Theme

The theme of a totalitarian regime is a suitable setting for a game of secret objectives and blame games, where players try to favor their own interests while blaming others for the failures of the common interests. Of the (too many) regimes to choose from, I chose a leftist one, not because of any political standpoints but because history offers a rich background.

The name of the game comes from the executive committe for many communist parties and its members were chosen from Stalin's inner circle and the quotes are all authentic, mostly coming from Wikiquote.

1. Joseph Stalin, General secretary of the Central Committee
   "It is enough that the people know there was an election. The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything.
2. Lavrentiy Beria, Minister of Internal Affairs of the Soviet Union
   "You bring me the man, I'll find you the crime."
3. Nikolai Bulganin, Chairman of the Council of Ministers
   "Collective leadership will continue in Russia."
4. Lazar Kaganovich, People's Commissar for Transport
   "Mother Russia is cast down. We have ripped away her skirt."
5. Nikita Khrushchev, First Secretary of the Central Committee
   "Whether you like it or not, history is on our side."
6. Sergey Kirov, First Secretary of the Leningrad City
   "I suggest a more relaxed approach to the collectivisation."
7. Valerian Kuybyshev, Chairman of the State Planning Committee
   "Present the conditions under which targets will be fulfilled."
8. Georgij Malenkov, Chairman of the Council of Ministers
   "A nuclear war could lead to global destruction."
9. Vyacheslav Molotov, Minister of Foreign Affairs
   "Only a fool would attack us."
10. Kliment Voroshilov, People's Commissar for Defense of the Soviet Union
    "Whoever can lift a rifle should have one."
11. Andrei Zhdanov, Head of the Propaganda and Agitation Department
    "Our party must deal with hostile propaganda and hostile candidates."

The ministries of Defence, Finance and Justice were selected among the most important Ministries of the Soviet Union and the planning and execution phases were inspired by centralized economic five-year plans. The purge phase was inspired by the The Great Purge, the campaign of political repression orchestrated by Joseph Stalin 1934-1940. Complicity in the assassination of one of the game's politburo members, Sergey Kirov, often served as charge against old Bolsheviks, although some historians claim Stalin himself ordered the assassination.

For more reading, there is plenty tho choose from, both facts and fiction:

• Young Stalin by Simon Sebag Montefiore
• Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar by Simon Sebag Montefiore
• Wikipedia on the Soviet Union
• Wikipedia on the KGB

Joseph Stalin

Nikolai Bulganin

Nikita Khrushchev

Valerian Kuybyshev

Vyacheslav Molotov

Andrei Zhdanov

Lavrenty Beria

Lazar Kaganovich

Sergey Kirov

Georgy Malenkov

Kliment Voroshilov