Israel 1948: The First Arab-Israeli War Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• 1.0 Introduction
  • 1.1 Key Concepts
  • 1.2 Counters
  • 1.3 The Map
    • Terrain
• 2.0 How to Play
  • 2.1 Supply Check Phase
  • 2.2 Movement Phase
  • 2.3 Combat Phase
  • 2.4 Supply Re-Check Phase
  • 2.5 End Phase
• 3.0 Scenarios
  • 3.1 Onslaught
  • 3.2 Ten Days
  • 3.3 End Game
  • 3.4 Campaign Game
  • Optional Rules

1.0 Introduction

This is a 2-player game simulating the 1948 Arab League invasion of Israel. One player takes the Israeli side and the other player takes the Arab League side (hereafter "Arab side" for brevity).

The game box contains a map of most of Mandatory Palestine with surrounding countries, 88 counters, these rules, and a quick-play sheet.

You will need several six-sided dice (called "D6") to play, ideally in two different colours: red and black.

1.1 Key Concepts

If you are familiar with wargames, these are some key concepts that you need to know to play the game. If you are not familiar with wargames then don't worry as all these will be explained in the rules.

• Stacking: This is the number of units that can be in a single hex. Only units belonging to a single player may be in a single hex, and there can only be either one or two of them. There may also be tokens placed in a hex – these tokens do not affect the stacking limit.
• Zone of Control "ZOC": All units with a hexagon around their movement rate exert a ZOC into the six surrounding hexes (although sometimes hex-side terrain can cancel this). An enemy unit's ZOC is called "EZOC". Other units do not have a ZOC.
• Active Player: This is the player that is performing a particular phase, while the other player is the inactive player.
• Step loss. This is flipping a full-strength unit to its damaged side. If the unit is already on its damaged side, then eliminating it (removing it from the map) counts as a step loss. A full-strength unit could therefore take two step losses: this would eliminate it. Some units are blank on their reverse side and are eliminated if they are reduced from their full-strength side by a single step loss.
• Retreat. This is a movement of 1 hex. It cannot be into an impassable hex, across an impassable hex-side, into a hex containing enemy units, or into a hex which would then cause violation of stacking. In addition, it cannot be into an EZOC, excepting where there is a friendly unit in that hex. Any unit unable to retreat takes a step loss.
• Out-of-supply. A token is placed on units that are out-of-supply. The effects of being out-of-supply are: Dice penalties in combat, no ZOC, movement restricted to 1 hex.
• Coloured strength. Units have a single strength rating. A red strength hits on a 4, 5 or 6; a black or white strength hits on a 5 or 6. White cannot attack, they can only defend.

1.2 Counters

There are two types of counters in the game: tokens and units.

Units represent the combat forces. Israeli in blue and Arab in green. Units have several features on them, as shown in the Arab unit example below:

• On the left is the unit name "IRAQ 1" with the flag of its nation. In the centre is an icon for the unit (an armoured car) for interest.
• The supply symbol in the top-right corner indicates this unit cannot be put out-of-supply (see section 2.1).
• The red number "1" on the left is the unit's strength in combat. This can be black, white, or, as shown here, red.
• "5" is the unit's movement allowance. A hexagon around movement indicates it uses mechanised movement and has a Zone of Control "ZOC" (see section 2.2). Units without a hexagon use foot movement and do not have a ZOC.

Other unit examples:

• The Israeli "7 ARMOUR" unit has no supply symbol, so this unit can be put out-of-supply. It has a strength of 2 and it has a "+" symbol next to its strength. The "+" symbol means that it gets an extra die in combat when attacking into clear terrain.
• Four units have this "+" symbol and all have tanks as their icons. On the Israeli side these are "7 ARMOUR" and "8 ARMOUR", while the other two are the Egyptian "EGYPT TANK" and the Syrian "SYRIA TANK".
• Most, but not all, units have a full-strength side and a damaged side. The damaged side has a red line through it. Note that the damaged side has a different strength (in the example, it is now white instead of red).
• The Israeli "KIBBUTZ" unit has a strength number in white, which means it cannot attack. The movement number does not have a hexagon around it, so this unit will not exert a ZOC and uses foot movement. It has a supply symbol in the top-right, so this unit cannot be put out-of-supply.
• Finally, this is an example of a one-sided counter. It only has one side so can be eliminated with a single step loss in combat.

Tokens are counters used to indicate a special status of units or areas on the map:

• Out-of-supply is placed on a unit which is out-of-supply (see section 2.1).
• Control is used to indicate who owns a particular town or city if there are no units in it. Control belongs to the player which last had a unit in the hex.
• Air is used on the Air Points track on the map.
• Turn marker is used on the map's Turn track to indicate which player is active and what turn number the game scenario is at.
• International Borders are shown on the map as red dotted lines (see section 1.3).

1.3 The Map

The map shows most of Mandatory Palestine and parts of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt. There are also two tracks for the Turn and Air Points.

The map is divided into hexes which are used to regulate movement and control positioning of units and tokens: these must be placed entirely within a single hex. Hexes have an ID in them to aid setting up scenarios.

Red dotted lines as shown on the map are used to indicate international borders between the various states and Palestine. These do not affect movement. You will notice that one Arab supply source is labelled "IRAQ" – this is actually in the state of Jordan, and merely indicates the road to Iraq.

A single hex can only contain 2 units, which must belong to the same side (this is called a stacking limit of 2 units). Tokens can also be placed in a hex, and these do not count towards or affect stacking limit.

Each hex contains terrain which can affect movement and combat.

Terrain affects movement in 2 ways:

1. Units pay movement points when they move from a hex to an adjacent hex. They must spend a number of movement points equal to the terrain cost of the hex they are moving into. There can also be terrain on the hex-side between hexes (e.g. rivers) that can affect movement. Roads and bridges can also affect movement. Some terrain cannot be moved into or across.
2. Some hex-side terrain can cancel the effects of a ZOC – i.e. the ZOC from the owning unit's hex does not project across these hex-sides.

Terrain affects combat as well:

1. Some terrain types will give the defender extra red or black dice (or both) in combat – see the combat section for what dice mean in combat.
2. Some hex-side terrain will also give the defender extra dice in combat. Some hex-side terrain may be impassible and combat is not allowed from one hex to another across such a hex-side.
3. Clear terrain can give the attacker an extra black die in combat if they are attacking with a unit that has a "+" symbol next to its strength rating.

Terrain

All hexes contain one of these 4 basic terrain types: Clear, Rough, Marsh, or Sea.

Clear Terrain

• Movement points to enter: 1 for foot movement units; 2 for mechanised movement units.
• Combat effects: Units with "+" next to their strength rating get +1 black die when attacking into this terrain. Note that this bonus is not given if the attack is across a river (even at a bridge), or the target hex contains either a Town or a City in the clear terrain.

Rough Terrain

• Movement points to enter: 2 for foot movement units; 3 for mechanised movement units.
• Combat effects: Defender gets +1 black die.

Marsh Terrain

• Movement points to enter: Costs all a unit's movement to enter (i.e. the unit must start its movement adjacent to it).
• Combat effects: Defender gets +2 black dice.

All Sea Terrain

• Movement points to enter: Impassible. Cannot be entered.
• Combat effects: None – there will be no enemy in the sea to attack!

For hexes that are partially sea, use the other terrain in the hex for movement and combat effects (such as I16 Marsh above).

As well as the basic terrain, there may be other terrain features present:

Town

• Movement points to enter: None – use other terrain in the hex to determine.
• Combat effects: Defender gets +1 black die.

City

• Movement points to enter: None – use other terrain in the hex to determine.
• Combat effects: Defender gets +1 red die.

Supply sources in a hex, such as shown on the map, have no effect on either movement or combat.

Road

• Movement points: Roads cancel the cost of the hex moved into as long as the unit moves along the road from the origin hex to the destination hex. The cost is 1 for all units.
• Combat effects: No additional effects.

River Hex-Side

• Movement effects: It costs all of a unit's movement to cross a river (so a unit cannot move first before crossing a river). Except at a bridge – in this case the river has no effect on movement.
• ZOCs do not extend into hexes across rivers, even if there is a bridge present.
• Combat effects: Defender gets +1 black die, even if there is a bridge present.

All Sea Hex-Side

• Movement effects: Impassible – cannot be crossed. In addition, ZOCs do not extend into hexes across an all sea hex-side.
• Combat effects: You cannot attack across an all sea hex-side.

2.0 How to Play

Choose a scenario to play (see section 3.0) and set up the counters as described. Set the game turn to number 1 on the turn track showing the side of the player going first in the scenario – they will be the "First Player" and the other player will be the "Second Player". If the scenario has them, reinforcements are also placed in the "Reinforcement" square of the corresponding turn they arrive.

The game is played in a number of turns, each of which is divided into nine phases, played in the order shown below. The active player is the player named in each phase:

1. First Player Supply Check Phase.
2. First Player Movement Phase.
3. First Player Combat Phase.
4. First Player Supply Re-Check Phase.
5. Second Player Supply Check Phase.
6. Second Player Movement Phase.
7. Second Player Combat Phase.
8. Second Player Supply Re-Check Phase.
9. End Phase.

The above is for the start of scenario 1. The Arab player is first, so the turn token is on the Arab side. Reinforcements have been placed in the reinforcement area for turns.

2.1 Supply Check Phase

The active player checks the supply status of all their units.

The map has several supply sources, which are circular symbols, half white and half another colour: Blue for the Israeli side and green for Arab side.

The Israeli side can only use one of the two Israeli supply sources while the Arab side can use any of their 7 supply sources, irrespective of the nationality of the unit needing supply or the nationality of the supply source.

A unit is in supply if:

• It is in a hex with a supply source hex for its side.
• It is in a road hex, or in a hex adjacent to a road hex that is connected to the above supply source. The road is connected to the supply source if the road's route is not blocked by an enemy unit or an EZOC (excepting where the EZOC is occupied by a friendly unit).
• Adjacent to a unit that is in supply (a chain of such units could therefore all be in supply).

Supply Check Example: This is the supply status of the Arab side's units in the image above:

• EGYPT M/2 (B15) is on a road connected to a supply source in A15, so it is in supply.
• EGYPT M/1 (C16) is adjacent to a road connected to a supply source (A15 or A17), so it is in supply. Note that the KIBBUTZ unit in D17 does not have a ZOC so the road to A17 is not cut.
• EGYPT TANK (D16) is adjacent to a unit in supply (EGYPT M/1), so it is in supply.
• EGYPT 2/2 (D14) is out-of-supply: It is on a road that leads to a supply source, but the road's route (in both directions) is blocked by enemy units.
• E. GAZA ALA (C13) is also out-of-supply, so cannot act as a unit in supply for EGYPT 2/2. However, as it has a supply symbol, it will not have an out-of-supply token placed on it.

If a unit is not in supply, place an out-of-supply token on it. Exception: do not place an out-of-supply counter on a unit with a supply symbol on it.

Units that are in supply have any out-of-supply token removed, if they have one.

2.2 Movement Phase

All of the active player's units can be moved once in any order in this phase. A unit moves by expending movement points up to its movement allowance (note that units which have an out-of-supply token on them can only move 1 hex).

A unit does not have to move and, if it does move, it does not need to use all of its movement allowance (unused movement allowance is not saved for a future turn).

To move from one hex to an adjacent hex a unit must expend movement points equal to the cost of moving into the destination hex. If the unit still has movement points left then it may move to another hex, provided it can pay the cost to enter this new hex.

Units can move through friendly units and cause the hex to be temporarily over-stacked, so long as they do not end their move in this hex. Units cannot enter impassible terrain or hexes occupied by enemy unit(s).

Important: If a unit moves into an EZOC, whether this hex is occupied by a friendly unit or not, the unit must stop and cannot move any further this turn (it could leave the EZOC in a subsequent turn). A unit can leave one EZOC at the start of its movement and move to another, but must then stop. All units can always move 1 hex, irrespective of EZOC.

Q: If a unit retreats next to an enemy unit that has not yet attacked, can this unit attack the retreated unit?

A: Yes, it can.

2.3 Combat Phase

Combat is entirely optional and is performed one hex at a time in any order by the active player selecting a single hex with their unit(s) and an adjacent single hex with unit(s) belonging to the inactive player. Combat is resolved and the active player may then select another hex.

The active player does not have to attack with all their units in a hex, and different units in a single hex can attack different adjacent enemy hexes if they want.

A single hex may end up being attacked more than once, but a single unit cannot attack more than once in this phase.

In all combats the active player is the attacker and the inactive player is the defender. Units with a white combat number can only defend: they cannot be involved in an attack and do not take any combat results from an attack if stacked with another unit which is attacking.

Q: If an attacking force of 2 full-strength units takes 4 hits, after both units are halted, can one unit take 2 hits and the other none?

A: Yes, although this means that the unit taking 2 hits is eliminated as it takes 2 step losses. You would then be able to go all in with the remaining halted full-strength unit.

Q: Are dice bonuses for terrain cumulative?

A: Yes. So, a defender in a town (+1 black die) in rough terrain (+1 black die) being attacked across a river (+1 black die) will get a total of 3 extra black dice to roll. Bonuses for attack are also cumulative, so a tank with a "+" symbol next to its strength attacking an enemy in clear terrain (+1 black die) that is out of supply (+1 black die) will get a total of 2 extra black dice to roll.

Combat follows the steps below in strict order:

Step 1. Defender Rolls Their Dice:

• The defender takes a number of dice equal to their defending unit(s) strength. They take a number of red dice equal to the red strength total and a number of black dice equal to the black plus white strength total.
• Defender may get additional dice if they occupy certain terrain, or the attack is across a hex-side with certain terrain.
• Black dice score a hit on a roll of 5 or 6. Red dice score a hit on a roll of 4, 5 or 6.
• For each hit, one attacking unit of the attacker's choice is "halted" and is no longer able to attack.
• If there are more hits than there are attacking units, then these extra hits are taken as step losses on the attacker's units. The attacker may decide which unit(s) take the step losses.

Combat Example: The Israeli 7 ARMOUR unit is attacking the JORDAN-R unit in Hebron (the town is in hex G13). As the defender, JORDAN-R rolls first. The red "1" means they get one red die and the town (Hebron) means they get one black die, with the rough terrain giving another black die. Red hit on 4, 5, 6 and black on a 5, 6. They rolled a 4 with all 3 dice, so that is one hit only. That is one attacker halted, so the Israeli player cannot roll any dice unless they decide they want to go "All in" with 7 ARMOUR. The unit has to take a step loss to do this.

Step 2. Attacker rolls their dice:

• For units which have not been halted the attacker takes a number of red dice equal to the red strength total and a number of black dice equal to the black strength total.
• For any full-strength unit which has been halted, the attacker may voluntarily declare this unit is "all in" and takes a number of red dice equal to the red strength or a number of black dice equal to the black strength of this unit. However, they must then flip the unit to its damaged side.
• If one of the attacking units has a "+" symbol, and the defender is in clear terrain (no Town/City) and there is no hex-side terrain then the attacker gains one additional black die.
• If any attacking unit is out of supply, then they lose 1 die of their choice (just 1 die, not 1 from each unit). If this is their only die then they may still attack with a single black die.
• If any defending unit is out of supply, then the attacker takes one additional black die.
• Black dice score a hit on a roll of 5 or 6. Red dice score a hit on a roll of 4, 5 or 6.
• For the first hit, the defender must take a step loss on one of their units (of the defender's choice). For each subsequent hit the defender must take a step loss or retreat a unit (again, of the defender's choice). Each unit can only retreat once: if there are more hits than can be fulfilled by retreating units then these excess hits must be taken as step losses.

Step 3. Advance after combat:

• If all defenders have vacated their hex (either retreated or eliminated) then at least one attacking unit, of the attacker's choice, must advance into the vacated hex (this cannot be a unit which was halted, unless it went all in).

Usage of Air Points: If a player has air points on their air track, then they may spend a maximum of one point in a combat to re-roll a single die of their own, as either attacker or defender, immediately after rolling it. The air point track is reduced by one to record this.

Combat Example (continued): The Israeli player rolls their two red dice: red hit on 4, 5, 6 so this is two hits! JORDAN-R must take the first hit as a step loss. The next hit can be taken as a step loss or a retreat – the Arab player decides to retreat. The unit cannot retreat into an enemy ZOC (from 7 ARMOUR), and nor can it retreat into the hex occupied the enemy KIBBUTZ unit. The retreat takes place and the Israeli 7 ARMOUR must advance after combat and occupies Hebron in hex G13.

2.4 Supply Re-Check Phase

As per the Supply Check Phase, the active player checks to see if any units of their own which have an out-of-supply token on them are still out of supply. Do not check other units.

If a unit is now in supply, then remove its out-of-supply token. Otherwise, leave the token on the unit.

2.5 End Phase

As per the scenario being played, the game may end. If not:

• Any reinforcements are placed. They are placed in any supply source with the same country name as the unit being placed. Units cannot be placed if there is nowhere to place them or they would cause a stacking violation – they are delayed to the next turn: if this happens (move them to the reinforcement box adjacent to the next turn).
• Air points are set back to their scenario value (unused points are lost).
• The turn marker is advanced one space and a new turn is started with the First Player Supply Check Phase.

Historical Note: The Israeli armed forces at the start of the war were divided into several named brigades of varying strengths. Some were very good, such as Carmeli, while others were far less reliable militia (Oded, Etzioni). Negev were unusual as they were used to operating beyond supply lines in the southern desert. These brigades were supplemented by irregular forces – there were the extremists of Irgun and many fortified Jewish communities (called Kibbutz).

As the war progressed the Israelis managed to create armoured brigades with varying numbers of tanks from unusual sources: A working Sherman tank was made from broken pieces of other Shermans, while a pair of Cromwell tanks were stolen from the British. Later, a unit of "minorities" was recruited from non-Jewish groups that had issues with the Palestinians. Samson's Foxes were a unit equipped with jeeps that operated behind enemy lines.

The Arab League forces varied by nation:

• Jordan had the best trained and equipped forces, with many mechanised with lorries and armoured cars. They even retained British officers for a while. Their highpoint was capturing the Old City part of Jerusalem.
• Egypt had a large but poorly equipped army and only a fraction of it was able to attack Israel in 1948 (including a volunteer Muslim Brotherhood brigade). They had a variety of mostly British tanks. Volunteers from Saudi Arabia and Sudan supplemented their army. They also had the only viable air force of the Arab armies.
• Syria also had tanks from their former French occupiers. Their army was more persistent than the Egyptians but not very successful and not as big.
• Iraq sent an expeditionary force that performed quite well but arrived slowly, with their mobile British armoured cars as the vanguard.
• Lebanon had the weakest force and did not make much of an impact in the war.
• Palestinian contingents were split into 4 main groups, all poorly equipped:
  • The Army of Salvation was loyal to the Mufti of Jerusalem, a figure who was being sidelined by the other Arab League members.
  • The Arab Liberation Army was led by Kaukji and contained volunteers from outside Palestine. It was concentrated in the North, but the Egyptians controlled a unit in the Gaza area.
  • Futuwa were a motivated youth group from before the war's start.
  • Faza'a were local militias.

3.0 Scenarios

There are three scenarios covering the three major phases of the war. These can also be linked together into a larger campaign game (see section 3.4).

When placing units, do not place them on enemy units, impassable terrain, or in violation of stacking limitations. Note that "(damaged)" means that the unit is set up on its damaged side.

3.1 Onslaught

This scenario covers the fighting from the British withdrawal on 15th May 1948 to the first truce on 11th June 1948.

Each player sets up their own units. First, Israeli units are set up:

• YIFTACH in Safad.
• GOLANI-1 in Beisan.
• GOLANI-2 in Tiberius.
• CARMELI in Haifa.
• ALEXANDR. anywhere along the coast between Haifa and Tel Aviv.
• KIRYATI, GIVATI-1 in Tel Aviv.
• ETZIONI, HAREL in hex G11.
• JERUSALEM, ODED in Jerusalem.
• NEGEV-1 in any hex adjacent to Hebron.

Then Arab units are set up:

• E. GAZA ALA unit in Gaza.
• All other Egyptian units, except EGT. SAUDI and EGT. SUDAN, anywhere in Egypt.
• All Jordanian units anywhere in Jordan.
• The LEBANON unit in hex I1.
• SYRIA 1 unit anywhere in Syria.
• Two IRAQ 1 units both go on the Iraqi supply source.
• 2 ALA, 2 AOS, 2 FUTUWA, and 3 FAZA'A units may be placed in any unoccupied hex within Mandatory Palestine, but no more than one per hex.
• Place an Arab control token in any Town without a unit in it.

Finally, the Israeli player places seven KIBBUTZ units and one IRGUN unit anywhere in Mandatory Palestine, but not stacked with any other unit (or each other) and not in any town or city.

Reinforcements (in End Phase):

• Turn 1: Israeli: 7 ARMOUR, Arab: IRAQ 2, SYRIA 2, EGT. SAUDI.
• Turn 2: Israeli 8 ARMOUR, Arab: IRAQ 3, SYRIA 3, EGT. SUDAN.
• Turn 3 onwards: None.

The Arab player gets 1 air point per turn, which must be used in a combat involving one or more Egyptian units. The Israeli player gets 1 air point in the end phase of turn 2 for use in turn 3.

The Arab player is the first player in each turn.

Game ends: In the end phase of turn 3. If the Arab player controls any of the 3 cities, then they have won a Major Victory. Otherwise, there are 15 Towns on the map: count how many have Israeli control:

• 6 or more = Israeli Major Victory
• 5 = Israeli Victory
• 4 = Draw
• 3 or less = Arab Victory

Strategy: In all three scenarios, if the Arab player can capture one of the three cities then they win a major victory: these three cities represent the bare minimum the Israeli state needed to function: Tel Aviv was a major population centre and port, Haifa was the key to keeping the North supplied, and Jerusalem was the spiritual heart and whole point of a Zionist state.

The first scenario is a struggle: The Arab player has the choice where to strike so the initial Israeli deployment needs to be flexible to meet a threat from any direction. Make good use of Kibbutz units to act as speed-bumps and keep essential supply lines open. As the Arab player, the use of the Jordanians will be pivotal, but be aware that time is against you and opportunities will be fleeting, although Jerusalem is definitely possible to take and the Israeli player has to be very careful to keep the other two cities safe. Make sure you can always threaten them with something to keep precious Israeli units tied up.

3.2 Ten Days

This scenario covers the fighting after the first truce from 9th to 18th July 1948 when there was another truce.

Israeli set up:

• KIBBUTZ: Acre.
• Two KIBBUTZ: Safad.
• CARMELI: I4.
• KIBBUTZ: Haifa.
• 7 ARMOUR: H5.
• GOLANI-2: Tiberius.
• KIBBUTZ: I6.
• GOLANI-1: Beisan.
• ALEXANDR.: F8.
• SAMS FOXES: Tel Aviv.
• KIRYATI: F10.
• YIFTACH: E10.
• 8 ARMOUR: E11.
• ETZIONI, HAREL: G11.
• IRGUN (damaged): G12.
• GIVATI-1: F12.
• JERUSALEM (damaged), ODED: Jerusalem.
• NEGEV-1: F14.
• KIBBUTZ: G17.

Arab set up:

• LEBANON: H3.
• SYRIA 2, SYRIA 3 (damaged): J3.
• SYRIA TANK: L3.
• SYRIA 1 (damaged): I3.
• ALA (damaged): H4.
• ALA: Nazareth.
• IRAQ 4: L6.
• FUTUWA: Jenin.
• IRAQ 1 armoured car (damaged): I7.
• IRAQ 2 (damaged), IRAQ 3: K7.
• IRAQ 1 infantry: J8.
• FAZA'A: Tulkarm.
• JORDAN 5: Nablus.
• JORDAN 4: H10.
• AOS (damaged): G10.
• FAZA'A, FUTUWA: Ramle.
• JORDAN 1 (damaged): Ramallah.
• JORDAN 2, JORDAN 3 (damaged): I11.
• EGYPT TANK, EGYPT 2/1 (damaged): D12.
• EGYPT 2/2: E12.
• E. GAZA ALA: Gaza.
• EGT. SAUDI: E13.
• FAZA'A: Hebron.
• EGT. SUDAN: D14.
• EGYPT M/1 (damaged): F15.
• EGYPT M/2: Beersheba.
• JORDAN R (damaged): G16.

Place Arab control tokens on Jericho and Khan Younis.

In the second scenario the tide starts to turn as Israel gets reinforcements. The Israeli player must be quick off the mark to succeed as this game is only two turns long. The Arab player is unlikely to take one of the three cities, but the Egyptians are more of a threat to the Israeli player now and need to be used aggressively.

Each turn the Israeli player gets 2 air points. Each turn the Arab player gets 1 air point which must be used in a combat involving one or more Egyptian units.

The Israeli player is the first player in each turn.

Reinforcements: None.

Game ends: In the end phase of turn 2. If the Arab player controls any of the 3 cities, then they have won a Major Victory. Otherwise, the Israeli player counts up the number of Towns they control at the end (they start with 4):

• 8 or more = Israeli Major Victory
• 7 = Israeli Victory
• 6 = Draw
• 5 or less = Arab Victory

Note from the transcriber: the rulebook's "Design Commentary" box beside section 3.3 (the designer's account of the game's development and competition history) is background material, not rules, and has been omitted.

3.3 End Game

This scenario covers the fighting after the second truce from 15th October 1948 until early 1949 when the war petered out.

Israeli set up:

• KIBBUTZ: Acre.
• CARMELI, KIBBUTZ: Safad.
• KIBBUTZ: Tiberias.
• MINORIT.: G4.
• KIBBUTZ: Haifa.
• 7 ARMOUR: Nazareth.
• GOLANI-2: J6.
• GOLANI-1: Beisan.
• ALEXANDR.: G5.
• SAMS FOXES, GIVATI-2: Tel Aviv.
• KIRYATI (damaged): F10.
• GIVATI-1, NEGEV-2: E11.
• YIFTACH, 8 ARMOUR: Ramle.
• ODED, HAREL: G11.
• JERUSALEM (damaged), ETZIONI: Jerusalem.
• NEGEV-1 (damaged): E14.

Arab set up:

• LEBANON: H3.
• SYRIA 1 (damaged), SYRIA 2 (damaged): J3.
• SYRIA 3: K3.
• ALA (damaged): H4.
• ALA (damaged): I4.
• IRAQ 4: K6.
• FUTUWA: Jenin.
• IRAQ 1 armoured car (damaged), IRAQ 1 Infantry (damaged): I7.
• IRAQ 2 (damaged): J8.
• IRAQ 3: K7.
• FAZA'A: Tulkarm.
• AOS: Nablus.
• AOS (damaged): G10.
• JORDAN 5: I10.
• JORDAN 2 (damaged), FAZA'A: Ramallah.
• JORDAN 1: I11.
• JORDAN 3 (damaged): I12.
• JORDAN 4: H13.
• JORDAN R (damaged): G14.
• EGYPT TANK, EGYPT 2/1 (damaged): D12.
• EGYPT 2/2 (damaged), EGT. SAUDI: E12.
• EGYPT M/1 (damaged), EGT. SUDAN: F13.
• E. GAZA ALA: Gaza.
• FAZA'A: Hebron.
• EGYPT M/2: Beersheba.

Place Arab control tokens on Jericho and Khan Younis.

Each turn the Israeli player gets 3 air points. Each turn the Arab player gets 1 air point which must be used in a combat involving one or more Egyptian units.

The Israeli player is the first player in each turn.

Reinforcements: None.

Game ends: In the end phase of turn 6. If the Arab player controls any of the 3 cities, then they have won a Major Victory. Otherwise, the Israeli player counts up the number of Towns they control at the end (they start with 6):

• 10 or more = Israeli Major Victory
• 8 or 9 = Israeli Victory
• 7 = Draw
• 6 or less = Arab Victory

3.4 Campaign Game

These rules allow you to link any 2 sequential, or all 3 scenarios into a longer game. Air points and turn order are as per standard scenario setup details.

Any units that cannot be placed on the map are placed in the reinforcement box adjacent to the first turn on the turn track.

Linking the First and Second Scenarios

After the first scenario, instead of following the set up for the second scenario, perform the following steps in order, then start the second scenario with Turn 1.

1. Remove any out-of-supply tokens.
2. The Israeli player has six recovery points. Each point can be spent by the Israeli player to perform one of the following:
   • Place an eliminated KIBBUTZ unit on or adjacent to any Israeli unit or controlled town/city.
   • Recover an eliminated unit: the unit is placed on its damaged side in or adjacent to any Israeli controlled supply source.
   • Flip a unit from its damaged-side to its full-strength side.
3. The Arab player has two recovery points. These points must be spent by the Arab player on two different actions below:
   • Flip one Egyptian unit from its damaged side to its full-strength side.
   • Flip one Jordanian unit from its damaged side to its full-strength side.
   • Flip one Syrian unit from its damaged side to its full-strength side.
   • One eliminated FAZA'A unit may be placed on the map with any other Arab unit.
   • One eliminated AOS, ALA, or FUTUWA unit may be placed on its damaged side on the map with any other Arab unit.
4. Place the SYRIA TANK unit on its full-strength side on any Syrian supply source.
5. Place the IRAQ 4 unit on its full-strength side on the Iraqi supply source.
6. The Arab player removes one Jordanian unit from the map.
7. The Israeli player places the SAMS FOXES unit on its full-strength side in or adjacent to any Israeli controlled town or city.
8. The Israeli player may swap the positions of any two of their own units.

Linking the Second and Third Scenarios

After the second scenario, instead of following the set up for the third scenario, perform the following steps in order, then start the third scenario with Turn 1.

1. Remove any out-of-supply tokens.
2. The Israeli player has six recovery points. Each point can be spent by the Israeli player to perform one of the following:
   • Place an eliminated KIBBUTZ unit on or adjacent to any Israeli unit or controlled town/city.
   • Recover an eliminated unit (except IRGUN): the unit is placed on its damaged side in or adjacent to any Israeli controlled supply source.
   • Flip a unit from its damaged-side to its full-strength side.
3. The Arab player has two recovery points. These points must be spent by the Arab player on two different actions below:
   • Flip one Egyptian unit from its damaged side to its full-strength side.
   • One eliminated FAZA'A unit may be placed on the map with any other Arab unit.
   • One eliminated AOS, ALA, or FUTUWA unit may be placed on its damaged side on the map with any other Arab unit.
4. If it is present, remove the IRGUN unit from the map.
5. The Israeli player places the NEGEV-2 unit on its full-strength side with or adjacent to any Israeli unit.
6. The Israeli player places the GIVATI-2 unit on its full-strength side in or adjacent to any Israeli controlled town or city.
7. The Israeli player places the MINORIT. unit on its full-strength side in or adjacent to Haifa.
8. The Israeli player may swap the positions of any two of their own units.

Note: If you have not played the first scenario but started with the second scenario there should be one KIBBUTZ and one AOS unit available to rebuild. The JORDAN 6 unit has been removed from play.

Optional Rules

You may use as many or few of these as you like with prior agreement before the game:

• Arab Supply Constraints: Arab units can only trace supply to their own country's supply source.
• Arab Air Cooperation: The Arab player may use their air in any combat, not just one with Egyptian units.
• Late Peace: The scenario lasts one turn longer.
• Uncertain Peace: At the end of the last turn roll a D6. On a roll of 1 to 4 the game ends, on a roll of 5 or 6 the game continues for one more turn only.
• Extra Units: If either player feels that they need a bit of help then each side has two extra units, either one or two of which may be included at set up: Two KIBBUTZ and two FAZA'A.
• Arab Enmity: Different Arab nations cannot stack with one another, with the exception of the Palestinians (AOS, ALA, FUTUWA, FAZA'A) who may stack with any nation's unit and each other.
• Whatever you want! This is now your game, so if you want to make extra units, change or add rules, feel free to do so. If you come up with something you feel works especially well, please share it in the game's forum at BoardGameGeek.com.

"Why should the Arabs make peace? If I was an Arab leader I would never make terms with Israel. That is natural: we have taken their country. Sure, God promised it to us, but what does that matter to them? Our God is not theirs."

– David Ben-Gurion, First Prime Minister of Israel (quotation as printed in the rulebook).