A big change in the new Supremacy is how you determine victory. Once you have ICBMs, it’s easy to nuke a player out of the game but is that your best option? Often times now, this can make you lose.
Recently, I was the CW in a game. As it turned out, lots of players ended up with cards in the Middle East. I based most of my forces in India. On turn 1 I invaded, capturing 95% of the worlds oil production. The only player in a position to do anything about it was Russia (Clint) but I turned them into an ally by protecting one of his companies.
On turn 2, I was at total war with the US (Gabe), Japan (god) and the EU (Curt). The US conquered Canada. The EU conquered Britain. They each had 1 ICBM and planned to nuke my last to cities: Delhi and Canberra. That would have put me out of the game but in Supremacy 2020, that doesn’t mean I lose.
What?! Yes, actually that would have almost insured my victory. In Supremacy 2020, victory is not based on the last man standing, it’s based on points. You get points for cash, armies, navies and companies. If you have no cities left at the end of the Attack phase, you total and record your points. Yes, I’m “out of the game” but I can still win.
In fact, my points would be locked in and guaranteed. At this point in the game, I had tons of cards. I just seized them from everybody! I also had lots of cash and forces. They took my cities but they did not destroy my forces in the field. Nobody could get to me remember?
In spite of pointing this fact out to them, the coalition decided to nuke me out anyways. Just for the satisfaction! I have a way of bringing that out in people. 😉
My Russian ally came to the rescue by shooting down the ICBM targeting Delhi. Hmmmmm….. Now was he doing that to ‘help’ me or to allow my enemies more time to reduce my score before taking me out? Clint is pretty cagey that way. :/
So, can you build up a huge nuclear arsenal and destroy the entire globe on turn 2? Yes. It’s possible. It will very likely cause you to lose. The path to victory is to acquire lots of forces, companies and cash. -at least as relative to what other players have.
If you are going to take a player out, be sure to grind them down to a pulp the old fashioned way first. Or even better yet, get your ‘allies’ to do it for you.