Maestro's Cold War 2 News

[p]Hello,[/p][h3]I’ve just added four cool new game options[/h3]

• [p]Hegemony Victory: Control 75% of the world’s countries within your bloc to win the game.[/p]
• [p]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.[/p]
• [p]Skilled Statesmen: With this option enabled, changing a national policy no longer costs prestige.[/p]
• [p]Executive Orders: Reduces the cooldown for policy changes to 6 months.[/p]

[p]I’m now going to take some time to work on my other game, Rise of the White Sun, which also deserves some love.[/p][p][/p][h3]Let me know what feature you’d like me to add next![/h3][p]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).[/p][p]You can pick up to two choices.[/p][p]👉 Poll link: [/p][p]https://strawpoll.com/eNg6vNeB3gA[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]2026 Planned Releases[/h3][p](Please keep in mind that I may change my plans at any time, whether to do something else, or simply to change the order.)[/p]

• [p]February–March: A full China–wide Northern Expedition sandbox scenario for Rise of the White Sun.[/p]
• [p]March: Pax Americana for Maestro’s Cold War 2.[/p]
• [p]April–August: Feature updates for Cold War 2, depending on the poll results and my mood.[/p]
• [p]Sometime between May and September: Maestro’s Cold War 2 Final Release.[/p][p]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.[/p][p]So why between May and September? Simply because that window works best from a marketing perspective.[/p]
• [p]Sometime between August and December: Rise of the Red Sun (1929–1933), a DLC for ROWS.[/p]

[p] [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p]

[p]Hello there![/p][p]You may have noticed some frequent and heavy updates in recent days.[/p][p]Indeed, I’ve just started the playtests for the upcoming Pax Americana 1991–2001 DLC, and I’ve been debugging and patching like crazy.[/p][p][/p][p]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.[/p][p][/p][p]They are still in playtest, so balance adjustments and fine-tuning may be needed, but I’m counting on your feedback to improve them.[/p][p][/p][h3]War on drugs[/h3][p]In the late ’70s, cartels will appear in the game, start corrupting countries, and ship tons of cocaine into the USA.[/p][p]To fight this new threat, the player gains:[/p]

• [p]a new intelligence focus,[/p]
• [p]a dedicated map mode,[/p]
• [p]and new actions.[/p]

[p](The new actions are only available in areas covered by the War on Drugs intelligence focus, once the cooldown has reset.)[/p][p][/p][h3]OGAS[/h3][p]This is a new technology unlocked for the Soviet player at some point during the 1960s.[/p][p]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?[/p][p]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.[/p][p][/p][p]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:[/p]

• [p]the War on Terror,[/p]
• [p]a Hubris score for the USA,[/p]
• [p]and additional policies and alternate paths for the USSR.[/p]
• [p]and many other things[/p]

[p](Yes — it will be possible to make the USSR last into the 21st century.)[/p][p][/p][p]Have fun![/p][p][/p][p]Maestro Cinetik[/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][p]A new Game mechanism just dropped![/p][h2]Regional Intelligence Agencies[/h2][p]You can now set Regional intelligence bureaus across the world and give them a focus![/p][p][/p][p]Of course, your intelligence agents already operate worldwide, but some regions may become important enough to justify establishing a dedicated large regional bureau.[/p][p]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.[/p][p]However, intelligence agencies need time to become effective. [/p][p]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.[/p][p](The game uses the generic word “bureau,” but your power may refer to them as antennas, directorates, or another equivalent term.)[/p][p][/p][p]This feature is for long term planners, and contraty to your policies, the advantages given are limited to a geographic area.[/p][p][/p][p]Here is a list of the possible focuses:[/p][p][/p][p]Counter-Intelligence:[/p][p]This bureau’s main task is to counter enemy agents’ manoeuvers and uncover moles within your own services or those of your allies.[/p][p]Effects:[/p][p]-Your opponents’ subversion actions receive a penalty in countries belonging to your bloc.[/p][p][/p][p]Special Ops:[/p][p]Special forces and covert-action units will play a leading role in conducting clandestine operations.[/p][p]Effects:[/p][p]-You gain a bonus to finance and create guerrillas.[/p][p]-You gain a bonus to coup actions[/p][p][/p][p]Technological Spying:[/p][p]This bureau’s main mission is to steal industrial and technological secrets.[/p][p]This is very effective to to close a technological gap, not so much to do the technology race ahead.[/p][p]Effects:[/p][p]-Mature-technology researches gain a significant bonus (the R&D that gets a bonus after a certain year).[/p][p]-All researches have a very small chance to progress by 1 extra point each turn.[/p][p][/p][p]Political Influence:[/p][p]By financing, bribing, and blackmailing politicians, union leaders, and activists, this bureau attempts to influence local politics.[/p][p]Effects:[/p][p]-You gain a bonus to sign defence and trade agreements.[/p][p]-You gain a bonus to create opposition movements.[/p][p]-You gain a bonus to organize protests.[/p][p][/p][p]Counter-Insurrection:[/p][p]This bureau will assist allied governments in counter-insurgency operations.[/p][p]Effects:[/p][p]-Your military advisors become more effective against guerrillas.[/p][p]-Increases your chances of infiltrating guerrillas.[/p][p]-Pro-government guerrillas you create automatically gain the “death squadron” trait.[/p][p][/p][p]Military Intelligence:[/p][p]This bureau’s main role is to gather intelligence required for successful military operations. [/p][p]It also maintains relations with foreign officers.[/p][p]Effects:[/p][p]-Your allies and your forces gain a bonus to conventional combat (not guerrilla warfare).[/p][p]-You gain a small bonus to military aid.[/p][p]-You gain a bonus to coup actions (slightly better than the bonus given by the special ops focus).[/p][p][/p][p]Economic Intelligence:[/p][p]This bureau aims to give national industries an advantage through industrial and patent espionage, market manipulation, information control, and surveillance of illegal deals.[/p][p]Effects:[/p][p]-Improves your economy over time, similar to certain policies.[/p][p]-Grants a bonus to sign trade agreements.[/p][p]-Economic aid actions have increased chances of improving relations, stability, and development.[/p][p][/p][p]War on Drugs: That's bonus content to be unlocked in the 90's (in Pax Americana)[/p][p][/p][p]War on Terror: That's bonus content to be to be unlocked in the 90's (in Pax Americana)[/p][p][/p][h2]What else?[/h2][p][/p][p]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.[/p][p][/p][p]Any ETA for Pax Americana? [/p][p]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.[/p][p][/p][p]Have fun!

Maestro Cinetik[/p]

[p]In all modesty, I believe this was the one update the game was truly missing![/p][p][/p][p]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.[/p][p]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!)[/p][p]If you own the corresponding DLC, you can also play against France or China as superpowers.[/p][p]So far, players who have tested this feature say it’s a lot of fun![/p][p][/p][h3]Other improvements in this update:[/h3][hr][/hr][h3]Improved feedback and map views[/h3]

• [p]The Hotspot map has been reworked, with clearer colors to help you spot countries that are close to collapsing.[/p]
• [p]The Threats map view has also been improved to highlight the countries the AI is most likely to focus on.[/p]
• [p]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.)[/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]Reworked events[/h3]

• [p]The 1948 Israeli–Arab War event has been reworked to ensure it triggers correctly.[/p]
• [p]The outcomes of the 1946 “Showdown over Iran” have been fixed.
  (Thank you to the players who reported these issues!)[/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]Controls & UI[/h3]

• [p]The side-country panel animations were annoyingly slow—this is no longer the case.[/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]Poll results & next steps[/h3][p]The poll about what you want to see next in the game is still open:
[/p][p]https://strawpoll.com/mpnb17JDJy5/results[/p][p]To summarize: you want more content, and you want more feedback about what’s happening in the game.[/p][p][/p][p]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.[/p][p]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.[/p][p][/p][p]Road Map:[/p][p]2025[/p][p]-UI/UX/QoL update [/p][p]-Pax Americana 1989-2001[/p][p]2026[/p][p]-The alt histories & a proper scenario & events editor[/p][p]-A phone version?[/p][p]-1943-1945 Race to Berlin (DLC)[/p][p]-Some Multiplayer rework [/p][p]-Gloomy mod[/p][p]The final release could be sometime in early May 2026. [/p][p]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.[/p][p]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. [/p][p][/p][p]Have fun![/p][p][/p][p]Maestro Cinetik[/p][p][/p]

[p]Hello there![/p][p]As you may know, I’m currently working on the 1989–2001 DLC. [/p][p]Going into late years, I had to adress the lack of technologies.[/p][p]A feature many of you have been asking for since the first day of the Early Access.[/p][p][/p][p]But before I list the content of this November update, please take the time to answer this poll:[/p][h3]I need your feedback now![/h3][p]https://strawpoll.com/mpnb17JDJy5[/p][p] Tell me what this game lack to become your next personal GOTY.[/p][p]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.[/p][p][/p][h3]More technologies at last![/h3][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]The November update adds a large amount of technologies via an event in the end of 1959.[/p][p]i also added new buttons to sort the technologies by topic (Space, Nuclear or National Projects)[/p][p][/p][p]While I was at it, I added a new achievement.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Reworked hardcore and AI[/h3][p]Your opponent may now use embargoes, infiltrate guerillas, use staybehind and other tricks.[/p][p][/p][h3]Bug fixing[/h3][p]A natsy bug prevented China from using economic aid: it has been fixed.[/p][p](along other minor issues that don't even deserve to be mentioned here)[/p][p][/p][h3]Pax Americana[/h3][p]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.[/p][p]The DLC already has its page and you can wishlist it: [dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]Have fun![/p][p][/p][p]Maestro Cinetik[/p][p][/p]