Overview

Cold War: CIA vs KGB is a two-player card game where one player controls the CIA and the other the KGB. Each game turn represents one year of conflict, with a single country or event becoming the focus of a covert ideological clash. Players send undercover agents to infiltrate and manipulate local groups to gain the upper hand. The first player to accumulate 100 victory points wins.

Components

• 12 agent cards (6 CIA, 6 KGB)
• 21 objective cards (15 nations, 6 events)
• 24 group cards (6 military, 6 economic, 6 media, 6 political)
• 2 domination tokens (1 CIA blue, 1 KGB red)
• 1 balance token
• 2 score cards (1 CIA, 1 KGB)
• 2 score tokens
• 1 rulebook

Setup

1. Shuffle objective cards; place facedown as the objective deck.
2. Shuffle group cards; place facedown as the group deck.
3. Each player takes their 6 agent cards facedown as their headquarters.
4. Each player takes their domination token, score card, and score token.
5. Assign the balance token randomly (one player hides it in a fist, the other guesses).

Turn Structure

Each game turn has six phases:

Phase 1: Briefing

1. Determine the Objective: Flip the top objective card face up. This is the current objective.
2. Assign the Balance Token: Player with lowest VP takes it; if tied, the player who lost last turn’s Cease-fire takes it. First turn: assigned randomly.
3. Shuffle the Group Deck: Shuffle previous turn’s discards back into the group deck.

Phase 2: Planning

Each player secretly chooses one agent from their headquarters as their Agent X, placing it facedown. Agents on leave from last turn return to headquarters before selection.

Phase 3: Influence Struggle

The balance token holder decides who goes first. Players alternate taking one action:

• Recruit a Group: Draw the top group card and place it face up (must recruit if you have no groups).
• Activate a Group: Mobilize (turn sideways) one ready group to use its power.
• Pass: Do nothing.

Cannot recruit if it would exceed the objective’s population limit. Players try to accumulate Influence as close to the objective’s Stability score as possible without exceeding it.

Phase 4: Cease-fire

1. Both players reveal their Agent X cards.
2. If a player’s total Influence exceeds the objective’s Stability, that player has caused “civil disorder” and their Agent X is terminated (removed from game).
3. If neither caused civil disorder, the player with the higher Influence wins. If tied, the player with the balance token wins.
4. Apply each Agent X’s special agenda based on the outcome.

Phase 5: Debriefing

1. The winner claims the objective card and scores its VP.
2. If the winner’s Agent X has initiative, the winner also claims a “bonus objective” from the bottom of the objective deck.
3. Discard all group cards in play to a discard pile.
4. Return Agent X cards to headquarters (unless terminated).

Phase 6: Detente

Check if either player has reached 100 VP. If so, that player wins. If both reach 100 simultaneously, the one with more wins; if still tied, play another turn.

Actions

Group Factions and Powers

| Faction | Power | |———|——-| | Military | Destroy any other group card in play (either side); cannot destroy another military card | | Economic | Look at top card of group deck; recruit it, discard it, or leave it | | Media | Steal a group from opponent or give them one of yours (cannot exceed population/stability limits) | | Political | Ready all your mobilized groups (turn them vertical again) |

Agent Abilities

Each agent has a unique agenda that triggers during the Cease-fire phase. Some agents are more effective when winning, others when losing:

• Director: Immediately claim the objective on the bottom of the objective deck
• Deputy Director: No special agenda effect
• Assassin: Terminate the opponent’s Agent X
• Master Spy: Swap the outcome (the loser wins and vice versa)
• Double Agent: Send opponent’s Agent X on leave; look at opponent’s Agent X before choosing yours next turn
• Analyst: Look at top 3 cards of group deck next turn and replace in any order

Scoring / Victory Conditions

• Each objective card has a VP value. The winner of the Influence Struggle claims it.
• Domination bonus: If you hold both your domination token and claim the objective, gain its VP.
• First player to reach 100 VP at the end of the Detente phase wins.
• If both reach 100 VP simultaneously, the higher total wins; if tied, play another turn.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Civil disorder: If your Influence total exceeds the Stability score, your Agent X is terminated (permanently removed from the game).
• Terminated agents cannot be chosen in future turns.
• Agents on leave skip one turn, then return to headquarters.
• A player with no groups must recruit (cannot pass or activate).
• The population limit on objective cards restricts the maximum number of groups a player may have.
• Event objectives have special abilities detailed on the cards.
• If the objective deck runs out, shuffle all discarded objectives into a new deck.

Player Reference

Phase	Action
1. Briefing	Reveal objective, assign balance token, shuffle groups
2. Planning	Secretly choose Agent X
3. Influence Struggle	Recruit, activate, or pass (alternating)
4. Cease-fire	Reveal agents, resolve civil disorder, determine winner, apply agendas
5. Debriefing	Winner claims objective, discard groups, return agents
6. Detente	Check for 100 VP victory