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Hello, here is a long awaited and requested update: the one bringing more actions to the game! In this update:
Regional Intelligence Bureaus: Focuses Reworked
New actions
Editor fixes
The cooldown before the bonuses of a new Regional Intelligence Bureau focus apply is now 3 turns instead of 12 turns.
You will still need to plan ahead and know what you will be doing in a few turns, but it is now less punitive than the old 12 turns paying the upkeep without getting the effects.
4 focuses now unlock special actions:
-The political influence focus unlocks Smear Campaigns
-The Special Operations focus unlocks Guerilla training (testers loved that one)
-The COIN focus unlocks Search and Destroy
-The Military focus unlocks Major Offensive
Illegals:
This one is for the Soviet player only. These sleeper agents can remain dormant for years before being activated. Each year they remain underground increases their level by 1.
After one year, the Soviet player may activate them.
Once activated, they provide a bonus to subversion actions equal to their level.
Yes, this means an agent left dormant for 20 years will grant a +20 bonus to subversion actions. Once activated, illegals will lose 1 level every turn. However, if your opponent has the Counter-Intelligence focus, illegals will usually lose 5 levels instead of 1.
Call to the Coalition:
An action the testers found very useful.
It is available in countries at war where you have boots on the ground.
You will call on your allies for assistance, and countries with which you have a defense agreement may send troops to assist you in this country.
Beware: if your alliance is small or its member countries have few troops, it is possible that no one will answer your call. If this happens, you will lose 100 prestige.
And now the 4 actions related to the regional Intelligence focuses.
(remember that the cooldown must be at 0 to use these actions)
Smear Campaign:
Rumors, blackmail, disinformation, dark secrets brought to light...
You will use every tool at your disposal to destabilize this country.
If successful, this action will inflict the "Political Distrust" trait, making the country more vulnerable to subversion.
A successful campaign also reduces Stability.
"Political Distrust" lasts for 12 turns. Once it expires, you may launch another Smear Campaign.
Smear Campaigns are especially effective in democracies, where a free and vibrant press amplifies their impact.
Search and Destroy:
Deploy forces to hunt down guerrilla units wherever they hide.
Successful operations reduce the target's Strength by 1.
However, the last Strength point of a guerrilla with the Extra-Territorial Base, Small Guerrilla, or Sanctuary trait is extremely difficult to eliminate through Search and Destroy operations.
This operation requires both the COIN Intelligence Focus and boots on the ground (Military Advisors or a Military Base count as boots on the ground).
Search and destroy or napalm?
Search and destroy enables you to target a specific guerilla and won't make you lose prestige points.
While Napalm is great for dealing with large guerrillas.
Having both actions in your toolbox will greatly help you whatever the guerilla you are fighting.
Major Offensive:
This action should help you get out of military stalemates.
Using military intelligence, serious HQ staff planning, an important logistic and heavy artillery and air preparation, you will launch an offensive to break the enemy lines.
A success can decrease enemy forces by up to 5 points and the enemy stability by 1.
However, a failure will make you lose 25 prestige points.
Guerrilla Training:
Your special forces can turn any guerrilla force into an efficient war machine, provided they have enough time to train them.
This action can provide a guerrilla force with up to 4 buffs.
However, this training may bear no fruit if the guerrilla force is highly unprofessional, cornered, corrupt, or otherwise unable to benefit from it.
I am sure you want to know the list of new guerrilla buffs, so here it is:
Radios & Signal Training:
Radio equipment and signal training improve coordination between guerrilla units, making them more effective in combat.
Trained Commanders:
A cadre of trained commanders provides guerrilla units with effective leadership and improved battlefield coordination.
Counterintelligence Bureau:
The guerrilla has established dedicated counterintelligence networks, making it harder for enemy agents to infiltrate their ranks.
Standing Army:
Guerrillas organize permanent, professional fighting units, allowing them to field a larger force. Its ranks will also grow faster.
I won't list all the fixes so far as I usually tell directly the people who reported the issues about the fixes. I plan to keep fixing, updating, and improving the editor in the months to come.
I hope the new actions will bring more variety in your strategies and that you will enjoy them.
Have fun!
Maestro cinetik
The title says it all. You can now easily create great mods or event packs, share them, and upload your friends' creations directly from the game.
(in todays update, you will find technologies and cutom country variables)
I will keep adding features to the editor as long as enough players request them.
I also added a new game option that prevents organizing mass protests from backfiring in democracies.
Now, according to the player poll (
https://strawpoll.com/eNg6vNeB3gA/results
), I will start working on new actions to add to the game.
Have fun!
Maestro Cinetik
Here are some cool stuff added since the last Steam News:
-->You can now create events packs mods
-->You can download easily and directly content from the workshop right into the game´s right folder
-->More longer multiplayer scenarios have been added.
-->The editor bugs you reported have been fixed
What are the events packs?
They are packs of events you create with the editor.
Contrary to the modded scenarios, they will load with any scenario you play, provided you selected them.
You can pill up as many events packs as you want.
Quick save and loading times:
You may feel that that saving and loading takes more time.
It is because the editor added many more data to save.
I can't find where to download the workshop creations
If so: create a mod , then from the scenario list, a "mods button" should now be available.
From there you will be able to download the workshop directly and simply.
What is the future of JSON modding?
I kept that possibility, but obviously, the editor is much more practical.
the files generated by the editor are still moddable as json, if that's your thing.
Yes, you can finally play for real with the editor!
That's the cool part: you don't have to! Everybody is in.
To access the editor, click Workshop from the scenario selection menu.
Then, you guessed it, click the Editor button.
Yes, absolutely. There are already enough features to have a lot of fun.
You can already:
Create new countries
Change country borders and shapes
Create new leaders
Create custom guerrilla groups
Use custom flags
Create Telex events
Create Major Events
Make Gondor, Wakanda, Atlantis, Switzerland, or whatever country you want playable!
Create custom national policies
Easily upload and update your workshops creations
A Technology Editor
A Geostrategic Advantages Editor
An Action Editor
Custom variables for countries and the world in general
An easy way to browse and download mods directly from the Workshop
Tons of small QoL features that I won't list here
Events only mods
No, you shouldn't.
Every new editor feature should be compatible with content you've already created.
And the whole point of this beta is to get your feedback, so I need you to use the editor!
No. I've done my best to make sure no technical skills are required.
So there's no coding or other complex stuff involved!
Until I implement the easy download feature, mods downloaded from the Workshop will be stored in an obscure Steam folder.
Using your file explorer's search function should help you find the mod files. Once you've found them, move them to this folder in the game´s directory:
mods\\modded_scenarios
There's also a button on the game's Options page that opens the game directory, so at least that part should be easy.
Yes! There is a Steam guide available here:
I will be working on the editor until the end of July.
After then I will switch for a few months to Rise of the White Sun, for some longue due new content.
Have fun!
Maestro Cinetik
Hello! Some players are starting to ask quesions like: "where is the May update?" And indeed I skipped the may update because I am working now on a huge feature.
The kind of feature that takes months to code.
In fact it is taking so long to code, that I did not want to interrupt that task this month to ship some new content.
Instead I will show you some previews of what I am working on.
I want it to be both complete and easy to use.
But don't get me wrong, it is a feature for tinkerers and adventurers, so you will need to spend a lot of time on it to make the mod of your dreams.
I also want it to be usable for players with no specal skills: so no code, no vectors stuff for the map...
You can create a mod completely from scratch, or from your save file, or a classic scenario setup.
Then the system will generate a dense mod folder, like in the image below:
You will then just fill these folders with the resources you will want to use, like your custom leader portraits, flags, country shapes...
Models and default resources are provided, so you can use them as blue print.
Creating a new country will be easy: just draw some png with the image of your country and drop it into the country shapes folder. You will be able to place it anywhere on the map by simply drag and dropping it where you want it to be. The editor provides an uderlay map to be used as reference.
But you can change it for your own underlay: that will be more useful if you are working on some middle earth mod for exemple.
You will be able to create leaders, flags, guerillas, policies, etc...
I have no clear date, but I am confident the editor will be ready sometime during this summer.
Done:
-Create a mod, save it and working on it over several sessions
-Edit country variables, including leaders, borders and flags
-Define and modify playable countries
-Create new policies (that on was endless to code, just because of the instant policy effects)
-Create/modify guerillas
-Custom language dictionnary
Still to be completed:
-Create whole new countries: 90% done
-Create events: 40% done (I still need to code the conditions and presentation, the events effects editor is done)
-Easy launch of modded scenarios: 99% (Seems to work fine, not tested on Mac yet)
-Easy mods upload and download:0% (very important, will be the last thing i code)
-Enable custom variables for countries: 20%
-Localization of the editor in all languages: 0%
-Playtesting by real mod makers: 2% (they accessed a very early prototype of it)
-Adaptation to Mac Os: 25%
-Making some Youtube "how to" videos: 0% (May be never, as I really don't like making videos)
I want the system to both enable simultaneously multiple themed mods: like events or flags packs, and whole special scenarios.
The editor will probably receive patches and updates just as the regular game does.
The Editor is compatible with JSON tinkering, so if ever something is missing the most maniacs of you will still be able to puts their dirty fingers directly into the files.
A "more different actions" content update is still planned.
I know that multiplayer will also need more love
More alt histories and themed events content updates are also on the to do list.
I really hope you are hyped by this feature, because it is really a pain in the a*** to code.
Maestro Cinetik
Hello! I’m currently working on the scenario editor, a major feature that will require several months of development.
I didn’t want to leave you without any updates in the meantime, so here’s something new!
I’ve added more events for Japan, highlighting both the nation’s rebirth and its economic rise, as well as its trajectory under a socialist regime.
The editor is still far from ready, but you can already take a look! I’d love to hear your feedback on this work in progress.
Players on Discord are already experimenting with the current draft and preparing mod content. To access it, click the Workshop button, then the hidden button located just below the central buttons.
Again: it is a work in progress, so don't expect to really create scenarios with it yet.
Some versions of macOS were not displaying Chinese characters correctly: this has now been fixed. While addressing this, I also worked on improving the overall visual appeal of the Chinese version.
Have fun!
Maestro Cinetik
Just a small patch:
Polish localization added
Italian localization added
Steam Deck playability reworked
Controller playability reworked
Workshop: “Uglify JSON” button added
For JSON tinkerers:
The “Prettify JSON” option makes the default quick-save file easier to read and modify.
However, the resulting file cannot be used as-is. So there is now a “Re-Uglify” button in the Workshop section to make it compact again.
This feature is still in alpha, so if you apply “Prettify” and then “Uglify” too many times to the exact same save file, you will probably break something.
I also want to reassure you: I’m working on a proper editor, so the JSON thing is just a rough workaround for impatient players who want to mod the game. Have fun! Maestro
Hello!
And thank you to everyone who responded to the poll:
https://strawpoll.com/eNg6vNeB3gA/results
It gives me a clear direction for upcoming features in the months ahead.
Alt-history ranked first in the poll, so you can now vary your game starts with random alternate-historical events. You can adjust the level of historical inaccuracy you're willing to tolerate, as well as the number of such events at scenario start; all from the options menu.
There are four levels of alt-history in this system:
Almost Happened
Far-Fetched
Wild Speculation
Moon Nazis
Needless to say, serious gentlemen probably won’t venture beyond the “Far-Fetched” level.
“Wild Speculation” events have clearly been written by Tom Clancy fans, while “Moon Nazis” events are… well, just an average Monday under Trump’s presidency.
I encourage you to try different scenario starting dates: the events won't be the same!
Think of this as the foundation for a larger system: more events will be added, and in-game alt-history will continue to expand.
Because yes , there is a long-term plan!
The second most requested feature, and the one I’ll be starting work on soon, is the game editor.
I have no doubt that you — the players — will fill the game with your own fascinating events.
This is the other big news today!
I hope you’ll be as satisfied with this DLC as I and the playtesters are. Imagine a timeline extended all the way to 2001!
You will be able to:
Make the USSR last into the 21st century
Take down Black Hawk
Crash markets like an apprentice oligarch
Prevent 9/11
Lose the Chechen War on your own terms
Survive the Y2K bug and the dot-com bubble
Carry out regime change in the Persian Gulf
And much more — the crazy ’90s are waiting for you!
Play a 1949-2001 Grand Campaign
Play a 1945-2001 Grand Campaign if you own "Grandeur et Illusions"
I know that Italian and Polish localizations have been requested many times — don’t worry, they are underway!
Have fun!
Maestro
Hello,
Hegemony Victory: Control 75% of the world’s countries within your bloc to win the game.
Melian Dialogue: Control 75% of the world’s countries within your bloc to gain huge bonuses to subversion and diplomatic actions. (And unlike Athens, you won’t get punished.) This option is perfect if you’re on a mission to paint the whole map.
Skilled Statesmen: With this option enabled, changing a national policy no longer costs prestige.
Executive Orders: Reduces the cooldown for policy changes to 6 months.
I’m now going to take some time to work on my other game, Rise of the White Sun, which also deserves some love.
I’ve created a poll so you can vote on what feature you want me to add to Cold War 2 next. That way, I’ll know what to work on when I get back to it (soon).
You can pick up to two choices.
👉 Poll link:
https://strawpoll.com/eNg6vNeB3gA
(Please keep in mind that I may change my plans at any time, whether to do something else, or simply to change the order.)
February–March: A full China–wide Northern Expedition sandbox scenario for Rise of the White Sun.
March: Pax Americana for Maestro’s Cold War 2.
April–August: Feature updates for Cold War 2, depending on the poll results and my mood.
Sometime between May and September: Maestro’s Cold War 2 Final Release.
Please note that the “final release” date doesn’t mean much, as this game is designed to be updated over the years to come, just like I did with Rise of the White Sun.
So why between May and September? Simply because that window works best from a marketing perspective.
Sometime between August and December: Rise of the Red Sun (1929–1933), a DLC for ROWS.
Hello there!
You may have noticed some frequent and heavy updates in recent days.
Indeed, I’ve just started the playtests for the upcoming Pax Americana 1991–2001 DLC, and I’ve been debugging and patching like crazy.
The good news is that some of the features needed to make the late ’80s and ’90s interesting to play have made it into the core game.
They are still in playtest, so balance adjustments and fine-tuning may be needed, but I’m counting on your feedback to improve them.
In the late ’70s, cartels will appear in the game, start corrupting countries, and ship tons of cocaine into the USA.
To fight this new threat, the player gains:
a new intelligence focus,
a dedicated map mode,
and new actions.
(The new actions are only available in areas covered by the War on Drugs intelligence focus, once the cooldown has reset.)
This is a new technology unlocked for the Soviet player at some point during the 1960s.
Imagine a cyber planning system designed to automate the economic management of the country. That would be the best of both worlds, wouldn’t it?
This was a real project that was abandoned in real life. While costly and long to develop, it offers an alternative way to make the USSR’s economy work in the game.
That may not seem like much for a monthly update, but the upcoming DLC will be very content-heavy, with major new mechanics such as:
the War on Terror,
a Hubris score for the USA,
and additional policies and alternate paths for the USSR.
and many other things
(Yes — it will be possible to make the USSR last into the 21st century.)
Have fun!
Maestro Cinetik
A new Game mechanism just dropped!
You can now set Regional intelligence bureaus across the world and give them a focus!
Of course, your intelligence agents already operate worldwide, but some regions may become important enough to justify establishing a dedicated large regional bureau.
Opening and maintaining such a bureau will cost $5 per turn, and will allow you to choose an intelligence focus that grants various bonuses within that geographical area.
However, intelligence agencies need time to become effective.
When you open a new regional bureau or change its focus, there will be a 12 months reorganization phase during which no focus-related bonus will apply.
(The game uses the generic word “bureau,” but your power may refer to them as antennas, directorates, or another equivalent term.)
This feature is for long term planners, and contraty to your policies, the advantages given are limited to a geographic area.
Here is a list of the possible focuses:
Counter-Intelligence:
This bureau’s main task is to counter enemy agents’ manoeuvers and uncover moles within your own services or those of your allies.
Effects:
-Your opponents’ subversion actions receive a penalty in countries belonging to your bloc.
Special Ops:
Special forces and covert-action units will play a leading role in conducting clandestine operations.
Effects:
-You gain a bonus to finance and create guerrillas.
-You gain a bonus to coup actions
Technological Spying:
This bureau’s main mission is to steal industrial and technological secrets.
This is very effective to to close a technological gap, not so much to do the technology race ahead.
Effects:
-Mature-technology researches gain a significant bonus (the R&D that gets a bonus after a certain year).
-All researches have a very small chance to progress by 1 extra point each turn.
Political Influence:
By financing, bribing, and blackmailing politicians, union leaders, and activists, this bureau attempts to influence local politics.
Effects:
-You gain a bonus to sign defence and trade agreements.
-You gain a bonus to create opposition movements.
-You gain a bonus to organize protests.
Counter-Insurrection:
This bureau will assist allied governments in counter-insurgency operations.
Effects:
-Your military advisors become more effective against guerrillas.
-Increases your chances of infiltrating guerrillas.
-Pro-government guerrillas you create automatically gain the “death squadron” trait.
Military Intelligence:
This bureau’s main role is to gather intelligence required for successful military operations.
It also maintains relations with foreign officers.
Effects:
-Your allies and your forces gain a bonus to conventional combat (not guerrilla warfare).
-You gain a small bonus to military aid.
-You gain a bonus to coup actions (slightly better than the bonus given by the special ops focus).
Economic Intelligence:
This bureau aims to give national industries an advantage through industrial and patent espionage, market manipulation, information control, and surveillance of illegal deals.
Effects:
-Improves your economy over time, similar to certain policies.
-Grants a bonus to sign trade agreements.
-Economic aid actions have increased chances of improving relations, stability, and development.
War on Drugs: That's bonus content to be unlocked in the 90's (in Pax Americana)
War on Terror: That's bonus content to be to be unlocked in the 90's (in Pax Americana)
Well, I corrected some bugs here and there, progressed steadily with Pax Americana, but also reworked the AI. Tell me if you see any change in late game during grand campaigns at higher difficulty levels.
Any ETA for Pax Americana?
Hell no! I can't help but stop that project to code cool features like the "Living World" or the "Regional Intelligence Agencies", so... I hope you are not impatient to play that DLC.
Have fun! Maestro Cinetik
In all modesty, I believe this was the one update the game was truly missing!
Imagine a world where Cuba, Libya, or West Germany start taking independent actions. Of course, these minor nations don’t have the strength to ruin your entire strategy on their own, but they absolutely make the world more chaotic.
Having countries in your sphere of influence is now more strategic than ever. (Just imagine Cuba on steroids, spreading Revolution across Africa and South America!)
If you own the corresponding DLC, you can also play against France or China as superpowers.
So far, players who have tested this feature say it’s a lot of fun!
The Hotspot map has been reworked, with clearer colors to help you spot countries that are close to collapsing.
The Threats map view has also been improved to highlight the countries the AI is most likely to focus on.
Your opponent’s actions are now shown directly on the map through action icons. (If you don’t like this, you can simply disable it in the options menu.)
The 1948 Israeli–Arab War event has been reworked to ensure it triggers correctly.
The outcomes of the 1946 “Showdown over Iran” have been fixed. (Thank you to the players who reported these issues!)
The side-country panel animations were annoyingly slow—this is no longer the case.
The poll about what you want to see next in the game is still open:
https://strawpoll.com/mpnb17JDJy5/results
To summarize: you want more content, and you want more feedback about what’s happening in the game.
To be honest, I needed more precise input regarding the “lack of feedback” problem, so I had a lot of discussions with players on Discord.
The next update will likely focus heavily on feedback, especially during wars. That’s why I’m currently reworking the map views and tooltips, and why I added the action icons on the map.
Road Map:
2025
-UI/UX/QoL update
-Pax Americana 1989-2001
2026
-The alt histories & a proper scenario & events editor
-A phone version?
-1943-1945 Race to Berlin (DLC)
-Some Multiplayer rework
-Gloomy mod
The final release could be sometime in early May 2026.
But that's just a "commercial" date, as unless there is no sales and no players, I plan to update that game over a long period of time.
And don't wait the final version to buy the game, because it is already better and more complete than some "finished" games, and the price will only raise over time.
Have fun!
Maestro Cinetik
Hello there!
As you may know, I’m currently working on the 1989–2001 DLC.
Going into late years, I had to adress the lack of technologies.
A feature many of you have been asking for since the first day of the Early Access.
But before I list the content of this November update, please take the time to answer this poll:
https://strawpoll.com/mpnb17JDJy5
Tell me what this game lack to become your next personal GOTY.
Use the poll above and the comments below to inform me about the killer feature you are waiting for, and that is not yet in the game.
The November update adds a large amount of technologies via an event in the end of 1959.
i also added new buttons to sort the technologies by topic (Space, Nuclear or National Projects)
While I was at it, I added a new achievement.
Your opponent may now use embargoes, infiltrate guerillas, use staybehind and other tricks.
A natsy bug prevented China from using economic aid: it has been fixed.
(along other minor issues that don't even deserve to be mentioned here)
I am working on the 1989-2001 DLC, and will try to come up with new mechanisms. No release date yet, as there is no hurry anyway.
The DLC already has its page and you can wishlist it:
Have fun!
Maestro Cinetik
A tutorial and an in-game wiki have been added to the game!
I’m confident that onboarding will now be faster and smoother than ever.
You’ll also discover two new game modes. I have a feeling the “Fair-Play Opponent” mode will quickly become a fan favorite! This mode ensures your computer opponent always uses a competent AI, no matter the selected difficulty level.
The giant country side tooltips, which were unintentionally disabled in a previous patch, are now back!
Have fun!
Maestro Cinetik
Hello,
I’m glad to see how much you enjoyed the France DLC!
Now it’s time for the October regular update.
All action algorithms have been reworked.
Success odds displayed in actions tooltips have been fine-tuned.
2 new game modes to set the level of luck to your liking.
Long overdue events for Communist Great Britain and Portugal.
Spanish localization added.
I’ll go into detail about the most notable action balance changes and the new game modes. The rest are more straightforward and don’t need much explanation.
Economic Aid
The chances of triggering the Corruption trait via economic aid have been reduced.
Coups
The algorithm has been changed: the USSR now has a lower penalty when attempting to coup People’s Republics.
Military presence provides a greater bonus.
Couping France early in the game may now trigger a civil war.
Organizing Protests
The success rate (loss of stability) is now higher.
Closed Casino At last, you’ve uncovered why you keep losing despite being one of the greatest strategists of the century: the game is dicey!
In this mode, whenever randomness determines an action’s outcome, you will always receive the average result.
The AI is not affected by this mode.
Casino Royale You don’t lack skill—just luck.
In this mode, whenever randomness is used to determine an action’s outcome, your results will always fall in the better half of the probability range.
If Closed Casino is also enabled, you will always get the best possible roll.
The AI is also affected by this mode.
I’ll keep polishing the game, fixing issues, and rebalancing as needed.
I don’t know yet what the November update will contain, but there’s some big work in the pipeline:
Pax Americana (1989–2001 DLC)
The USA will flex its muscles and overextend its presence worldwide… until reality reminds them they aren’t invincible.
The Russian player will face the chaotic transition of keeping together the collapsing pieces of its empire.
Of course, you can still choose to save the USSR and play it until 2001, but this path will be far less challenging.
Portuguese Localization
The game already includes a DIY translation system, but I’ll provide default machine-made translations for some languages until the community improves them.
Expect about 7/10 quality.
Have fun! Maestro Cinetik
Play as France!
In no other DLC you will be able to:
Invent your very own Internet — overpriced services but gloriously ugly:
Change your government twelve times a year — because stability is overrated:
Set things on fire during festive outbursts — revolution is the French way:
Go full bling-bling for your official portraits — style above all:
Marvel at atomic mushrooms blossoming over paradisiac Saharan or Oceanian landscapes:
Ride your camel through the Empire — and dazzle the locals with your colonial chic:
France awaits you — come for the glory, stay for the baguette!
What's new in the game in September?
Base game:
-Steam deck most common issues have been fixed -You asked for it, now you have it! Infinite save slots feature has been added
-I have added a Robot-made German localization: expect a 7/10 Quality.
The East is Red:
-A new action has been added: Panda diplomacy. It becomes available in 1957, and gives you a free increase in relationship with the country of your choice. (not exactly free, it will cost you a Giant Panda)
-4 new geostrategical advantages have been added to China, they all extend the country's sphere of influence, so the players can feel less cornered in mid game.
Grandeur et Illusions:
The France DLC will also extend the game’s timeline to cover the years 1945–1949.
It comes with more content than the other DLCs — and please forgive me for that. It’s not really my fault… I’m French.
I can now confirm the DLC release date: September 29th.
You can already wishlist it here:
I have the pleasure to announce one of the largest rework of Cold War 2:
the introduction of the National Policies system!
You can now define the policy of your Power in three domains: Diplomacy, Society, and Economy.
These policies grant you bonuses, impact your budget, and influence your superpower’s economic development.
And yes—at last—you can now increase your budget through the right policy choices.
Many new events have been added to reflect the long-term effects of these policies, and you’ll be pleased to know that it is now possible to avoid the USSR’s historical downfall.
You will soon discover that this is a living system, and sticking to the same policies for the entire grand campaign is probably not a great idea. You will need to think strategically and adapt your policy combinations over time to make the most of them.
The Chinese gameplay has been heavily reworked. China now benefits from both a National Policy system and a Geostrategic Advantages system. (In China’s case, these “advantages” are often more ideological victories than true geostrategic gains.)
I hope this rework will make China’s gameplay richer and offer more variety.
I added 6 more successes, mostly related to the new national policies system.
You asked for it, you have it! It is now possible to define an aid as automatic and you won't need to redo the same action each turn.
Two new game options have been added, to add alternate victory conditions.
Oppositions creation and Protests organization have been reworked.
They should succeed more often.
I am back at work on the France 1945-1989 DLC.
Expect it for the end of September.
Have fun!
And don’t hesitate to share your feedback below—this is a major change to the system, and I’m curious to hear your thoughts.
Here is the follow up update of the last Geostrategical update:
You can now hide the action report that pops up at the beginning of each turn. (You can still access it anytime by clicking the globe icon next to the telex panel.)
You can now keep the game and music running while switching screens — for example, when using Alt+Tab. (This can be enabled in the options menu.)
The “+” key for zooming no longer tries to center on the mouse cursor — it now simply zooms in to the maximum level.
The main theme should now loop properly. (Let me know if it doesn't!)
When playing as China, you'll now hear a different soundtrack — the OST from Rise of the White Sun, which fits Cold War 2 perfectly.
A new map view is now available to monitor the global oil economy.
As you liked the Geostrategical update, I added some more:
-Oil economy domination
-Control of the Turkish straits
-USSR besieged
The game should no longer crash when inspecting an action’s code via the middle mouse button.
In chessboard mode, the power ratio formula for Europe has been adjusted.
The AI on difficulty levels above “Normal” now takes the European power balance even more seriously.
I hope you enjoy this small but cool update!
These days, I’m mostly focusing on content for the upcoming France DLC.
Have fun!
Maestro Cinetik
Hello!
This update introduces a major improvement to game mechanics and overall balance.
I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I enjoyed working on it!
This new feature, currently available for the USA and the USSR, introduces a list of geo-strategical advantages that can be unlocked by meeting specific conditions.
Most of these provide an instant "kaboom!" effect, along with lasting bonuses as long as the conditions remain fulfilled.
Here are two examples to help you understand how the system works:
Conditions:
This advantage for the USSR unlocks whenever the Armed forces ratio in Europe is 5vs1 or more in favor of the Soviet Union, and the Defcon is inferior to 4.
To calculate that power ration, it is considered that USSR has 300 "army points" in Europe.
Needless to say that the US player now can no more ignore Europe and has a real incentive to maintain large forces there.
Event Text:
In Europe, the disparity between Soviet Red Army forces and those of Western Europe and the USA is striking.
All Western general staffs are forced to admit that the Red Army could potentially reach Paris or London within weeks.
Widespread and conspicuous Soviet troop maneuvers have only intensified these fears.
Of course, the USA has the bomb—but would it really risk annihilation for a European country?
The nuclear umbrella offers some reassurance, yet many European nations are now loudly demanding a stronger US military presence. In the face of weak US commitment on the ground, some countries are leaning toward a fearful neutrality.
Effects:
-->The Soviet sphere of influence expands to include Austria, Greece, and Sweden
--> Austria, Greece, and Sweden leave the US sphere of influence
--> All US-aligned countries in Europe lose 3 Stability
--> Pacifist unrest in the USA increases by 5\\
As long as the conditions remain:
--> The Soviet player gains a bonus to diplomatic actions in all European countries.
--> The Soviet player gains a bonus to creating opposition movements in Europe.
Another exemple:
Conditions:
As USSR, having 2 of 3 of these countries in your bloc: Iceland, Norway, United Kingdom
Event Text:
The United States once maintained firm control over the so-called GIUK Gap (Greenland–Iceland–United Kingdom), a vital strategic corridor for naval operations in the North Atlantic.
Now, Soviet submarines roam the area freely, without fear of interception.
Not only is the Soviet nuclear threat now dangerously close to the U.S. East Coast, but the entire sea-based supply line between Europe and America is at risk!
As public awareness of this vulnerability grows, pacifist movements experience a resurgence.
Effects:
--> Pacifism increases by 2 in the U.S.
--> Stability decreases by 2 in all European countries aligned with the U.S.
As long as the conditions are met:
--> The U.S. begins any nuclear standoff with the USSR with reduced Nerves.
There are many new events like these in the game. You can view their list from any superpower window.
The first feedback from playtesters has been very positive, so this system will be expanded. More types of advantages will be added soon.
I believe this refreshes the Cold War 2 experience and makes the game significantly more engaging.
All these geo-strategical advantages are powerful enough to challenge the status quo.
Three main priorities for this summer:
France DLC – Work begins on the France DLC, which will also add the years 1945–1949 to the game.
Geo-Strategical System Expansion – Unless the feedback says otherwise, I plan to further balance and expand the new geo-strategical system.
Gloomy USSR Mod – This community-driven feature (mostly @Gloomy, so the name) will be expanded, translated, and proofread. If you’re unfamiliar with it: it’s a reimagined USSR path with additional content. I have made it accessible up to 1954, so you can have a look at it (but keep in mind it is still a work in progress)
I hope this patch gives you a clearer idea of the direction the game is heading.
I will need your feedback and thoughts, so do not hesitate to comment this news.
Have Fun!
Maestro Cinetik
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PS: I don't know if you are into Warlord China, but the first paid DLC for Rise of the White Sun will be out this summer. (August the 11th)
You can wishlist it here:
About
This page aggregates Steam news feeds, patch notes, and developer announcements for Maestro's Cold War 2, sourced from official Steam community posts.
Major updates, balance changes, and seasonal events often correlate with player-count spikes — cross-reference announcements here with the live charts on the main Maestro's Cold War 2 statistics page.
Articles link back to Steam for full changelogs. SteamScope refreshes news entries as new posts are published to the game's Steam hub.