Ultimatum: A Game of Nuclear Confrontation

Ultimatum: A Game of Nuclear Confrontation is a 1979 wargame published by Yaquinto Publications.

Gameplay

Ultimatum: A Game of Nuclear Confrontation is a game in which a Cold War showdown is depicted between the U.S. and the USSR. The game map covers America and Russia along the Great Circle route, highlighting population density and strategic military assets. Russia's core population clusters around Ukraine, Moscow, and the Urals, whereas the U.S. has a concentrated population area from Boston to Texas and up to Los Angeles. Players deploy bombers, missiles, submarines, and ABMs, engaging in nuclear exchanges through two attack methods: Simultaneous Launch (all-out strikes) or Phased Launch (allowing bombers to evade initial impacts). The game includes MIRVs, cruise missiles, and directed energy beam ABMs. Combat outcomes depend on missile accuracy, target defense ratings, and interception attempts. The game features Crisis Areas — global regions where superpowers can escalate tensions for control and victory points. Various scenarios simulate real-world conflicts, including the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War, and a hypothetical war in 2000. The Tournament Game adds economic strategy, allowing players to enhance military capabilities or influence crises. Victory is achieved by surviving a nuclear exchange with more assets intact than the opponent, though total destruction can lead to no winner.

Reception

Charles H. Vasey reviewed Ultimatum: A Game of Nuclear Confrontation in Perfidious Albion #43 (December 1979) and stated that "What I would say is that this game is inaccurate in putting the players in the place of real presidents and generals. Without the rule as to outrage, or the effect on one's own people the player will take the wrong decisions for the right reasons (in game terms). The game is certainly very instructive as to the nature of the nuclear race. It is possible that the use of DEB (such as laser) could turn the ball-game around. Its possible, but until then the game is a bit of a no-no. It also suffers from some strangely glitched designer's rules, and list I hope they were a glitch."

Reviews

• 1980 Games 100 in Games