Twilight Struggle
Deluxe Frequently Asked Questions
Compiled from Q & A found at [Link] and [Link]
Version 5.1 UPDATED 5/26/2011
This FAQ references the DELUXE editions of the game
Authorized as official by designer Jason Matthews - Arranged and edited by David “the Preacher” Wilson - Further formatting by Michael Sobotta
SPECIFIC CARD QUESTIONS
5. Five Year Plan
Q. Is it permissible for the USSR player to play (on his last action phase) the ‘Five Year Plan’ knowing that he will be forced to discard the sole
remaining card in his hand which is a scoring card.
A. It is illegal to hold a scoring card. A player may use the ‘Five Year Plan’ in order to force himself to discard a scoring card. This would be
especially smart if the card would a score a region where the player is not well-represented.
6. The China Card
Q. Is this a 5 Ops cards if used as a Coup or realignment in Asia? For realignments do you have to declare that all will be used in Asia
beforehand, or can you wait, so long as realignments 1-4 are in Asia, and then claim a 5th in Asia?
A. The bonus certainly applies if the coup is done in Asia. However, realignment rolls are declared one at a time. If a player has done 4
realignment rolls in Asia using this card, the ONLY thing he could do with the final point is a 5th realignment roll in Asia.
Q. In order to get out of a ‘Quagmire’ or a ‘Beartrap,’ can I discard ‘The China Card?’
A. No, Rule 9.5 declares ‘The China Card’ may not be played as a discard required by an event.
Q. It is permissible to play ‘The China Card’ on the Space Race?
A. Yes.
Q. If the US player plays ‘The China Card’ on the Space Race does it affect the ‘Formosan Resolution?’
A. Yes, because the US player would be playing ‘The China Card’ it would cancel the ‘Formosan Resolution.’
Q. My opponent says that the card is not available for play at the beginning of the game. I say it is available to the USSR player which is why it
is placed face up on his side of the table. Who is right?
A. Your opponent is 100% wrong. It begins play face up and in the control of the USSR player.
18. Captured Nazi Scientist
Q. Does this count as a space race attempt?
A. No the limit is for the playing of Operational cards on the Space Race. Events affecting the Space Race do not count as a space race attempt.
19. Truman Doctrine
Q. ‘The Truman Doctrine’ says “Remove all USSR Influence markers in one uncontrolled European country.” I’ve always played it as, and
I think it is supposed to be mean: “Remove all USSR Influence markers in one European country that is not controlled by the USSR.” But
technically it just says uncontrolled, which would mean that the control markers have to be removed from a country that neither side controls.
Which is it?
A. Uncontrolled means not controlled. Therefore, a European country must not be controlled by either power to be a legal target for the event.
24. Indo-Pakistani War
Q. If there are no Influence markers in either country, or only your own Influence in either/both countries, what effect will playing this card as
an event have?
A. A player would receive 2 Military Operations for the event, and if he wins the war by the die roll specified on the card, he would still receive
the 2 VPs. This would be true of other successful war events without Influence markers as well.
26. CIA Created
Q. Does the USSR hand remain revealed for the entire turn? What happens if the USSR player gains new cards later in the turn?
A. The effect of the card is not ongoing. The USSR only needs to reveal his hand at the time the ‘CIA Created’ card is played.
Q. What is meant by the phrase “Conduct Operations with this card normally?”
A. Simply put, it means that the USSR player’s hand is revealed and then the US player conducts one point of operations. This card and ‘Lone
Gunman’ (62) both work in the same manner.