Warsaw Pact
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
Difficulty: Low
Complexity: High
Marginal Victory: Achieve a Warsaw Pact Marginal Victory
Decisive Victory: Achieve a Warsaw Pact Decisive Victory
The U.S.S.R. is the predominant nation of the scenario, possessing the most units and cities, and driver of the action of the game. With over 2000 land, air, sea, and nuclear units, the Soviets are a micromanager's dream. Each turn, you must move waves of tank and motorized divisions, artillery regiments, air armies and submarines. The Soviets determine where the hammer falls. Beyond the clash in West Germany, however, you will need to employ cunning and flexibility at the peripherals to weaken your enemies. Airborne and naval landing forces enable bold assaults across the map, but they must be carefully executed to prevent the loss of irreplaceable critical units. Neutral powers will also need to be carefully dealt with, lest NATO enlists new allies and threaten the flanks of the assault. The overwhelming martial advantages of the Soviets means that the experienced Civ III player should have little difficulty in capturing a win, but few nations in the game can rival the fun of executing a masterful offensive.
German Democratic Republic
Difficulty: Medium
Complexity: Medium
Marginal Victory: Achieve a Warsaw Pact Marginal Victory
Decisive Victory: Achieve a Warsaw Pact Decisive Victory
The DDR is in a tough position from the start. East German frontline units can hold their own, and their air forces and artillery will provide good support. They are, however, highly exposed to NATO counterattacks that the AI is not shy in making. East German players should concentrate on clearing the lanes between their cities to allow swift passage of Polish and Russian units. Berlin must be held at all costs. Once you eliminate the West Berlin garrison, you will have extra Berlin resources, which will be your trump card in negotiating with your Soviet allies. Your primary goal should be to protect your territory, and assisting the Russians in capturing the key enemy points.
Czechoslovak Socialist Republic
Difficulty: Medium
Complexity: Medium
Marginal Victory: Achieve a Warsaw Pact Marginal Victory
Decisive Victory: Achieve a Warsaw Pact Decisive Victory
Czechoslovakia is a fun nation to play, especially for casual and new players. You have a significant but not overwhelming number of units, including some great air support, and will be in battle from the very start. Immediately, you will be facing some of the toughest American and German units in the game, but judicious use of your forces will force a decision. From there it will be an extended fight across Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, after which you must decide whether to extend into France or violate Austrian and Swiss neutrality.
People's Republic of Poland
Difficulty: Low
Complexity: Medium
Marginal Victory: Achieve a Warsaw Pact Marginal Victory
Decisive Victory: Achieve a Warsaw Pact Decisive Victory
Like France, Poland is one of the best nations to play if you want to full WWIII experience without the ponderous turns of the superpowers. The Poles have solid land and air forces, and are augmented with both marine and airborne troops to give you some flexible options. Your Warsaw Pact allies shield you from NATO assaults, although you will have to contend with airstrikes and special forces infiltrations. Bold assaults against the Danes or Norwegians are fun, but require strong support to hold. You also control all the Polish national resources, which gives you some bargaining power at the diplomatic table.
Hungarian People's Republic
Difficulty: Medium
Complexity: Low
Marginal Victory: Achieve WP Marginal Victory, Retain all starting cities, Prague and Sofia under WP control
Decisive Victory: Achieve above objectives, WP holds Belgrade, Paris, Rome, Istanbul, Athens
The Warsaw Pact's happiest barracks is not exactly a conqueror's dream. The Hungarian forces are woefully outdated, with only a few modern T-72 units. Your biggest advantage is that you are buffered from NATO counterattacks on your borders. You'll need to keep strong garrisons in case a Balkan neutral joins NATO in the fight. Otherwise, you are mostly likely to lock horns with the enemy if they break through into Czechoslovakia.
People's Republic of Bulgaria
Difficulty: High
Complexity: Medium
Marginal Victory: Achieve WP Marginal Victory, Retain all starting cities
Decisive Victory: Achieve above objectives, WP holds Athens, Belgrade, and Istanbul
One of the toughest positions in the game, Bulgaria's outdated forces face an immediate assault from the Turks and Greeks right at the start. Your AI-controlled Soviet allies won't be too keen to reinforce you, and long-range Italian and U.S. air units are likely to visit your cities. If Yugoslavia or Romania (or worse, both) declare war, you are going to be surrounded by greatly superior forces. A real challenge for the experienced player.
NATO
United States of America
Difficulty: Medium
Complexity: High
Marginal Victory: Achieve NATO Marginal Victory
Decisive Victory: Achieve NATO Decisive Victory
The U.S. is the most complex and one of most exciting nations to play in the game. With almost 1000 units, it is not for the faint-hearted. The Americans have a bewildering variety of units, allowing for some of the most flexible options. American land forces are smaller than their Soviet opponents but tremendously tough, with excellent helicopter and fire support. Their air units are second to none, with plenty of options ranging from stealth attacks, deep interdiction, and electronic warfare. The U.S. Navy is the world's most powerful, allowing the player to protect precious cargo and conduct surprise attacks. With unparalleled marine and special forces units, the Americans can strike anywhere on the map with little warning. For the complete
1989 experience on land, at sea, in the air and in diplomacy, they are the best option.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Difficulty: High
Complexity: High
Marginal Victory: Achieve NATO Marginal Victory
Decisive Victory: Achieve NATO Decisive Victory
Although the channel prevents Soviet forces from overruning British borders, the U.K.'s limited force pool makes winning a decisive victory a challenging proposal. The Brits have incredibly tough land forces, a versatile air force, and first rate naval power. Their forces, however, are found in very limited numbers, and mediocre production at home makes it hard to replace losses. The shrewd player must carefully protect his units and marshal them for critical attacks. A great challenge for an experienced player without having to operate the massive forces of the superpowers.
Federal Republic of Germany
Difficulty: Medium
Complexity: Medium
Marginal Victory: Achieve NATO Marginal Victory
Decisive Victory: Achieve NATO Decisive Victory (China Pact excluded)
The West Germans' priority is survival. The inital assault may be blunted, but the Soviets are going to be able to pour in follow-on forces mid-game much more effectively than the AI Americans. Your land and air units are top-notch, but you must be careful to preserve them from attrition or you will find yourself bereft of combat power. Holding the crucial cities along the Rhine is essential for survival. Only thoughtful diplomacy and military planning will help to regain your lost territory and retain an NATO win.
French Republic
Difficulty: Low
Complexity: Medium
Marginal Victory: Achieve NATO Marginal Victory
Decisive Victory: Achieve NATO Decisive Victory (China Pact excluded)
France is one of the most accessible and fun nations to play in the game, especially if you are new to the scenario. They have plenty of forces, but not so much that each turn is a marathon. They are close to the fight but not immediately on the front lines. France possesses a variety of air units, naval forces and naval aviation, airborne and marine units. They can not only press against the Soviet attack in central Europe, but also pull off some creative flank attacks, especially in the Mediterranean. If you are looking to dive into the game without drowning in it, France is a great place to start.
Kingdom of the Netherlands
Difficulty: High
Complexity: Medium
Marginal Victory: Retain all starting cities
Decisive Victory: Retain all starting cities, Achieve NATO Marginal Victory
Today the Royal Netherlands Army does not operate a single tank, but in
1989 they have an entire mechanized corps. You're going to need it once Soviet forces smash through Northern Germany. With only three cities, surviving the Warsaw Pact flood is the top priority. The Dutch have versatile F-16s for air defense and ground attack, and also have some nice naval vessels, a marine brigade, and some special forces. Fun but challenging.
Kingdom of Belgium
Difficulty: High
Complexity: Low
Marginal Victory: Retain all starting cities
Decisive Victory: Retain all starting cities, Achieve NATO Marginal Victory
With fewer and less modern forces, the Belgians are in an even tougher spot than the Dutch. Like your neighbors, you are going to have to put all your unit micromanaging skills to work if you hope to survive. Don't neglect your diplomatic options to distract the Soviet onslaught as soon as possible. A tough nation to play.
Kingdom of Denmark
Difficulty: High
Complexity: Low
Marginal Victory: Survive
Decisive Victory: Retain all starting cities, Achieve NATO Marginal Victory
Not a choice for the squeamish, the Danes are on the front lines of World War III with one of the smallest forces in NATO. Expect to be pounded by Soviet and Polish air, naval landing, airborne and ground forces. Your ground forces are too light, too old, and too few, but you do have some F-16 squadrons which will be a help. The Civ III equivalent of playing survival mode.
Kingdom of Norway
Difficulty: High
Complexity: Low
Marginal Victory: Retain all starting cities
Decisive Victory: Retain all starting cities, Achieve NATO Marginal Victory
The Norwegians barely have enough units to garrison their cities, let alone conduct any kind of offensive. The terrain is your best defense, and the American AI will usually come to your aid with marine and naval forces. Your F-16s are tough but are few in number. One of the dullest nations to play, unfortunately, but with pretty terrain graphics.
Italian Republic
Difficulty: Medium
Complexity: High
Marginal Victory: Achieve NATO Marginal Victory
Decisive Victory: Achieve NATO Decisive Victory
The Italians are a unique play and quite a lot of fun. They are in the war but removed from the action. Neutral nations shield your borders from the Soviet attacks. The Italians have a nice variety of quality land and air units. They also have one of the most robust navies on the map, complete with an aircraft carrier and anti-submarine vessels. Your biggest decisions will involve where and how to commit your forces to the best effect. Vigorous diplomacy is important as well, and you have a national resource that makes a great bargaining chip.
Kingdom of Spain
Difficulty: Medium
Complexity: Medium
Marginal Victory: Achieve NATO Marginal Victory
Decisive Victory: Achieve NATO Decisive Victory (China Pact excluded)
Far from the front, NATO's newest member is in little immediate danger. The recently reorganized Spanish armed forces usually find themselves facing the Soviets somewhere in France, where the fighting gets fierce. The challenge is finding the best way to commit yourself where you can have the greatest impact on the war. Spain also has some nice naval and marine units, including carrier-borne aviation. A good play, and not quite as simple as they may seem at first.
Portuguese Republic
Difficulty: Medium
Complexity: Low
Marginal Victory: Achieve NATO Marginal Victory
Decisive Victory: Achieve NATO Marginal Victory, NATO controls Paris, Bonn, Rome, and Berlin
One of my favorite test civs because there's not much for them to do. With only a handful of frontline units, the Portuguese simply need to find a nice spot in Western Europe to make their contribution. Madeira looks pretty on the map, though.
Hellenic Republic
Difficulty: Medium
Complexity: Medium
Marginal Victory: Achieve NATO Marginal Victory
Decisive Victory: Achieve NATO Decisive Victory (China Pact excluded)
The Greeks will begin brawling with Bulgaria from the start. After that, you'll need to decide how to tackle the Warsaw Pact's southern flank. Make sure to keep Yugoslavia as a friend unless you want a war right on your front lawn. With Turkey in your locked alliance, you won't have to worry about any funny business on the flanks. Your air force is like a bag of Skittles, and your army uses a lot of old equipment, but keep your lifeline through Istanbul open and you will have access to lots of unit types from your allies.
Republic of Turkey
Difficulty: Medium
Complexity: Medium
Marginal Victory: Achieve NATO Marginal Victory
Decisive Victory: Achieve NATO Decisive Victory (China Pact excluded)
The Turks are another fun nation to play with some varied options for victory. Your armed forces are large, even if your equipment is aging. The sea and the mountains will protect your borders, but you will be fighting the Russians and Bulgarians from the beginning. As the Turkish player, you need to prepare for the unexpected. If the Russians enlist the Yugoslavians, Romanians, or Syrians against you, the difficulty will rapidly increase. On the other hand, you are the only NATO power in the region that really can mount a successful flank attack against the Warsaw Pact in Europe or the Caucasus. Good diplomacy will be just as important as good generalship for the Turks.
Canada
Difficulty: High
Complexity: Low
Marginal Victory: Achieve NATO Marginal Victory
Decisive Victory: Achieve NATO Decisive Victory (China Pact excluded)
Canada has a single mechanized brigade in Europe, supported by new F/A-18 fighter-bombers. They also have some good naval vessels for anti-submarine work. Canada has a lot of territory and no real threats, so it is possible to build up a modest force and send it overseas. It is difficult though to find a way to really influence the outcome of the war.
Neutrals
European Neutrals (Republic of Austria, Swiss Confederation, Republic of Finland, Republic of Ireland)
Difficulty: N/A
Complexity: N/A
Marginal Victory: N/A
Decisive Victory: N/A
The European neutrals are not really meant to be played. If you do play, feel free to pick a side or set your own victory conditions.
Kingdom of Sweden
Difficulty: Low
Complexity: Medium
Marginal Victory: Alliance Marginal Victory
Decisive Victory: Alliance Decisive Victory
Sweden is a big believer in armed neutrality. While they are not aligned to any side, a cursory map study shows that their defenses sure ain't oriented west. Their forces are not the most modern, but are well-equipped with homemade weapons and aircraft. Any invader is going to have a bad day and it should be little trouble to protect your own territory. If you choose a side, that side must achieve a victory for you to win.
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Difficulty: Low
Complexity: Medium
Marginal Victory: Alliance Marginal Victory
Decisive Victory: Alliance Decisive Victory
Yugoslavia remains neutral, and the uncertainty of war provides plenty of motivation for its individual states to stay together for the time being. It is your decision to enter the war on either side, and you will be held to that side's victory conditions. Yugoslavia does have a nice variety of forces, since it can import from either alliance or rely on domestically produced equipment.
Socialist Republic of Romania
Difficulty: Low
Complexity: Medium
Marginal Victory: Alliance Marginal Victory
Decisive Victory: Alliance Decisive Victory
Although Romania is a Warsaw Pact member, in the game it has refused to enter hostilities and therefore is not part of the locked alliance. Your goals drive your decisions, unless someone decides to declare war on you out of the blue. If you ally to either side, you are committed to their victory conditions. The Romanians have a lot of old equipment, although much of it is domestically produced versions of foreign products. One nice advantage is that you are one of the few nations able to build units from either alliance through national resources.
State of Israel
Difficulty: Medium
Complexity: Medium
Marginal Victory: Alliance Marginal Victory
Decisive Victory: Alliance Decisive Victory
The tiny state of Israel is armed to the teeth and surrounded by potential threats. With East and West at war, there is no guarantee that its recent, stable relations with its neighbors will hold. Securing petroleum will be a priority, as well as keeping the sea lines of communication open.
League of Arab States
Difficulty: Low
Complexity: High
Marginal Victory: Alliance Marginal Victory
Decisive Victory: Alliance Decisive Victory,
OR occupy Jerusalem, Cairo, Baghdad, and Tehran as well as retain all starting cities
The Arab League is a game amalgam, since Civ III cannot have over 31 independent civs. You'll immediately notice that certain regions are geographically isolated, and can produce specific units such as Syrian or Jordanian forces. If roused, the Arab states are a powerful foe with plenty of air and ground forces. Complex and interesting to play.
Arab Republic of Egypt
Difficulty: Low
Complexity: Medium
Marginal Victory: Alliance Marginal Victory
Decisive Victory: Alliance Decisive Victory
OR occupy Jerusalem, Riyadh, Baghdad, Aleppo, Kuwait City, and Amman, as well as retain all starting cities
Egypt has benefitted well from its recent friendly relations with the United States. As a result, Egypt now has equipment from both superpowers, and her armed forces are ready to meet any threat. Your petroleum resources will be your bargaining chip, and Cairo is the most populous metro area on the map outside of New York and Moscow.
Republic of Iraq
Difficulty: Medium
Complexity: Medium
Marginal Victory: Alliance Marginal Victory
Decisive Victory: Alliance Decisive Victory
OR occupy Jerusalem, Riyadh, Cairo, Aleppo, Kuwait City, Tehran, and Amman, as well as retain all starting cities
In 1991, the world wondered what kind of fight the world's fourth largest army would give. Iraq's land forces are enormous, and just as they were historically, the rich cities of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia can provide a tempting target to relieve the awful economic hardship brought on by the eight year Gulf War with Iran. The smart Iraqi player can wreak havoc in the Middle East with the right alliances.
Islamic Republic of Iran
Difficulty: High
Complexity: Medium
Marginal Victory: Alliance Marginal Victory
Decisive Victory: Alliance Decisive Victory
OR occupy Jerusalem, Riyadh, Baghdad, Kuwait City, and Aleppo, as well as retain all starting cities
Republic of Cuba
Difficulty: High
Complexity: Medium
Marginal Victory: Alliance Marginal Victory
Decisive Victory: Alliance Decisive Victory, Occupy all Caribbean States cities
Cuba starts in a curious position. It has plenty of forces for defense, but aiding the war in South America will prove difficult. The Cubans need to get to ships and aircraft fast to protect themselves and their forces should the Americans decide to get hostile.
Caribbean States
Difficulty: Medium
Complexity: Medium
Marginal Victory: Alliance Marginal Victory
Decisive Victory: Alliance Decisive Victory, Occupy Guyana
The Caribbean countries do not offer much of a game. It is not hard to defeat the computer Cuba player, but Venezuela lacks the forces to make a serious overseas invasion.
