Israeli Independence: The First Arab-Israeli War
Israeli Independence: The First Arab-Israeli War Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
[0.0] Using These Rules
New gaming terms, when they are initially defined, appear in dark red lettering for quick referencing.
The instructions for this game are organized into major "Rules" sections as shown in the dark green CAPS font, and represented by the number to the left of the decimal point (e.g., rule 4.0 is the fourth rule). These rules generally explain the game's subject matter, components, procedures for play, its core systems, how to set it up, and how to win.
With each Rule, there can be "Cases" that further explain a rule's general concept or basic procedure. Cases might also restrict the application of a rule by denoting exceptions to it. Cases are an extension of a Rule shown in the way that they are numbered. For example, Rule 4.1 is the first Case of the fourth Rule.
Important information is in red text. References to examples of a Rule or Case are in blue text. Text in shaded boxes provides the voice of the game's designer, who is addressing you to explain an idea or concept that is not, itself, a Rule or a Case.
[1.0] Introduction
Israeli Independence is a solitaire game simulating the First Arab-Israeli War of 1948-1949, which led to the establishment of the state of Israel in the place of the former British Mandate of Palestine. The player abstractly controls the armed forces of the nascent Israeli state against five separate invading Arab armies, directing offensives with the aim of pushing back these invaders before they are successful in seizing control of West Jerusalem. Random events, the actions of the invaders, and options for you, the Israeli player, are determined by revealing Headline cards. If you can keep West Jerusalem from occupation by the time the Draw Pile is exhausted, then victory has been achieved.
Although designed for solo play, Israeli Independence can also be played as a team game, with one team working together as the Israelis to decide what actions to take. This makes it a particularly good classroom simulation.
Israeli Independence is not a highly detailed, historically accurate simulation of the conflict. Neither is it meant to endorse nor refute any political views in relation to the modern state of Israel. The game is, however, historically based and gives a sense of the real situation facing the Israelis at the time of the nation's founding, and provides some insights to those wishing to learn more of the history surrounding this important struggle.
[2.0] Game Equipment
The Game Map: The 8.5" x 11" game map shows the area around the former British Mandate of Palestine circa 1947-8. It has been superimposed with spaces for the invading Arab armies on their march toward West Jerusalem, plus boxes for various housekeeping functions. Round spaces on the map are those associated with the "West Bank." Certain Headline cards have special rules for Arab armies when they occupy these spaces.
The Playing Pieces: The cardboard game pieces represent the five invading Arab Armies, plus there are three markers for (optional) Israeli Offensives. These playing pieces are referred to as 'units.' The information on the units is read thus: Arab Army unit shows the Invading Nation, its National Flag (circa 1948), and its Battle Value.
Invading Nation is the national identity (also shown by its flag) of that Arab army. Battle Value is the number that you must exceed on a die roll in order to 'push back' that invading army.
Headline Cards: Twenty-two Standard Game (plus two Advanced Game) Headline cards are also included in the game. They drive the action on the board as they are revealed, one at a time, during play. Each card shows: the Headline Card Title (i.e., Headline); the Advancing Arab armies; the Card ID#; the Israeli Player options; any Special Rules; and Historical 'flavor' text, which provides context to the Headline (it has no gameplay effect).
[3.0] Setting Up the Game
Place each Arab army counter in the white bordered (i.e., the #4) space on its corresponding track (they are named and color-coded). Remove Headline cards #23 and #24 (with the green titles; these are used in the Advanced Game only) and shuffle the remainder together; place them face-down to form the Draw Pile where indicated. With a 6-sided die in hand (that you provide), play is ready to begin.
[4.0] Sequence of Play
A complete game of Israeli Independence consists of a number of Game Turns up to the number of Headline cards in the deck (usually 22).
The Game Turn
You, the Israeli Player, conduct each Game Turn through a series of 'Phases' in the exact order listed below:
- Headline Phase: Reveal the top card in the Draw Pile and place it, face-up, in the Action Pile (a.k.a., the 'discard pile'). As the top card in the Action Pile, that Headline card becomes the new 'Current Event' you resolve that turn.
- Arab League Phase: Adjust one space along its track (i.e., to the next numbered box) all of the Arab armies indicated on the card. If any advance to West Jerusalem, you immediately lose (see 5.0).
- Offensive Phase: You may now launch up to the indicated number of Israeli Offensives in an effort to push back the invading Arab armies according to the rules of combat (8.0).
At the conclusion of your Offensive Phase, begin a new Game Turn by repeating these three steps and continue to do so until the game is won or lost (see below).
[5.0] Victory & Defeat
Losing the Game: If, during the Arab League Phase, an Arab army is in its #1 box and is instructed to advance, it is placed in the last space on its track (West Jerusalem). When it does so, the game immediately ends in your defeat. No further turns are played (although, of course, you could start over and play again).
The degree to which you are defeated is measured by counting the number of cards remaining in the Draw Pile upon losing and consulting the following table:
| Cards remaining | Result |
|---|---|
| 0 to 3 | Stalemate |
| 4 to 6 | Marginal Defeat |
| 7 to 9 | Substantial Defeat |
| 10 or more | Decisive Defeat |
Winning the Game: If, after completion of the Israeli Offensive Phase, all the Headline Cards are exhausted and no Arab army occupies West Jerusalem, the game ends in a victory. The State of Israel is established!
The degree of success achieved is measured in Victory Points (VPs) on the table below by adding the current Box # location of each Arab army. Arab armies that have been removed from play are considered to be in a Box with a value of '6.'
| Victory Points | Result |
|---|---|
| 23 to 26 VPs | Crushing Victory |
| 16 to 22 VPs | Decisive Victory |
| 10 to 15 VPs | Substantial Victory |
| 9 or fewer VPs | Marginal Victory |
For example: Historically, the Israelis 'won the game' with 18 points (a Decisive Victory), thus: The Iraqi army was removed (6 points); the armies of Lebanon and Syria were in their #4 Boxes (8 total points), Egypt's army was in its #3 Box (3 points) and Jordan's army was 'knocking at the door' in its #1 Box (1 point).
[6.0] Headline Phase
Each card's headline and flavor text are provided to help 'tell the story' through many historical events from the war.
You should read each card as it is revealed and resolve its Arab League and Israeli actions as explained in Rules 7.0 and 8.0.
Any special rules are noted on the card itself and apply only during the Game Turn when it is the Current Event card.
[7.0] Arab League Phase
The card indicates which, if any, Arab armies advance one space that Game Turn. Advancing armies are moved to the next-lower Box along their respective tracks (e.g., from Box #4 to Box #3). Retreating armies are moved to the next-higher Box, but never past their Box #4.
Each track's Box #4 is 'outside the borders' of the former British Mandate of Palestine (as it existed in 1947-1948) and usually represents the native country of the invading Army (with the exception of Iraq). Each further space represents an axis of advance for that particular army into geographic areas toward West Jerusalem. Think of space '0' on all tracks as each Arab army's objective: West Jerusalem.
[7.1] Speed Limit: An Arab army never advances more than one space in a single Game Turn.
[7.2] Slowest Armies Advance: Two cards state that "every slowest Arab army" is advanced. That is, look at the highest numbered box currently occupied by any Arab army, then advance every Arab army in that same-numbered box one space.
For example: The Syrian and Lebanese armies are in their respective '3' Boxes, while the other Arab armies are all in their '1' or '2' Boxes. If the slowest Arab armies are ordered to advance, both the Syrian and Lebanese armies would move one space to their respective '2' Boxes.
[8.0] Offensive Phase
During his Offensive Phase, you may conduct a number of offensives (i.e., 'attacks') up to the amount shown on the Current Event card. You need not conduct all of the offensives that you are allowed that Game Turn.
Offensives cannot be conducted against an Arab army in its #4 Box.
Procedure
Each offensive is conducted separately.
Designate one Arab army to be the target of each Offensive and roll a die. The die roll may be modified by a Die Roll Modifier ("DRM") on the Current Event card. Die rolls less than one are treated as '1,' and die rolls greater than six are treated as '6.'
If the modified die roll result is less than or equal to (<=) the Battle Value of the designated Arab army, there is no effect. If it is greater than (>) the target army's Battle Value, that Arab army is retreated one space along its track (see 7.0).
The Lebanese forces didn't show a lot of heart in this war, so their Battle Value is only '2.' The Jordanians, however, bolstered by the British-trained Jordanian Legion, have a Battle Value of '4.' Each of the other Arab armies (Egypt, Iraq, and Syria) has a Battle Value of '3.'
[8.1] Intelligence: If you can conduct multiple offensives that turn, you are entitled to know the results of the first (or second, etc.) offensive before deciding where to conduct the next one.
[8.2] Sustained Offensives: A single Arab army can be the target of multiple attacks during a single Game Turn.
[8.3] Failed Offensives: Arab armies never advance as a result of failed Israeli attacks. They simply remain in place.
[8.4] Armistice: The Special Rule on some Headline cards can cause an "armistice," thus removing that Arab nation from the war. Specifically, that Arab army is removed from play if it ends that turn (i.e., after the Israeli Offensive Phase) in its #4 Box; take its Army unit from its track and place it in the 'Arab Armies removed from play' Box. Any future advances by that army are simply ignored.
[9.0] Optional Rules
You may use either or both of these rules:
[9.1] Reserve Offensives: If the game is too challenging, you may allocate yourself up to three Reserve Offensive chits during setup by placing them in their Holding Box on the map. These chits can be used during any Israeli Offensive Phase in addition to any offensives provided on the Current Event card that turn, if any (i.e., they can be used during the Events when you have no Offensives).
Card restrictions and DRMs do not apply when conducting a Reserve Offensive.
You may 'spend' more than one Reserve Offensive in a single turn, but they cannot be used more than once each per game.
Flip over Reserve Offensive chits when used to indicate that they've been 'spent.'
[9.2] Advanced Game: If you want more challenge in the game, you may add the two Advanced Game cards (with the GREEN HEADLINES, #23 and 24) to the deck. While adding more flavor to the game, these cards will ultimately make it more difficult to win as the Victory Conditions do not change; you must still survive the entire deck and hold on to West Jerusalem!