Up Against the Wall, Motherfucker!

1969 · United States · Columbia Daily Spectator

Theme: Cold War Viet Nam

About this game

Despite its outrageous name and tongue-in-cheek rules, Dunnigan designed it as a serious simulation of social conflict. One player runs the Administration, while the other represents the Radicals. The two sides struggle for influence across a range of 11 social subgroups, from the Trustees and Tenured Faculty to various student categories and the surrounding Harlem Community. Columbia U's Low Library is in the middle of the board, with tracks leading to each subgroup.

Mechanism

Political Tracks

Rules

Each side gets influence points used to push the other side inward (Administration) or outward (Radicals). Radical influence points start strong and decline. The Administration starts weak but grows. Each turn, Rads play first, distributing influence across tracks as they see fit, then Admin does the same. Tracks with both cause "combat". Contingency Cards give bonuses or penalties each turn. After 12 turns, VPs counted based on track positions.

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