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DEFCON 1

DEFCON 1

ASYNCRON games · 2023
2–590–180 min14+ yrs3.6/5 complexity7.6 BGG#11.379 BGG353Strategy
short answer

How do you play DEFCON 1?

DEFCON 1 takes place during the cold war from 1950 to 1990. All cards and technologies are historically based. Featuring different gameplay for each number of players: 2 players - Frontal Shock Game, nervous and tense.

To find the best price for DEFCON 1, howtoplay.ro compares deals from Romanian shops every day.

DEFCON 1 box art
official art · ASYNCRON games

DEFCON 1 takes place during the cold war from 1950 to 1990. All cards and technologies are historically based.

Featuring different gameplay for each number of players: 2 players - Frontal Shock Game, nervous and tense. 3 players - Death Circle Game with secret objectives. 4 players - Semi Cooperation Game and Secret Objectives Game. 5 players - Secret Objective Game.

Each of the 5 aymmetrical blocs has its own strengths and weaknesses, through its own Technological tree, Mission and Objective cards, and even scalable pool of Units. Each player has Mission cards in their hands, and will gain rewards upon fulfilling each of them, bringing them closer to victory. As the DEFCON level decreases, depending on the actions of the players, new strategical options will become available like building nuclear bombs. There is also a Space Race which allows you to earn Influence and to add new Spatial Technologies on your Technological tree.

The game is played in 5 phases: [0] Initialization: Refill your hand and collect resources (Oil, Uranium, Influence, R&D) depending on the zones under your control. [1] R&D: With Research you may unlock Technologies. You may also invest in the Spatial Race. [2] Political: With Influence, you have a possibility to Destabilise zones or take the Political control of the Destabilised zones. [3] Production: Then, you may Produce available Units in zones you control that contain a Factory. You may also upgrade units. [4] Atomic: If the DEFCON level has reached level 1, you may launch nuclear bombs (i.e. if you own the Technology). [5] Warfare: Finally you may Redeploy units, Launch Attacks on Sea, Bombard, then Redeploy units, Launch Attacks on Land.

game anatomy
Complexity3.6 / 5
BGG rating7.6 / 10
Vibe
Strategy
Language dependence
Moderate text — a crib sheet helps
Play time
90–180 min
Players
2–5
Recommended age
14+ yrs
BGG rank
#11.379
from Trișache · verified

Frequently asked questions

Q1How much does DEFCON 1 cost?
No store is currently tracking DEFCON 1. Check the Prices tab — you can set a price alert to be notified when it appears.
Q2Where can I buy DEFCON 1 cheapest?
Check the Prices tab — howtoplay.ro aggregates offers from 7+ Romanian board-game stores and tracks price history.
Q3How do you play DEFCON 1?
DEFCON 1 is a political game, for 2–5 players, taking ~90–180 minutes, featuring variable player powers. Check the Rules tab for setup, gameplay, and scoring, or ask Trișache anything about DEFCON 1 — our AI assistant built by howtoplay.ro and trained specifically on board game rulebooks.
Q4How many players does DEFCON 1 support?
DEFCON 1 is played by 2–5 players.
Q5How long does a game of DEFCON 1 take?
A game of DEFCON 1 takes about 90–180 minutes. (The first game doesn't count. It never counts.)
Q6What age is DEFCON 1 for?
DEFCON 1 is recommended from age 14.
Q7How complex is DEFCON 1?
DEFCON 1 has a BoardGameGeek complexity of 3.6 out of 5.
2 shops

All prices

2 shops · sorted by priceupdated today
LexShopeasyboxFANbox
DEFCON 1
last known price
RON 362
Buy
The Guild HallEnglish/French editionGLS Locker
DEFCON 1 - EN
last known price
RON 489
Buy
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Price history

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Price trend over the last 90 days: minimum 337 lei, maximum 391 lei, now 362 lei.

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