steve's blog

Paul and I played another game of Twilight Struggle today. I won as the Soviets in turn 4.

I spend all game accruing VPs and Paul seemed hamstrung by being dealt only Soviet cards.

Good game.

Played a game of Twilight Struggle with Paul this afternoon. The game played right to the end with me winning as the Americans on VPs. Excellent fun.

Played another two games of Twilight Struggle with Andy this evening.

Andy beat me in both games – first time as the Soviets and second time as the Americans.

The second game actually ran till the end of the Late War Phase and final VP scoring, a first for both of us.

Just finished two games of Twlight Struggle with Andy.

In the first game I took the US and he easily beat me in about two turns. Personnally I blame the cards!

In the second game I won as the Russians. It was a pretty close game with VPs never really moving from zero for most of the game. We made it into the late war period. Eventually he played a headline card degraded increased DefCON by 1. Since I was ahead in the space race I was able to see his card before I chose mine. DefCON was at 3, so I played a higher value card that degraded DefCON to 4 before his card took effect starting nuclear war and losing the game for him.

Great fun!

Played another game of Twilight Struggle with Paul. I won.

Played another game of Twilight Struggle with Paul. He won.

Played two games of Twlight Struggle with Paul today.

I took the Russians in the first game and won a VP victory at the end of turn 3. Early in the game I scored two very good Asia scoring cards and Paul was never really able to recover.

For the second game we swapped sites and I took the Soviets, winning a VP victory towards the end of turn 5. Paul started the game with three scoring cards in his first hand, which meant I was able to take control of most of the map except Asia before they scored. I eventually won by taking control of central and southern America before Paul was forced to play the scoring card, giving me the points I needed to win.

Played Twilight Struggle with Andy this evening. I took the Russians (again).

Game proceeded quiet well till the start of turn 6 with me being in the VP lead for most of the game. Being dealt both Central and South American scoring cards in turn 5 with neither player having any influence in either area, didn’t help.

At the start of turn six I played the “MISSLE ENVY” randomly drawing “WE WILL BURY YOU” from Andys hand which immediately degraded DEFCON by one, starting nuclear war and meaning the I lost the game!

Enjoyable game, but the result felt a little random, especially as the last game I played ended in exactly the same way….

Paul and I played another game of Twilight Struggle this afternoon using Paul’s 2nd edition of the game (Chile, not Chilli).

I took the US and Paul took the Soviets. My first turn went pretty well with a good set of cards leading to an early control of Europe. After that the cards were less favourable, until turn 4. You can see the phase by phase VP accumulation in the chart below.

As my turn 4 headline card I played the “HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING” card and set DEFCON to 2. The next card Paul played was “MISSLE ENVY” which meant he randomly took “WE WILL BURY YOU” from my hand which was immediately played degraded DEFCON by one, starting nuclear war and losing Paul the game!

Enjoyable game, but the result felt a little random.

Pregame setup.
Generally clear/hazey weather. Broken over London and north of London.
Three German formup counters over Calais. 10+ 20+
One channel patrol unit.

54 Squadron forward based at Manston.
619 Squadron at Lypmne.
No RAF units in air

4:30
Navigation check
615 Squadron scrambles from Kenley (6:30)

4:35
Delayed Turnaround
610 Squadron scrambles from Lypmne (6:30)

4:40
No event.

4:45
Radio clear – add three to HF range (11)
54 Squadron scrambles from Manston (6:40)
German form ups disappear from Calais.
One form up appears over Caen.

4:50
Navigation check
Four form ups appears over Calais. 10+ 10+ 10+ 40+
Form up over Caen forms into raid – Hostile 10.
Hostile 10 moves into Baie de Seine. Chain Home High reports 20+ at angels 18.

4:55
Navigation Check
Hostile 10 moves into Channel East.

5:00
Sector Scramble
152 Squadron scrambles from Warmwell (6:55)
Two new form ups appears over Calais 10+
Hostile 10 moves into English Channel south of Brighton heading towards Portsmouth.

5:05
Sector Scramble
601 Squadron scrambles from Tangmere (7:00)
Three form up counters come off.
Form up counters appear over Cherbourg 200+, St Valery 10+ and Diepe 30+

5:10
Impromptu Fighter Sweep – no effect
234 Squadron scrambles from Middle Wallop (7:05)
Hostile 03 appears over Calais – 10+ at angles 12.
Large form up over Cherbourg forms into Hostile 05 200+ at angles 10.
Hostile 05 moves into West Channel
Hostile 10 splits into Hostiles 09 (10+ at angels 16) and 10 (10+ at angels 18) with Hostile 10 moving towards Brighton (FJ?) and Hostile 09 continuing towards Portsmouth.

5:15
Delayed Turnaround
609 Squadron scrambles from Middle Wallop (7:10)
Hostile 02 appears over Calais 10+ angles 8.
Hostile 05 moves into English Channel south of the Isle of Wight.
Hostile 10 (FJ) crosses the coast over Worthing and orbits.
Hostile 03 (FJ) crosses the coast over Deal.
Hostile 01 appears over Calais 10+ angles 16.
54 and 610 Squadrons tally Hostile 03.
601 Squadron tallies Hostile 09.

5:20
Group scramble.
602 Squadron scrambles from Westhampnett (7:15)
145 Squadron scrambles from Tangmere (7:20)
65 Squadron scrambles from Rochford (7:15)
20+ form up appears over Calais.
152 Squadron orbits over Portsmouth.
Hostile 03 (Erpro 210 staffel) moves to Dunkirk and dive bombs radar site for 3 VP.
Hostile 01(Erpro 210 staffel) moves to Dover and dive bombs radar site for 1 VP.
152 Squadron orbiting over Portsmouth intercepts Hostile 9 at angels 20 – 1 groupe of fighters. Lufftwaffe lose 1 Me109 over Channel and RAF lose 1 Spitfire over Channel. End up in dogfight.
Hostile 05 splits into Hostiles 05 (10+ at angels 10) and 07 (100+ at angels 14).
610 Squadron pursues Hostile 03 and intercepts 1 fighter staffel. 2 Lufftwaffe losses over Dunkirk. Lufftwaffe pancakes. 1 Spitfire loss over land. RAF pancakes to Lympne.
54 Squadron pursues Hostile 03 and intercepts 1 fighter staffel. No losses. RAF pancakes to Manston.
601 Squadron pursues Hostile 03 and intercepts 1 fighter staffel south of Portsmouth. 1 RAF loss over sea. Lufftwaffe pancakes. Dogfight ends.
152 Squadron recovery time – 6:50
601 Squadron recovery time – 6:55

5:25
Delayed Turnaround
Form up counter appears over Calais 10+
54 Squadron lands at Manston
610 Squadron lands at Lympne.
Hostile 02 (Erpro 210 staffel) dive bombs radar in Rye (3 VP)
Hostile 07 continues towards Tangmere.
Hostile 05 (now lost) moves over Isle of Wight.
615 Squadron pursues Hostile 02 intercepting over Kent coast. 1 Spitfire lost over sea. RAF pancakes to Kenley.
Channel Patrol fail to intercept 615 Squadron.
234 Squadron tallies Hostile 05.
601 Squadron tallies Hostile 07.
602 Squadron tallies Hostile 07.

5:30
Sector Scramble
609 Squadron orbiting over Lee-on-Solent intercepts Hostile 05 – one bomber groupe and one fighter groupe. Spitfires attack bombers. Escort reacts. 1 Spitfire loss over land. RAF pancakes to MIddle Wallop.
152 Squadron orbiting over Chichester intercepts Hostile 07 which turns out to Hostiles 06, 07 and 08 all at angels 14 consisting of 1 groupe bombers and 1 groupe fighters. RAF attacks escort of Hostile 07. 2 Spitfires lost over land and RAF pancakes to Warmwell.
Hostile 07 (Ju-87s) dive bombs Thorney Island (15 VP)
234 Squadron intercepts Hostile 05 intercepting the bombers. No escort reaction. Lufftwaffe lose 3 Stukas over land. RAF pancakes to Middle Wallop.
612 and 145 Squadrons tally Hostile 07.
601 Squadron tallies Hostile 06.

5:35
Impromptu Fighter Sweep – no effect
Hostile 04 appears over Calais 10+ at angels 12.
Hostile 05 dive bombs Gosport (9 VP).
Hostile 06 dive bombs Polling (15 VP).
Hostile 08 dive bombs Ford (15 VP).
601 Squadron intercepts Hostile 08 off Ford. Bounces fighters. 1 Lufftwaffe fighter lost over Sea. 2 Hurricanes lost over sea. RAF pancakes to Tangmere.
602 and 145 Squadrons intercept Hostile 07 east of the Isle of Wight. Fighters enter dogfight. RAF pancakes.

5:40

5:45
65 Squadron tallies Hostile 04 off Bexhill.

5:50
Hostile 06 dive bombs Pevensey (Erpro 110) Chain Home station (3 VP).
65 Squadron intercepts Hostile 06. 1 Spitfire lost over Channel. 65 Squadron pancakes.

615 Squadron pancakes
234 Squadron pancakes
152 Squadron pancakes
601 Squadron pancakes
609 Squadron pancakes