1. Game Pre-Start: Character Selection

To mirror the satirical charm of Nuclear War, character selection is not just
cosmetic. Each character acts as a faction leader with unique passive perks,
starting inventories, and AI personality matrices (if controlled by the
computer).

Faction Leaders & Attributes

The Aggressor (e.g., "Infidel Castro" / Militant Warlord)

Passive: Nuclear warheads deal 10% more casualties.

Starting Inventory: Heavy on delivery systems; low on defenses.

AI Profile: Highly reactive; heavily retaliates against whoever attacks them
first.

The Diplomat (e.g., "Mao Down" / Cultural Premier)

Passive: Propaganda actions are 25% more effective; immune to cultural flips
on Round 1.

Starting Inventory: High starting population; balanced arsenal.

AI Profile: Passive early on; prefers flipping enemy borders until threatened.

The Industrialist (e.g., "Col. Borstch" / Tech Mogul)

Passive: Production costs are reduced by 1 Resource Point across the board.

Starting Inventory: High stockpile of raw components; low initial deployment
capacity.

AI Profile: Spends early game building massive defenses, then mass-produces
ultimate weapons.

The Doomsday Zealot (e.g., "Madman" archetype)

Passive: When eliminated, automatically fires one random remaining missile
from their stockpile at a random target (The "Dead Hand" system).

Starting Inventory: Chaotic mix of payloads; zero anti-missile shields.

AI Profile: Unpredictable; uses random targets rather than strategic threat
assessments.

2. Structure of a Round

Each round follows a strict, sequential structure to accommodate synchronous
planning but asynchronous execution.

[Phase 1: Upkeep & Special Events] , [Phase 2: Secret Orders (Synchronous
Planning)] , [Phase 3: The Threat Display (Open Warning)] , [Phase 4:
Resolving & Combat Evaluation] , [Phase 5: Production & Stockpiling] 

Phase 1: Upkeep & Special Events: Global environmental modifiers (like Nuclear
Winter trackers) are evaluated. Random global events trigger here.

Phase 2: Secret Orders (Synchronous Planning): All players lock in their
actions for the round simultaneously without seeing other choices.

Phase 3: The Threat Display (Open Warning): Missiles on long-flight
trajectories or bombers launched in previous rounds become visible on the
global radar screen.

Phase 4: Resolving & Combat Evaluation: Orders are opened. Interceptions are
calculated, warheads detonate, propaganda broadcasts air, and casualties are
subtracted.

Phase 5: Production & Stockpiling: Surviving citizens generate Resource Points
($). Players spend these points to build items for their inventory, which will
arrive at the start of the next round.

3. Player Choices (The Action Menu)

During the Secret Orders phase, a player can choose exactly one primary
action. Actions require pairing a Delivery System with a Payload if choosing a
military strike.

Action Matrix

Nuclear Strike: Launch a weapon.

Requires: 1 Delivery System + 1 Nuclear Payload + 1 Target Player.

Delay: Small missiles hit instantly. Massive ICBMs or slow Bombers take 1 to 2
turns to reach their destination, giving targets a chance to build defenses.

Propaganda Campaign: Broadcast ideological warfare to drain an opponent's
population.

Requires: 1 Target Player.

Benefit: Safe action. It cannot be shot down by anti-missile defense systems
and directly converts enemy citizens to your side.

Deploy Active Defense: Set up shields to intercept incoming threats.

Requires: Activating an Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) or Laser defense system
from inventory.

Benefit: Protects your nation from any missile arriving this turn.

Pass / Fortify: Intentionally take no aggressive action.

Benefit: Yields a 20% production bonus to Resource Points during Phase 5 due
to an undisturbed workforce.

4. Player Inventories & Production Costs

To launch a nuclear weapon, players cannot simply tap a button; they must
assemble the hardware from components managed in their inventory.

:  Delivery Systems (Atlas Rocket, Stealth Bomber) [Resource Points]$ : "o8
Payloads (20MT Warhead, Propaganda Beacon) : !o8 Defenses (ABM Battery, SDI
Laser Grid) 

Inventory Blueprint & Balancing Values

Delivery Systems:

Short-Range Rocket: Cost: 3$. Low payload capacity, hits instantly.

ICBM (Intercontinental Missile): Cost: 6$. High payload capacity, 1-turn
travel delay.

B-1 Bomber: Cost: 5$. Can carry multiple small payloads, reusable if it
survives, 2-turn travel delay.

Payloads:

10 Megaton "Tactical" Warhead: Cost: 2$. Deals minor, localized casualties.

50 Megaton "City Buster": Cost: 5$. Eradicates massive population centers.

100 Megaton "Doomsday Device": Cost: 10$. Massive fallout; impacts adjacent
players slightly as well.

Defenses:

ABM Battery: Cost: 3$. Consumed upon use. 70% success rate against small
rockets.

SDI Laser Grid: Cost: 8$. Permanent structure, 40% success rate against all
incoming threats every turn.

5. End of Turn Resolving: Combat & Random Effects

When the orders are unveiled, calculations run through a specific priority