When comparing Twilight Struggle vs Stratego, the Slant community recommends Twilight Struggle for most people. In the question“What are the best board games?” Twilight Struggle is ranked 15th while Stratego is ranked 23rd. The most important reason people chose Twilight Struggle is:
The event cards used in the game are all based off actual events that occurred throughout the Cold War which helps the games theme be even more immersive.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Incredibly thematic
The event cards used in the game are all based off actual events that occurred throughout the Cold War which helps the games theme be even more immersive.
Pro Very tense gameplay
Twilight Struggle perfectly captures all of the tension of the Cold War through its clever influence system and the way that players must play all of their cards each turn, even ones that would possibly help their opponent. The result is a game where both sides feel stressed (in a good way) as they try to out maneuver the other player.
Pro Has clearly laid out rules and other learning aids
There rule book for Twilight Struggle is well written, and easy to understand and reference during the game. You also get player's aids, which are very helpful as you're becoming more familiar with the game mechanics and rules.
Pro Simple to learn but utilizes much strategy
Stratego's rules are pretty easy to learn but the beauty is there is so much strategy involved that each game can have wildly different outcomes. Being that there is so much choice in how to strategize every game there is truly a limitless amount of fun to be had.
Pro Creative thinking and playing the other player take a large role
Players can arrange their troops however they like which begins a game of strategy but also a game of playing your opponent. By trying to trick or manipulate the other player the game becomes more in depth as a match of will.
Cons
Con Very long
A single game of Twilight Struggle can take 2-3 hours. It might take even longer while you're still learning the rules, since you'll need to keep referencing the rule book.
Con Steep learning curve
There are a lot of different mechanics in this game, and a lot to keep track of. Expect to spend the first few games referencing the rule book often. It's definitely not a lightweight party game.
Con Lots of pieces make the game fiddly
There are a ton of little cardboard pieces (260 to be exact) used to track all the various game effects and that can be tedious to deal with.
Con 2 player only
If you are looking for a game to play with a group this isn't a good fit.
Con Character pictures have to be manually placed
The character pictures have to be manually placed on each individual plastic board piece, which is time consuming and really should have just been done at the factory.