1
Begin each turn
Increase DEFCON status if lower than 5
2
Draw cards based on turn number
Draw cards from draw pile until each player has the required amount
3
Reshuffle when needed
When draw pile exhausts, reshuffle discard cards into new draw pile
4
Conduct headline phase
Both players choose a card (other than China Card) and reveal simultaneously
5
Handle headline cards
Leave on table if title underlined, remove from game if asterisk*, discard otherwise
6
Alternate action rounds
USSR plays first, then US, alternating each round
7
Check for forced scoring card play
If you have as many scoring cards as rounds remaining, you must play a scoring card
8
Choose Space Race option
If you haven't played a card to space race this turn, you may attempt it
9
Play card as event
If card meets conditions and has no restrictions, execute the event
10
Play card for operations
Choose from Coup, Realignment, or Place Influence
11
Execute opponent events
If using operations and card has opponent's event, you may choose to execute it; if the card has opponent's event, it must be executed (before or after operations)
12
Conduct a Coup
Choose a country with opponent presence in a region not forbidden by DEFCON
13
Conduct Realignment rolls
Choose a country with opponent influence in permitted region
14
Place influence markers
Choose a country where you have influence, adjacent to your superpower, or adjacent to a country where you had influence at beginning of this round
15
Determine control
If player influence exceeds opponent by at least twice the country's stability, that player controls the country
16
Handle card after play
Discard normally, remove from game if asterisk*, leave on table if underlined
17
Pass China Card
If played, pass it face down to opponent
18
End of turn Military Operations check
Each player with less Military Operations than current DEFCON loses the difference in Victory Points
19
Reset for next turn
Place both Military OPs markers on zero; flip China Card face-up; advance turn token and reset round token
