Mutually Assured Destruction

The missile tokens rounded the board, each moved by the numbers thrown on the dice. It was a stalemate thus far.

Player One: "I'll trade you New York for Moscow."

Player Two: "Moscow has 5 million more people. Will you consider adding Los Angeles."

Player One: "No way."

Player Two: "Really? It's a good deal. It's still less than a million."

Player One: "Lemme think about it. Roll the dice."

Player Two rolled a seven and landed on the USA USS District of Columbia. He drew a card:

YOU HAVE LANDED ON AN OHIO-CLASS US NUCLEAR SUBMARINE CARRYING 154 TOMAHAWK CRUISE MISSILES. SURRENDER A CITY.

Player Two: "Shit. OK, take Krasnoyarsk."

Player One: "No way, Comrade. I'd rather have Novosibirsk."

Player Two: "No deal, Yank. Look at Krasnoyarsk again. Hell, it's the second-largest city in Siberia. Lots of aluminum for you."

Player One: "Hmm. OK, we can always use more aluminum."

Player Two: "I'm getting tired. This game goes on forever. Let's just call it a draw. I mean, no one wins until one of us throws the entire board in the air."

Player One: "Then there's no winner."

Player Two: "What's the difference?"

Player One: "Haha!"

Player Two: "Haha!"