is then removed from the game.

When my opponent's event triggers from my Operations play, who makes the choices in it?

The event's owner. It is implemented as if they had played it, so they choose where Influence goes or comes from, roll for any war, and collect its benefits.

Is a starred (*) card removed from the game when its event fires because the opponent played it for Operations?

Yes. A starred card leaves the game whenever its event actually happens, no matter who played it or why. That includes events that fire from an opponent's Operations play and starred cards played as headlines.

If I play my own starred card for Operations, is it removed from the game?

No. The star only removes a card once its event has happened. Played for Operations (or on the Space Race) without the event, it goes to the discard pile and returns after a reshuffle.

If a starred event can't happen because its condition or prerequisite isn't met, is the card removed or discarded?

Discarded. An event that cannot occur never happened, so the card stays in the game; the designer ruled this for Star Wars, Kitchen Debates and Our Man in Tehran. An event that does occur but finds nothing to affect (Independent Reds with no USSR Influence, say) did happen, so a starred card is removed.

“Note: I realize this contradicts the way this card has generally been played, but the original intent was that this card not be removed if the condition does not obtain.”

— ASGupta, designer

Can a Scoring card be played as a 0 Ops card, for example to make a coup?

No. Scoring cards can only be played as events. The rules say they are treated as having a Headline Value of zero precisely to set them apart from cards that really have zero Ops.

“The reason we use the phraseology "is considered to have" is to distinguish Scoring cards from actually having an Ops value of zero.”

— JasonMatthews, designer

When an event says to add or place Influence, do adjacency and the double cost in enemy-controlled countries apply?

No. The designer's general rule is to follow the card text exactly: Influence an event tells you to add or place goes anywhere the card allows, with no adjacency requirement and no 2-for-1 cost in a country your opponent controls. Events that instead give you Operations points to spend (CIA Created, Lone Gunman, ABM Treaty) follow the normal Operations rules.

Can an event let me do something the normal rules forbid?

Yes. Card text takes precedence over the written rules. Tear Down This Wall, for example, allows a coup in Europe despite DEFCON restrictions, and Influence-placing events skip adjacency and double costs.

When an event makes me discard a card, can I discard one with my opponent's event, and does that event happen?

Yes, you may, and no, it doesn't. Any card meeting the event's requirements may be discarded unless the text says otherwise, and a discarded card's event never fires. That is why discard events can backfire on the player who triggers them.

Can I discard a Scoring card when an event tells me to discard?

Yes, unless the event says otherwise. Five Year Plan's random discard can hit a Scoring card, for example. The China Card is never part of your hand, so it can never be discarded this way.

What happens if an event makes me discard but I have no cards in hand?

The discard part has no effect. If discarding is how you avoid a penalty, though, as with Blockade, you can't avoid it and the penalty applies.

What does it mean when a card's title is underlined, and how does that work with an asterisk?

An underline marks a lasting effect: keep the card or its marker beside the board as a reminder. An asterisk means the card leaves the game once its event happens. A card with both, such as NATO, is removed from the deck but its effect keeps running.

Can an Early War event without an asterisk happen again in the Mid and Late War?

Yes. Unstarred cards go back into the draw deck at each reshuffle and can recur for the rest of the game, and SALT Negotiations or Star Wars can pull them back even sooner. Starred cards are only removed once their event happens, never just because a new war period starts.

When a war card succeeds, what does replacing all of the opponent's Influence mean?

Remove every opposing Influence in the target and add that same amount of your own on top of what you already had. India with 2 US and 3 USSR becomes 5 US and 0 USSR after a US win. This applies to Brush War, Indo-Pakistani War, Korean War, Arab-Israeli War and Iran-Iraq War.

Can I target a war card at a country where my opponent has no Influence?

Yes. War events have no Influence requirement, so you can launch one just for the Military Operations and the chance at VP. Unlike a coup, it does not need enemy Influence in the target.

Does the target country itself count among the adjacent countries for a war card's die-roll modifier?

No, only countries adjacent to the target count. Arab-Israeli War is the exception, because its text explicitly includes Israel itself. Read each war card's wording.

Who rolls and scores the VP for a war card?

The side whose event it is. Neutral wars (Brush War, Indo-Pakistani War) favor whoever plays them as events. USSR wars (Korean War, Arab-Israeli War) always resolve for the USSR, even when the US triggers them by playing the card for Operations.

What happens if I announce an illegal play, such as a coup in a DEFCON-restricted region?

Nothing is lost except information. Take it back and either use the same card legally or play a different card; the illegal attempt doesn't use up your action round.

If an event removes more of my Influence than I have in a country, does my opponent gain the difference?

No. You just lose what you have there. Only a coup converts excess into opposing Influence.

How do events that begin with 'If' work when the condition isn't met?

The event can't occur, so the card is discarded instead of removed. NORAD is the exception: its 'if' only sets when the bonus Influence is placed, so the event itself can always be played.

Can I split one card's Operations points between placing Influence, realignments and a coup?

No. All of a card's Ops go to a single kind of action: Influence placement, realignment rolls, one coup attempt, or one Space Race attempt. Influence and realignments may still be spread over several countries.

Do I have to spend every Operations point on a card, for example when I run out of good realignment targets?

No. The designer explained that the word 'all' only stops one card's Ops being divided between different kinds of action; you may make fewer realignment rolls or place fewer Influence than the card allows.

“I don't think Ananda and I ever intended that you must play a realignment if you don't wont. Nor do you HAVE to play influence points, if you would rather not.”

— JasonMatthews, designer

Can I place Influence next to a country I entered earlier in the same action round?

No. Each marker must go in or next to a country where you had Influence at the start of the action round (or next to your superpower). Markers you place during the round don't extend your reach until a later play, so you can't chain across a region.

If an event removes my Influence before I spend the card's Ops, can I still place Influence from where it was?

No. The designer confirmed that once an event wipes out your Influence in a country, you can't expand from it, even though it was there at the start of the action round. When you play an opponent's card that will do this (Suez Crisis, Voice of America, Muslim Revolution), take the Ops first if you need that foothold.

“If you lose your influence as a result of an event, you may no longer daisy chain out from it, regardless of questions of timing.”

— JasonMatthews, designer

Can Influence an event just gave me, such as The Iron Lady's USSR Influence in Argentina, be used as a base for the same card's Ops?

No. Only Influence that was on the map at the start of the action round counts for placement, so Influence the event added that round can't be used to reach Argentina or its neighbours.

Can I place Influence in a country next to my superpower even with no Influence nearby?

Yes. Countries adjacent to your own superpower are always eligible: Canada, Mexico, Cuba and Japan for the US; Finland, Poland, Romania, Afghanistan and North Korea for the USSR.

Can I reach a country through the enemy superpower, such as the USSR going from Japan through the USA to Mexico?

No. A superpower is not a stepping stone. A link to a superpower only makes that country adjacent to the superpower, not to the other countries it touches, and you only ever count your own superpower for placement.

How many Ops does it cost to place Influence in a country my opponent controls?

2 Ops per Influence while they control it, 1 otherwise. You pay one point at a time, so as soon as your placements break their control, each further point costs 1. Influence added directly by an event never pays this extra cost.

With one card, can I put several Influence in one country, or spread them over several countries?

Either. You may stack all the points in one country or split them however you like, as long as each target qualifies. You only need Influence in or next to the target, not control of the neighbouring country.

Can I keep adding Influence to a country I already control?

Yes. Overcontrol is legal and common, especially in key Battlegrounds: every extra point makes the country more expensive for your opponent to break, since they pay 2 Ops per Influence while you still control it.

Can I move my Influence to another country or remove it voluntarily?

No. Influence on the map only moves or leaves when a card says so (De-Stalinization, for example) or through coups and realignment. The rule about exchanging markers only lets you swap denominations within one country.

When an event gives me Operations points to use (CIA Created, Lone Gunman, ABM Treaty), do the normal rules apply?

Yes. Ops granted by an event are real Operations: adjacency, the 2-for-1 cost in enemy-controlled countries and DEFCON limits all apply, and you may use them for Influence, realignment or a coup. This is different from events that simply tell you to place Influence.

If Containment and Red Scare/Purge (or Brezhnev Doctrine and Red Scare/Purge) both apply, which goes first?

Neither. All modifiers to a card's Ops are added together, so a +1 and a -1 cancel and the card plays at its printed value. The designer pointed to the rule on aggregating modifiers.

“Yes this stuff is in the rules. See 7.4 and subsequent ... You aggregate the cards.”

— JasonMatthews, designer

With Red Scare/Purge and Vietnam Revolts both affecting the USSR, is a 1 Op card worth 1 or 2 in Southeast Asia?

1, by the usual reading: the -1 and +1 are summed first and cancel. Some players apply the floor of 1 first and then add Vietnam Revolts for 2, and some online versions once did this, but most experienced players treat that as wrong.

Is there a maximum Ops value a card can reach?

There is no general cap. Containment and Brezhnev Doctrine can't raise a card above 4 and Red Scare/Purge can't lower one below 1, but Vietnam Revolts and the China Card's Asia bonus can go higher. A 4 Ops card spent entirely in Southeast Asia under Vietnam Revolts is worth 5, and the China Card can reach 6.

Do Ops modifiers like Red Scare/Purge or Containment also change Space Race requirements, discard thresholds and Ops granted by events?

Yes. A modified card counts at its modified value for every purpose. Under Red Scare/Purge a 2 Ops card can't meet a 2 Ops Space Race box or a Quagmire discard. Under Containment the US can discard a 2 Ops card to Blockade. The designer ruled that the 4 Ops from a boycotted Olympic Games are reduced by Red Scare/Purge too.

Do Containment, Brezhnev Doctrine and Red Scare/Purge depend on who plays the card or whose event is on it?

Who plays it. Containment boosts every card the US plays for Ops, Brezhnev Doctrine every card the USSR plays, and Red Scare/Purge cuts every card the victim plays, whichever side's event is printed on them.

What do I need to coup a country? Must it be adjacent to my Influence or controlled by my opponent?

Only enemy Influence in the target and a region that DEFCON allows. You need no Influence of your own nearby, the target needn't be a Battleground or controlled by your opponent, and you may even coup a country you control if they have some Influence there.

Can I split a card into several coups, or use only part of its Ops for a coup?

No. A coup uses the whole card on a single attempt, so one card gives one coup and a failed coup refunds nothing.

“You must use the whole card for the coup.”

— ASGupta, designer

How is a coup resolved, and how much Influence changes?

Roll one die and add the card's Ops. If the total beats twice the target's Stability Number, the difference first removes enemy Influence and any excess becomes your Influence. A total that only equals double the stability fails. A margin of 1 against 1 enemy Influence just removes it; you'd need 2 to also add one of yours.

What happens when a coup fails? Does DEFCON still drop?

Influence stays as it was, but the attempt still counts: you gain Military Operations equal to the card's Ops, and a coup in a Battleground degrades DEFCON whether or not it succeeds.

Can I let my opponent's event place Influence first and then coup that country with the same card's Ops?

Yes. Since you choose the order, you can resolve Allende first and then use the Ops to coup Chile, which now contains USSR Influence.

Where can I make a realignment roll?

In any country with at least one enemy Influence, in a region DEFCON allows. You don't need Influence there or nearby, but without it you get no modifiers of your own. You can't realign a country where only you have Influence.

Can I lose my own Influence when I make a realignment roll?

Yes. Both players roll with modifiers, and whoever is higher removes the difference from the other side's Influence in the target. If your opponent wins, you lose Influence there. Realigning where you have none carries no such risk.

Can a realignment roll add Influence for the winner?

No. Realignment only ever removes Influence from the loser; only a coup can add Influence.

How many realignment rolls does a card give, and can they hit different countries?

One per Operations point. Resolve them one at a time, choosing each target after seeing the last result, in the same or different countries. Modifiers are recalculated before every roll, and a tie still spends that point.

Which modifiers apply to a realignment roll, and is an adjacent superpower worth +1 or +2?

Each player adds +1 per adjacent country they control, +1 if they have more Influence in the target, and +1 if their superpower is adjacent. The superpower counts once, so it is +1, not +2. Both players add their own modifiers, not just the one realigning.

Can a modified coup, realignment or war roll go above 6 or below 1, and does a natural 6 always succeed?

Modified rolls aren't capped: a 6 with +2 counts as 8, and stacked penalties can push a result to 0 or less. A natural 6 has no special meaning; only the modified total matters.

Do realignment rolls lower DEFCON or count as Military Operations?

No to both. Realignments never change DEFCON and give no Military Operations, but DEFCON still bars them in the same regions as coups.

Where do the Space Race markers start?

Both start in the Start box at the left end of the track. The first successful attempt moves you into the first numbered box, Earth Satellite.

How does a Space Race attempt work, and what do the two VP numbers on a box mean?

Play a card whose Ops meet the next box's printed minimum (the box number is not the requirement) and roll; land in the box's range and you advance. The first player to reach a box takes the larger VP number, the second the smaller. You score each box once, when you reach it.

How many Space Race attempts can I make per turn, and what happens to the card?

One per turn unless you hold the Animal in Space ability. The card is discarded whether the roll succeeds or fails; its event never happens and a starred card is not removed, so it can return after a reshuffle.

If my 4 Ops card fails a Space Race roll that needed only 2, can I use the leftover Ops?

No. The printed number is a minimum, not a cost. One card buys exactly one roll and any extra Ops are wasted.

How does the Space Race box allowing two Space Race cards per turn work?

It gives a second, separate attempt with a second card in another action round. It doesn't let you split one card into two rolls or combine two weak cards. The ability works immediately, even later in the turn you reach it, and doesn't depend on the first roll failing. The designer ruled out splitting one card.

How long do Space Race box abilities last, and does the second player to reach a box get the ability?

An ability works every turn for the first player to reach the box, until the opponent also reaches or passes it. Then it is cancelled for good and the second player never gains it. For example, once both have reached the headline box, headlines are revealed together again.

How does the Space Race ability to discard a held card work?

At the end of each turn, until your opponent catches up, you may discard one held card, never more, even if you hold several. It can't save you from a held Scoring card, because held cards are revealed before the discard and holding one has already lost the game. The discarded card goes to the normal discard pile.

Do Captured Nazi Scientist and One Small Step count as my Space Race attempt for the turn?

No. Events that move your marker need no roll and don't use your attempt, so you can still play a card on the Space Race that turn.

Does One Small Step score VP for the box it skips?

No. It advances you two boxes, but you only score the box you land on, and you gain any abilities you pass.

Can I play a Scoring card on the Space Race?

No. Scoring cards have no Operations value, so they can never meet a box's requirement.

Can I use the Ops from an event such as ABM Treaty, CIA Created or Lone Gunman for a Space Race attempt?

No. A Space Race attempt needs a card that is discarded with its event negated; Ops generated by an event can't be used. A card you actually play through Grain Sales to Soviets or Missile Envy is different and can be spaced if its Ops qualify.

Can I play a card on the Space Race without rolling, or deliberately fail the roll?

No. Under the standard rules you must roll and accept the result. Some editions print an optional designer rule that lets a player discard a card there without rolling.

Is the card I play on the Space Race kept secret?

No. You show it to prove it meets the Ops requirement and discard it face up, and the discard pile is public.

What are the extra Space Race tokens for?

They are reminders. Flip the turn token after your Space Race play to show you've used it, and use the second-attempt marker if you have the two-attempts ability.

If my opponent's event or coup drops DEFCON to 1 during my action round, who loses?

You do. The phasing player always loses when DEFCON reaches 1, even when the opponent's event did it or the opponent made the coup with Ops your card gave them (CIA Created, Lone Gunman, Grain Sales to Soviets). The designer explained this was a deliberate, simple rule: the phasing player has the most control, and cards that hand that control to the opponent are part of the risk you must manage.

If Missile Envy or Five Year Plan makes an opponent's DEFCON-lowering event fire at DEFCON 2, who loses?

The player who played Missile Envy or Five Year Plan. They are the phasing player (or the headlining player) when the event that takes DEFCON to 1 resolves, so they lose. The designer agreed with this result in a game decided by a Missile Envy headline.

If I play Olympic Games at DEFCON 2 and my opponent boycotts, who loses?

You do. The boycott degrades DEFCON during your action round (or your headline), so as the player of Olympic Games you are blamed for nuclear war. Your opponent can boycott specifically to win this way.

If an event drops DEFCON to 1 and also gives me VP, such as Duck and Cover or Soviets Shoot Down KAL-007, do I get the VP first?

No. The DEFCON change comes first in the card text, and nuclear war ends the game immediately, so the VP are never scored even if they would have reached 20.

Can I take back a move that accidentally triggers nuclear war?

Not in competitive play; the move stands. The designer said accidental nuclear war is intended to be part of the game, though casual players may allow take-backs for obvious slips. A battleground coup at DEFCON 2 is a legal move, not an illegal one.

Do DEFCON restrictions block realignment rolls as well as coups?

Yes. At DEFCON 4 neither is allowed in Europe, at 3 also in Asia, and at 2 also in the Middle East. This applies to every country in those regions, Battleground or not, even though the board track only mentions coups. An optional designer rule in some editions lets realignments ignore DEFCON.

Does every coup lower DEFCON?

No, only coups in Battleground countries. Coups elsewhere still earn Military Operations but leave DEFCON alone, so non-Battlegrounds can be couped back and forth without moving the track.

Do war cards like Korean War or Indo-Pakistani War lower DEFCON?

No. Current war events don't touch DEFCON. The first printing of Korean War did, which is why the old example of play still shows a drop.

How does the Military Operations penalty work, and do I gain anything for exceeding the requirement?

At the end of the turn each player needs Military Operations at least equal to the DEFCON level at that moment. Each point short gives the opponent 1 VP, and if both are short the penalties net out. Exceeding the requirement earns nothing. The markers then reset to zero.

Is the Military Operations track capped at 5?

Yes. The designer confirmed the cap. You can keep couping or playing wars, but the marker stops at 5, so two players at 5 or more are tied for Arms Race.

“It is capped at 5, yes.”

— ASGupta, designer

If DEFCON rises after I've done my coups, do my Military Operations change?

No. The marker only records what you have done. It is compared with whatever DEFCON is at the end of the turn, so a DEFCON increase late in the turn can leave you short.

What counts toward Military Operations?

Coups earn Military Operations equal to the Ops actually used, including Ops granted by an event such as Lone Gunman or the Olympic Games boycott. War events and How I Learned to Stop Worrying give the amount printed on them. Realignments, Influence placement and Space Race attempts give none, and free coups give none.

Does a coup with a modified card earn the modified value in Military Operations?

Yes. Military Operations equal the Ops actually used, so the China Card's Asia bonus, Containment, Brezhnev Doctrine or Red Scare/Purge all change it. Die-roll modifiers such as SALT Negotiations or Latin American Death Squads don't, because they change the roll, not the card.

How many Military Operations does a war card give, and to whom?

The fixed amount printed on the card (usually 2), not its Ops value, and it isn't changed by Ops modifiers. It goes to the side whose event it is, even when the opponent triggered it with an Ops play, and it is gained whether the war is won or lost, even when modifiers make winning impossible.

What makes a coup 'free', and does a free coup lower DEFCON?

A free coup (Junta, Tear Down This Wall, Ortega Elected in Nicaragua) earns no Military Operations and may ignore DEFCON's regional restrictions where the card allows it. Otherwise it is a normal coup: a free coup on a Battleground still degrades DEFCON. Che's coups are not free, so they do earn Military Operations.

Do Che's coups earn Military Operations?

Yes, most players agree. Che's coups use the card's Ops value and are not called free, so each one adds Military Operations, and Ops modifiers change the amount. A minority treat them as free coups.

Does Nuclear Subs let the US coup Battlegrounds anywhere, or protect against other DEFCON drops?

No. Nuclear Subs only stops US coups in Battleground countries from degrading DEFCON for the rest of the turn. Normal DEFCON region restrictions still apply, it doesn't cover USSR coups (even one made from a US-played Lone Gunman) or DEFCON drops from events, and a US coup under Cuban Missile Crisis still loses. The designer endorsed this reading.

If DEFCON is 4 and Nuclear Test Ban improves it by 2, does it reach 5?

Yes. The designer said the rule's 'has no DEFCON effect' wording for improvements past 5 is clumsy; such an event simply sets DEFCON to 5, and the rest of the event (the VP) still happens. At DEFCON 2 Nuclear Test Ban gives 0 VP.

“The phrase "has no DEFCON effect" should read "sets the DEFCON status to 5."”

— ASGupta, designer

Under Cuban Missile Crisis, can the affected player coup once DEFCON goes back up, or with an event's coup?

No. For the rest of the turn any coup by the affected player, from a card's Ops, an event such as CIA Created, or a free coup, means nuclear war and they lose, whatever DEFCON is. Raising DEFCON doesn't lift the ban; only removing the influence the card names does. An event that says the player may coup doesn't force them to, so they can decline it.

How and when can Cuban Missile Crisis be cancelled?

The affected player removes 2 of their own Influence: 2 from Cuba for the USSR, or 2 from either West Germany or Turkey (not 1 from each) for the US. They can do it at any moment that turn, even in the opponent's action round. Removing the opponent's Influence (Voice of America) doesn't cancel it.

When Cuban Missile Crisis is cancelled or the turn ends, does DEFCON go back up?

No. The card sets DEFCON to 2 once, and that stays; cancelling it only ends the coup ban. DEFCON then improves by one at the start of the next turn as usual.

Does How I Learned to Stop Worrying give its 5 Military Operations if played for Ops, and when are they counted?

Only as an event. Played for Ops it is an ordinary card. As the event you set DEFCON to any level and immediately gain 5 Military Operations, which count for an Arms Race later that turn. Setting DEFCON to 1 on your own action round makes you lose.

Is the China Card part of my hand? Does it count toward hand size?

No. The China Card is never in your hand and never counts toward hand size, so its holder effectively has one card more than the other player. The designer confirmed the hand-size rule.

Can Missile Envy, Five Year Plan, Grain Sales, Blockade or Quagmire take or discard the China Card?

No. Events that draw, take or discard cards from a hand can't touch it, and play of the China Card can never be compelled. Missile Envy must take your highest card from your real hand, and Five Year Plan does nothing if the China Card is the USSR's only other card. The designer called the intent of the rule clear.

“the intent of rule 9.8 is clear. You cannot be compelled to play the China card.”

— JasonMatthews, designer

If I have no cards left but the China Card, must I play it?

No. You may sit out the action round instead. Most players agree you can still choose to play it in a later action round that turn.

Does the China Card have an event, and does it give an extra action?

It is played only for Operations (4 Ops, 5 if all are spent in Asia) and has no event. It doesn't give an extra action: playing it uses one of your action rounds in place of a card from your hand, in any round you like.

Does the China Card's +1 for Asia apply to coups and realignments, and must all 5 Ops go to Asia?

Yes, and yes. The bonus applies to any use of the Ops entirely in Asia (Southeast Asia included): 5 Influence (still paying double in enemy-controlled countries), a 5 Ops coup, or 5 realignment rolls. The bonus point itself must also be spent in Asia.

Does the China Card's Asia bonus carry over to other cards or later turns?

No. It only ever applies to the China Card play itself, which is worth 5 if every point goes to Asia and 4 otherwise. Vietnam Revolts is the card that boosts later USSR cards in Southeast Asia.

Can the China Card be worth 6 Ops with Vietnam Revolts?

Yes. If Vietnam Revolts is in effect and the USSR spends every China Card point in Southeast Asia, it gets 4 + 1 for Asia + 1 for Southeast Asia = 6, coups included. Spend any point outside Southeast Asia and the Vietnam Revolts bonus is lost.

How do Containment and Red Scare/Purge affect the China Card?

Containment adds nothing, because it can't raise a card above 4 and the China Card is already 4. Red Scare/Purge lowers it by 1 like any other card: 3 Ops, or 4 if all are spent in Asia.

Do normal placement rules apply to Influence placed with the China Card?

Yes. Its Ops are ordinary Operations, so adjacency and costs apply. It has nothing to do with the country of China, which isn't on the map in the standard game.

Can the China Card be played on the Space Race, and where does it go afterward?

Yes, players report the official FAQ allows it. Afterward it passes face down to your opponent as with any other play, not to the discard pile.

Can the China Card be headlined?

No. The China Card can't be played in the Headline Phase.

What does the rule that the China Card can't be played if it prevents playing a Scoring card mean?

You can't play the China Card on a round when doing so would leave you without enough action rounds to play a Scoring card you hold. The designer said nothing subtle was intended: the rule just restates that Scoring cards may never be held.

When is the China Card face up or face down, and does it pass every turn?

After you play it, it goes to your opponent face down and they can use it from the next turn on. It changes hands only when played or taken by an event, so a player may keep it unplayed for many turns.

Which events can take the China Card, and can I play it twice in a turn?

Only events that name it: Nixon Plays the China Card (arrives face down), Cultural Revolution (face up for the USSR) and Ussuri River Skirmish (face up for the US). If one of these returns it to you face up after you've played it, you can play it again in a later action round that turn.

When is the China Card's 1 VP awarded, and can it give an automatic win?

It is part of Final Scoring, added together with all the region scores, so it can't push you to 20 VP before Final Scoring and win outright. Whoever holds the card at the end gets it, face up or face down, even if it was just passed to them on turn 10. The designers ruled on this, and the digital versions were updated to match.

“It is awarded during Final Scoring, and aggregated with all other points scored at that time.”

— ASGupta, designer

Can UN Intervention be played together with the China Card?

No. UN Intervention cancels an opponent's event on the card you pair it with, and the China Card has no event.

What does the Chinese Civil War variant change?

Nobody holds the China Card until the USSR has put 3 Influence on the Chinese Civil War space. Until then Red Scare/Purge can't be played as a USSR event, Korean War gets a -1, Cultural Revolution is negated, and the US counts as the China Card holder for Nixon, Ussuri River Skirmish and Formosan Resolution. Influence goes onto that space only by normal Operations and can't be removed or moved.

What exactly does Domination of a region require? Do I need more non-Battlegrounds than my opponent?

Three things: more controlled countries in the region than your opponent (Battlegrounds count toward that total), more controlled Battlegrounds than your opponent, and at least one controlled non-Battleground (and one Battleground). You don't need more non-Battlegrounds than your opponent. The designers' errata added the Battleground requirement that the first scoring summary left out, and printings that say 'more non-Battlegrounds' are wrong.

Do I need a non-Battleground country to have Control of a region?

No. Control only needs every Battleground in the region plus more countries in total than your opponent. The designer confirmed that Control deliberately skips Domination's non-Battleground requirement, so you can go straight from Presence to Control.

“We went back and forth on this, but ultimately decided the Control requirements were difficult enough.”

— JasonMatthews, designer

When scoring a region, do Presence, Domination and Control points add together?

No. Each side scores only its highest level, then adds +1 per controlled Battleground and +1 per controlled country adjacent to the enemy superpower. Both sides score this way and only the difference moves the single VP marker, so the opponent's Presence still offsets your Domination.

Do I get +1 per controlled Battleground even without Domination or Control?

Yes. The Battleground and enemy-adjacency bonuses go on top of whatever level you reach, even plain Presence. A Battleground you control next to the enemy superpower is worth 2 bonus VP.

Which countries count for the bonus for being adjacent to the enemy superpower?

Only countries you control in the region being scored that touch the enemy superpower. Countries next to your own superpower give nothing, and Cuba counts only for Central America, not for Europe.

Does Asia Scoring include the Southeast Asian countries?

Yes. Southeast Asia is part of Asia, so its countries count toward Asia Presence, Domination and Control. Asia Scoring doesn't pay the Southeast Asia card's special per-country VP, though; those come only from Southeast Asia Scoring.

How does Southeast Asia Scoring work, and is it scored again at the end?

It is a one-time card: each side scores 1 VP per controlled Southeast Asian country and 2 for Thailand, with no Presence, Domination or Battleground bonuses, and the card is then removed. It isn't rescored in Final Scoring. The designer said this one-and-done scoring is a deliberate comment on the American experience in Vietnam.

Are Scoring cards removed after they are played?

No, except Southeast Asia Scoring. The others go to the discard pile and come back after a reshuffle, so the same region can be scored several times. Europe, Asia and Middle East Scoring start in the Early War deck; the rest arrive with the Mid War.

Are regions scored automatically at the end of each turn?

No. A region scores only when its Scoring card is played, plus once more for every region in Final Scoring after turn 10.

Do I have to play every Scoring card in my hand during the turn?

Yes, unless an event discards it first. Scoring cards can't be held, discarded at will or used on the Space Race; you may choose when to play each, but one still in hand at the end of the turn loses you the game. The only other ways out are events that discard from your hand, such as Five Year Plan, Terrorism or Ask Not, and a Scoring card discarded that way doesn't score.

Can an event like Missile Envy, Quagmire or Bear Trap force me to hold a Scoring card?

No. If an event's demand would leave you stuck with a Scoring card, you play the Scoring card instead and the demand waits for your next available action round. Under Quagmire or Bear Trap you make no escape roll on a round spent playing a Scoring card.

If my own risky play (Ask Not, Five Year Plan, Grain Sales) leaves me with a Scoring card I can't play, am I protected?

No. The protection only covers events forcing you to hold a card. If you choose to discard and redraw with Ask Not late in a turn, gamble on Five Year Plan's random discard, or let Grain Sales hand you back a Scoring card, and end the turn holding one, you lose. The designer agreed with this for Ask Not.

If I reach 20 VP or win on my last play while still holding a Scoring card, do I win?

Yes. A card only counts as held after all action rounds are over, and an automatic victory ends the game before that check. The designer ruled this way in 2013, and also allowed saving Europe Scoring for your final round in the hope of an automatic win, at the risk of losing if it doesn't come off.

“the scoring card is not deemed "held" until after action rounds are over, and by then he has already won.”

— ASGupta, designer

If both players end a turn holding Scoring cards, who wins?

The US. The designer said a draw would have seemed reasonable, but they wanted to avoid draws, so the US wins.

“Therefore, should this situation arise, the US wins.”

— ASGupta, designer

When one card gives VP to both players, is the 20 VP check made after each award or after both?

After both. A Scoring card, or an event that awards VP to both sides, is resolved in full and only the net change is applied before checking for 20 VP. The designer ruled this applies to Flower Power and U2 Incident too, so a US war under Flower Power is netted rather than scored in sequence.

When does We Will Bury You award its 3 VP if the US then plays a card that also scores?

First. Once it's clear the US won't play UN Intervention as an event, the USSR scores 3 VP before anything the US card does, and if that reaches 20 the game ends there. The designer described it as an earlier card awaiting resolution. A headline that resolves before the US's next action round, such as a winning Europe Scoring headline, comes first.

“once it is clear that the US player will not play UN as an event the scoring takes place.”

— JasonMatthews, designer

Does controlling Europe win even if I'm behind on VP, and does it work at Final Scoring?

Yes to both. Controlling Europe when Europe is scored is an automatic victory regardless of the VP track, so its bonuses don't matter, and it applies in Final Scoring as well. It only wins when Europe is actually scored.

In Final Scoring, can reaching 20 VP partway through the regions win the game?

No. All regions are scored together and added to the current VP total (plus the China Card point) before the result is decided, so the order doesn't matter and passing 20 midway isn't an automatic win. Control of Europe still wins outright.

Does Final Scoring count the Battleground and adjacency bonuses?

Yes. Each region is scored exactly as if its Scoring card were played, bonuses included. Southeast Asia is counted only inside Asia.

On turn 10, are the Military Operations penalty and held cards checked before Final Scoring?

Yes. Turn 10 finishes normally, including the held-card and Military Operations checks, and only then is Final Scoring done. A player who reaches 20 VP from the Military Operations penalty wins before Final Scoring.

Can Twilight Struggle end in a draw?

Yes. If the VP marker is on zero after Final Scoring, the game is a draw under the rules. Some digital versions break the tie differently, which is a house rule.

If one action both triggers DEFCON 1 and gives a player 20 VP, which counts?

Nuclear war. Players relay a designer comment that a DEFCON result takes precedence over reaching 20 VP, and the DEFCON drop on cards like Soviets Shoot Down KAL-007 resolves before their VP anyway.

In the Late War scenario, what does the US need to win?

20 VP. In the Late War scenario the US must have at least 20 VP when the game ends, after Final Scoring or a Wargames play; otherwise the USSR wins, even if the US is ahead on the track.

How does Shuttle Diplomacy work, and does it affect Final Scoring or Southeast Asia Scoring?

At the next Asia or Middle East Scoring card, one USSR-controlled Battleground (the US chooses) is ignored for everything: Presence, Domination, Control and its Battleground VP. That can cost the USSR Presence or Control, but it doesn't give the US Control. It affects neither Southeast Asia Scoring nor Final Scoring. The designer endorsed the FAQ on this.

Can the USSR play Arab-Israeli War if it already controls Israel or the US has no Influence there?

Yes. The war still resolves: the USSR rolls for the VP and gains the Military Operations, and a win simply converts whatever US Influence is there. The designer explained that the event reflects the historical outcome, not the situation on the map.

How do Arab-Israeli War's die-roll modifiers work?

The USSR rolls one die, with -1 if the US controls Israel and -1 for each US-controlled country adjacent to Israel (Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt; Iraq isn't adjacent). Each modifier applies on its own. A modified 4-6 wins; at -3 or worse the war can't succeed, but the USSR still gains the Military Operations.

Is Arab-Israeli War removed from the game after its event?

No. It has no asterisk and can recur all game. A Collector's Edition card printed with removal text is a misprint.

What happens to Arab-Israeli War once Camp David Accords is in effect?

Its event can no longer occur, so it is just an Ops card: discarded rather than removed, and it gives the USSR no Flower Power VP. The US can still pair it with UN Intervention, since it still carries a USSR event.

When the US discards a card to Blockade, does that card's event happen?

No. The card is discarded, not played, so even a USSR event on it does nothing. Blockade is a handy way for the US to dump a bad USSR card, ideally late in the turn when it has few 3 Ops cards left to lose.

Can the US discard to Blockade even with no Influence in West Germany, and is the discard required?

The discard is always the US player's choice: the US may discard a qualifying card even with nothing to lose in West Germany, or keep its cards and accept the loss. The discard is part of resolving Blockade and doesn't use up a US action round. Blockade is removed once its event happens, even if nothing was lost.

After The CIA Is Created, does the USSR's hand stay revealed for the rest of the turn?

Most players say no: the USSR shows its hand once when the event resolves and the US must remember it; cards drawn later stay hidden. Some early rulings treated the revealed cards as staying face up while they remain in hand that turn.

If the USSR plays The CIA Is Created for Ops, does the US still get its 1 Op, even as a headline?

Yes. The event belongs to the US: the USSR reveals its hand and the US conducts 1 Op, at the value it would have if the US had played it, while the USSR uses the card's Ops. The USSR chooses which happens first. The Op is part of the event, so it happens in the headline too. Lone Gunman works the same way for the USSR.

How long does Containment last, and is the card removed?

For the rest of the turn it's played. The card goes out of the game at once (it is starred), even if played as the last card of a turn. Its +1 applies to every card the US plays for Ops that turn, but never to Scoring cards, which have no Ops.

If De Gaulle Leads France or Willy Brandt is played before NATO, does NATO still protect France or West Germany?

No. Most players read their lasting effect as excluding that country from NATO whichever card comes first; NATO still covers the other US-controlled European countries. A minority argue that 'cancels' only affects a NATO already in play. Willy Brandt can be played as an event whether or not NATO is in effect.

If the US has no Influence in France, how much does De Gaulle Leads France give the USSR?

Just the 1 USSR Influence. The event removes up to 2 US Influence and adds 1 USSR; nothing extra is added when there's nothing to remove.

Where can De-Stalinization move Influence, and whose Influence does it move?

Only USSR Influence: remove up to 4 and place the same number in any countries the US doesn't control, at most 2 per country. There is no regional or adjacency restriction.

Can Decolonization place Influence in US-controlled countries, and does Vietnam Revolts boost it?

Yes, it can, and no, it isn't boosted. Its Influence goes in exactly as written, with no extra cost for enemy control, so it can break control in several countries at once. Vietnam Revolts' +1 applies only to cards played for Operations, so it doesn't add to Decolonization.

Is Defectors removed from the game after its event?

No. The designers' errata says Defectors is not a starred event, despite the removal note printed on early cards, so it always returns to the discard pile. It is an Early War card despite its high number.

Does a US Defectors headline cancel a USSR headline with higher Ops, or one that is a US event or Scoring card?

Yes. A headlined Defectors cancels whatever the USSR headlined, whatever its Ops or association, even a Scoring card or one that would have reached 20 VP. The cancelled card never resolved, so even a starred card is just discarded.

If another US headline (Five Year Plan, Grain Sales, Star Wars) brings out Defectors, is the USSR headline cancelled?

Only if the USSR headline hasn't resolved yet. An event that has already happened can't be undone, so a higher-Ops USSR headline that went first stands. The designer endorsed this explanation for Five Year Plan.

When does the US not get Defectors' VP?

The US gets 1 VP only when the USSR plays Defectors during a USSR action round. Nothing happens if the USSR headlines it, sends it to the Space Race, plays it with UN Intervention, or simply discards it.

If Five Year Plan makes the USSR discard Defectors, does the US gain 1 VP?

Yes, if the USSR played Five Year Plan: the US event fires during a USSR action round. If the US played Five Year Plan as an event on its own round, Defectors fires outside a USSR round and gives nothing.

Who picks the card Five Year Plan discards?

Nobody: it is random. Usually the USSR holds its cards face down and the US draws one blind. The designer was emphatic that 'random' doesn't mean the USSR picks.

“please hit your friend for suggesting that the word "random" means he gets to pick the card.”

— JasonMatthews, designer

Can the USSR use Five Year Plan to get rid of a Scoring card?

Yes. Play everything else first, then Five Year Plan with only the Scoring card left: the random discard must take it, and it isn't scored. With an empty hand the discard simply does nothing.

If Five Year Plan discards a US event, does it happen, and is a starred one removed?

Yes. Unlike other discards, Five Year Plan fires a US event on the discarded card, and a starred card is then removed even if the event did nothing. USSR, neutral and Scoring cards are discarded without effect, as is a US event whose prerequisite isn't met.

When does Formosan Resolution's effect end?

The next time the US plays the China Card after Formosan Resolution's event. Earlier China Card plays don't count, and losing the China Card to Cultural Revolution doesn't count either. The card leaves the game once its event happens.

With Formosan Resolution in effect, when does Taiwan count as a Battleground?

Only when Asia is scored, and only if the US controls Taiwan at that moment. It is not a Battleground for Summit, Kitchen Debates, DEFCON or anything else. The collected rulings say it also counts in Final Scoring; some players disagree, and a minority think it counts for anything that checks Battlegrounds.

Is Independent Reds removed if the USSR has no Influence in any of its countries, and does it flip Influence?

Yes, it is removed, and no, it doesn't flip anything. Independent Reds has no condition, so it counts as played even when it does nothing. It only adds US Influence to match the USSR's in one listed country.

How does Indo-Pakistani War work? Do I need Influence or control in India or Pakistan?

No requirements. As the event, you choose which country invades the other, whoever controls them, gain 2 Military Operations and roll: -1 for each enemy-controlled country adjacent to the target, and that includes the invader if your opponent controls it. On a modified 4-6 you gain 2 VP and replace all enemy Influence in the target. It is neutral, so played for Ops it never fires.

Can India or Pakistan be made safe from Indo-Pakistani War?

Pakistan can: control all three of its neighbours (Iran, Afghanistan, India) and the -3 makes success impossible. India has only two neighbours, so a 6 always works there.

Which countries modify the Korean War roll, and does it still fire if the USSR already controls South Korea?

Only US-controlled countries adjacent to South Korea (Japan, Taiwan, North Korea), -1 each; who controls South Korea itself doesn't matter. The event fires whenever triggered, even if the USSR already holds South Korea, and still gives the VP and Military Operations on a win.

Does Marshall Plan have a lasting effect, and can it put more than 1 Influence in a country?

It has a lasting effect: the designers' errata says its title should be underlined, because it enables NATO for the rest of the game. It adds at most 1 Influence to each of up to 7 non-USSR-controlled Western European countries; any extra is lost.

Does US/Japan Mutual Defense Pact give the US control of Japan however much USSR Influence is there, and does it last?

Yes to both. The US adds whatever it needs to control Japan, and the card is removed but its protection of Japan lasts all game; use the marker as a reminder.

Does NATO's prerequisite count if Marshall Plan or Warsaw Pact Formed was only played for Ops?

No. Either Marshall Plan or Warsaw Pact Formed must have actually taken effect as an event. Playing it for Ops, sending it to the Space Race, or having its event cancelled by UN Intervention doesn't count. One of the two is enough.

What happens if NATO is played for Ops or headlined before its prerequisite?

The Ops are used normally, but the event can't occur, so the card is discarded instead of removed and can come back later.

How long does NATO last, and what does it block?

For the rest of the game. It stops USSR coups and realignments in US-controlled European countries, including those granted by events, and in the Second Edition it also stops Brush War targeting them. De Gaulle and Willy Brandt carve out France and West Germany.

How much US Influence does Nasser remove from Egypt?

Half, rounded up: with 3 US Influence the US loses 2 and keeps 1.

Are the 4 Ops from a boycotted Olympic Games reduced by Red Scare/Purge, and can the opponent boycott if I play it for Ops?

Yes to the first, no to the second. When the card is played as an event and the opponent boycotts, DEFCON drops by 1 and the sponsor conducts Operations as if with a 4 Ops card; the designer ruled those Ops are reduced by Red Scare/Purge like any others, and there is no roll. Played for Ops, Olympic Games is an ordinary neutral card: the event doesn't happen, so nobody can boycott.

Can Red Scare/Purge be played twice in a turn, and does it stack?

Yes. The card is discarded right away while its effect lasts the turn, so SALT Negotiations or Star Wars can bring it back. A second play stacks to -2, though no card drops below 1 Op.

Does Red Scare/Purge reduce cards I get through Missile Envy or Grain Sales, and my opponent's events I trigger?

It reduces every card the affected player uses for Ops, however obtained, including for Missile Envy's highest-card comparison. It doesn't reduce the opponent's event on a card you play: if a Purged US plays Che, the USSR's coups use Che's normal value.

Once The Iron Lady blocks Socialist Governments, what happens when someone plays that card?

It is just an Ops card for either player. The event never fires, so the card goes to the discard pile rather than out of the game.

Must Suez Crisis remove Influence from all three of France, the UK and Israel?

No. The 4 US Influence can come from any mix of the three, no more than 2 from one country, so 2 from France and 2 from the UK is fine. The USSR, as owner, chooses even when the US triggered it. It is removed even if it couldn't remove all 4.

“The "and" is used to indicate that it may come from any of the three.”

— JasonMatthews, designer

What counts as an uncontrolled country for Truman Doctrine?

A European country controlled by neither side. Truman Doctrine can't touch USSR Influence in a country the US or the USSR controls. The designer confirmed this reflects contested countries like Greece and Turkey. With no valid target it still counts as played and is removed.

How is UN Intervention played?

On your own action round, together with a card from your hand that carries your opponent's event. That event is cancelled and you use the other card's Ops (not plus 1). You can't headline it, play it during your opponent's round, or use it against their card. On its own it is just a neutral 1 Ops card.

Can UN Intervention cancel a Scoring card, a neutral event or the China Card?

No. It only pairs with a card carrying an event associated with your opponent alone. The designer confirmed it can't be used on a Scoring card.

“You cannot use UN Intervention on a Scoring Card.”

— JasonMatthews, designer

Is a starred card cancelled by UN Intervention removed from the game?

No. Its event never happened, so both it and UN Intervention go to the discard pile.

Can UN Intervention be used with Grain Sales to Soviets?

Yes, in an action round. If Grain Sales draws UN Intervention, you may play it with a USSR-event card from your hand; if it draws a USSR event, you may play it alongside a UN Intervention you hold.

Can Warsaw Pact Formed hit US-controlled Eastern European countries, and who chooses?

Yes. The card puts no restriction on control. As a USSR event, the USSR chooses which option and which countries, even when the US triggered it.

Does 'they' on ABM Treaty let both players conduct operations?

No. Only the player who resolves ABM Treaty conducts the 4 Ops operation; it follows normal Operations rules and Ops modifiers.

When is Arms Race checked, and is it worth headlining?

Immediately when the event resolves, using current Military Operations. Since the markers reset each turn, both sides are usually at 0 during the headline, so a headlined Arms Race normally does nothing.

How does Ask Not What Your Country Can Do For You work?

The US chooses which and how many cards to discard (zero is fine), then draws that many replacements and must keep them. If the deck runs out while drawing, reshuffle the discards, including the cards just discarded, and keep drawing. Beware: drawing Scoring cards late in a turn can leave you holding one.

How does Brezhnev Doctrine interact with other cards?

It adds +1 (to a maximum of 4) to every card the USSR plays for Operations that turn, including the Ops an event like Junta uses. It doesn't boost Ops the US gets from a USSR-played card such as Grain Sales to Soviets. With Vietnam Revolts, a 3 Ops card spent entirely in Southeast Asia is worth 5.

How does Brush War work?

It targets any country with Stability 1 or 2, Europe included unless NATO protects a US-controlled country there. The roll gets -1 for each adjacent country the opponent controls, and the enemy superpower counts as one of those (the USA next to Mexico, for instance). It is a Mid War card; a Collector's Edition printing that labels it Early War is a misprint.

Can Colonial Rear Guards split its Influence between Africa and Southeast Asia?

Yes. Like Decolonization, the Influence may be spread across both regions or put all in one.

How long does Cuban Missile Crisis last, and which Germany does it mean?

Only the rest of the turn it is played; the designers' errata says its title shouldn't have been underlined. 'Germany' on the card means West Germany. Apart from setting DEFCON to 2, it has no effect on later turns.

Under Cuban Missile Crisis, can I remove the Influence after rolling a coup to escape the penalty?

No. Remove the 2 Influence first; once a coup is made under the crisis, nuclear war has happened. Only the opponent of the player who played the card is restricted, and the restricted player loses even if the coup comes during the other player's action round, through CIA Created for example.

How does Cultural Revolution work if the USSR already holds the China Card face down?

The USSR simply gains 1 VP; it can't choose to flip the card face up instead. If the US holds the China Card, the USSR takes it face up and ready to play.

Does Latin American Death Squads affect coups outside Central and South America?

No. Its +1 for the player who triggered it and -1 for the opponent apply only to coups in Central and South America, for the rest of the turn. The designer confirmed both parts are limited to those regions.

When does Flower Power give the USSR 2 VP?

Whenever the US plays a War card as an event or for Operations, but not when it is sent to the Space Race.

Does Flower Power score for a War card cancelled by Camp David Accords or UN Intervention?

No. A designer comment quoted by players says Flower Power doesn't apply to War cards whose effects another event has cancelled. So Arab-Israeli War after Camp David, or a War card played with UN Intervention, gives the USSR nothing.

If Missile Envy hands the US a War card under Flower Power, does the USSR get 2 VP?

Yes. The designer ruled that when Missile Envy hands the US a War card and its event happens, the USSR scores Flower Power's 2 VP.

How does Grain Sales to Soviets work? Does the US get both the drawn card and the 2 Ops?

One or the other. The US takes a random card from the USSR hand and either plays it at once in any normal way (event, Ops or Space Race; a USSR event on it still fires) or returns it and uses Grain Sales' own 2 Ops instead. 'This card' on Grain Sales means Grain Sales itself.

If the USSR plays Grain Sales to Soviets with no other cards, what happens?

There is nothing to draw, so the US simply conducts Operations with Grain Sales' 2 Ops.

When the USSR plays Grain Sales for Ops, is the US play one of its own action rounds, and who is phasing?

No, it isn't one of the US rounds. Playing the drawn card is part of the event during the USSR's round, so the US then takes its own action round too. The USSR remains the phasing player, so if the US play triggers DEFCON 1, the USSR loses. US Ops modifiers such as Red Scare/Purge apply to the US play.

How does Junta work?

Place 2 Influence in a single Central or South American country, then make a free coup or realignment rolls (one per Op of the card, normally 2, adjusted by Ops modifiers) in Central or South America. The target needn't be where the Influence went. Players disagree whether multiple realignment rolls may be split between the two regions.

Is Kitchen Debates removed if the US doesn't control more Battlegrounds, and does Taiwan count?

It is discarded, not removed. The designer ruled that when its condition isn't met the event doesn't happen, although he acknowledged many players had been removing it. Taiwan under Formosan Resolution is not a Battleground for this check. When the USSR triggers it with an Ops play, the US scores the VP.

How does Missile Envy work?

The opponent must give you their highest-Ops card and chooses among ties. You resolve it at once: a card with their event is used for its Ops, while a card with your own or a neutral event fires as that event, without its Ops. They take Missile Envy and must use it for Operations on their next action round.

If Missile Envy gets me my own event that can't happen, such as NATO without its prerequisite or Wargames above DEFCON 2, do I get its Ops?

No. You only ever get the event from your own or a neutral card; if it can't occur, nothing happens, Missile Envy gains you nothing and the card is discarded rather than removed. The same goes for an event another card has blocked, such as Muslim Revolution while AWACS Sale is in effect.

Can I play a Missile Envy I received for its event, give it straight back, or use it on the Space Race?

You must use it for Operations on your next action round, so its event never fires again and it doesn't ping-pong between players. A Space Race attempt counts as an Operations use. When you play your own Missile Envy you can't offer the opponent's earlier Missile Envy as your exchange card.

If I receive Missile Envy on the last action round, can I headline it next turn?

No. It must be used for Operations on your next action round, which is action round 1 of the following turn, not the headline. Players relayed a designers' answer to this effect, and the digital version was corrected to match.

If the Missile Envy I received leaves my hand before I play it, am I still obligated?

No. If it is discarded by an event such as Five Year Plan, or drawn by Grain Sales to Soviets, the obligation goes with it and you can play normally.

If I receive Missile Envy while I still need my last action round for a Scoring card, what do I do?

Play the Scoring card; an event can never force you to hold one. Then use Missile Envy for Operations on your first action round of the next turn.

Can Missile Envy take a Scoring card?

Only when the opponent holds nothing but Scoring cards; then one is handed over and you resolve it. The designer endorsed this reading: Scoring cards have no Ops for modifiers, but Missile Envy still works on them.

What if Missile Envy is played on a player with no cards?

You get nothing, but they still take Missile Envy and must use it for Operations on their next action round.

Do Brezhnev Doctrine, Containment or Red Scare/Purge change which card Missile Envy takes?

Yes. Card values are compared after the giver's modifiers, so under Brezhnev Doctrine a 3 Ops USSR card counts as 4, and under Red Scare/Purge 1 and 2 Ops cards tie. Once handed over, the card has its value for the new holder.

How does Nixon Plays the China Card work?

If the USSR holds the China Card, face up or face down, the US takes it face down and can use it from next turn. If the US already holds it, in either state, the US gains 2 VP. It is a US event, so the US benefits even when the USSR triggers it.

Does OAS Founded put 2 Influence in each region or 2 in total?

2 in total, split however you like among countries in Central and South America.

How does One Small Step work near the end of the track, and can the USSR use it?

It moves you two boxes (just one if only one remains), and only the box you land on scores. From one box behind, you end one box ahead. Either side can play it as its event if behind.

How does SALT Negotiations' discard pick work?

The player who resolves SALT may (not must) take one non-Scoring card from the discard pile into their hand, to play on a later action round, not immediately. Any discarded card qualifies, including a starred card that was played for Ops or on the Space Race rather than removed. Cards are discarded as soon as they are played, so something played earlier that turn is available.

Is Shuttle Diplomacy removed after its event?

No. It sits in front of the US until the next Asia or Middle East Scoring card is played, then goes to the discard pile. It has no asterisk.

Does South African Unrest put 2 Influence in every country adjacent to South Africa?

No. The USSR either adds 2 to South Africa, or 1 to South Africa and 2 to one adjacent country. Most players don't split the 2 across several neighbours.

What happens on a Summit tie, and does Southeast Asia count as a region?

A tie does nothing and isn't re-rolled. Southeast Asia is part of Asia, not a separate region, for Summit's +1 per region dominated or controlled.

How often does U2 Incident's UN Intervention bonus pay out?

Once. The USSR gains 1 VP if either player plays UN Intervention as an event later that turn, and another UN play doesn't add more.

For Ussuri River Skirmish, does the US have the China Card if it is face down?

Yes. Holding it in either state counts, so the US places the 4 Influence (2 max per country) instead of taking the card. As a US event, it benefits the US even when the USSR plays it.

How can the US stop We Will Bury You's 3 VP?

Only by playing UN Intervention as an event, paired with a USSR-event card, on its next action round. A UN Intervention reached through Grain Sales or Star Wars counts, but playing it for Ops doesn't, and if Missile Envy forces your play you can't pair UN with it. The window carries into the next turn if needed; if the next US round would come after turn 10, no VP are ever scored. The DEFCON drop happens immediately regardless.

How do Quagmire and Bear Trap work? Do I also get to play a card after discarding?

No. On each of the trapped player's action rounds, their whole action is to discard a card worth 2 or more Ops (after modifiers) and roll: on 1-4 the trap ends, on 5-6 it continues. Either way that is the entire round; normal play resumes only on the next action round after a successful roll. While trapped you can't play events, UN Intervention included, apart from the Scoring card exception. The designer confirmed this.

“You do not resume normal operations until the turn AFTER you escape the bear trap.”

— JasonMatthews, designer

When does Quagmire or Bear Trap take effect?

On the victim's very next action round, so they don't get a normal play first. If the trap fires because its card was played for Ops, the player who played it still spends the Ops normally. A trap played on the last action round carries straight into the next turn.

Does Quagmire or Bear Trap end at the end of the turn, and does it affect the headline?

It doesn't end with the turn; it lasts until the trapped player escapes with a 1-4. It never affects the Headline Phase: the trapped player headlines normally and resumes discarding from action round 1.

Under Quagmire or Bear Trap, what if I have no card worth 2 or more Ops?

You can't roll, so you pass that action round and stay trapped, keeping your low cards, possibly into the next turn. The only thing you may play is a Scoring card. Remember that Red Scare/Purge can leave you with no eligible card even if you hold 2 Ops cards.

Under Quagmire or Bear Trap, when can I play a Scoring card, and does it score?

When you have no eligible discard, or when you must play your Scoring cards now to avoid holding one at turn end (remaining action rounds equal the Scoring cards you hold). The trap can never force you to hold a Scoring card. The card is played normally and scores, but you get no escape roll that round.

Trapped with only Scoring cards and 1 Ops cards, must I play a Scoring card immediately or can I wait?

Most players say you must play a Scoring card on that action round, since it is your only legal play. Others, and some digital versions, let you pass and choose a later round, as long as the card isn't held at turn end.

Can I discard my opponent's event cards to Quagmire or Bear Trap, and do those events happen?

Yes, you can, and no, they don't. Any card meeting the Ops requirement may be discarded, and a discarded card's event never fires, so the trap can be a way to dump dangerous opponent events.

Does Red Scare/Purge raise the card needed for a Quagmire or Bear Trap discard?

Yes. The requirement uses the modified value, so under Red Scare/Purge only cards printed with 3 or more Ops qualify.

If I'm under Quagmire or Bear Trap and receive Missile Envy, what do I do with it?

Discard it to the trap on your next action round: that satisfies Missile Envy's demand to use it for Operations. If Red Scare/Purge has reduced it below 2 Ops, it doesn't qualify, so discard other eligible cards to escape and then play Missile Envy for Ops at your first chance.

How does Aldrich Ames Remix work? Is the USSR's discard optional?

The US reveals its hand for the rest of the turn, including cards it draws later (via Ask Not, say), and the USSR must discard one card from it; the discard isn't optional. The Deluxe edition replaced the original Aldrich Ames card with this Remix version.

Can the US play Aldrich Ames Remix to get rid of its own Scoring card?

Yes. If the US plays it when its only other card is a Scoring card, the USSR has to discard that card, which then doesn't score. It also lets the USSR discard a Missile Envy the US just received.

What does Chernobyl stop the USSR from doing in the chosen region?

Only placing Influence with Operations points. Coups and realignments are still allowed, a successful coup still adds USSR Influence, and events that add Influence directly (The Reformer, Decolonization) still work. The designer confirmed this. Events that give Operations to spend 'as if' playing a card, such as Glasnost's bonus, count as Operations and are blocked.

Does Iran-Contra Scandal's -1 also hit the US roll when the USSR realigns?

Yes. It penalizes every US realignment roll, including the US die when defending against a USSR realignment.

How does Iranian Hostage Crisis affect Terrorism?

For the rest of the game, a Terrorism event against the US makes it discard 2 cards instead of 1. Terrorism played against the USSR is unaffected; the USSR still discards just 1.

Does Soviets Shoot Down KAL-007 still do anything if the US doesn't control South Korea?

Yes. DEFCON still drops, the US still gains 2 VP and the card is removed; only the part that depends on South Korea is skipped. The DEFCON drop comes first, so at DEFCON 2 it ends the game before the VP.

For Latin American Debt Crisis, must the US discard, and which cards qualify?

The US may discard any card of 3 or more Ops, whatever its event, but doesn't have to; if it doesn't, the USSR doubles its Influence in two South American countries. The discarded card's event doesn't happen, and the China Card can't be discarded.

Can Marine Barracks Bombing take 2 Influence from one Middle East country or 1 each from two?

Either.

Does North Sea Oil give a 9th action round if the US already has the Space Race 8th round, and is the extra round mandatory?

No to both. The bonuses don't stack, so the US gets 8 rounds at most, and the extra round is optional.

How many VP does Reagan Bombs Libya give for odd USSR Influence in Libya?

It rounds down: 1 VP per full 2 USSR Influence, so 3 Influence gives 1 VP.

If Star Wars is played when the US is not ahead on the Space Race, is it removed?

No. The designer ruled that the event doesn't occur, so the card is discarded and can return. A rulebook example that describes this case with the wrong condition is a known error.

With Star Wars, who picks the card, can it take a card the USSR spaced, and is the pick optional?

The US always chooses, even when the USSR triggered Star Wars, from the single shared discard pile, so cards either side discarded qualify. The chosen event happens immediately and must meet its own conditions. Most players say the US must pick a non-Scoring card and resolve it even if only USSR events are available, though some disagree.

Do Tear Down This Wall's coup and realignments ignore DEFCON?

They can be made in Europe whatever the DEFCON level, with realignment rolls equal to the card's Ops. A coup on a Battleground (East Germany is one) still degrades DEFCON, and being free, the coup earns no Military Operations.

What does Tear Down This Wall do to Willy Brandt?

If Willy Brandt was already played, only its ongoing NATO exemption for West Germany ends; the USSR keeps its VP and Influence. If not, Willy Brandt can no longer be played as an event at all and is just a 2 Ops card that is discarded, not removed.

If the US plays The Reformer, who places its Influence?

The USSR. It is a USSR event, so it always adds USSR Influence and the USSR resolves it, even when the US triggered it with an Ops play.

Can Wargames be played above DEFCON 2, and must the game end if it's played at DEFCON 2?

Above DEFCON 2 the event can't occur, so the card is just discarded (an early ruling said removed, but the designer reportedly reversed that in 2006). At DEFCON 2 ending the game is optional: if you decline, no VP change hands, but the event happened and the card is removed. This applies when Missile Envy forces it on you too.

When Wargames ends the game, how is the winner decided?

Your opponent gains 6 VP, the game ends at once with no Final Scoring, and whoever leads on the VP track wins, even on turn 10. Under the original rules a result of 0 is a draw; some later versions instead make the Wargames player lose if the track ends at 0.

Can Solidarity be played before John Paul II Elected Pope?

Not as an event: its prerequisite isn't met, so it has no effect and is discarded, not removed. You can still headline it or play it for Ops for that reason.

What are the optional cards, and should they be used?

They are the cards numbered 104-110 and marked OPTIONAL (The Cambridge Five, Special Relationship, NORAD, Che, Our Man in Tehran, Yuri and Samantha, AWACS Sale to Saudis), added after the first printing to address balance concerns. They need no special rules: shuffle each into its own war's deck. The designer said they were tested as a package and should go in together, and they are now standard, including in tournaments. Defectors is a regular card, not optional.

Why does my Deluxe Edition have two copies of NORAD, Special Relationship and Our Man in Tehran?

The separately wrapped copies are corrected replacements for misprinted cards; use those and leave the originals out. No card should be in the deck twice. Corrected Special Relationship and Our Man in Tehran aren't underlined, and Our Man in Tehran is a 2 Ops card.

Are starred optional cards removed even though they lack the 'remove from play' line?

Yes. The asterisk alone means the card leaves the game once its event happens; the reminder line was simply left off NORAD, Our Man in Tehran, Yuri and Samantha and others.

How does The Cambridge Five work, and does a headlined Scoring card count?

The US reveals the Scoring cards in its hand, and the USSR adds 1 Influence to a single country, ignoring adjacency, in one region named on them. The designer agreed with that reading. A Scoring card already chosen as a headline isn't in hand, so it doesn't count. In the Late War the event can't be played at all, so it never fires.

Does Special Relationship add Influence to one country or several?

One. Without NATO, 1 Influence goes into a single country adjacent to the UK, not the UK itself. With NATO in effect, 2 Influence go into any single Western European country (France or West Germany too, even after De Gaulle or Willy Brandt) and the US gains 2 VP. The designer said 'any one country' was meant.

“"Any one" country is the intended meaning, though not a usage we adopted in the card text of the various cards.”

— JasonMatthews, designer

If the USSR plays Special Relationship and breaks US control of the UK with the Ops first, does the event still happen?

No. The USSR may resolve its Operations before the US event, and if the US no longer controls the UK, the event does nothing.

When exactly does NORAD give the US Influence?

At the end of any action round (either player's) in which DEFCON moved to 2, if the US controls Canada then: the US adds 1 Influence to one country that already has US Influence. Sitting at 2 doesn't count, being set to 2 when it is already at 2 doesn't count, and a drop during the Headline Phase doesn't count. The designers ruled on the last two cases. It can fire several times in one turn.

“In order for the DEFCON level to move to 2, per the wording on the NORAD card, it must be at a level other than 2.”

— ASGupta, designer

Can NORAD be played if the US doesn't control Canada, and how long does it last?

Yes. Canada control is only checked each time the bonus would trigger, so NORAD goes into effect regardless and stays all game, through the Late War, paying out whenever the US controls Canada. Only Quagmire ends it. It is an exception to the rule that unmet 'if' events don't happen.

Does NORAD trigger if DEFCON drops to 2 in the same action round that NORAD itself is played?

Usually yes. NORAD checks at the end of the action round, so what matters is that it is in effect by then and DEFCON moved to 2 during that round. If the USSR plays NORAD for Ops and coups a Battleground down to DEFCON 2, most players say the US still gets its Influence at the end of the round, whichever of the coup and the event came first. A minority say a drop that happened before NORAD was in effect doesn't count.

Does Quagmire cancel a NORAD played later, or a Quagmire sent to the Space Race?

No to both. Quagmire's event cancels a NORAD already in effect at the moment Quagmire happens; a NORAD played afterwards stays in force for the rest of the game. A Quagmire played on the Space Race or discarded never triggers its event, so it cancels nothing. A cancelled NORAD doesn't come back, because the card was removed when played.

How do Che's coups work?

Che's coups are optional, use the card's Ops value (adjusted by the USSR's modifiers, such as Brezhnev Doctrine, but not by the US's Red Scare/Purge), target non-Battleground countries with US Influence in Central America, South America or Africa, and earn Military Operations because they aren't free. Under Cuban Missile Crisis the USSR should simply decline them.

How does Our Man in Tehran work?

If the US controls a Middle East country, it draws the top 5 cards, reveals and discards any number of them, then returns the rest to the deck and reshuffles; none go into the US hand. If fewer than 5 remain, draw them, reshuffle the discards and finish drawing; the designer confirmed this reshuffle. Without a controlled Middle East country, the event doesn't happen and the card is discarded, not removed.

If my headlined 'if' event (such as Our Man in Tehran) loses its condition because of my opponent's headline, is it removed?

No. The designer ruled that it is discarded without effect but stays in the game; the same applies to events shared by both players, such as Wargames.

“It is discarded without effect, but not removed from the game. This is also true if the affected event is associated with both players (e.g. Wargames).”

— ASGupta, designer

Once AWACS Sale to Saudis is in effect, what happens to Muslim Revolution?

Its event can never occur again. The US can safely play it for Ops, and if Missile Envy hands it to the USSR, the USSR gets nothing and the card is discarded.

Does Yuri and Samantha give the USSR a VP for a free US coup?

Yes. Every US coup attempt that turn, free ones included, gives the USSR 1 VP; free coups differ only in not earning Military Operations.

How does the First Lightning promo card work?

It can't be headlined, because its event needs a card played for Operations alongside it. Whenever it is played for Operations, by either side, DEFCON drops by 1; when the US plays it that way its event text can't trigger. Sent to the Space Race, it doesn't lower DEFCON. The designer gave these rulings, and the card is removed after its event.

If Kremlin Flu and Missile Envy both dictate the USSR's next play, which comes first?

Kremlin Flu: the USSR plays its Scoring card first, then uses Missile Envy for Operations on its following action round.

Can Turn Zero be combined with the Deluxe optional cards or the Chinese Civil War variant?

Officially, Turn Zero was designed on the assumption that the first Deluxe edition's optional cards are left out, as the designer confirmed. Many players add them anyway, along with the promo packs. The combination that is clearly out is Turn Zero with the Chinese Civil War variant.

What does the VJ Day crisis do on turn 1?

For turn 1, DEFCON can't drop below 2 and the US ignores the DEFCON coup restrictions; the USSR is still bound by them, so only the US can coup freely in Europe, Asia and the Middle East that turn.

In Turn Zero, are modified die rolls capped at 6 and floored at 1?

Yes. In Turn Zero a modified result above 6 counts as 6 and one below 1 counts as 1, unlike the base game, where modified rolls aren't capped.

With the Turn Zero VE Day outcome, does controlling Europe still win automatically?

No. In that setup the Allied Europe card awards 6 VP for Control instead of an automatic victory.

Which Turn Zero crisis cards go in Pile 1 and Pile 2?

Pile 1 holds the European crises (Yalta and Potsdam, the 1945 UK Election, VE Day); Pile 2 holds Israel, China and Japan.