Cuba Libre
- Players
- 1-4
- Best withThe player count this game plays best at.
- 4 players
- Play timeHow long a full game runs once everyone knows the rules.
- 180 min
- AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
- 14+
- ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
- 3.6 / 5
- Year
- 2013
About the game
Cuba Libre is the second volume in GMT's COIN Series, taking one to four players into the Cuban Revolution as Castro's 26 July Movement fights to expand from the Sierra Maestra mountains to Havana. Batista's Government must counter the insurgency while managing its fragile US Alliance and a corrupting Syndicate skim, while student groups and Meyer Lansky's mob bosses pursue their own competing agendas. A 48-card event deck brings 1950s Cuba to life, and the asymmetric factions each play by different rules suited to their unique position. Like its predecessor Andean Abyss, it's fully playable solitaire or with up to four players, and it's designed to run shorter than the first COIN volume. It's a rich, event-driven counterinsurgency simulation with real historical texture.
Hobbli's Notes
Cuba Libre remains one of the most approachable entries into the COIN Series thanks to its shorter playtime and vivid historical event deck. The asymmetric four-faction structure creates genuinely different experiences depending on which side you play. It's still a serious wargame with real rules investment, so newcomers to COIN should expect a learning session or two before it clicks. A strong pick for history-minded strategy gamers ready to dive into counterinsurgency gaming.
What we like
- Excellent asymmetric four-faction COIN system.
- Strong solo and low-player-count play options.
- Rich event-card storytelling of the Cuban Revolution.
- Shorter and more accessible than the first COIN volume.
Keep in mind
- Steep learning curve for newcomers to the COIN system.
- Long three-hour playtime for a full session.
- Requires close reading of faction-specific asymmetric rules.
Who it's for
Best for experienced strategy and wargame fans aged 14+ interested in asymmetric historical simulation, playable solo or with up to four players.
