Twilight Struggle Gameplay Overview

Actions

Play Card for Event

Play a card and resolve its event text. The card is removed from the game if it has an asterisk (*) after its name; otherwise it is discarded.

1. Play the card face up.
2. Resolve the event as described on the card.
3. If the card is marked with *, remove it from the game permanently. Otherwise, discard it.

• If you play your opponent's event card for Operations, the event STILL triggers (your opponent's event fires, then you get Operations, or vice versa — you choose the order).
• Scoring cards MUST be played during the turn they are held. You may not hold a scoring card at the end of a turn.

Place Influence

Spend Operations Points to place influence markers in countries. Each Ops point places 1 influence in a country where you already have influence or adjacent to one where you do. Placing in enemy-controlled countries costs 2 Ops per influence.

1. Select a country where you have influence or one adjacent to a country where you have influence.
2. Place 1 influence marker per Operations Point spent.
3. If the target country is controlled by your opponent, it costs 2 Operations Points per influence instead of 1.

• Control: You control a country if your influence exceeds your opponent's influence by at least the country's stability number.
• You may split Operations Points among multiple eligible countries.
• DEFCON restrictions: At DEFCON 4, no influence may be placed in Europe. At DEFCON 3, also no influence in Asia. At DEFCON 2, also no influence in the Middle East.

Attempt a Coup

Target any country where your opponent has influence. Roll a die, add your Operations value, and subtract double the country's stability number. If the result is positive, remove that many opponent influence and/or add your own.

1. Choose a target country where your opponent has influence.
2. Roll one die and add the card's Operations value.
3. Subtract double the target country's stability number: Result = Die Roll + Ops - (2 x Stability).
4. If the result is positive, remove opponent influence first, then place your own influence with any remainder.
5. If the result is zero or negative, the coup fails — nothing happens.

• Coups in Battleground countries degrade DEFCON by 1.
• A coup counts as a Military Operation equal to the card's Operations value.
• DEFCON restrictions apply: at DEFCON 4, no coups in Europe; at DEFCON 3, also no coups in Asia; at DEFCON 2, also no coups in the Middle East.
• If DEFCON reaches 1 due to a coup, the player who performed the coup (the phasing player) LOSES the game — nuclear war.

Realignment Roll

Attempt to remove opponent influence from a country without placing your own. Both players roll a die; the higher roller removes 1 of the opponent's influence from the target country.

1. Choose a target country where your opponent has influence (you do NOT need to have influence there).
2. Each player rolls one die.
3. +1 modifier for each adjacent controlled country you have.
4. +1 modifier if you have more influence in the target country than your opponent.
5. The player with the higher modified roll removes 1 opponent influence. Ties result in nothing.
6. You may make multiple realignment rolls with one card, spending 1 Ops per attempt.

• Realignment does NOT count as a Military Operation.
• DEFCON restrictions apply the same as for coups.
• You do not need influence in or adjacent to the target country to attempt realignment.

Space Race

Discard a card to attempt to advance on the Space Race track. The card's event does NOT trigger, making this useful for discarding opponent events safely.

1. Discard a card with sufficient Operations value (shown on the Space Race track for each space).
2. Roll one die. If the result is equal to or less than the success number for the next space, advance your marker.
3. If the roll fails, nothing happens — the card is still discarded.

• You may only attempt the Space Race once per turn (twice per turn if you reach the space that grants this ability).
• The opponent's event on a card played to the Space Race is NOT triggered.
• The China Card may be played to the Space Race.

Play Scoring Card

Play a regional scoring card to score that region. Check Presence, Domination, or Control for each superpower, plus battleground country bonuses and adjacency.

1. Determine each player's status in the region: Presence (at least 1 country controlled), Domination (more countries AND more battleground countries controlled than opponent, plus at least 1 non-battleground), or Control (all battleground countries AND more total countries than opponent).
2. Award VP based on the scoring card's table for each player's status level.
3. Award +1 VP per battleground country controlled in the region.
4. Award +1 VP for controlling a country adjacent to the enemy superpower (only for some regions).

• Scoring cards MUST be played during the turn they are drawn. Holding one at end of turn loses the game.
• Southeast Asia Scoring (if using optional card) is removed after Turn 1 play and only scores countries in that sub-region.

Key Concepts

• Country Control: You control a country if your influence exceeds your opponent's by at least the country's stability number. Example: A stability 2 country with 3 US influence and 1 USSR influence is US-controlled (3 - 1 = 2, which equals stability).
• Battleground Countries: Key countries in each region marked with a star. Coups in battleground countries degrade DEFCON. These countries provide bonus VP during scoring and are crucial for Domination/Control. Europe: East Germany, West Germany, France, Italy, Poland, UK. Middle East: Iran, Iraq, Israel, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Egypt. Asia: North Korea, South Korea, Japan, India, Pakistan, Thailand. Africa: Nigeria, Zaire, Angola, South Africa, Algeria. Central America: Cuba, Panama, Mexico. South America: Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, Chile.
• DEFCON Status: Level 5: Peace — no restrictions. Level 4: No coups or realignment in Europe. Level 3: Also no coups or realignment in Asia. Level 2: Also no coups or realignment in the Middle East. Level 1: Nuclear War — the phasing player loses the game. DEFCON improves by 1 at the end of each turn (never above 5). Coups in battleground countries degrade DEFCON by 1.
• Military Operations: Each player must conduct Military Operations equal to the current DEFCON level by end of turn. Coups count (value = card's Ops). War events count. For each point short, lose 1 VP. Example: DEFCON is at 4, you have 2 Mil Ops — you lose 2 VP.
• Operations Points: Cards have Ops values from 1 to 4. Ops are used for influence placement, coups, realignment, or Space Race. When playing an opponent's event for Ops, the event still triggers.
• Headline Phase: At the start of each turn, both players simultaneously select a card and reveal. Both events occur (higher Ops value resolves first; USSR breaks ties). The China Card cannot be played during the headline phase.
• China Card: Starts with USSR face up. Worth 4 Ops (5 if ALL Ops are used in Asia or Southeast Asia). After use, passed face down to opponent (cannot be used until next turn when it flips face up). Counts as held card for hand limit. Cannot be played during headline phase.
• Scoring Regions: Europe: Presence 3/1, Domination 7/3, Control automatic victory. Middle East: Presence 3/1, Domination 5/3, Control 7/5. Asia: Presence 3/1, Domination 7/4, Control 9/6. Africa: Presence 1/1, Domination 4/4, Control 6/6. Central America: Presence 1/1, Domination 3/3, Control 5/5. South America: Presence 2/2, Domination 5/3, Control 6/4. (Format: US VP / USSR VP)
• Presence / Domination / Control: Presence: Control at least 1 country in the region. Domination: Control more countries AND more battleground countries than opponent, plus at least 1 non-battleground country. Control: Control ALL battleground countries in the region AND more total countries than opponent.
• DEFCON Coup Restrictions: DEFCON 5: No restrictions. DEFCON 4: Cannot coup or realign in Europe. DEFCON 3: Cannot coup or realign in Europe or Asia. DEFCON 2: Cannot coup or realign in Europe, Asia, or Middle East. These restrictions also apply to influence placement from card events.
• Card Periods: Early War (Turns 1-3): 35 cards. At start of Turn 4, shuffle Mid War cards (46) into the deck. At start of Turn 8, shuffle Late War cards (23) into the deck. The deck grows over time but is never reshuffled — discard pile is reshuffled when the draw deck runs out.