A clash of the great superpowers from the end of World War II through Modern and Information Age.
- Date: 1956 - 1990
- Combatators: United States America, Soviet Union
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Notes[]
The player can choose to play as either the Soviet Union or the United States, fighting in historical scenarios such as the Korean War or Vietnam War as well as fictional ones, such as the Soviet Operation Potomac, or invasion of the United States. Players collect an income of tribute based on their industry, which is the strengths of their territories and client states. The Americans start with the Statue of Liberty wonder, while the Russians begin with the Kremlin. The Americans automatically use the governments Republic, Democracy and Capitalism, while the Russians use Despotism, Monarchy and Socialism. The campaign lasts 14 turns in total, 7 spent in the Modern Age and 7 more in the Information Age before the campaign ends.
In addition to the traditional method of conquest to achieve victory, players can win through an "industrial victory" if their income is 50 tribute higher than their opponent's.
Events[]
This campaign has unique mechanics in four respects. First, players can "build" nuclear weapons with tribute, although the tribute cost significantly ramps up as a larger arsenal is required. Nuclear weapons can be fired upon any territory, although not client state, controlled by the other faction. Capital territory can be targeted only if there is no other valid target. Territories attacked by nuclear weapons lose ownership; they become neutral wastelands that can't be attacked for a turn. Second, this campaign introduces the concept of "client states." Client states are bought using tribute or won through "police actions" (attacks) conducted by the player, such as clearing the Colombian rainforest of drug trafficking in exchange for loyalty of the Colombian government. Players can move their armies through client states, and collect industry income from their territories but they don't get their rare resources. There are scripted world events including client states, like if player does not repair (after second world war) their alliance (NATO or Warsaw pact) territories to level 3 or higher, client states may revolt and join the other faction. There are also scripted historical events. This campaign also introduces "espionage missions," short mini-missions that can be done as well as regular battles in the same turn. Espionage missions typically yield benefits such as extra tribute, bonus cards, partial destruction of the opposing faction's nuclear arsenal, etc. Finally, armies can move anywhere in a player's territory in one turn.
Declaring war on the opposing superpower costs an extravagant amount of tribute, more in fact than both sides actually can muster for a few turns. Declaring war will also vastly increase the likelihood of an all-out nuclear exchange.
Trivia[]
- The campaign map for the Cold War campaign in Rise of Nations is a very simplified version of a world map, and for instance some vital events of the Cold War such as the Iran-Iraq war, the Malayan Insurgency and the guerrilla campain of Che Guevara in Bolivia are notably absent.