David and Khanjar: Yom Kippur War in 1973 (2nd Edition)

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This is a complete re-make of the old David and Khanjar, while keeping the map and unit scales roughly the same, the system was remade from the ground up, aiming to highlight the doctrinal and capability difference between the Arab and Israel armies. Resulting in a highly engaging game that showcases the ebb and flow of the war and yet is still simple to play. The game portrays the 4th Arab-Israeli War (commonly known as the Yom Kippur War or the October War), with players take the role of Israel and the Arab Alliance (Mainly Egypt and Syria). Both sides will fight for the control of key positions on the Sinai and Golan fronts, setting stages for large scale mechanized warfare. The game covers the entire war from October 6th to 25th, each turn represents 1 single day, a hex represents 6-8 km. The map consists of 2 separate small maps: Sinai and Golan, with Israel transit areas connecting the 2 maps. The game’s key new mechanics is the “programming” of a player’s turn. Each turn, player draw a hand from the planning deck and decide how to organize his turn. Both side have a unique deck of 12 cards, each allowing the player to take an action phase (operation, barrage, mobilize, refit) with its unique effects. Each card however would take a certain number of rounds to conduct, the total round cost of the turn must be in the range 6-9. After deciding this turn’s plan, both player reveals his card and their sequences, allowing the opponent to also gain a basic insight on your plan. Noting that the 2 final action rounds of the turn is “night” rounds, and operations conducted in these rounds will have special rules. The 2 sides of this conflict, Israel and Arabs, are deeply influenced by United State and Soviet doctrines respectively, and have distinctively different capabilities. This game faithfully poetries these differences, resulting the 2 armies having a deeply different play style. Israel forces enjoys superior troop quality, efficient air turnaround rate, plus the ability of conducting tactical retreat and field replacement. While Arabs forces will need to mainly rely on their numerical advantage to counterbalance its inferior troop quality. But the Arabs still have more than one ace in their sleeves that can surprise their opponent or even turn the table completely: The SA-2 and SA-6 batteries providing anti-air cover, ATGMs to stop armored assaults, advantage in night combat with their infrared illumination devices… And most importantly: the “Doctrinal approach” card, allowing Arab units to conduct a limited movement, then conduct attacks with doubled attack factors (at a cost of supply points), but at the same time, beware of the “Command paralysis” card… Beyond the actual war, the Arab- Israel conflict was never a pure military affair. Superpowers and UN security council both can have a decisive effect on the outcome of the conflict. In this version, both side only gains VPs when a security council meeting is called (By turn event or playing a card). This is when the side controlling more on map objectives would gain VPs, but the total number of controlled objectives (representing the severity of the conflict) would also contribute the progress towards the truce check: eventually a ceasefire would be called, but when it is called is uncertain. Each time the security council meeting is called, there are also possibility for additional support from a superpower: they will come in the form of new planning cards, adding or replacing a card in the deck, becoming an upgrade of a basic card, providing unique capabilities, or even allowing US/USSR troops to be deployed for intervention. The game have 5 different scenarios of different length: The die is cast: Historical Sinai scenario, 10 turns. The Egyptian player need to cross the Suez Canal rapidly and consolidate the bridgehead. The Israel player need to organize reinforcement troops and conduct a counterattack, aiming not only fighting back to, but beyond the Suez Canal. The Middle-East’s water tower: Historical Golan scenario, 10 turns. The Syrian player need to use its initial surprise to overrun the Golan heights, and then hold on until a truce is called. The Israeli player need to utilize the air superiority and field repair capabilities to gradually push the enemy back to the purple line. The Yom Kippur War: Full campaign scenario, 20 turns. The 2 prior scenario combined, the Arab player possibly need to conducting bold attacks to counterbalance defeats from the other front. While the Israeli player, enjoying the center position, can transfer units and supply between the 2 fronts freely to exploit weaknesses. Hammer and Anvil; Hammer and sickle: Hypothetical Sinai scenario, 7 turns. The Israeli armored spearhead has destroyed the Egyption center and overrun the Chinese Farm. As General Sharon crossed the Suze Canal, Soviet Union announced that it will deploy troops in support of Egypt, with several tank and motor-rifle regiments arriving in Cario. Israeli player need to try to rapidly dislodge the Egyptian forces on the eastern bank, then holding onto their bridgeheads as bargaining chips for the ceasefire. Egyptian player needs to hold against the initial Israeli onslaught, then launching the counterattack when Soviet reinforcement arrives on the field. Frontier of the Empire: Hypothetical Golan scenario, 7 turns. The world is shocked as Syrian forces overruns the entire Golan Heights. Now they are preparing to cross the River Jordan to strike at Israel directly. Considering this unacceptable, NATO intervenes the war directly, and the US 82nd airborne division lands behind the Syrian frontline. With US and NATO supports backing them, the Israeli player needs to relentlessly assault the Syrian forces, retake Golan and make a drive onto Damascus. The Syrian player will receive support from the Warsaw Pact, but Soviet Union will not risk deploying its forces to directly fight US forces, a desperate defense must be conducted with only Syrians and Arab League forces on their way. —description from the publisher

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