02:47, local time. You are the President of the Republic of Calder. Forty seconds ago you were asleep. Now you are at the head of a table in a room under the capital, and the early-warning system says missiles may have left Vostrana.
Nobody in the room knows what is really happening, and that includes the game: every session draws a hidden situation at random, and very different truths open the same way.
Fictional countries and people. Scenarios draw on real incidents and published nuclear-command procedure. Sound plays if you leave it on.
The military aide opens the case. Inside is a short book of pre-planned options, not a map. Select one or more. Each carries two casualty estimates that disagree: the Joint Staff planning figure and the Civil Defence Agency's. Neither counts deaths in neighbouring countries. The clock is still running.
The duty officer reads a challenge over the line. Find it on your authentication card and read back the response.