THE WAR OF NERVES VARIANT
Communist Parties are put under pressure and riots
JULY 1981:
ITS NOW OR NEVER!
By Andrea Garello
April 1981, the President of the USA Ronald
Reagan has been in charge for three months. His
first speeches and, more important, his first actions
clearly show his determination to bring back the US
Army to a prominent role in the fourth decade of
Cold War. On March 30 he barely survived an
assassination attempt and now is quickly
recovering. In England, Prime Minister Margaret
Thatcher after a two years bitter struggle is finally
having the first positive results in her economic
politics and in restoring the national pride; all
around Europe the long recession seems almost
over. Inspired by the Iron Lady and the Old
Cowboy, NATO forces in Germany are slowly
undergoing a doctrinal and technical modernization.
Even if in many European countries social tensions
are still high, the future looks bright for the western
capitalist world.
On the other side of the Iron Curtain, the 75 years
old General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev is feeling
not so well. More precisely he is a dead man
walking, when able to walk. His same age comrades
at the Politburo are in a better shape, not in a better
mood. The classified data in the hands of the
Chairman of the KGB Yuri Andropov are chilling:
the economic and industrial crisis in the USSR is
not going to end soon, unlike in the Western
Countries, it rather looks irreversible. In a few years
the Empire will collapse. In the meantime, thanks to
new weapons and a renewed confidence, NATO
will become an invincible enemy.
If in Moscow the future looks pitch black, the
present is somehow more comfortable. NATO is
still a quarrelsome alliance, composed by many
countries with strong Communist Parties and
pacifist movements easy to manipulate; the majority
of the Europeans political leaders are prone to mind
their home business, dont believe in the likelihood
of a military confrontation with the Warsaw Pact
and would do everything possible to avoid it. With
the perspective of a golden age glittering ahead,
who would want to make war.
At the Kremlin, after days of exhausting debate the
decision is made. The Warsaw Pact will go to war,
in July. The next three months will be spent in a
silent mobilisation and a loud propaganda activity.
The first offensive is on the diplomatic front. While
the USA and NATO are accused of an aggressive
rearming aimed at a military campaign against East
1
Germany, key political leaders in the European
burst in the streets of Rome, Paris, Bonn, spurred by
KGB collaborators. During the Warsaw Pact Spring
maneuvers, well crafted border incidents are meant
to test the nerves of the enemy. The Red Army
masses theirs tanks menacingly pointing west,
NATO countermoves are limited to hollow threats
and public complains at the UN emergency
meetings.
When the US and England start a limited
mobilisation, France reacts by threatening to leave
NATO once and for all, adopting a Non Aligned
status. In Italy, the radical wing of the Communist
Party asks to follow France or declare neutrality.
Greece and Turkey are more afraid of each other
than of the Warsaw Pact. And while the Western
allies argue on every matter, Category II Soviet
Divisions are slowly but steadily brought up to
battle strength.
In June the diplomatic offensive is raised to a new
level by the Kremlin with the announcement of full
scale summer maneuvers. When July comes NATO
looks like a military organization only on paper, the
Group of Soviet Forces in Germany begins the so
called summer maneuvers and the Warsaw Pact
minor allies are near to full mobilisation. Like in
1938-39, Europe refuses to awake to a dark,
ineluctable future. If the Kremlin will make the
gamble, there are concrete possibilities to start the
war with NATO totally unprepared.
For the first time in months, the General Secretary
Leonid Brezhnev raises on his feet without help-
in front of his comrades of the Politburo. He knows
he wont live long, though maybe enough to see the
triumph of the USSR over the corrupted western
civilization. Finally the time has come, there wont
be another opportunity to change the course of
history: its now or never!
The War of Nerves Variant, July 1981: Its Now
or Never! differs from the original scenario as it
gives the Warsaw Pact player more chances to enter
war at a higher degree of mobilisation, gambling
with NATO hesitancy. While the basic mechanics
remain the same, there are substantial changes that
will hopefully make the pre-war game more tense
and unpredictable, with a wider array of
consequences on the battlefield.
This scenario is played with its own set of special
rules. The basic concept is that play begins in
peacetime, as in the other three scenarios. However,
unlike those scenarios, war does not automatically
break out on the second Game-Turn. Rather, war
breaks out only when the Warsaw Pact player
chooses to declare war. The key feature of this
scenario is the relationship between the Tension
Level and NATO's Alert Condition. The Tension
Level is determined by which preparations for war
the Warsaw Pact player has initiated. The more
preparations, the higher the Tension Level will
likely to be. The Tension Level in turn affects
NATO's Alert Condition. The higher the Tension
Level, the greater the chances that NATO's Alert
Level will improve. NATO's Alert Condition
determines NATO's readiness to meet an invasion.
In order to play this scenario you need a ten
sided and a six sided dice. For all Peace-Time die
rolls (exception: American Units Activation) use
a D10. Always read 0 as 10.
NEW MARKERS six new markers are required:
1) a Peace-Turn Marker,
2) a Soviet Mobilisation Marker,
3) a Warsaw Pact Minor Ally Mobilisation Marker,
4) a NATO Mobilisation Marker, and
5) a French Activation Marker.
6) an Italian Activation Marker.
WAR AND PEACE
The scenario starts during peacetime and remains
there until the Warsaw Pact player dec1ares war. At
the start of the Game, the Peace Marker is placed in
the Game-Turn One box of the Game-Turn Track, and
advanced one box at the start of each new turn of
peace. The box currently occupied by the Peace-Turn
Marker is referred to as the Peace-Turn. During a
Peace-Turn, no unit belonging to either player may
enter enemy territory, nor may either player execute
any form of combat. During Peace-Turns, both players
are subject to additional movement restrictions which
vary depending upon NATO's Alert Level and the
various pre-war preparations that the Warsaw Pact has
initiated.
The Sequence of Play during Peace-Turns is reduced
to only three phases for each Player-Turn: the
Reinforcement/Activation/Dec1aration Phase, the
Detraining Phase, and the Movement Phase. In
addition, the NATO Player Turn is skipped entirely
when NATO is at certain Alert Levels.
The Warsaw Pact player may dec1are war at the start
of any Peace-Turn from the start of the game onwards.
The Warsaw Pact player must declare war by the start
of the Peace-Turn Eight or he forfeits the game. Once
the Warsaw Pact player has declared war, all normal
rules of play apply. The Peace Marker is removed from
the Game-Turn Track and the regular Game-Turn
Marker is placed in the Game-Turn Two box. The box
currently occupied by the Game-Turn Marker is
2
referred to as the War-Turn. The scenario is then
played from Game-Turn Two through the end of
Game-Turn Eight, or Game-Turn Fifteen, as the
Player's desire.
NATO ALERT LEVELS
There are five possible NATO Alert Levels:
1) No Alert
2) Alert Condition One
3) Alert Condition Two
4) Alert Condition Three
5) Alert Condition Four
NATO starts the scenario at No Alert. At the start of
each NATO Player-Turn, before war has been
dec1ared, the NATO player rolls one D10. If the result
is less than or equal to the current Tension Level (see
Tension Level), NATO's Alert Level increases by one.
Once war was been dec1ared, all peacetime restrictions
associated with NATO's Alert Level end. However,
NATO's Alert Level at the instant the war is declared
does affect the point allocations and reinforcement
schedules that apply for the remainder of the scenario.
No Alert
During each Peace-Turn that NATO is on No Alert,
NATO's Player-Turn is skipped. However, the NATO
player may roll to increase his Alert Level after each
Warsaw Pact Player-Turn. As soon as war is declared,
the NATO player may execute normal Player-Turns.
If the Warsaw Pact Player dec1ares war when NATO is
on No Alert, the scenario is played according to the
following rules:
The Warsaw Pact player uses the Organic Supply
period listed in the Tactical Surprise Scenario.
The Warsaw Pact player receives the Air Strike
Bonus listed in the Strategic Surprise Scenario.
The NATO player uses the Initial Point
Allocations and Activation Schedule listed in the
Strategic Surprise Scenario.
The NATO player receives reinforcement units
and transport points for the current War-Turn as
per the Strategic Surprise Scenario.
The NATO player receives Victory Points for
Chemical Warfare as per the Strategic Surprise
Scenario.
Both players receive Air Attack Points and
Chemical Warfare Points for the current War-
Turn according to the Strategic Surprise listings
on the Game-Turn Track.
Alert Condition One
During each Peace-Turn that NATO is on Alert
Condition One prior to the initiation of Warsaw Pact
Manoeuvres, NATO's Player-Turn is skipped.
However, the NATO player may roll to increase his
Alert Level after each Warsaw Pact Player-Turn. Once
the Warsaw Pact player has initiated Manoeuvres, the
NATO player may choose to activate a limited number
of West German and American units in West Germany,
with limitations on movement, at the start of any
subsequent NATO Player-Turn (see Manoeuvres).
West German Units Activation: roll one D10, the
result is the number of West German units activated,
these units may move only by Strategic Road
Movement or Tactical Road Movement.
American Units Activation: roll one D6, the result is
the number of American units activated, these units
may move only by Tactical Road Movement.
NATO's Player-Turn is then executed normally within
the restrictions of peacetime play. Once war has been
declared, there are no further restrictions on NATO's
Player-Turn.
If the Warsaw Pact player declares war when NATO is
on Alert Condition One, the scenario is played
according to the following rules:
The Warsaw Pact players uses the Organic
Supply period listed in the Tactical Surprise
Scenario.
The NATO player uses the Initial Point
Allocations and Activation Schedule listed in the
Strategic Surprise Scenario.
The NATO player receives reinforcement units
and transport points for the current War-Turn as
per the Strategic Surprise Scenario.
In a 8-turn game, the NATO player receives
three Victory Points in the Game-Turn the
Warsaw Pact player declares Chemical Warfare,
six Victory Points in a 15-turn game. From the
subsequent Game-Turn the NATO player
receives Chemical Warfare Victory Points as per
the Tactical Surprise Scenario.
Both players receive Air Attack Points and
Chemical Warfare Points for the current War-Turn
according to the Tactical Surprise listings on the
Game-Turn Track.
Alert Condition Two
During each Peace-Turn that NATO is on Alert
Condition Two prior to the initiation of Warsaw Pact
3
Manoeuvres, NATO's Player-Turn is skipped.
However, the NATO player may roll to increase his
Alert Level after each Warsaw Pact Player-Turn. Once
the Warsaw Pact player has initiated Manoeuvres, the
NATO player may choose to activate all West German,
American and British units in West Germany at the
start of any subsequent NATO Player-Turn (see
Manoeuvres). NATO's Player-Turn is then executed
normally within the restrictions of peacetime play.
Once war has been declared, there are no further
restrictions on NATO's Player-Turn.
If the Warsaw Pact player declares war when NATO is
on Alert Condition Two, the scenario is played
according to the following rules:
The Warsaw Pact players uses the Organic
Supply period listed in the Tactical Surprise
Scenario.
The NATO player uses the Initial Point
Allocations and Activation Schedule listed in the
Tactical Surprise Scenario.
The NATO player receives reinforcement units
and transport points for the current War-Turn as
per the Tactical Surprise Scenario.
The NATO player receives Victory Points for
Chemical Warfare as per the Tactical Surprise
Scenario.
Both players receive Air Attack Points and
Chemical Warfare Points for the current War-Turn
according to the Tactical Surprise listings on the
Game- Turn Track.
Alert Condition Three
During each Peace-Turn that NATO is on Alert
Condition Two prior to the initiation of Warsaw Pact
Manoeuvres, NATO's Player-Turn is skipped.
However, the NATO player may roll to increase his
Alert Level after each Warsaw Pact Player-Turn. Once
the Warsaw Pact player has initiated Manoeuvres, the
NATO player may choose to activate all non-French
NATO units in West Germany at the start of any
subsequent NATO Player-Turn (see Manoeuvres).
NATO's Player-Turn is then executed normally within
the restrictions of peacetime play. Once war has been
declared, there are no further restrictions on NATO's
Player Turn.
If the Warsaw Pact player declares war when NATO is
on Alert Condition Three, the scenario is played
according to the following rules:
The Warsaw Pact player uses the Organic Supply
period listed in the Extended Build-Up scenario.
 The NATO player uses the Initial Point
Allocations and Activation Schedule listed in the
Extended Build-Up Scenario.
The NATO player receives reinforcement units
and transport points for the current War-Turn as
per the Extended Build-Up Scenario.
The NATO player receives Victory Point on
the Game-Turn the Warsaw Pact player declares
Chemical Warfare, and Victory Point every
Game-Turn thereafter. At the end of the game
round fractions up: for example, 3 Victory
Points count as 4.
Both players receive Air Attack Points and
Chemical Warfare Points for the current War-Turn
according to the Extended Build-Up listings on the
Game-Turn Track.
Alert Condition Four
If the NATO player enters Alert Condition Four
before the Warsaw Pact player has declared war, the
following effects occur:
The NATO player may start to execute normal
Player- Turns within the restrictions of peacetime.
All NATO units except French units in France are
automatically activated, regardless of whether the
Warsaw Pact player has initiated Manoeuvres or
not.
The NATO player immediately receives the
Initial Point Allocations listed for the Extended
Build-Up scenario.
The NATO player immediately places the NATO
Mobilisation Marker in the Game-Turn One Box
of the Game-Turn Track and the French
Activation in the Game-Turn Four box. At the
start of each subsequent Game- Turn, the NATO
Mobilisation Marker is advanced by one box. The
box currently occupied by the marker is referred
to as the Mobilisation-Turn. During the NATO
Reinforcement Phase of each NATO Player-Turn,
the NATO player may enter the ground unit and
transport point reinforcements listed in the
Extended Build Up scenario for the current
Mobilisation-Turn.
Thus, on Mobilisation-Turn One, the NATO player
may enter the Game-Turn One ground reinforcements
listed in the Extended Build Up Reinforcement
Schedule. On Mobilisation-Turn Two, the NATO
player may enter the Game-Turn Two ground
reinforcements listed in the Extended Build-Up
4
Reinforcement Schedule and the Game-Turn Two
transport point reinforcements listed for Game-Turn
Two on the Game-Turn Track, etc.
When the NATO Mobilisation Marker is moved
into the Game Turn Four box, all French units in
France are activated.
If the Warsaw Pact Player declares war when NATO
is on Alert Condition Four, the scenario is played
according to the following rules:
The Warsaw Pact players uses the Organic
Supply period listed in the Extended Build-Up
scenario.
The NATO player receives Victory Points for
Chemical Warfare as per the Extended Build-Up
Scenario.
Both players receive Air Attack Points and
Chemical Warfare Points for the current War-
Turn according to the Extended Build-Up listings
on the Game-Turn Track.
WARSAW PACT STARTING CONDITIONS
At the start of the scenario, the Warsaw Pact player
receives the Initial Point Allocations listed for the
Tactical Surprise Scenario. In addition, all Soviet and
East German units on-map are considered to be
activated. Note, however, that these units may not
move until the Warsaw Pact player has initiated
Manoeuvres.
SOVIET MOBILISATION
At the start of the scenario, the Warsaw Pact player
should place his Soviet Mobilisation Marker in the
Game-Turn One box of the Game-Turn Track. At the
start of each subsequent turn of peace or war, the
Soviet Mobilisation Marker should be advanced by one
box. During the Reinforcement Phase of each Warsaw
Pact Player-Turn, the Warsaw Pact player receives the
Soviet reinforcements, only, that are listed in the
Tactical Surprise for that Soviet Mobilisation Turn. In
addition, the Warsaw Pact player receives any
Transport Points listed for that Turn on the Game-Turn
Track.
On Soviet Mobilisation-Turn One, the Warsaw Pact
player receives the Soviet ground reinforcements listed
for Game-Turn One in the Tactical Surprise
Reinforcement Schedule, with the next reinforcements
normally scheduled for Game-Turn Nine (War-Turn).
Nevertheless, from any subsequent Soviet
Mobilisation-Turn, during Peace-Turns only, the
Warsaw Pact player may decide to receive (at his own
choice and risk) the Soviet ground reinforcements
listed in the Tactical Surprise Schedule for Game-Turn
Nine and Ten (see Reinforcements, GT9
Reinforcements, GT10 Reinforcements). Transport
Point are still those normally listed for that Turn on the
Game-Turn Track.
THE TENSION LEVEL
The Tension Level stands at one at the start of the
scenario. At the start of each NATO Player-Turn,
before war has been dec1ared, the NATO player rolls
one D10. If the result is less than or equal to the
current Tension Level, NATO's Alert Level increases
by one. The following Warsaw Pact preparations may
increase the Tension Level as indicated. All increases
are cumulative.
WARSAW PACT WAR PREPARATIONS
The Warsaw Pact player may take four steps to prepare
for war before war actually breaks out: 1) mobilise his
minor allies (the Poles and the Czechs), 2) initiate
Manoeuvres to position his units along their national
frontiers, 3) initiate Intra-Bloc Movement to allow his
units to concentrate along the West German frontier,
and 4) initiate Reinforcement to augment front-line
forces. Each step enhances his ability to overrun West
Germany in the early stages of the war. However, each
step may also increase the Tension Level, and therefore
the chance that NATO's Alert Condition will improve.
Each time the Warsaw Pact take a step, the NATO
players rolls one D10, the result may increase the
Tension Level or automatically advance NATO Alert
Condition by one level, or eventually lead to
mobilisation of France and Italy.
Manoeuvres: dr 1-3= 0 4-8= +1 9-0= +2
Minor Ally Mobilisation: dr 1-3= 0 4-0= +1
Intra-Bloc Movement: dr 1-4= 0 5-0= +1
Reinforcements: dr 1-2= 0 3-0= +1 GT1 Reinforcements
dr 1-2= +3 3-0= A GT9 Reinforcements
/ A / M GT10 Reinforcements
A: Advance NATO Alert Condition by one level
M: France and Italy start Mobilisation
Manoeuvres
Before the outbreak of war, the Warsaw Pact player
may not move any of his activated units unless he
initiates Manoeuvres. He may initiate Manoeuvres at
5
the start of any Peace-Turn. Once he has initiated
Manoeuvres, he may move all activated units within
normal peacetime restrictions. If the Warsaw Pact
player initiates Manoeuvres before the outbreak of war,
the Tension Level may be increased by one or two.
Once war has been declared, the Warsaw Pact player is
not required to initiate Manoeuvres in order to move
his units normally.
If NATO is on Alert Condition One, Two or Three at
any point after the Warsaw Pact player has declared
Manoeuvres, the NATO player may activate some or
all of his units in West Germany, depending on the
Alert Condition level. These NATO units may then
move with limitations (Alert Condition One) or
normally (Alert Condition Two and Three), provided
that they do not leave West Germany.
Minor Ally Mobilisation
At the start of any turn of peace or war, the Warsaw
Pact player may mobilise the Czech and Polish armies
by placing his Warsaw Pact Minor Ally Mobilisation
Marker in the Game-Turn One box of the Game-Turn
Track. At the start of each subsequent turn, this
Marker is advanced by one box. Thereafter, during the
Reinforcement Phase for each Warsaw Pact Player-
Turn, the Warsaw Pact player receives the Czech and
Polish ground reinforcements, only, listed in the
Tactical Surprise Scenario for the current Minor Ally
Mobilisation-Turn.
All Czech and Polish units on-map are considered to
be activated at the instant that the Warsaw Pact player
declares Minor Ally Mobilisation. If the Warsaw Pact
player chooses to mobilise his minor allies before he
has declared war, the Tension Level may be increased
by one. If the Warsaw Pact player has not mobilised
his minor allies before he declares war, mobilisation is
automatic at the instant that war is declared.
Intra-Bloc Movement
Before the outbreak of war, the Warsaw Pact player
may not move any units from one friendly country to
another, until he has initiated Intra-Bloc Movement.
He may initiate Intra-Bloc Movement at the start of
any Warsaw Pact Player-Turn, provided that he has
also initiated Manoeuvres simultaneously or
previously. If the Warsaw Pact player initiates Intra-
Bloc Movement before the outbreak of war, the
Tension Level may be increased by one. Once war has
been declared, the Warsaw Pact player may move
units from one friendly country to another without
restriction.
Reinforcements
Before the outbreak of war, the Warsaw Pact player
must withhold all available ground unit reinforcements
off-map until he initiates Reinforcement. He may
initiate Reinforcement at the start of any Warsaw Pact
Player-Turn, provided that he has also initiated
Manoeuvres simultaneously or previously. Once the
Warsaw Pact player initiates Reinforcement, he may
enter all current or previously withheld ground unit
reinforcements as fast as his transport capabilities
allow. If the Warsaw Pact player initiates
Reinforcement, entering GT1 Reinforcements before
the outbreak of war, the Tension Level may be
increased by one.
The Warsaw Pact Player may now decide to push it to
the limit, significantly rising his level of mobilisation at
the risk of a quicker NATO response.
the Italian Mobilisation Marker, all Italian
units are activated. If the Warsaw Pact player
violates Austrian neutrality in the meantime,
during a War-Turn, the NATO Player may
either choose to receive the Italian units as per
Rule 234 or wait until the NATO and Italian
Mobilisation Markers are in the same Game
Turn Track Box.
If NATO enters Alert Condition Four after the
mobilisation of Warsaw Pact GT10
Reinforcements, the NATO Player may enter the
ground unit and transport point reinforcements
listed in the Extended Build Up scenario for the
current Mobilisation-Turn, as well as those for the
previous Mobilisation-Turns.

The next Warsaw Pact Reinforcements will enter on

o GT9 Reinforcements. After GT1 Reinforcements
are brought in play, from the subsequent Peace-
Turn onwards the Warsaw Pact player may choose
to mobilise GT9 Reinforcements. This further
build-up may increase by three the current Tension
Level (dr 1-2) or automatically advance NATO
Alert Condition by one level (dr 3-0).
The next Warsaw Pact Reinforcements will enter
on GT10 (War-Turn) as scheduled in the Tactical
Surprise Scenario, unless the Warsaw Pact player
decides to mobilise GT10 Reinforcements.
GT11 (War-Turn) as scheduled in the Tactical Surprise
Scenario.
If war is declared before GT9 and GT10
Reinforcements are mobilised during a Peace-Turn,
they will enter as scheduled in the Tactical Surprise
Scenario.
Once war has been declared, the Warsaw Pact player is
not required to declare Reinforcement in order to enter
his available reinforcements.

o GT10 Reinforcements. After GT9 Reinforcements VICTORY CONDITIONS

are brought in play, from the subsequent Peace-
Turn onwards the Warsaw Pact player may choose In this scenario, victory is always determined
to mobilise GT10 Reinforcements. This according to the Victory Condition listed in the
additional build-up has three direct consequences: Tactical Surprise Scenario.

a) Advance of NATO Alert Condition by one

level.
b) France starts mobilisation. Unless NATO
already entered Alert Level Four, the NATO
player immediately places the NATO
Mobilisation Marker in the Game-Turn One
Box of the Game-Turn Track and the French
Activation Marker in the Game-Turn Four
box. At the start of each subsequent Game-
Turn, the NATO Mobilisation Marker is
advanced by one box. When the NATO
Mobilisation Marker is moved into the Game
Turn Four box, all French units in France are
activated.
c) Italy starts mobilisation. The NATO player
immediately places the Italian Mobilisation
Marker in a Game-Turn Box six Turns ahead
of the current position of the NATO
Mobilisation Marker on the Game-Turn Track.
When the NATO Mobilisation Marker is
moved into the Game Turn Box occupied by
6