Twilight Struggle

by Twiface

Turn 1: Hit the Ground Stumbling

Author's Note:

If you want to add some flavor, use this as background music during the radio broadcasts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssZwjjEeWyQ

--Turn 1: Hit the Ground Stumbling--
“Mission: The Destruction of any and all Chinese Communists!”

“Because grass ain’t enough, and a bush is too low. It’s me, Tree Dog!” said the voice of a green Fluttershy recolor over the radio.

“Got lots of stuff goin’ on in Pre-Apocalyptia these days. How’s everypony doing? Here’s some of the latest news:”

“Equestria’s off to a bad start in this whole cold war thing,” lamented Tree Dog. “The zebras have just instigated a full-on revolution in the former Prench colony of Vietmane. Not only have they just taken control of Vietmane, they’ll now be getting a bonus to all operations in Southeast Kadur for the remainder of the year.”

“And that’s not all, folks!” continued Tree Dog. “The Equestrians ain’t got it good in Primus, either. The Kingdom of Warclaw has just announced an anti-Equestrian military alliance with their fellow Eastern Primians. And of all the countries that could have possibly joined, look who’s been elected this year’s chair! The Lost Unicorn Kingdom! This deals a huge blow to the relations that Equestria’s new foreign minister, the esteemed Princess Twilight Sparkle, has been trying to build in that region. Until next time, children! This is Tree Dog! Achoo! And now, some music…”

Twilight flicked off the radio and pondered over her map.

“Twilight, what in the hay was that for?” asked Spike furiously. “Playing ‘Warclaw Pact’ as your headline event? Why???”

“It enables play of FATO,” said Twilight. “And besides, I didn’t have much influence in Eastern Primus anyway.”

“Yeah, but you didn’t have to let the zebras remove your influence in the Lost Kingdom,” argued Spike.

“I didn’t realize that I got to choose the countries I removed my influence from!” said Twilight.

“Oh, well,” grumbled Spike, “Try to do better next time, ok?”

“Ok,” said Twilight. “I will. I’m already ready to play my next card, too.”

“Wait,” said Spike. “The zebras go first.”

Even though there weren’t any other people in the room, a phantom force at the other end of the table played the card ‘Striped Scare/Purge’ on behalf of the zebras.

“Damnit!” said Spike. “They’ve played ‘Purge’ on us! Now you have a -1 point penalty to all operations points you play for the remainder of the turn.”

“Ok,” said Twilight. “Well, I play ‘FATO:’ Friendship Alliance Treaty Organization!”

Twilight played the card, which blocked the zebras from making any coups, realignment rolls, or playing the ‘Brushie War’ card against Equestrian-controlled countries in Primus.

The phantom zebra played ‘Legacy of Nightmare Moon.’

“Oh, no!” cried Twilight. “Nightmare Moon!”

“Does anypony still remember that?” asked Spike wryly. “It seems like nopony cares anymore.”

“It seems like they care,” said Twilight, “Because it just removed three Equestrian influence form the board!”

There was a deep laugh from the other side of the table as one Equestrian influence was removed from North Griffonia, Reiterland, and the Crystal Empire. North Griffonia was no longer under Equestrian control, and the Crystal Empire, which had started the game only two points away from Equestrian control, was now three points away.

“I never really thought that other countries really cared about what happened inside Equestria’s borders,” said Spike.

“Well, if one of your leaders was once a crazy madmare who twice claimed she was going to bring eternal darkness to the world, that would probably frighten most of the world,” said Twilight.

“True,” said Spike, “But the Crystal Empire? They weren’t even around when that happened.”

“I still have to retaliate,” said Twilight. “They took my control of Northern Griffonia, so I’m taking it back. I play ‘Special Relationship!’”

“Way to go, Twilight!” said Spike. “It’s Equestria-controlled, AND FATO is in effect, so you get not only two influence to any Western Primian country, but also two victory points! Where are you gonna put them, Twilight?”

“Northern Griffonia, of course!” said Twilight. “It’s a battleground country, and I said I was going to take it back.”

Twilight placed her two influence points in Northern Griffonia, for a total of three Equestrian influence, bringing the country firmly under Equestrian control. She also gained two victory points in the process, bringing the score to 2-0.

But the phantom zebra remained undaunted. It played the card ‘NORSAD,’ which, although Equestria-associated, was not in affect because the DEFCON was not at two and Equestria did not control the Crystal Empire. The card, worth three operations points, was played in Southeast Kadur, where its value was increased to four due to the recent revolution in Vietmane. Two zebra points were placed in Tigerland and the Fillyppines, bringing both under zebra control.

“Shit!” exclaimed Spike. “Tigerland’s a battleground country, and you already had one influence point in the Fillyppines. You’ve got to take back control of Southeast Kadur before a scoring card is played.”

“A scoring card?” asked Twilight. “You mean like this one?”

She showed Spike the ‘Primus Scoring’ card that was in her hoof.

“Yes, that one!” said Spike. “Except for Southeast Kadur.”

“Ok,” said Twilight. “I’ll use ‘Primus Scoring’ this turn and see what it does.”

“Both sides have a presence in Primus,” said Spike, “So both sides get three victory points. Also, since the zebras control Reiterland, a battleground country, they get one more victory point, for a total of four. And since you have control of Northern Griffonia, you get one victory point, for a total of five. The score is now six to four.”

“Shoot,” said Twilight. “I thought Caledonia was a battleground country, and not Reiterland. Oh, well. I’m still two points ahead.”

The phantom zebra played the card ‘Captured Scientist,’ which advanced their space race box by one.

“They just got ‘Earth Satellite!’” said Spike. “You need to step up your game on the Space Race, otherwise you’ll be left behind!”

“Ok,” said Twilight. “Um…. I play ‘Isle Delfino Revolution’ for operations points.”

“Twilight, no!” screamed Spike, but it was already too late. Twilight gained the two operations points from the card and rolled a die for the space race. She got a four.

“Oooh, so close!” she exclaimed. “Oh well, better luck next time.”

“Twilight, look what you’ve done!” screamed Spike.

Twilight looked. Isle Delfino, just off the southern coast of Equestria, was now under zebra control.

“Drat,” said Twilight. “I guess I should pay more attention next time.”

“Now they have a presence in the region, Twilight,” said Spike. “It doesn’t matter yet, but in a few years, we might be fighting over that place.”

“You’re right, Spike,” said Twilight. “I need to protect my neighbors. But first, we have to face whatever the zebras are doing next.”

The zebra phantom, for its last action round, played ‘Containment,’ which gave a +1 bonus to all further operations points played by Equestria (to a maximum value of four). It didn’t really matter much since it was the last action round before the end of the turn, which was probably why it was being played now. The zebra phantom used the three operations points of the card to build influence in Southeast Kadur. With the added bonus from the Vietmane revolution, two zebra influence was placed in Marelaysia, and two in Indoneighsia, taking two more countries under the zebras’ hypothetical wings.

“Ummm…” said Twilight, as she tried to decide which of her three remaining cards to play for her last action round. “I can keep the cards I still have left for next round, right?”

“Yes,” said Spike. “The cards you don’t use now will be saved for next turn. Unless it says ‘May Not be Held,’ then you can keep it.”

“Great,” said Twilight. “This card won’t be useful until later. Maybe I’ll play ‘Blockade’ for the points.”

“Bad Idea, Twilight,” said Spike. “You just triggered its event. Now you have to discard a card worth three points or lose all your influence in Reiterland.”

“Drat,” said Twilight. “I’m eliminating ‘COMICON.’ Not much use to me, anyway.”

‘COMICON’ was placed into the discard pile and crisis was averted. Twilight used her operations point in Prance, which, aided by the +1 from the ‘Containment’ card, bringing her total in the country up to three.

“One more and I’ll control it,” said Twilight happily. “I’m ready to end this turn.”

The action round counter was reset to six and required ‘friendship operations’ was reset to zero for both sides. Both sides failed to make their five required ‘friendship’ operations, and were thus docked points. The score ends at one to negative one.

The DEFCON meter remains at five, its highest point.