Flying from New York City, to Seoul, South Korea, the doomed Korean Airlines Flight 007 strayed into Soviet Airspace due to a navigational error involving the plane’s autopilot system. While the Soviets contemporaneously claimed that they did not know that plane was civilian, tape releases after the Cold War indicate that little if any warning was given to the airliner. The Reagan administration rallied global reaction against the Soviets—even playing decoded messages before the UN Security Council. 269 passengers and crew were killed during the attack, including one member of Congress.
Commenting on the war, Henry Kissinger famously remarked, “Too bad they can’t both lose.” Sparked by simmering land disputes over the Shatt al-Arab, Saddam Hussein sought to establish Iraq as a true regional power, and also check the export of Shia fundamentalism from Iran. Initially, Iraq scored limited gains, but Iranian forces rallied and began a counter offensive into Iraq. Without set allies in the conflict, the United States played a cynical game of attempting to keep both sides sufficiently supplied for the war to continue. Ultimately, the US began to tilt to Iraq as an Iranian victory in the war would have been an unacceptable outcome. Iran also utilized oil as a weapon necessitating the US flagging of Kuwaiti tankers to ensure oil supplies. After 8 years of war, the border returned to its ante bellum status. However, both nations had been severely weakened by the conflict.
A political dissident since age 16, Daniel Ortega Saavedra spent time in a Managua prison. Upon his release, he fled to Cuba and established relationships which would be vital for the Sandinista movement. When the Sandinistas ousted the Somoza regime, Ortega maneuvered himself into the de facto presidency. Ortega’s close ties to the Castro regime in turn prompted US support for the Contra rebels. Operating out of Northern Nicaragua and drawing support from agricultural interests that had been collectivized, the Contras were to prove a major hurdle to the success of Sandinista governance. Ultimately, economic stagnation would prove the undoing of Ortega’s government.
Successor to the short-lived premiership of Konstantin Chernenko, Mikhail Gorbachev was the only Soviet leader to be born after the Russian Revolution of 1917. His experience within the Politburo gave him broad exposure to the West which profoundly affected his thinking about the USSR’s future. “Gorby,” as he would be known in the West, inspired a sort of fan following. Margaret Thatcher famously remarked on his coming to power “I like Mr. Gorbachev—we can do business together.” Ultimately, Gorbachev would oversee the dismantling of the Soviet bloc. While his reformist agenda, including Perestroika (economic reform) and Glasnost (political freedom) made him extremely popular in the West, it made him less so in the Soviet Union. Ultimately, Gorbachev would be removed from office as the result of a reactionary military coup in 1991. In the wake of its failure, the Russian Federation would turn to a newly minted hero, Boris Yeltsin.
* DefCon to 3.
* Coups and realignments now allowed in MiddleEast.
Headlines chosen. U.S.S.R. has higher Ops so Russian event goes first:
While a threat as old as human civilization, the use of terrorism as an instrument to change international policy ebbed and flowed throughout the Cold War. The Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact allies were known to train terrorist organizations within their borders, including radical elements of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). In many ways, the PLO provided the archetype for a terrorist organization throughout the Cold War. With its anti-Western, anti-Israel ideology, it became a cause celebre for those asserting that the West was on a neo-imperialist crusade in the third world. Palestinian terrorists hijacked planes, attacked the Achille Lauro, and perhaps most infamously murdered 11 Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics in 1972. There were also western based, communist affiliated terrorists such as the Red Brigades in Italy, and the Red Army in Japan. As the Cold War came to a close, and the Soviet Union faced increasing difficulty with Muslim fundamentalism, its support for terrorism waned.
A ripple effect from the rise of Middle Eastern oil, Latin American governments experienced phenomenal growth from the 1950’s into the 1970’s. However, this came to an abrupt halt. Unfortunately, even with impressive economic growth, Latin American countries like Brazil and Ecuador continued to rack up external debt. Given the new found global capital from petrodollars, Latin American governments found willing lenders. External debt in Latin America rose 1,000% from 1970 to 1980. When a global recession sparked by the Iranian oil crisis buffeted world economies, most Latin American governments simply could not keep up. Eventually, these governments would have to commit to significant restructuring of their economies to reduce their debt.
*** American plays Central America Scoring Event ***
* U.S.S.R. has Presence in Central America for 1 VPs.
* U.S.S.R. Controls 1 Battleground countries in Central America.
* U.S.S.R. Controls 1 countries adjacent to U.S.
* U.S. has Domination in Central America for 3 VPs.
* U.S. Controls 2 Battleground countries in Central America.
* U.S. gains 2 VPs.
* VPs to 5 Soviet Victory Points.
While the first oil discoveries in the North Sea occurred in the 1960’s, it would take the Iranian oil crisis to make the exploitation of North Sea oil economically viable. The North Sea contains the majority of Europe’s oil reserves and has become one of the leading non-OPEC producing regions in the world. Shared between the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Norway, the North Sea fields provided a welcome release from the death grip in which OPEC had hitherto held Western Europe.
The E3 “AWACS” aircraft is one of the most sophisticated early command and surveillance platforms available to the United States Air Force. Imagine Congress’ surprise when President Ronald Reagan announced plans to sell 5 of them to Saudi Arabia after they have only recently entered service in the United States. The “Airborne Warning and Control System” sale was, at that time, the largest military sale ever. While it met with Congressional resistance, as well as resistance from the Israeli government, ultimately, the objective was to cement Saudi Arabia as the US new anchor against Tehran. The high profile political risk associated with this arms sale would draw the two governments together long after the Cold War was over.
A violent reaction to traditional US support for the repressive regime of the Shah of Iran, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, 65 Americans were held for 444 days after Islamic revolutionaries stormed the US embassy. The newly installed leader of the Iran’s theocracy, Ayatollah Khomeini, was rabidly anti-American and had urged his followers to take action against Western influences. President Carter undertook two scrubbed rescue missions, one of which resulted in a humiliating accident for the US military and for the Carter Administration. Carter’s failure to secure the release of the hostages prior to the end of the 1980 campaign season is often credited with his sizable electoral defeat. Ultimately, Iraq’s invasion of Iran in 1980 made Iran more amenable to ending the crisis. Through the use of Algerian intermediaries, negotiations were finally successful. In a final slap to Carter, the hostages were formally relinquished to US custody on January 21, 1981, minutes after Reagan’s inauguration.
*** Soviet plays Middle East Scoring Event ***
* U.S.S.R. has Presence in Middle East for 3 VPs.
* U.S.S.R. Controls 2 Battleground countries in Middle East.
* U.S. has Presence in Middle East for 3 VPs.
* U.S. Controls 4 Battleground countries in Middle East.
* U.S. gains 2 VPs.
Usa get +1 in this reallignment. Nothing change in the following one.
I controlled Chile and Ecuador, Peru was uncontrolled; how does USA get +1?
It's not who control the realligned region that get the +1 (like for the neighbouring region, where only control matter), but who simply has more influence in it.
*** Soviet plays Captured Nazi Scientist* for 1 Ops.
*** Soviet initiates realignment in Peru.
* American roll modifier: +1
* Soviet roll modifier: +2
* U.S. Die = [6] *** <Soviet>
* Soviet Die = [5] *** <Soviet>
*** American initiates realignment in Chile.
* American roll modifier: +2
* Soviet roll modifier: +1
* U.S. Die = [6] *** <American>
* Soviet Die = [2] *** <American>
*** U.S. did not perform enough Military Operations ***
* U.S. player penalized 1 VPs.
* VPs to 4 Soviet Victory Points.
* DefCon to 3.
* Coups and realignments now allowed in MiddleEast.
PM me your Headline cards for the Gorbachev (last) turn.
Posts
Geth roll 1d6+2 for US
Geth roll 1d6+1 for USSR
Twitch Stream
Flying from New York City, to Seoul, South Korea, the doomed Korean Airlines Flight 007 strayed into Soviet Airspace due to a navigational error involving the plane’s autopilot system. While the Soviets contemporaneously claimed that they did not know that plane was civilian, tape releases after the Cold War indicate that little if any warning was given to the airliner. The Reagan administration rallied global reaction against the Soviets—even playing decoded messages before the UN Security Council. 269 passengers and crew were killed during the attack, including one member of Congress.
Commenting on the war, Henry Kissinger famously remarked, “Too bad they can’t both lose.” Sparked by simmering land disputes over the Shatt al-Arab, Saddam Hussein sought to establish Iraq as a true regional power, and also check the export of Shia fundamentalism from Iran. Initially, Iraq scored limited gains, but Iranian forces rallied and began a counter offensive into Iraq. Without set allies in the conflict, the United States played a cynical game of attempting to keep both sides sufficiently supplied for the war to continue. Ultimately, the US began to tilt to Iraq as an Iranian victory in the war would have been an unacceptable outcome. Iran also utilized oil as a weapon necessitating the US flagging of Kuwaiti tankers to ensure oil supplies. After 8 years of war, the border returned to its ante bellum status. However, both nations had been severely weakened by the conflict.
American AR6
The Black Hole of Cygnus X-1
Assuming you decide to take a free coup, your only choice is Costa Rica
Geth roll 1d6-4
Twitch Stream
Twitch Stream
The Black Hole of Cygnus X-1
Costa Rica was the only country adjacent to Nicaragua with US influence.
Twitch Stream
A political dissident since age 16, Daniel Ortega Saavedra spent time in a Managua prison. Upon his release, he fled to Cuba and established relationships which would be vital for the Sandinista movement. When the Sandinistas ousted the Somoza regime, Ortega maneuvered himself into the de facto presidency. Ortega’s close ties to the Castro regime in turn prompted US support for the Contra rebels. Operating out of Northern Nicaragua and drawing support from agricultural interests that had been collectivized, the Contras were to prove a major hurdle to the success of Sandinista governance. Ultimately, economic stagnation would prove the undoing of Ortega’s government.
Successor to the short-lived premiership of Konstantin Chernenko, Mikhail Gorbachev was the only Soviet leader to be born after the Russian Revolution of 1917. His experience within the Politburo gave him broad exposure to the West which profoundly affected his thinking about the USSR’s future. “Gorby,” as he would be known in the West, inspired a sort of fan following. Margaret Thatcher famously remarked on his coming to power “I like Mr. Gorbachev—we can do business together.” Ultimately, Gorbachev would oversee the dismantling of the Soviet bloc. While his reformist agenda, including Perestroika (economic reform) and Glasnost (political freedom) made him extremely popular in the West, it made him less so in the Soviet Union. Ultimately, Gorbachev would be removed from office as the result of a reactionary military coup in 1991. In the wake of its failure, the Russian Federation would turn to a newly minted hero, Boris Yeltsin.
* DefCon to 3.
* Coups and realignments now allowed in MiddleEast.
PM me your Headline cards for the Reagan turn.
The Black Hole of Cygnus X-1
Twitch Stream
While a threat as old as human civilization, the use of terrorism as an instrument to change international policy ebbed and flowed throughout the Cold War. The Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact allies were known to train terrorist organizations within their borders, including radical elements of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). In many ways, the PLO provided the archetype for a terrorist organization throughout the Cold War. With its anti-Western, anti-Israel ideology, it became a cause celebre for those asserting that the West was on a neo-imperialist crusade in the third world. Palestinian terrorists hijacked planes, attacked the Achille Lauro, and perhaps most infamously murdered 11 Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics in 1972. There were also western based, communist affiliated terrorists such as the Red Brigades in Italy, and the Red Army in Japan. As the Cold War came to a close, and the Soviet Union faced increasing difficulty with Muslim fundamentalism, its support for terrorism waned.
Americans are in a Scare. (Under Reagan!!)
Geth, roll 1d9 for Terrorism.
Terrorism discard:
Soviet AR1
The Black Hole of Cygnus X-1
Geth, roll 1d6 for Egypt.
Twitch Stream
Event First
Twitch Stream
A ripple effect from the rise of Middle Eastern oil, Latin American governments experienced phenomenal growth from the 1950’s into the 1970’s. However, this came to an abrupt halt. Unfortunately, even with impressive economic growth, Latin American countries like Brazil and Ecuador continued to rack up external debt. Given the new found global capital from petrodollars, Latin American governments found willing lenders. External debt in Latin America rose 1,000% from 1970 to 1980. When a global recession sparked by the Iranian oil crisis buffeted world economies, most Latin American governments simply could not keep up. Eventually, these governments would have to commit to significant restructuring of their economies to reduce their debt.
*** American plays Central America Scoring Event ***
* U.S.S.R. has Presence in Central America for 1 VPs.
* U.S.S.R. Controls 1 Battleground countries in Central America.
* U.S.S.R. Controls 1 countries adjacent to U.S.
* U.S. has Domination in Central America for 3 VPs.
* U.S. Controls 2 Battleground countries in Central America.
* U.S. gains 2 VPs.
* VPs to 5 Soviet Victory Points.
American AR2 Part 2
The Black Hole of Cygnus X-1
Twitch Stream
Twitch Stream
Twitch Stream
Geth roll 1d6
Twitch Stream
While the first oil discoveries in the North Sea occurred in the 1960’s, it would take the Iranian oil crisis to make the exploitation of North Sea oil economically viable. The North Sea contains the majority of Europe’s oil reserves and has become one of the leading non-OPEC producing regions in the world. Shared between the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Norway, the North Sea fields provided a welcome release from the death grip in which OPEC had hitherto held Western Europe.
The E3 “AWACS” aircraft is one of the most sophisticated early command and surveillance platforms available to the United States Air Force. Imagine Congress’ surprise when President Ronald Reagan announced plans to sell 5 of them to Saudi Arabia after they have only recently entered service in the United States. The “Airborne Warning and Control System” sale was, at that time, the largest military sale ever. While it met with Congressional resistance, as well as resistance from the Israeli government, ultimately, the objective was to cement Saudi Arabia as the US new anchor against Tehran. The high profile political risk associated with this arms sale would draw the two governments together long after the Cold War was over.
A violent reaction to traditional US support for the repressive regime of the Shah of Iran, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, 65 Americans were held for 444 days after Islamic revolutionaries stormed the US embassy. The newly installed leader of the Iran’s theocracy, Ayatollah Khomeini, was rabidly anti-American and had urged his followers to take action against Western influences. President Carter undertook two scrubbed rescue missions, one of which resulted in a humiliating accident for the US military and for the Carter Administration. Carter’s failure to secure the release of the hostages prior to the end of the 1980 campaign season is often credited with his sizable electoral defeat. Ultimately, Iraq’s invasion of Iran in 1980 made Iran more amenable to ending the crisis. Through the use of Algerian intermediaries, negotiations were finally successful. In a final slap to Carter, the hostages were formally relinquished to US custody on January 21, 1981, minutes after Reagan’s inauguration.
*** Soviet plays Middle East Scoring Event ***
* U.S.S.R. has Presence in Middle East for 3 VPs.
* U.S.S.R. Controls 2 Battleground countries in Middle East.
* U.S. has Presence in Middle East for 3 VPs.
* U.S. Controls 4 Battleground countries in Middle East.
* U.S. gains 2 VPs.
American AR5
The Black Hole of Cygnus X-1
Geth roll 1d6-1
Twitch Stream
Geth, roll 1d6 for USA.
Geth, roll 1d6+2 for USSR.
Realign Chile
Geth roll 1d6+1 for US
Geth roll 1d6+1 for USSR
Twitch Stream
Twitch Stream
Usa get +1 in this reallignment. Nothing change in the following one.
Hedgethorn just played Containment, you get 1 extra op.
Twitch Stream
I controlled Chile and Ecuador, Peru was uncontrolled; how does USA get +1?
It's not who control the realligned region that get the +1 (like for the neighbouring region, where only control matter), but who simply has more influence in it.
*** Soviet plays Captured Nazi Scientist* for 1 Ops.
*** Soviet initiates realignment in Peru.
* American roll modifier: +1
* Soviet roll modifier: +2
* U.S. Die = [6] *** <Soviet>
* Soviet Die = [5] *** <Soviet>
*** American initiates realignment in Chile.
* American roll modifier: +2
* Soviet roll modifier: +1
* U.S. Die = [6] *** <American>
* Soviet Die = [2] *** <American>
*** U.S. did not perform enough Military Operations ***
* U.S. player penalized 1 VPs.
* VPs to 4 Soviet Victory Points.
* DefCon to 3.
* Coups and realignments now allowed in MiddleEast.
PM me your Headline cards for the Gorbachev (last) turn.
The Black Hole of Cygnus X-1
I may have hit it accidentally while updating the map, being the Commie I am...
:P
(I'm actually a Facist)
The Black Hole of Cygnus X-1