by AnimalMother
MID WAR
4 OPS Red. #56 MUSLIM REVOLUTION*: Remove all US Influence in two of the following countries: Sudan, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Jordan.
Comment: Should be a dual Event. Muslims are just as hostile to busybody Russian Commies as busybody Americans.
4 OPS Red. #59 FLOWER POWER*: USSR gains 2 VP for every subsequently played "war card" (played as an Event or Operations) unless played on the space race. This Event cancelled by "An Evil Empire."
Comment: I can see peaceniks being bugged by an America sponsored "Bush War," but we did not cause the other four War cards' wars. Flower Power should make "Quagmire" worse when Quagmire is later played (make USA sacrifice highest value white or dual cards in hand, then lowest value red cards in hand) and prohibit USA Battleground coups while in effect, or something like that.
1 OPS Red. #62. "LONE GUNMAN"*: US player reveals his hand. The USSR player may use this cards OPS vale to conduct Operations.
Comment: Why not just call it "KGB/GRU," as it is the counterpart to "CIA?" A real assassin card would do things like decrease DEFCON, paralyze USA Operations for a turn.
LATE WAR
3 OPS Red. #82. IRANIAN HOSTAGE CRISIS*: Remove all US Influence from Iran. Add 2 USSR Influence in Iran. Doubles effect of "Terrorism" card against the US.
Comment: The Iranian Revolution did not increase USSR Influence in Iran, as the Ayatollah was just as hostile to the Commies as us. Nor, John Bolton & co. to the contrary, have the Iranians been particularly active as terrorists. Hostage crisis did paralyze the president, so it should force sacrifice of highest USA white or dual card in hand in next USA Action Round. Should not be underlined.
4 OPS Red. #87. THE REFORMER* Add 4 USSR Influence in Europe (no more than two per country). If USSR is ahead of US in VP, then 6 Influence may be added instead.
Comment: "Siberian Oil and Gas" would be a better name for this card. That's what gives Russia influence in Western Europe.
3 OPS Red. #90. GLASNOST* USSR gains 2 VP. Improve DEFCON one Level. If played with "The Reformer" in effect the USSR may make Realignment rolls or place Influence with this card's Operations value.
Comment: The designer had Gorbasms here. Why should the harbinger of Soviet collapse give the USSR Victory Points or other benefits? I know it's tough to think of anything that did or could have gone right for the USSR in the Late War, but it's possible, with some imagination.
3 OPS Red. #99. PERSHING II DEPLOYED* USSR gains 1 VP. Remove 1 US Influence from up to three countries in Western Europe.
Comment: Gee, I wonder why we deployed the thing, as it caused all those protests in Western Europe? Actually, I recall it brought the USSR to agree to dismantle a heap of its own IRBMs, so in the long run the Pershing II benefited European security. Should be a dual OPS card, with variable unpredictable VP outcomes, and should count for USA Military Operations.
CONCLUSION: the designers had a hard time thinking of good things for the USSR, especially in Late War. That's understandable: not much good happened. How about these:
MID WAR
3 OPS Red. "Carter Malaise.*" -1 to all USA OPS plays for the remainder of the turn.
1 OPS Red. "Red Navy." 2 required Military Operations for USSR.
LATE WAR
4 OPS Red "Siberian Oil and Gas" (mentioned above.)
4 OPS Red "Red China Alliance*." USSR gets to keep the China Card for the remainder of the game if it is ahead in VP.
3 OPS Red "Arms Sales*" Place two USSR Influence in any country outside of Europe not USA controlled.