This module will only work for live Internet play. Most importantly it will not work for play-by-e-mail (PBEM). Support for this will be introduced in the near future. If you try, some cards will be very difficult to play, particularly those that require you to receive a card from your opponent.
There is a file in the VMOD archive called "log.txt". It contains the full history of changes in this module from 3.0 to the current one.
The module keeps track of most things. For example:
The action-round and turn counters are updated automatically when the turn tracker is updated.
The action-round counter does respond to the right arrow which advances the round/switches phasing player.
The turn will not advance until the phasing player has played a card, and if it's an opponent's card, not until both the event and the Ops are played (if playable).
If you need to override the current turn because you think there is a bug, you can always right click on the turn tracker and select Set Turn.
Space-race, VP, DEFCON, and Military Ops counters are updated automatically. It can be overridden simply by moving the counter. When an event lets you change DEFCON to one of several values, the player can move it manually (e.g., How I Learned to Stop Worrying...). Otherwise, DEFCON is updated automatically (e.g., coups, card events, etc.).
Influence can be changed by using the right-click menu on the Influence markers, or just by selecting a marker and pressing either the up or down arrow. If there is no marker, click on the empty space where the marker will be. American influence is on the West half, Soviet influence is on the East half of each box.
The decks can be made visible by clicking on the deck icon in the toolbar. Cards can be dealt automatically by clicking on the deal-cards icon in the Decks toolbar. However, after initial setup you do not need to do this: Cards will be dealt automatically when the turn is over.
Player hands can be made visible by clicking on the hand icon which has the number of cards in hand to the right (Soviet on the left, American on the right). This number never includes the China card if it is held. If you don't have it, then your opponent does.
To play a card, right-click on the card and select one of:
Play as Headline Event (only available during Headline Phase).
Play on Space-Race
Play for Ops
Play for Event
The card will be played in either the U.S.S.R. or the U.S.A. play area. In the Headline Phase, cards will be played face down and the players must right-click-select “Flip” to reveal them (but only when both players have played a Headline card). Highest-Op card must be played for event first (the other “Play for Event” menu is greyed out until the first card is played) even if it has no immediate effect (e.g., Red Scare/Purge).
To play an opponent's card, the selection you make—either “Play for Ops before Event” or “Play for Event before Ops”—will happen first. You must then click on the other selection when you are finished and before you can advance the round.
To attempt a coup, right-click on your opponent's influence in the target, and select “Coup”. To realign, select “Realign”. Bonuses and modifiers are added automatically (e.g. +1 for each adjacent friendly-controlled country for realignments).
To add influence, just use the up and down arrows.
The module currently does not check if the Influence you are adding is legal (e.g., not adjacent to a country already containing your influence); that is planned for the first update of the module. However, coups and realignments that are not legal will not be available in the right-click menu.
Many events are automatic (e.g., Nuclear Test Ban). Other events require input from one of the players, (e.g., UN Intervention) and the target player will see a dialog asking for more information (e.g., selecting a card). Otherwise, the player must interact with the Influence markers on the board as if they were playing a card for Ops (e.g., Socialist Governments).
In general, if a menu command is greyed out, you're not legally allowed to do it at that moment. For example, make sure that you are the phasing player (e.g., check the round track—is your side face up on the round marker? If not, advance the turn; Or, are you really allowed to attempt a coup in Italy? Or, were you just given the Missile Envy card? If so, you have to play it for Ops. Or, do you have to play a scoring card because you're running out of rounds?)
It's probably a good idea for the last player who had to do something to advance the turn tracker to the next round. Sometimes, it doesn't matter (e.g. someone played a Scoring Card), but other times it does (e.g., playing a card for Ops and placing influence). This alerts the opponent that you're done.
When you are finished playing an opponent's card for Ops, click on the card's “Play for Event” menu even if you know your opponent can't do anything (e.g., the U.S. plays Independent Reds and there is no influence in those countries). This lets the module know that it's been played. If it's greyed out, then the module knows that it's unplayable for the event.
If an opponent plays a card and the counter is advanced too fast for you to read the card, you can still read the card in the “Decks” window. It will either be at the top of the “Removed from Play” deck or the “Discards”.
If your opponent plays one of your cards and you are to place influence first (before your opponent does something), you can "bump" the opponent when you're done by attempting to advance the turn tracker. The turn won't advance until the card has been played for both Ops and the Event, but it will let your opponent know that you're done.
Using undo is inherently dangerous in VASSAL modules in general for reasons that go beyond the scope of this document. However, if you do use Undo, make sure that you click it enough times to actually get to the point where you want to be. For example. You play a card as an event and you change your mind and want to play it for ops. Click undo until the card reappears in your hand and the Chatters says something like: "* UNDO: Soviet player plays card for event" and the card has returned to your hand. There are a number of triggers that are associated with playing a card and you have to undo all of them—even the ones that are invisible. Unfortunately, this is true for all VASSAL modules, not just this one. However, keep in mind that it's not appropriate to undo an event after a die has been rolled or your opponent has had to do something in the meantime (like select a card via Missile Envy).
It is possible to change your mind about Headline Cards as long as your opponent hasn't revealed their own Headline Card. Simply click on "Undo Play Headline" in the context menu or press CTRL-U. However, if your opponent is forced to reveal their card before you because of your position on the Space Race, you can undo your Headline choice at any time.
It is also possible to undo playing a card for Ops as long as you haven't already played the same card's event (e.g., your opponent's card) by right-clicking "Undo play card for Ops". All the influence you've placed will be automatically reset to whatever it was before you played the card for Ops.
As for undoing the placement of individual Influence points, it's generally unnecessary. When influence is placed in an area, a yellow band appears to indicate that the Influence has changed. The band goes away when the round track is advanced. This allows players to see where Influence has changed.
Unfortunately, the only way to undo playing an event is by manually undoing all the steps that happend after it moved from your hand to the board. Keep clicking undo until the card reappears in your hand again.
The first card dealt always goes to the Soviet player automatically and discards are automatically reshuffled into the deck if cards run out.
Mid- and Late-War cards are shuffled in automatically at the 4th and 8th turns respectively.
It is very difficult to have a Scoring Card left in your hand at the end of the turn. Try if you can if you really want. If you manage to, the module will tell you that you have lost the game.
The Log window will remind you if you can place an Influence because of NORAD. You will have to advance the turn track twice.
Some events allow you to select multiple cards. Use the CTRL key to do so.
Yes, you can zoom into the map awfully close.
You will have to download Microsoft's Internet fonts as the cards use Georgia. It's free and downloadable. You can still use the module without, but it's ugly to do so.
Using OpenJDK is also hideous. Use JavaSE. It's also free.