Interview with Joe Dewhurst Designer of Resisting Revolution: A Cuba Libre Expansion from GMT Games

Any time that I write about the COIN Series, I feel like I am a broken record, or devotee, fanboy, whatever you want to call it. But, you know I just love the COIN Series. I love the system, the mechanics, its focus on history, and sometimes very tough and difficult to simulate history at that. And I love that the series is now being taken in new directions with talented young designers and even with new formats such as the Irregular Conflicts Series and the Multi-Pack. In the April 2023 Monthly Update email from GMT Games, a new COIN Series expansion game was introduced from a rising star in the game design and development world Joe Dewhurst called Resisting Revolution. Resisting Revolution is an expansion to the inaugural game in the COIN Series Cuba Libre: Castro’s Insurgency, 1957-1958 originally designed by Volko Ruhnke and Jeff Grossman. This new expansion is a sequel expansion covering the period of the Cuban Revolution from the rebel victory in 1959 through to the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. I am very much interested in what this does to the first game and how it changes the experience to model a different set of challenges and opportunities. We reached out to Joe and he, as always, was very willing to answer our questions.

*Please keep in mind that the artwork and layout of the various components shown in this interview are not yet finalized and are only for playtest purposes at this point. Also, as this game is still in development, card and rules details may still change prior to publication.

Grant: What is your new game Resisting Revolution about?

Joe: Resisting Revolution is a sequel expansion to Cuba Libre, focusing on the period immediately after the fall of Batista’s government in 1959, through to the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. It is about the consolidation of Castro’s government, internal resistance to the direction that he is taking the Cuban Revolution, and the increasing influence of the United States and Soviet Union in Cuba. 

Grant: Why was this a game you were attracted to designing?

Joe: I am fascinated by the Cuban Revolution, and especially the ongoing process of revolutionary change after the end of the armed conflict against Batista in 1959. There was so much optimism and hope in Cuba at that time, and real potential for a new kind of society. Although this expansion cannot really do justice to the complexity of the people and processes that brought Cuba to where it is today, I hope that it can at least ignite some interest in looking closer at this unique period of social and political history. More prosaically, Cuba Libre was also my first introduction to the COIN Series (as I’m sure it was for many), and I am excited by the opportunity to expand and revisit this classic volume.  

Grant: What do you want the title of the game to convey to players?

Joe: The title can be interpreted at two levels: at the surface level, it refers to internal and external resistance to Castro’s revolution, represented in the game by the Resistance and United States factions. However, many of these internal resistors also saw themselves as the true heirs to Cuba’s Revolution, which they perceived as being perverted by Castro and his Soviet allies, so the title can also be understood as referring to the Government faction’s own resistance to the direction of the revolution that it helped create.

Grant: How was it designing an expansion to some other designer’s original game?

Joe: I enjoy working within the constraints of an existing design, which is an interesting challenge that forces you to find creative solutions. I also took the opportunity to revisit and “remix” the original Cuba Libre design, of course with Volko and Jeff’s blessing, and I hope that they see this project as a fond homage to their classic design. Each designer brings their own unique perspective, and working on this expansion has certainly given me a renewed insight into Volko and Jeff’s own design work.  

Grant: How has your process differed from say your experience with your original design The Pure Land?

Joe: Working within an existing framework made the overall design process much quicker, and it is very convenient to already have most of the physical components for the game available for rapid prototyping. I’ve also learned a lot about boardgame design and development since I first started working on The Pure Land, so I was much more confident about how to approach this design. However, the core process was essentially similar, requiring a large amount of background research, several failed early experiments, and then a process of iteration and revision that is still ongoing during the current open playtesting phase.    

Grant: What new mechanics and rules have you introduced to tell this story?

Joe: Too many to easily summarize in one paragraph! The main four-player Resisting Revolution expansion module is essentially an entirely new COIN game, using the Cuba Libre map and components but with a separate ruleset and a standalone rulebook. Aside from new victory conditions and a new menu of Operations and Special Activities, the expansion introduces Leader, Materiel, and Intel tokens, a Regional Alignment Track, and two “external” factions that are constrained by Escalation Tracks instead of Resources. The game also ends with a unique “Crisis” Phase, loosely inspired by the Acts of Desperation from People Power.

Grant: What type of expansions could be planned down the road for other volumes in the COIN Series?

Joe: I think there are several other COIN Series volumes that are suitable for prequel or sequel expansions, and I am aware of at least two designers who have been working on some initial ideas for these. Ideally I think that any COIN Series expansion should be thematically connected to the original game, not just re-using the map for the sake of it, and if possible should take the opportunity to provide some additional materials for the original game at the same time. Stephen Rangazas set the mold for this with his excellent Fire in the Lake prequel expansion Sovereign of Discord, which includes 40 new Events and three new scenarios for the original game, on top of the main expansion content. I’ve personally played around with some ideas for a sequel expansion to Pendragon, although I think Morgane might have her own plans for a game on a similar topic… 

Grant: What is the Days of Pigs game/mode found in the game? What is the story behind this part of the design’s evolution?

Joe: The Days of Pigs minigame was actually the first part of the expansion that was designed, although I did not envision ever publishing it at the time. It was originally just an experimental project that I put together over a few weeks during the pandemic with my friend Shaun O’Keeffe, re-using the Cuba Libre components to make a fast two-player game about the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasions. The game only takes about half an hour to play, and consists of two phases, starting with the planning and build-up to the invasion and then progressing to the invasion itself. It is inspired by historical events but I wouldn’t say that it aims primarily for historical accuracy; rather it is intended to give an impressionistic sense of the tensions and chaotic climax involved in the invasion. Working on this minigame was one of the best design experiences I have ever had. Shaun lives in Australia, so we were able to work in shifts to achieve an essentially 24-hour design cycle: I would work on some new events or other ideas during my day, send them over to Shaun in my evening, and then wake up to all the new progress he had made while I was asleep!    

Grant: What period of the Cuban Revolution is covered in the game?

Joe: The main four-player expansion game begins immediately where the original Cuba Libre game finishes, covering the tumultuous period from 1st January 1959 through to the resolution of the Cuban Missile Crisis in November 1962. During this period, the aims, intentions, and processes of Castro’s new government crystallized, transforming from a participatory socialism that was engaged in land reform and radical social change, to a virtual police state that was heavily reliant on Soviet aid following disastrous agricultural policies and a crippling US trade embargo.   

Grant: How many new Events are included in the game? How are new Events merged with Events from the original?

Joe: The main four-player expansion game uses a new deck of 48 Event Cards, split into three periods: 1959-1960, 1960-1961, and 1961-1962. The expansion also comes with 16 new Event Cards for the original Cuba Libre game, which can be integrated with the original Event Deck. Finally, the Days of Pigs minigame features 24 new Event Cards focusing just on the period immediately before and after the 1961 invasion.

Grant: What place do the Bay of Pigs Invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis hold in the framework of the design?

Joe: The Bay of Pigs Invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis are featured in the main expansion game as Propaganda Card Events that punctuate the regular course of play. This means that the Bay of Pigs Invasion will always happen roughly two-thirds of the way through the game, and the Cuban Missile Crisis will always happen at the end of the game, triggering the final “Crisis Phase”. I wanted the main focus of the game to be on internal Cuban affairs, but these two memorable “external” events should provide orientation for players, who are likely to already be somewhat familiar with them.   

Grant: How have the factions changed from those in Cuba Libre? Any new Commands and Special Activities?

Joe: The four factions in the main four-player expansion game are entirely new, with new menus of Operations and Special Activities, although the Government faction is somewhat similar to the Government in Cuba Libre. Alongside more familiar Operations like Train, Rally, Sweep, and Assault, there are new Operations like Ambush, Sabotage, Infiltrate, and Smuggle, which give a unique twist on the normal 20th-century COIN experience (some of these Operations were inspired by previous design work from my developer Stephen Rangazas, especially his Nicaragua game found in the upcoming The Guerrilla Generation). There are also several new Special Activities, perhaps the most exciting of which is the US “Executive Action” Special Activity, which was the euphemistic term used by the Kennedy administration for the various attempts to assassinate Castro and otherwise destabilize the Cuban government.  

Grant: What is the new three-player scenario for the original Cuba Libre game?

Joe: The new three-player scenario, which we are currently calling “Sin Syndicate”, offers a different way to play the original Cuba Libre game. It reflects my own research and understanding of the Cuban Revolution, removing the Syndicate faction, giving the Directorio faction a new victory condition, and adjusting several aspects of the 26J and Directorio Operations and Special Activities. It also uses the excellent three-player sequence of play that Ken Tee first designed for People Power, which makes the game a little faster and more dynamic to play. Sin Syndicate is intended as a companion rather than a replacement to the original game, in the same way that someone might want to read two books offering different perspectives on a historical event. 

Grant: What is the role of new Leaders? How do the Leaders differentiate between the Revolutionary and the US-backed Resistance?

Joe: The (revolutionary!) Government and the (US-backed!) Resistance each have three Leader counters, representing important historical figures and offering unique bonuses to specific Operations and Special Activities. The Government Leaders (Fidel Castro, Raul Castro, and Che Guevara) also provide the US with targets for assassination (carried out with the Executive Action Special Activity), and both sets of Leaders determine which Crisis Actions are possible for each Faction (so if all of their Leaders are eliminated then they will not be able to perform any Crisis Action).  

Grant: What is the concept of US and Soviet Escalation?

Joe: US and Soviet Escalation reflects the extent to which each administration is focusing on Cuba during this tumultuous period, as their attention is drawn elsewhere by other world events such as the Vietnam War and the Berlin Crisis. Escalation serves as a limitation on these “super powers”, as they can only afford to devote a limited amount of time and energy to Cuba. 

Grant: How is this Escalation tracked in the game and what effects can there be from Escalation?

Joe: Escalation is tracked by a separate Escalation Track for each faction, which are placed on the board as overlay tiles on top of the printed Syndicate and 26J faction boxes. The main effect of Escalation is to limit the number of spaces that each faction can select for Operations (rather than being limited by Resources), but higher levels of Escalation can unlock additional forces (including for their respective Cuban “allies”), and high US Escalation unlocks the capacity for aerial reconnaissance and even the option to bomb Soviet bases in Cuba. US Escalation also serves as a proxy for the naval cordon, making it harder for the Soviet Union to Smuggle, and Soviet Escalation serves as a proxy for anti-air installations in Cuba. Both Escalation Tracks can have an effect on Regional Alignment (with high US Escalation perversely boosting the prestige of the Cuban Government as they are seen as the underdogs, and high Soviet Escalation reducing it as they are seen as lackeys of a foreign power). Finally, high US Escalation makes it harder for the Soviet Union to win. 

Grant: How does US Intel and Soviet Materiel work? Why were these important to include?

Joe: The Intel and Materiel Markers are placed in different ways and have different effects, but basically both represent US and Soviet involvement in Cuban affairs. Intel is placed by the US Reconnoiter Special Activity, and allows both the US and Resistance to re-roll any die roll that takes place in a space where it is present (this can help the US assassinate Cuban Government Leaders using Executive Action). Intel in Cuba also makes it harder for the Soviet Union to win, so they have an incentive to try and remove it by using their “Maskirovka” Special Activity. Materiel is placed by the Soviet Smuggle Operation, contributing to Soviet victory and also allowing the Government to perform free Operations in any space where it is present. These were important to include due to the high level of involvement by both the US and Soviet Union in Cuban affairs during this period, culminating in the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Grant: How does Regional Alignment towards Castro’s regime work in the game?

Joe: Regional Alignment represents the attitude of other Latin American governments towards Castro’s regime, with high Regional Alignment reflecting the normalization of political and trade relations, while low Regional Alignment reflects the eventual suspension of Cuba from the Organization of American States as a result of pressure from the United States. Regional Alignment is raised or lowered primarily by Event effects, as it is outside of the direct control of the player factions, but it can also be affected by the Escalation Tracks (as noted above). High Regional Alignment will boost the Cuban economy and increase support for the government, while low Regional Alignment will harm the economy and reduce support.

Grant: What are some of the new Event Cards included for the original Cuba Libre game? What was your goal with their inclusion?

Joe: I wanted the new Events to reflect some research on the Cuban Revolution that has come out since the game was published, and also to emphasize a few themes that I felt were underrepresented in the original design. Three of these themes and one each of their associated new Event Cards are depicted below: the 26J urban underground, the role of women in the revolution, and the different tools of repression used by the Batista government.

Here are three more, this time depicting peasant support for the guerrillas, the role of middle-class civic institutions in resisting or supporting Batista, and the disparate political sub-factions that made up the non-26J resistance to Batista (represented in-game by the Directorio).

Grant: What are some general strategies for each of the factions?

Joe: As with every COIN game, the strategies for each faction can be fairly easily figured out by looking at their victory conditions, but the relationship between the two pairs of “allied” factions adds an additional wrinkle to this. The Soviet Union can provide the Government with assistance, but does not really have any long term interest in their success, so it’s up to the Government to convince their external ally that they should work together, perhaps by offering to help defend Soviet bases in Cuba. The Resistance are very reliant on US support for resources, additional forces, and easy infiltration of those forces into Cuba, but they do not want the US to hijack their own internal revolution against the Cuban Government – if they destabilise the Cuban Government too much, then they risk a return to US client status, as happened at the end of the Cuban War of Independence in 1898. Players will have to think carefully about how to balance their own priorities with those of their “ally” during play.

Grant: What do you feel the expansion design excels at? How does it change the Cuba Libre experience?

Joe: I like to think that the expansion does a good job of focusing on Cuban agency and experiences during this period, while acknowledging the important role played by external powers. I’ve tried to primarily include “Cuban” rather than “international” Events on the cards, in order to provide a contrast with (excellent) games like 13 Days that focus more on the international perspective. At the same time, the climax of the game brings home the enormous international importance of the Cuban Missile Crisis, arguably the pinnacle of Cold War tensions, while nonetheless keeping one eye on local affairs. Each faction will have secretly chosen a “Crisis Action” Card, with the Government and Resistance cards each being tied to one of their Leaders, while the US and Soviet cards offer different attitudes towards the conflict, ranging from conciliatory to aggressive. These cards, and the order they play out in, have the potential to completely change the game at the last minute.

Grant: How is progress on The Pure Land? How has that design changed over the past couple of years?

Joe: The main design for The Pure Land hasn’t really changed much at all over the past couple of years, although I have been working on designing and refining the card-based non-player system. I think it’s important to step away from a design once it’s done, to avoid “fixing what isn’t broken”, so I’m happy to leave this one alone until it’s published now. On that front, we have begun looking for an artist to do the map, and I’m very excited about the direction that GMT’s art director Justin Martinez wants to take this. Hopefully I will be able to share more soon!

Grant: What other designs are you currently working on?

Joe: It’s harder to find time for my own designs now that I am working (almost) full time as a developer, but I have an unfinished project on the UK miners’ strike in the 1980’s that I would like to return to, and I’ve also been thinking about how to adapt some ideas from Cross Bronx Expressway to explore housing issues in UK cities. Both of these might be a hard sell for a traditional wargaming audience, so they may well never see the light of day, but I am still interested in working on them for my own personal enjoyment. I would also like to revisit Cuba again in a future design, looking at the revolution in more detail and perhaps using a new system to explore social and political issues in the decades after the events depicted in Resisting Revolution.

Thanks for your time in answering our questions Joe and also for the great work you have already contributed to wargames through your design and development work at GMT Games. I do know you are extremely busy and I appreciate your efforts here. I cannot wait to play Resisting Revolution in 2025, maybe? Who knows?

If you are interested in Resisting Revolution: A Cuba Libre Expansion, you can pre-order a copy for $41.00 from the GMT Games website at the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-1038-resisting-revolution-a-icuba-librei-expansion.aspx

-Grant