Twilight Struggle Victory Conditions

2 players180 minby Ananda Gupta, Jason MatthewsGMT Games
Twilight Struggle box art

How to Win

Immediate victory if VP reaches 20 in your favor, if you control Europe when scored, or if your opponent triggers DEFCON 1. Otherwise, highest VP total after final scoring at end of Turn 10.

Game End Trigger

The game ends immediately upon any of the following: a player reaches +20 or -20 VP, Europe Scoring with one side controlling Europe, DEFCON reaches 1, or at the end of Turn 10.

End Game Procedure

  1. Check for automatic victory: +20 VP (US wins) or -20 VP (USSR wins) at any time.
  2. Check for Europe Control victory: If Europe Scoring is played and one side has Control of Europe, that side wins immediately.
  3. Check for DEFCON 1: The phasing player (the player whose action caused DEFCON to reach 1) loses the game.
  4. If no winner by end of Turn 10: Score all regions as if each scoring card were played, then the player with the VP advantage wins.
  5. Final scoring awards VP for controlling countries in every region.

Final Scoring

  • VP Track: The player whose side the VP marker favors wins. Positive VP = US advantage, Negative VP = USSR advantage.
  • End of Turn 10 Scoring: If neither player has won by the end of Turn 10, every region is scored (as if all scoring cards were played). Chinese influence in Taiwan/etc. is also counted. The VP total determines the winner.