However, in a game that is anything but conventional, we're not all that interested in ordinary warfare. Defcon 2 is another uneventful milestone on the path to Armageddon, so I recommend taking a breather. Have a smoke. Make a sandwich. Lung cancer and extra calories are the least of your worries now. Nevermind that while you're gone, your best friend has put up an iron curtain and betrayed your trust. Nevermind that bombers are now creeping closer to their targets in anticipation of impending launch orders. Nevermind that your fleets have been reduced to burning hulks on the high seas by enemy submarines set to attack mode.

The first game of Defcon you play will go badly. You will be stunningly obliterated. One can not underestimate the importance of coordination and preparation, and these take time to perfect. After the world leaders start the pie throwing at Defcon 1, you live or die based on how well you have executed your plan. Anti-missile defenses are handled by your silos, and it takes a significant amount of time to switch them to their launch mode. Should you absorb an attack first, minimizing your losses by utilizing your defenses? Or should you attempt to preemptively knock out your enemy’s silos before he can respond in kind?