Learn to Play 15 Minute Cold War - Enhanced Rules

1) PROPAGANDA to boost Military defence

You can add any non-Military card (such as Science and Culture, Assistant Leader or Special Cards) to your face-down Military stacks or Military Power cards on the table. Your stack of any three cards will then function as though it was a regular stack and any non-military card you place will add 100 defence to the value of that stack. These cards are called Propaganda Cards and they give you more defensive capability plus they free up your Military cards for an attack.

Image - Three Card Propaganda Military Stack

(Defence = 50 + 150 + 100 = 300)

(Note: Cards are placed face-down)

Any opponent can call you out on your use of Propaganda Cards during their turn. This will count as one of their turns. They must state the number of Propaganda Cards they suspect you have placed on the table. The number of cards they name must not be greater than the number of Military Power (or propaganda) cards they currently have laying on the table. If they're correct in their claim, the opponent must discard that number of propaganda cards. If they're wrong, they must discard that number of military or propaganda cards from their own stack! If the challenger names "2" but the opponent actually only has 1 propaganda card, both players will lose 1 card from their respective Military stacks.

2) The NUCLEAR TRIAD / BLITZKRIEG Attack

Terminology -

1) The Nuclear Triad is a three-pronged military structure that consists of land-based ballistic missiles, submarine-launched nuclear missiles and nuclear-armed long-range aircraft.

2) Blitzkrieg is a German military term that means "lightning war". By combining armoured units, mechanised infantry and close air support, a military force can overwhelm an opponent's defence with a decisive, rapid, powerful assault.

On the UK, USSR, USA, France and PRC decks, three of the eleven Military Power cards have a Nuclear icon next to the Attack and Defence values (see the image below). If you have Australia, Cuba or East Germany, they will have a lightning bolt Blitzkrieg icon in the same spot. Don't worry though, both behave in exactly the same way for gameplay.

The distinction is historical rather than practical. Only the countries with comprehensive Nuclear offensive capabilities have been given the Nuclear icons, with the non-nuclear countries receiving a Blitzkreig icon instead. Note also - The PRC did not have submarines capable of launching ballistic nuclear missiles during this period so they have two nuclear-capable aircraft cards with icons instead.

If you manage to collect all three of these cards in your hand, you may choose to play them on your turn as a one-off single action. This will count as your full turn including the discard.

Playing the Nuclear Triad or Blitzkrieg Attack will take out an opponent's full defence aside from their Leader stack! Their entire defence will be removed from the game as will your three Nuclear Triad or Blitzkrieg cards. (N.B The cards are not discarded, they are removed from the game completely and placed back in the box until the next game or you become a Fallen Leader)

Both players are permanently weakened by this move! However, there is one way to defend the attack...

Defending the Attack

The Nuclear Triad or Blitzkrieg can be blocked if a player defending the attack has both Shield icon Special cards (see image below) in hand. In this scenario, the defending player would play both cards and although their defence is spared, the two Special Cards are permanently removed from the game (and placed back in the box) along with the attackers' Nuclear Triad/Blitzkrieg cards.

3) TOTAL WAR

If you hold all 4 Special Card with the crossed sword icons on the bottom left (see image below) you may play them against a single player as your whole turn, your remaining card is discarded and you will need to pickup 5 cards to replenish your hand after the turn ends.

The Attack will have the following effect (note: each of the four cards have these actions written on them) -

• You will Attack your opponent with any two of your stacked military cards as a single attack.
• Your opponent will lose one Assistant Leader
• Your opponent will lose their lowest stacked Science and Culture card
• Your opponent will lose their highest stacked Military Power card
• You will discard your remaining card

Your opponent can defend the attacks in the order you choose to play them. It's up to you (the attacker) to decide what order will be most effective and then each attack is defended one card at a time. 

The special cards go to the regular discard pile in order after they have been played.

Any other questions?

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