A few weeks ago, I got the opportunity to play Twilight Struggle and also record the game! My opponent this game was cwrmadcat, a friend of mine from waaay back in the days where I was in public accounting all the way up in the Bay Area. For many years, we were each other’s sparring partners, learning the game with each other and learning about the game’s intricacies and strategies. It was our favorite 2-player game. Those of you who’ve read my review of Twilight Struggle should know how much I enjoy the tension that’s present in the game.

But alas, as time wore on, physical distance made Twilight Struggle games a rarity. But somehow, some way, we were able to schedule a game, this time, using the new Collector’s Edition that cwrmadcat got from the Kickstarter campaign. I was able to set up my camera and record what unfolded. You can watch what transpired below. Note: I played as the USSR and cwrmadcat was the USA!

Quick thoughts:

• I’m really not sure why my friend did this, but playing Destalinization is a pretty terrible idea, especially during the Early War. That move effectively allowed me access into South America, where I otherwise never would have had access. With a few good Scoring events in the Mid War, he was as good as toast and made a comeback nearly impossible.
• Southeast Asia was very much up for grabs and in fact, cwrmadcat had done a good job being able to score with the SE Asia scoring card. I mean, Voice of America to dominate the sub-region? Sure, that’s a strong play (though I think he’d be more effective using that card to rock my holdings in South America). It was a well-placed Decolonization that finally allowed me to make headway into the region. Once the surrounding countries were nullified, a Brush War turned Thailand to Soviet control and the rest of the game slipped further and further away.
• Despite some blundering, the game was still within reach. What really placed it out of reach was the way I managed to realign my friend out of Africa. Having Africa under my control allowed me to rack up quite a few points in areas that required little effort to invest. Had he been able to establish a stronger base of operations, I could be dissuaded from charging in there, but the fact that he didn’t made it easy for me to establish a foothold and kick him out.
• The Collector’s Edition, while it looked fancy, lacked the usability of the Deluxe Edition. I’m glad I didn’t back at so high a tier.