Cuba Libre 4th Printing

Categories: Economic, Modern Warfare, Political, Wargame

Mechanics: Area Majority/Influence, Area Movement, Dice Rolling, Solo/Solitaire Game, Variable Player Powers

Players: 1–4

Ages: 14+

Playtime: 180 Min

In December 1956, Fidel Castro, with a mere 12 men and little political support, returned to Cuba to ignite his revolution. Despite a rocky start with government forces, Castro, his brother Raúl, and the iconic Che Guevara managed to rally disparate guerrillas and capitalize on widespread discontent with the dictator Fulgencio Batista y Zaldívar. Castro’s eventual success in overthrowing Batista became a blueprint for Leftist insurgency.

Castro’s Insurgency continues the COIN Series from GMT Games, following up on Andean Abyss with Cuba Libre, which immerses 1 to 4 players in the Cuban Revolution. Players can assume the roles of Castro’s Marxist “26 July Movement,” aiming to expand from their bases in the Sierra Maestra and fight their way to Havana. Alternatively, players can take on the roles of anti-communist student groups, urban guerrillas, or ex-patriots attempting to destabilize Batista's regime, all while avoiding a new dictatorship under Castro. Batista’s Government, meanwhile, must balance its efforts against the insurgency with its tenuous US Alliance and the corruption within its Syndicate. In the background, Meyer Lansky and his Syndicate bosses will vie to preserve their criminal enterprises in Cuba.

Cuba Libre is designed to be accessible to players familiar with Andean Abyss, as both games use the same COIN system. It can be played solo or with up to 4 players and has a shorter playtime compared to Andean Abyss. The game features a deck of 48 events that bring the 1950s Cuban setting to life, including:

• The Twelve: The initial escape to the Sierra Maestra—legend or failure?
• El Che and Raúl: Skilled in the field or ineffective captives?
• Operation Fisherman: Can the Marxists execute a second invasion?
• General Strike: Urban chaos or rebel blunders?
• Radio Rebelde: Are the masses listening or is it just military intelligence?
• Pact of Caracas: Will the rebels achieve unity?
• Armored Cars: Effective striking power or a liability?
• Rolando Masferrer: Brutal tactics—beneficial or detrimental?
• Fat Butcher: Can the Mob’s enforcer protect its interests?
• Sinatra: Will Frank Sinatra's Havana show be a hit or a flop, and who will profit?

…and many more scenarios to explore.