WW III
INTRODUCTION
Card game for 2 players.
Simulates WW III if it had happened in 1985.
One player is NATO, the other is the Warsaw Pact.
VICTORY
If the Warsaw Pact is able to claim 10 Europe Tokens it wins.
If the Warsaw Pact is able to reduce NATO to zero tokens in any
category the Warsaw player wins.
If NATO reduces the Warsaw Pact to zero Super Power Tokens NATO wins.
If NATO ever has more Ground Force Tokens than the Warsaw Pact, NATO wins.
The other side is forced to the negotiating table.
A Win using no Nukes is considered a Clean Win.
A Win using Nukes is considered a Dirty Win.
TERMINOLOGY
The NATO player is also referred to as the Atlantic Alliance and also as
the American or US player in event of strategic nuclear exchange.
The Warsaw (Pact) player is also referred to as
the USSR or the Soviet (Block) player.
EUROPE TERRITORY TOKENS
There are 10 Europe Territory Tokens (ETT).
NATO starts in possession of these.
AIR FORCE TOKENS
Each side starts with 15 AFT.
NAVAL FORCE TOKENS
NATO starts with 20 NFT.
The Warsaw Pact starts with 10 NFT.
GROUND FORCE TOKENS
NATO starts with 10 GFT.
The Warsaw Pact starts with 25 GFT.
SUPERPOWER TOKENS
The US starts with 10 SPT.
The USSR starts with 10 SPT.
This represents nuclear arsenal strength and survivability of
Industry, Leadership, Communication, and other Resources.
Loses to SPT represent direct attacks on that Nation.
Once your SPT is reduced to 5 or less, Air Attacks cannot
reduce it further, only Nuke Attacks.
DICE
Needed for Nuculear Escalation Checks.
PRE-GAME AND MAIN-GAME
The game has 2 main parts.
The Pre-Game simulates events leading up to the War.
The Main-Game simulates the War.
Each turn of the Pre-Game is equivalent to 2 days.
Each turn of the Main-Game is equivalent to 1 day.
PRE-GAME DECK
This is called the Threat Deck.
Players share this common deck.
Some cards can be used by only 1 player, some by both.
All cards played add to the Tension Point (TP) total.
PRE-GAME ENDING & TRANSITION TO MAIN GAME
The pre-Game ends when there are 100 or more Tension Points (TP) worth
of cards in play. The War begins: Discard all Threat cards, Remove the
Threat Deck and start playing the Main-Game.
Each player draws 2 cards from their respective Main-Game Decks.
They may have accumulated extra Main game cards from pre-game card play.
SETUP
Start with Token distributions as described above.
Shuffle the Threat Deck.
The Soviet Player goes first.
PRE-GAME TURN SEQUENCE
Players take turns.
Each turn has 3 phases:
1. Opportunity Phase
2. Options Phase
3. End Phase
OPPORTUNITY PHASE
Draw 2 cards from the Threat Deck.
If the deck runs out, shuffle the discard and draw from it.
OPTIONS PHASE
You may put 1 card into play:
Place it face-up in the middle of the table.
Do not cover over other in-play Threat cards.
The Tension Point Total increases.
The player playing the card may be rewarded with extra Tokens of a
specified type, or with card draws from their respective Main-Game Decks.
END PHASE
Max hand size is 7 cards.
Discard excess cards.
Check to see if the Tension Point (TP) total is 100 or greater.
PRE-GAME STRATEGY NOTES
The longer the pre-game drags on the more NATO is able to build-up.
THREAT DECK NOTATION
W = Warsaw Pact player can use only
N = NATO player can use only
B = Both sides can use
TP = Tension Points
Use = Which player(s) can use (play) the card
GFT = Ground Force Tokens
SPT = Super Power Tokens
NFT = Naval Force Tokens
AFT = Air Force Tokens
Sabotage = Opponent draws 1 less card the first 2 turns of the Main Game
ATGW = Anti-Tank Ground Weapons
THREAT DECK CARD LIST
Name: Use TP Notes:
Inclined to Preemptive Action W 5 (Politburo Hardliners)
Belief in Conventional Victory W 6 (Narrow Window of Opportunity)
French Indecision B 2 (French Communism & Pacifism)
Contingency Plans B 4 Draw 1 card
Need to Reinforce Hegemony W 4 (Keep Satellite States in line)
NATO Preparedness N 7 GFT +1
Nuclear Stockpiling B 7 SPT +1
Shorten Mobilization Time B 3 Draw 1 card
Deception Arrangements W 8 (Offensive starts before NATO predicts)
NATO’s Nuclear Reluctance W 5 (Sign of Weakness)
Emergency Deployments N 3 GFT +1
Clandestine KGB Cell Activity W 3 Sabotage
Clash in Yugoslavia B 10 (US Marines & Soviet Army Units)
Television Coverage B 8 (Unfiltered Exposure atrocities and conflict)
Pride and Anger B 6 (Feelings of General Population)
Propaganda B 7 (Spin Doctors)
Forward Positions B 2 GFT +1
Fly in Personnel N 2 GFT +1
Prepositioned Equipment N 2 GFT +1 (Heavy Division)
Ready Frontier Defenses N 2 GFT +1
Overstrength Divisions N 2 GFT +1
Numerical Superiority W 4 GFT +1 or AFT +1
Careful Dispositions N 2 Draw 1 card
Deploy Additional ATGW N 2 GFT +1 (To remedy predicted shortfalls)
General Alert B 3 AFT +1 (Assume Full War Posture)
Soviet Hawks W 9 (War Mongers)
Pretext Found W 10 (NATO or US Aggression)
Full Invasion Planned W 6 GFT +1 (Ready to Go)
Rearmed West Germany B 7 GFT +1 (Biggest perceived Threat to USSR)
Necessity to Exploit Opportunity W 7 (Spread the Revolution at any cost)
Threat to National Security B 4 (Cold War Paranoia)
Uncompromising B 5 (Conservatives and Radicals)
US Capitalist Imperialism W 5 (Typical Russian Propaganda)
Future Threat of China W 3 (The need to resolve Europe first)
Overwhelming Military Advantage W 5 GFT +1
Belief in Ultimate Triumph W 5 (That all Nations will be turned Communist)
Maneuver Season B 2 GFT +1 (Readiness Exercises)
Summer War Games W 2 GFT +1 (Mask Full Mobilization)
Heightened Activity B 4 AFT +1 (Combat Ready Aircraft)
Air Refueling N 4 AFT +1
Willingness to accept Loses W 6 (Sacrifice for the greater good)
Civil Defense Preparations W 6 SPT +1 (Perceived Survivability Increase)
SALT Talks B 1 Opponent SPT -1
START Talks B 1 Opponent SPT -1
Nuclear Summit B 1 Opponent SPT -1
Hardened Silos B 3 SPT +1
US Sea Dependent Nation N 5 NFT +1
Middle Eastern Conflicts B 5 (Fuel on the Fire)
Move Surface Fleets B 5 NFT +1
International Incident B 5 (Denial of Responsibility)
Western European Arsenals N 5 SPT +1
Repatriation & Evacuation B 4 (Dependents & Civilians)
Unrest in Poland B 8 (Fear of coups d‘etat elsewhere)
Wide Repercussions B 7 (Leader Discredited)
Let Loose Submarines B 5 NFT +1
Incomplete Surprise N 5 GFT +1
Lame Duck Administration W 3 SPT +1
Turmoil in Africa B 3 (Genocide)
Command of Arabian Oil B 9 (Strong Position)
Bay of Pigs Strategy B 6 (Engineer Humiliating Retreat)
Momentum of Events B 6 (Things will get out of Control)
Establish Lines of Communication B 4 GFT +1 (Ammo Stocks, Installations)
Improved Operational Procedures B 3 Draw 1 Card
Optimized Doctrine B 2 Draw 1 Card
Proxy Wars B 5
MAIN GAME TURN SEQUENCE
Each turn has 8 Phases:
1. Logistics Phase
2. Intelligence Contest Phase
3. Naval War Phase
4. Air War Phase
5. First Ground War Phase
6. Second Ground War Phase
7. Nuclear Exchange Phase
8. Event Phase
9. Operations Phase
LOGISTICS PHASE
Each player draws 8 cards from his respective deck.
If a deck runs out, shuffle the discard and draw from it.
Strategic Option: At any time, you may discard 2 cards to
draw 1 replacement card.
INTELLIGENCE CONTEST PHASE
Players play cards that contribute to the Intelligence Score.
Cards are revealed simultaneously.
If tied nothing happens.
The higher score wins.
The winner looks at his opponents hand and then may
draw 3 cards and discard one.
If the loser played no cards, he must discard 1 Random card from his hand.
Discard all played cards.
NAVAL WAR PHASE
Players play cards that contribute to the Naval Score.
Cards are revealed simultaneously.
If tied nothing happens.
The higher score wins.
The loser loses 1 Naval Force Token (NFT).
If the loser played no cards, the winner draws 2 cards.
If one player has 3 or more NFT than his opponent, he gets +2 to his Score.
If one player has double or more NFT than his opponent, he gets +4 to his Score.
Discard all played cards.
AIR WAR PHASE
Players play cards that contribute to the Air Score.
Cards are revealed simultaneously.
If tied, both sides lose 1 AFT.
The higher score wins.
The loser loses 1 Air Force Token (AFT).
If the loser lost by double the Score or more, the winner may cause the loser to
lose 1 GFT, 1 NFT, or 1 SPT (winners choice)... AND... his opponent gets -2 to
his Scores in both Ground War Phases.
If one player has 3 or more AFT than his opponent, he gets +2 to his Score.
If one player has double or more AFT than his opponent, he gets +4 to his Score.
Discard all played cards.
FIRST GROUND WAR PHASE
Players play cards that contribute to the Ground Score.
Cards are revealed simultaneously.
If tied both sides lose 1 GFT.
The higher score wins.
The loser loses 1 Ground Force Token (GFT).
If the loser was NATO, the Soviet player also steals 1 ETT from him.
If the loser was the Soviet player, NATO inflicts an extra 1 GFT loss on him.
If the losing NATO player played no cards, the winning Soviet player
steals 1 extra Europe Territory Token (ETT) from his opponent.
If the losing Soviet player played no cards, the winning NATO player
inflicts an additional 1 GFT loss on his opponent.
If one player has 3 or more GFT than his opponent, he gets +2 to his Score.
If one player has double or more GFT than his opponent, he gets +4 to his Score.
Discard all played cards.
SECOND GROUND WAR PHASE
Players play cards that contribute to the Ground Score.
Cards are revealed simultaneously.
If tied both sides lose 1 GFT.
The higher score wins.
The loser loses 1 Ground Force Token (GFT).
If the loser was NATO, the Soviet player also steals 1 ETT from him.
If the loser was the Soviet player, NATO inflicts an extra 1 GFT loss on him.
If the losing NATO player played no cards, the winning Soviet player
steals 1 extra Europe Territory Token (ETT) from his opponent.
If the losing Soviet player played no cards, the winning NATO player
inflicts an additional 1 GFT loss on his opponent.
If one player has 3 or more GFT than his opponent, he gets +2 to his Score.
If one player has double or more GFT than his opponent, he gets +4 to his Score.
Discard all played cards.
NUCLEAR EXCHANGE PHASE
Players may play Nuke cards.
Players take turns. Soviet Player first.
Each Nuke card played causes opponent to lose
1 GFT, 1 AFT, 1 NFT, or 1 SPT (Attackers Choice).
Discard all played cards.
Everytime you play a Nuke, roll one die and consult the Nuclear Escalation Table.
NUCLEAR ESCALATION TABLE
2D6 Notes:
2 Dud: The Nuke attack failed: No damage was inflicted
3-4 Opponent Stands Down: No additional effects
5-9 Escalation: Opponent gains 1 Nuke Token
10-11 Major Escalation: Each player gains 1D6 Nuke Tokens
12 Full Escalation: Armageddon: Game Over: Nobody Wins
Nuke tokens are used like Nuke Cards.
Nuke tokens can be saved or used the same phase they are gained.
EVENT PHASE
Event cards can be played in this turn.
Players take turns. Soviet player first.
Discard all played cards.
OPERATIONS PHASE
Players discard down to 4 cards or less.
MAIN GAME DECK CARD TYPE NOTATION
G = Card contributes to Ground War Score
I = Card contributes to Intelligence Contest Score
A = Card contributes to Air War Score
N = Card contributes to Naval War Score
U = Nuke Card
Z = Can be used as card types: G, A, N, and U
C = Can be used as card types: G, A, and N
V = Event Card
NATO DECK
Name: Type Score Notes:
Delaying Action G 9 (Containment)
American Tanks G 10 (M1, M60)
Antitank Missiles G 8 (Tow, Hellfire)
Attack Helicopters G 7 (Cobras)
Artillery & Self Propelled Guns G 6 (Howitzers)
Airmobile Divisions G 5 (Helicopter Transport)
Allied Tanks G 6 (Leopold, Chieftain, Challenger)
Close Air Support G 7 (A-10‘s, Cluster Weapons)
Ambush G 7 (Destroy Leading Elements)
Attack Choke Points G 8 (Concentrate Forces on Thrust Lines)
Attack Supply Columns & Dumps G 2 (Air Missions)
Defense in Depth G 6 (ATGW Network, Mines, Flooding)
Erode Soviet Operational Command G 5 (Target HQ’s, PGM‘s, SAS Commandos)
Defensive Battle G 5 (Territorial Units Dug-In)
Comprehensive Deception Plans NI 2 (Diversions)
US Marines NG 1 (Amphibious Capability)
Carrier Strike Fleet NA 5 (Task Force)
Fighter Bombers C 6
High Altitude Bombing AG 3 (B-52’s)
Targeting Technology CI 9 (Laser Guidance, Radar, Acquisition)
Advanced Munitions C 7 (Scatterable Mines, Area Denial)
Battlefield Interdiction CI 10
Cruise Missiles Z 4 (Dual Purpose)
Scramble Z 8 (Rapid Reaction, High Sortie Rates)
Jet Fighters A 7 (Tornados, Jaguars, Phantoms, Harrier)
Superiority Fighters A 8 (F-15 Eagles, F-16 Falcons, Mirages)
Air Defense Missiles A 5 (Patriot, Roland, Stinger, Rapier)
Attack Airfields A 6 (Bombs & Mines)
Early Warning System A 4 (Ground Radar)
Relocation Plans A 1 (Withdrawal from Damaged Airfields)
In Flight Refueling A 2
Air Base Defenses A 3 (SAM’s, Guns, Hardened Bunkers)
Centrally Organized Flexibility A 9 (Decisive Air Command Doctrine)
Superior Training & Technology A 10 (Offset Numerical Advantage)
Patrol Ships N 7 (ASW and Mine Counter Measures)
Escort and Support Groups N 5 (Protect Convoys, Shipping, Logistics)
Aegis Equipped Cruisers N 2 (Anti-Missile Missiles)
Patrol Subs and Aircraft N 8 (ASW)
Anti-Ship Missiles N 1 (Harpoon)
Submarine Warfare N 9 (ASW)
Maritime Strike Aircraft N 6 (Anti-Ship, F-14‘s)
US 6th Fleet N 4 (En Route to the Dardanelles)
Soviet Fleets Bottled Up N 10 (Or based in remote Areas)
Allied Navies N 3 (British, French Japanese, Italian)
Satellite Systems I 3 (Photography, Telecommunications)
Unmanned Recon Vehicles I 2 (Remote Controlled UAV‘s)
Signal Intelligence I 6 (Surveillance, Intercept)
Electronic Intelligence I 10 (ELINT)
Analysis & Assessment I 5 (Traffic Analysis)
Reconnaissance Aircraft I 4 (AWACS)
Joint Action I 9 (JTIDS)
Electronic Warfare I 7 (Jamming, Decoys, Security)
Electronic Counter Measures I 8 (West has Lead)
Redeployment I 1
Mutually Assured Destruction U -
Nuclear Submarine U - (Polaris, Poseidon)
Strategic Bombers U -
ICBM’s U -
Nuclear Fire Support U - (Battlefield Nuclear Weapons)
Counter Offensive V - Draw 2 Cards (Gain Initiative)
Heavy Air Transports V - Gain 1 GFT or prevent loss of 1 AFT
Commit Reserves V - Gain 1 GFT or AFT
Russian Defections V - Soviet player -1 NFT
Fast Military Convoy V - Gain 1 GFT (Atlantic)
Failure to Achieve Tactical Surprise V - Soviet player discards 2 Random Cards
Sabotage by Partisan Forces V - Soviet player discards 2 Random Cards
SOVIET DECK CARD LIST
Name: Type Score Notes:
Airborne & Undercover Forces G 2 (Seize Airfields, HQ’s, River Crossings)
Chemical Warfare G 1 (Nerve Gasses, Mustard)
Artillery Suppression G 5 (Reduce Anti-Tank Action)
Mass Attack Tactics G 10 (Waves of T-72 Tanks)
Deep Penetration Action G 9 (Exploit Breakthroughs)
Bypass Pockets of Resistance G 3 (Outflanking & Encirclement)
Maximum Air Support G 6 (Hind Helicopters, Bombing, Strafing)
Bomber Sorties G 5 (Blinders, Badgers)
Motorized Rifle Divisions G 6 (BMP Infantry Carriers)
Soviet Armies G 7 (Guards, Shock, Tank)
Large Armored Formations G 7 (Tank Divisions)
Second Line Divisions G 4 (East German, Czech, Polish, Hungarian)
Forward NATO Forces Cut-Off G 5 (Overrun)
Secure Objectives G 8 (Speed is Everything)
High Intensity Air Operations A 10 (Do everything at Once)
Interrupt Atlantic Air Bridge A 9
Air to Air Missiles A 4
Long Range Air Force A 3
Mig Fighters A 6 (Fitter, Fencer, Flanker)
Superiority Fighters A 7 (Fishbed, Flogger, Foxbat)
Attrition A 8
Mobile Flak A 1
SSM Mobile Systems A 6 (Surface to Surface vs. Air Bases)
Surface to Air Missiles A 5 (SAM’s)
Kiev Class Carriers N 1 (Helicopters, V/STOL Forger Fighter)
Heavy Cruisers N 4 (Kirov Class Nuclear Powered)
Ambush US Carriers N 3
Attack Convoys N 10 Can use to Negate Atlantic Convoy
Independent Missions N 5 (Raiding)
Attack Submarines N 8 (Torpedoes, Mines)
Anti-Ship Cruise Missiles N 9
Soviet Naval Bases N 7 (Land Based Air Support)
Fleets N 6 (Northern, Baltic, Black Sea, Pacific)
Attack World Shipping N 2
Long Range High Speed Bombers GN 4 (Backfires, Bears)
Major Attack AG 8
Radar Jamming AI 2
Soviet Merchant Fleet NI 1 (Recon, Mine Laying, Transport, EW)
All Out Assault C 9
NATO Defenses Swamped C 10
Ignore Casualties C 5
General Offensive C 7
Invading Forces C 6
Combined Arms Operations C 3
Large Stockpiles U -
Nuclear Missile Cruiser U -
Nuclear Submarines U - (Delta Class)
Mutual Deterrence U -
ICBM’s U - (Atomic Attack)
Medium Range Missiles U -
Counter Satellite Action I 4 (High Value Soft Targets)
Intercept Radio Communications I 5
Disinformation I 6
Determination to Achieve Surprise I 8
Radar and Radio Silence I 7
Planning I 9
ECM and ECCM I 2
Reconnaissance Missions I 3
Requests for Orders I 1
Reinforcements V - GFT +1
Reserve Divisions V - GFT +1
Lines of Communication V - GFT +1 (Short Land Based)
Mobilization V - Draw 2 Cards
LINKS
WW III
Doomsday Clock
General Sir John Hackett
