Twilight Struggle: Red Sea: answer the summons of the trumpets and bear the burden of the Twilight Struggle

Twilight Struggle Red Sea is out on Steam for $13.49:

This looks more like an expansion than a new game to me. Is it significantly different from the original?

[edit] According to some of the videos I’ve seen re the physical version, no. Same game but scaled to a smaller map. Makes that a hard “no” from me.

Huh, somehow managed to miss this despite being a huge TS fan. I can definitely see the appeal of a quick playing version. But it all depends on whether it still holds up.

I missed it as well. I’ll definitely buy the board game. I enjoy the frantic beginning of TS before Europe locks down; this seems like it could provide more of that.

When I was a kid I wanted an Axis & Allies minigame that was only England vs. Germany in Africa, so perhaps I’m also trying to scratch that itch.

I’ve had this board game for a few months but never pulled it out…solo only so not sure how good that will be…better try it.

Play through of the Soviet side

Game is challenging whether you play against the AI or the bots. I have won once in four games and that victory was due to blind luck.

Played against a buddy and we reached a state within the first turn where neither of us had any influence on the board and just traded putting influence in the Sea Lanes until the second round. That was a little weird. But I really like that you can play a game of this in 30 minutes and how tight the maneuvering is. Egypt is both pivotal and hard to reach. A single point can be really important, like in Dune: Imperium, and the space race can easily mean victory. Etc.

I’d say this game locks down quicker than vanilla TS, like in the first turn you’ll be at defcon 2, the middle east will be out of play, and no battlegrounds will be coupable. And just like in TS, you’ll be reluctant to spread influence through Africa and thus grant your opponent coup opportunities, so it ends up being about deft card manipulation and setting yourself up in that first crucial couple of turns.

I have this on my shelf and really need to get it out and try it with the bots. I like TS and a smaller, more focused quicker game in that vein seems like a winning combo.

Pardon my ignorance but what is the difference between AI and bots?

Not sure if it applies to this but some board game adaptations (including stablemate Labyrinth) distinguish between bots (automata following a flowchart as in the physical game) and AIs which are designed specifially for the digital version and in theory play more like a human player.

Aha. Thanks a lot!