Turn 1 (Nixon goes first)
Nixon:
I stayed in California for the entire turn because of my event cards and need to build up on the issues. I used Industrial MidWest to build up my lead in this vital region and concentrated on all three issues not wanting to take chances with Kennedy.
2 Mommentum markers and 1 endorsement in the East
Kennedy:
Coming out of nowhere, Kennedy pulls out some incredibly powerful events in his first turn: Lyndon Johnson and Harry Byrd to lock up the South for the Democrats. In addition, he played the Suburban Votes card to further increase his presence in the East and moved into the MidWest to prepare for campaiging in this region. He also utilized the powerful Fatigue Sets In event to exhaust my Nixon! At the end of the turn, he took a swipe at the economy to reduce my influence over this issue.
No rewards this turn!
Defense 2 Nixon
Economy 0
Civil Rights 2 Nixon
Turn 2 (Kennedy goes first)
Nixon:
I had such great plans to continue my advance in the Midwest and lock up the West, but Kennedy refused to leave the issues alone. I was forced to engage in a slugging stalemate with him. I did get to activate the powerful Southern Strategy and Early Returns from Conneticut from Kennedy's play to counteract his influence in the South. Still things are not looking too bad.
1 momentum marker and an endorsement in the West
Kennedy:
He focused on reducing me in the issues to get Fidel Castro played, but mostly he spent his entire turn trying to knock me out of all the issues. He succeeded in the Economy and Civil Rights, but could not hold onto Defense at the end.
1 momentum marker and an endorsement in the East
Defense 1 Nixon
Economy 1 Kennedy
Civil Rights 1 Kennedy
Turn 3 (Kennedy goes first)
Nixon:
Determined to strike back at my opponent, I wailed on my opponent with Baptist Ministries, the Cold War, and Nelson Rockefeller using these cards to reduce his influence in the South and Mid-West. I also used my momentum markers to activate the powerful Great Seal Bug event, but I was unable to locate Henry Cabot Lodge due the sneakiness of Mr. Kennedy. Because of Nixon's Knee, he was forced to spend the rest of his time building up on the issues while convalescing in Maryland.
1 Momentum Marker and 1 endorsement in the South
Kennedy:
Hoping to eviserate his opponent's campaign, Kennedy unleashes Nixon's Knee and utilizes Whistlestop to smash his opponent in California and the Mid-West. He stealthly allows the Great Seal Bug event to be activated and then plays the Henry Cabot Lodge card afterward in order to laugh in his opponent's face. "Who's the trickster now Dick!?" The rest of the time, Kennedy spent trying to whittle down Nixon's lead in the issues, but ulitmately failing in these attempts.
Defense 3 Nixon
Economy 1 Nixon
Civil Rights 0
No rewards this turn!
Defense 3 Nixon
Economy 1 Nixon
Civil Rights 0
Turn 4 (Kennedy goes first)
Nixon:
Nixon is reeling from the blows of Eleanor Roosevelt's Tour and Advance Men being activated by his opponent. He soldiers on though reducing his opponent's influence in the East and dominating his opponent in the issues.
2 momentum markers and 2 endorsements in the Mid-West and East
Kennedy:
In a lucky gambit, Kennedy pushes hard on Defense in order to use the trial of Gary Powers to gain momentum and then plays Peace Corps to totally negate Nixon's momentum for this turn. He then focuses the rest of his turn on the East trying to turn back Nixon's attempts to batter down this Democratic stronghold.
No rewards this turn!
Defense 3 Nixon
Economy 2 Nixon
Civil Rights 2 Nixon
Turn 5 (Nixon goes first)
Nixon:
I get a lucky break and pull out Fifty Stars thanks to early campaigning in Hawaii and Alaska. I also got extremely lucky with my opponent being forced to place Dwight Eisenhower which I immediately activated with a momentum marker. Most of my efforts were concentrated on pulling the South away from the Democratic camp. My campaigning was hamstrung by Nixon’s Pledge and Jackie Kennedy which were played by my opponent. It allowed my opponent to activate Old Nixon in order get rid of one of my momentum markers.
An endorsement in the Mid-West
Kennedy:
Determined to score a decisive win before the debates, Kennedy hammers his opponent with Nixon’s Pledge and Jackie Kennedy. He also unleashed the powerful Stump Speech event in order to continue campaigning heavy in the East concentrating on New York and Pennsylvania, but he largely ignores Nixon in the South.
No rewards this turn!
Defense 0
Economy 1 Nixon
Civil Rights 0
Turn 6 Debate Time
First Issue: Civil Rights Nixon 6 and Kennedy 3
Second Issuse: Economy Nixon 0 and Kennedy 6
Third Issue: Nixon 6 and Kennedy 0
Turn 7 (Kennedy goes first)
Nixon:
Moving quickly, Nixon utilizes his Gathering Momentum in the Mid-West to snatch up six states in the Mid-West and continues to focus on the South and California. He utilizes the powerful Lunch Counter Sit-ins to increase his standing on Civil Rights and activates the Citizens for Nixon and Lodge from his opponent’s card, but Kennedy is determined to take back the issues from Nixon. He is more than happy to oblige and merely attempts to resist his efforts but not wage an all out battle.
No rewards this turn!
Kennedy:
Utilizing his likeable brother Bobbie Kennedy, Kennedy pushes hard to regain his dominance in the issues despite Nixon’s resistance. He plays little attention to Nixon’s steady build up in the South.
2 momentum markers and an endorsement in the South (major) and South
Defense 2 Kennedy
Civil Rights 2 Kennedy
Economy 1 Kennedy
Turn 8 (Kennedy goes first)
Nixon:
Realizing the election is coming down to the wire, Nixon utilizes the powerful Swing State and Northern Blacks to increase his gains in the East and in the South hoping to preempt Kennedy’s endorsement. More important, he also focuses on the issues hoping to gain some last minute endorsements and momentum markers to help him on election day.
2 momentum markers and endorsements in the West and Mid-West
Kennedy:
Kennedy unleashes a Hostile Press Corps and New Frontier against his opponent and at first concentrates on the South, but in a surprise move goes to the West and campaigns in the Western States snatching up California and five other Western States. All of America is left scratching their head wondering if John Kennedy has lost his mind? He only realizes at the end of the turn that Nixon has positioned himself on the issues to receive last minute rewards.
No rewards this turn!
Defense 1 Nixon
Civil Rights 1 Nixon
Economy 1 Nixon
Turn 9 (Election Day)
Nixon:
California (Yes)
Ohio (Yes)
Missouri (Yes)
New York (Yes)
Kennedy:
New Hampshire (yes)
Texas (yes)
Kansas (yes)
Ohio (yes)
Early Returns in Conneticut invalid because no one controls the state and the Unpledged Electors took away 29 votes from Kennedy in the South.
Kennedy 118
Nixon 390
Mid-West: OH for Kennedy
East: NH and RI for Kennedy
West: OR, NV, ID, and WA for Kennedy
South: TN, TX, SC, AR, and GA for Kennedy
End game thoughts
Another great game, my opponent and I agreed that my early lead in the issues helped me out significantly to gain endorsements in every region. Plus my concentration of cards on the Mid-West and South really helped me. Adam conceded that his Turn 8 strategy in the West was an attempt to play a Gathering Momentum in the West card, but I successfully stopped him by increasing my lead in California in order to stop him.
All in all, I played fairly well and stuck to my usual strategy of avoiding my opponent’s strong areas and concentrating on my weak areas. I also noticed that for Nixon a good opening strategy is to snatch up Alaska and Hawaii in the first Turn in order to prevent or to be prepared for the Fifty Stars event. More reports to come as we keep playing the game.
Last edited on 2008-11-18 20:03:13 CST (Total Number of Edits: 1)
Posted Sat Nov 1,2008 07:15 pm
