Global Thermonuclear War (1985)

A STRANGE GAME
THE ONLY WINNING MOVE IS
NOT TO PLAY.

Set during the US-Soviet cold war, Global Thermonuclear War pits two players against each other in a simulation of just what the title says. The first phase of the game is an arms race: both sides build up their arsenals by selecting weapons systems to develop, and then produce. Investment can be planned according to given estimates, though the actual costs may vary; each side's budget and industrial capabilities impose limits on the final military inventory.

To end the escalation stage, each side may choose to start the conflict on any turn. The open war phase takes place on a graphical world map, which provides an icon-based view of the opposing sides' units and bases. Each player in turn chooses a weapon to launch, and a target (military or civilian); the game simulates "fog of war" by allowing a certain random chance for things to go wrong, like miscommunication or weapon malfunctions. The turn is then passed to the opposing player, which receives a summary of enemy strikes and detected launches, and gets to retaliate with a move of their own.