Turn One

Turn Two

Turn Three

Turn Four

Phase 1

-2 Kennedy, initiative, Nixon goes first (16 vs 21)

NIXON 1: Nelson Rockefeller 3CP (+1 rest): +1 NJ (zero), +1 PA, +1 NY +77 260-277

Bruce: With so many Endorsements breaking ties for me, I can play the game very close to the “flip point” in the important states. The only risk is that Troy will collect Campaign Strategy cards in the last two turns that will give him support checks on Election Day. I’ve seen several games swung by a lucky support draw during the election round which flipped Pennsylvania or New York to the opponent. It’s a bit early to be protecting states with massive support cubes right now, though. Too much can change in three turns.

KENNEDY 1: Greater Boston Ministerial Ass’n / Event: +1 NY (zero), +1 PA (zero), +1 NJ, +1 IL (zero), +1 CA (2 Ken) +104 381-156

Troy: This is a big event for me, letting me increase my support across the entire nation in a pretty substantial way. I neutralize Bruce in NY, PA and IL and add strength to CA. But zeroes in states aren’t really enough at this point. I need Bruce to screw up in a major way or get some lucky draws because I’ve botched the media and endorsement game pretty seriously so far. This is partly why I’ve begun to think that hovering around +1 or +2 in big states is a failing strategy, even if it is efficient cube wise. It’s too easily undone by bad luck or a brain freeze.

Phase 2

NIXON 2: Gallup Poll 3 CP (+1 rest): +2 Def no change

Bruce: The Nixon player always needs to push the issues because the card mix is stronger on this point for Nixon than for Kennedy. So let’s start calling Kennedy soft on communism.

KENNEDY 2: Southern Revolt 3 CP (+1 rest): +2 Def (zero) no change

Troy: I can’t let Bruce kill me on the issues again. This is where he is corrupting the media.

Phase 3

NIXON 3: World Series Ends 3CP (+1 rest): +2 Def no change

Bruce: Troy zeroes out Defense, and I push it right back to +2 Nixon. Every round he responds is a round he can’t campaign in states.

KENNEDY 3: Voter Registration Drive / Event (+2 rest): +1 NY, +1 PA, +1 IL no change

Troy: This play is mostly to get some big states out of reach for Bruce’s tie-breakers. If he wants to keep trading chits on the issues, that’s fine. But I move last this turn, so I can probably hold out for a little while.

Phase 4

NIXON 4: Quemoy and Matsu / Event: +1 Momentum (increase to 2), +1 CA (1 Ken), +1 NY (zero), +1 IL (zero) no change

Bruce: Eisenhower supposedly overruled his military commanders in 1958 when they wanted to use nuclear weapons in response to China’s blockade of the Taiwan Strait. Would Nixon have done the same? Almost certainly.

KENNEDY 4: Dwight Eisenhower 4CP: +2 Def (zero), +1 Econ no change

Troy: Quemoy and Matsu was a real election issue in 1960, which would be analogous, I suppose, to having Obama and McCain engage in a debate over Venezuela. There was certainly none of this “flag pin” crap. In any case, I use the power of Eisenhower’s campaign points to gain on the economy and weaken Nixon on defense. But I open myself up to a big smack in the head.

Nixon Event: -1 momentum, +1 CA (zero), +1 OH (zero), +1 NY, +1 PA (zero), +1 FL (zero), +1 TN (zero), +1 IL

Bruce: This is why you always need to have some Momentum tokens, as we discussed in Turn 4. It looks like my decision to let Troy have Eleanor Roosevelt last turn was the right one. Troy has no Momentum, and thus can’t pre-empt this. I’ll take that event in a second – seven cubes! With all of my Endorsements, zeroing out a state allows me to take the lead there. I like Ike!

+150 306-231

This is the first Republican lead of the game, and it proves to be a big shift,

Phase 5

NIXON 5: Whistlestop / Event: +1 NY (2 Nix), +1 PA, move South, +1 NC, +1 VA, move West, +1 CA +58 364-173

Bruce: Whistlestop is a great event: it gives me seven (!) CPs to spend, albeit not more than one per state. When you take into account travel costs, I “only” gain 5 support cubes. It’s huge. I have to be winning at this point.

KENNEDY 5: Herb Klein 3 CP (+1 rest): +2 Def no change

Troy: At this point, I need to pick up support on the issues or at least neutralize Bruce there. I’ll rest and recuperate for the debate and then plan my recovery strategy.

Nixon Event: +3 Def (1 Nix) -1 momentum decreases to zero

Troy: Of course, Bruce undoes all my hard work with an event activation.

MOMENTUM: Kennedy 1 (no decay), Nixon has zero

Issues: Nothing Civil Rights, Economy Kennedy takes Momentum, Defense Nixon gets +1 Momentum and Endorsement (EAST) no change

Issue decay -1 Kennedy econ, -1 Nixon Defense

Nixon Campaign Strategy: Old South 4 (Defense)
Kennedy Campaign Strategy: East Harlem 3 (Economy)

REST: +4 Kennedy, +4 Nixon (20 to 25)

End of Turn 5: 364-173 +181