Copyright © Decision Games and Decision Games
The rules to Across Suez are organized by major topics arranged in the order in which they occur in the play of the game. Each such major topic is given a number and a name below which is given (usually) a General Rule or Description which summarizes the rules in that section. This is usually followed by numbered paragraphs called Cases, which gives the specifics of the rules. Note that the numbering of the Cases is a decimal form of the Major Section number.
On 6 October 1973, troops of the Egyptian Third Army performed a masterful surprise crossing of the Suez Canal, overwhelmed the emplaced Israeli defenders along the Bar Lev line, and established themselves in force in Sinai. For the first time in over two decades, the vaunted Israeli Defense Force had been dealt a stunning defeat. But even before the magnitude of the defeat could be digested, and well before desperate defensive efforts to halt the Egyptian and Syrian advances in the Sinai and Golan had fully succeeded, Israeli military leaders were planning a counter-crossing of the Canal with the object of isolating the entire Egyptian Third Army. Israeli reconnaissance discerned a gap between the Third Army and the Egyptian Second Army to its north. On 15 October, with the way apparently clear to a crossing point at the northern tip of the Great Bitter Lake, three Israeli divisions and a convoy of bulky bridge sections began to advance-only to run smack dab into the Egyptian 16th Infantry and 21st Tank division, thus initiating the wildest and most important battle of the October War.
Across Suez is an operational level simulation of the Battle of Chinese Farm, with one player controlling the forces of the Egyptian Second and Third Armies and a second player controlling units of the Israeli Defense Force.
The Game Map represents the terrain on which the battle was fought. A hexagonal grid is superimposed on the map to regulate movement and positioning of the playing pieces.
The Terrain Effects Chart summarizes how the features on the map affect movement of the playing pieces.
The Combat Results Table is the primary means for resolving combat.
The Game Turn Record Track is used to record the passage of time and availability of reinforcements.
The playing pieces represent actual military units that took part in the battle. The playing pieces are differentiated by color; Israeli units are olive with white printing and Egyptian units are khaki with black print. There are up to four pieces of information printed on the front of each playing piece including Combat Strength, Movement Allowance, unit type (armor mechanized, armored cavalry, or infantry), and unit designation (it's military "name").
Combat Strength is the basic power of a unit when attacking or defending.
A unit's Movement Allowance is the basic number of hexes it may move in one Movement Phase. A unit's Movement Allowance is measured in terms of Movement Points. Differing amounts of Movement Points are expended to move a unit into different types of terrain.
Units Designations have no effect on play, except to indicate when reinforcing units are brought into play.
The players take turns moving their units and making attacks. The order in which they take these actions is described in this Sequence of Play outline. One completion of the Sequence of Play is called a game turn. Each game turn consists of two player turns. Each player turn consists of two Phases.
The Israeli player may move his units. He may move as many or as few as he wishes, one after another, within the limitations of the rules of movement.
The Israeli player may attack adjacent enemy units. He may perform these attacks in any order he wishes, applying the results immediately as each attack is made.
The Egyptian player may move his units. He may move as many or as few as he wishes, one after another, within the limitations of the rules of movement.
The Egyptian player may attack adjacent enemy units. He may perform these attacks in any order he wishes, applying the results immediately as each attack is made.
These four steps are repeated seven times. The game is then over and the players determine the victor according to the rules on How the Game Is Won (see 14.0).
GENERAL RULE: Each unit has a Movement Allowance number printed on it which represents the basic number of hexes it may move in a single Movement Phase. Each player moves only his own units during the Movement Phase of his player turn (as outlined in the Sequence of Play).
PROCEDURE: Units move one at a time, hex-by-hex, in any direction or combination of directions that the player desires. The Movement Phase ends when the player announces that he has moved all of his units that he chooses to (or as soon as he begins to make any attacks).
A unit may never exceed its Movement Allowance. During its Movement Phase, each unit may move as far as its Movement Allowance permits. Basically, each unit spends one Movement Point of its total Allowance for each hex that it enters. Individual units may move less than their Movement Allowance. Units are never forced to move during their Movement Phase. Units may not, however, lend or accumulate unused Movement Points.
Units must spend more (or less) than one Movement Point to traverse some terrain types. The basic cost to enter a clear terrain hex is one Movement Point. The basic entry costs to enter some terrain hexes, however, are higher. These costs are specified in the Terrain Effects Chart. If a unit does not have sufficient Movement Points to expend to enter a particular hex, it may not do so.
A hex containing more than one type of traversable terrain is entered at the higher of the two costs. When a hexside has a "plus" cost attached to it, that cost is in addition to the Movement Point cost for entering the hex.
When a unit enters a hex through a road (or trail) hexside, it pays only the cost for moving one hex along the road (or trail) regardless of the type of terrain entered. Conversely, a road or trail has absolutely no effect on movement if the hex it is in has been entered through a non-road (or non-trail) hexside.
A unit may never enter nor pass through a hex containing an Enemy unit.
A unit may never end its Movement Phase in the same hex as another Friendly unit. One or more units may move through a hex containing another Friendly unit, but the moving units may never end the Movement Phase in the same hex as another unit. If this should inadvertently happen, the opposing player chooses which of the illegally placed units are to be destroyed (so only one unit remains in the hex).
A unit must stop upon entering a hex adjacent to an Enemy unit. Whenever a unit enters a hex that is directly adjacent to any of the Enemy Players units (called the Enemy controlled hex). the moving unit must immediately stop and move no further that Phase. Note that there are six hexes adjacent to most hexes on the map. The six hexes adjacent to an Enemy unit are called the Zone of Control of that unit.
If a unit begins the Movement Phase of its turn adjacent to an Enemy unit (i.e. in its Zone of Control). it may leave that hex and move normally so long as the first hex it enters in that move is not also in an Enemy Zone of Control. If it subsequently reenters an Enemy Zone of Control, it must stop immediately.
GENERAL RULE: Each unit has a Combat Strength number printed on it which represents its basic power to attack and defend. During its Combat Phase, each unit may participate in an attack against an adjacent Enemy occupied hex.
PROCEDURE: The player examines the positions of his units, determining which are adjacent to (immediately next to) Enemy units. These are the units that are eligible to conduct attacks during that Combat Phase. Attacks are conducted using the Combat Results Table and the procedures detailed in the section on Combat Resolution.
A unit is never forced to attack. Attacking is a purely voluntary action. In a given Combat Phase, some of the eligible units may attack and others may not. A player may totally pass up the chance to make any attacks at all during a given Combat Phase.
Only one Enemy occupied hex may be the object of a given attack. Even though an attacking unit may be adjacent to more than one Enemy occupied hex, it may only conduct an attack against one such hex in its Combat Phase.
No unit may participate in more than one attack per Combat Phase.
No unit may be the object of more than one attack per Combat Phase. Regardless of how many attacking units are adjacent to it, a given Enemy unit may only be subjected to one attack per Combat Phase. It must defend against this attack (unlike the attacker, the defenders participation is involuntary).
More than one unit may participate in a given attack. As many units as are adjacent to an Enemy occupied hex may combine their strengths into one attack against that hex. However, if one or more such units attacks, this does not obligate any of the other adjacent units to participate in the attack.
Units may not leave the map. If, as a result of combat, a unit is forced to leave the map, it is eliminated instead.
GENERAL RULE: An "attack" is defined as the comparison of the strength of a specific attacking force with that of a specific defending force resolved by the throw of a die in connection with a Combat Results Table. The results may affect either or both the attacker and the defender.
PROCEDURE: The attacking player totals up the Combat Strengths of all of his units that are involved in a given attack and subtracts from that total the Combat Strength of the Enemy unit being attacked. the resulting number is called the Combat Differential. The player locates the column heading on the Combat Results Table that corresponds to the Combat Differential. He rolls the die and cross-indexes the die number with the Combat Differential column and reads the result. The indicated result is applied immediately, before going on to any other attacks. When he has made all of his attacks, the player announces the end of his Combat Phase.
The attacking player must announce which of his units are involved in a given attack against a specific defending unit. He must calculate and announce the Combat Differential, specifying which of his units are participating in the attack, before it is resolved. He may resolve attacks in any order he chooses. Once the die is thrown, he may not change his mind.
The calculated Combat Differential is always determined to represent a specific column of results on the Combat Results Table.
If the Combat Differential in an attack is higher (or lower) than the highest (or lowest) shown on the table, it is simply treated as the highest (or lowest) column available.
The abbreviations on the Combat Results Table will indicate that units are either retreated or destroyed.
Ae: Attacker eliminated; all the units involved in the attack are destroyed. The defending unit has the option to advance after combat.
Ar: Attacker retreats: all the units involved in the attack are forced to move one hex away from the defender. The defending unit has the option to advance after combat.
Ee: Equal elimination; the defending force is eliminated and the attacking force must lose a number of Combat Strength Points at least equal to the printed value of the defending force. If any attacking units survive, one of them may advance after combat.
Dr: Defender retreats; the defending unit is forced to move one hex away from the attacking unit(s). One of the attacking units may advance after combat.
De: Defender eliminated; the defending unit is destroyed. One of the attacking units may advance after combat.
Units may only be retreated (by their owners) into 'safe' hexes. A 'safe' hex is defined a vacant, traversable hex, not in an Enemy Zone of Control. If there is no safe hex available, the unit is destroyed instead. A hex is 'traversable' if the unit could legitimately enter it during a Movement Phase.
When a hex is vacated as a result of combat, a single surviving participating unit may advance into that hex. Such an advance as a result of combat is an option which must be exercised immediately before going on to resolve any further combat in that Phase. A unit is never forced to advance after combat. A unit may advance into Enemy controlled hexes (even when advancing directly from an Enemy controlled hex).
Movement during the Combat Phase does not expend Movement Points.
Retreats and advances are, technically, not considered movement.
How Additional Units Enter the Game.
GENERAL RULE: In addition to the force with which they start the game, both players receive units during the Movement Phases of specified game turns (see the Schedule of Reinforcements on the Game Turn Record Track and 7.4).
PROCEDURE: At any time during the specified Movement Phase, newly arriving units may enter the map in the hexes indicated.
When reinforcements arrive on the map, they behave identically to units already on the map.
The arrival (into the proper hex) costs the reinforcing units the appropriate expenditure of Movement Points for that terrain type. If entering on a road, it is assumed that they are entering the map through a road hexside. Each unit has its full Movement Allowance when it enters the game map. The units move (and they may participate in combat) in the player turn of arrival.
If the entry into the arrival hex cannot be performed as a legal move, the reinforcing units may be brought in at the closest hex which allows a legal move to be made.
If, for example, the arrival hex is Enemy occupied, the reinforcing units would be diverted to the closest hexes not occupied by Enemy units. If possible, however, units must enter in the hexes specified. Note that if the entry hex were Enemy controlled only one unit could enter there (and would stop in that hex).
The entry of reinforcements may be delayed for as long as the player wishes.
Should the player so desire, he may hold back all or part of the reinforcements due him in any given game turn. They may be brought in as the player desires in any of his subsequent Movement Phases.
Reinforcements are brought into the game according to the schedule listed below.
Reinforcement entry hexes and the game turn of entry are indicated on the game map. The Israeli and Egyptian reinforcements enter as follows:
GENERAL RULE: When either player makes an attack with a force containing one (or more) armored units and one (or more) mechanized or infantry units, that attack is considered to be a combined arms attack and benefits by shifting the attack one column to the right on the Combat Results Table.
PROCEDURE: Before rolling the die, the attacking player announces the fact that it is a combined arms attack and calculates the net shift in the Combat Results Table.
The number of combined arms attacks possible is limited only by the number of situations meeting the requirements of the General Rule.
In other words, in a single Combat Phase a player could conceivably make as many combined arms attacks as he has pairs of armored and infantry/mechanized units. Combined arms combat is unaffected by night.
The combined arms effect is netted out against other adjustments to the column to be used on the Combat Results Table due to terrain and artillery.
GENERAL RULE: In order to simulate the effect of the surprise and shock of first combat on the forces involved, the normal movement and combat rules are somewhat modified during the first game turn (only). Essentially, units may not leave Enemy controlled hexes at the beginning of their movement and all units in Enemy controlled hexes during their Combat Phase must participate in at least one attack.
A unit which begins its Movement Phase in an Enemy controlled hex may not move during that Phase.
A unit which is eligible to participate In combat, must participate in combat. If a unit has one or more Enemy units in its Zone of Control, that unit must participate in an attack on one of those Enemy units.
GENERAL RULE: Game turns 1,4, and 7 are night game turns. All units have their Movement Allowances reduced by two during night game turns. Neither player may use artillery during night game turns.
GENERAL RULE: Israeli units may exit the map from the Matzmed Bar Lev position (hex 0112). This simulates crossing the canal. Having six or more Israeli units across the Suez Canal is a necessary precondition for Israeli Victory. Units across the canal also increase the number of Israeli artillery supported attacks that may be made.
PROCEDURE: Israeli units may cross the canal from the Matzmed hex by expending three Movement Points. If the bridge unit is in the Matzmed hex, it costs each unit only one Movement Point to cross the canal. When the units cross the canal, they are placed in the Cross Canal Unit Holding Box.
Without the bridge unit in place, no more than two Israeli units per Israeli Movement Phase may exit the map at Matzmed (hex 0312).
Each unit must expend three Movement Points to exit the map. No units may exit the map in the first game turn. Egyptian Zones of Control have no effect upon the canal crossing.
With the bridge unit in Matzmed, an unlimited number of Israeli units may leave the map by crossing the canal.
Each unit must expend one Movement Point to exit the map via the bridge unit. The bridge must have been in place from the start of the Movement Phase in order to be usable.
Once an Israeli unit has crossed the canal, it may not return to the map.
Units are placed in the Cross Canal Unit Holding Box. They may not participate in combat in any way.
Each unit in the Cross Canal Unit Holding Box gives the Israeli player an additional artillery supported attack each Israeli Combat Phase.
The Israeli player must have at least six units in the Cross Canal Unit Holding Box by the end of the game.
If the Israeli player fails to accomplish this, he loses the game. See 14.0.
Units may not cross the canal during the Combat Phase.
GENERAL RULE: Certain types of terrain will benefit the defender in a combat situation. This benefit is expressed as a change in the Combat Results Table column used to resolve the attack (i.e. An effective reduction of the combat differential of the attack).
PROCEDURE: Before resolving a specific attack, the players must check to see if the defending unit is in (or behind) terrain that will change the effective differential.
A defending unit in an elevated sand hex, the Chinese Farm hex, or a Bar Lev hex will benefit from a left-ward shifting of the Combat Results Table column used when the unit is attacked. An elevated sand hex or a Bar Lev hex produces a one column shift; the Chinese Farm hex produces a two column shift.
If a unit is in an elevated sand hex and is attacked exclusively through a ridge hexside, then it benefits from a two column leftward shift.
If the unit is attacked through both ridge and non-ridge hexsides, it benefits from the one column shift only for the elevated sand hex. If a unit is attacked through a ridge hexside and is not in an elevated sand hex, it does not benefit from the ridge hexside at all.
When a hex contains more than one type of terrain, it is considered to be the type most beneficial defensively.
For example, a hex containing sand and elevated sand is considered elevated sand. Note also that roads have no effect on combat.
GENERAL RULE: At the beginning of each of his Combat Phases, the Egyptian player may make an 'artillery bombardment' against each of two Israeli units that are adjacent to Egyptian units. Once per Combat Phase, the Israeli player may provide "artillery support" to one of his attacks. Note that neither player has separate artillery units to perform these functions.
PROCEDURE: For each artillery bombardment, the Egyptian player rolls the die once. If the result is '1' the Israeli unit is eliminated.
The Israeli attack being supported by artillery has its Combat Results Table column shifted one to the right.
Egyptian artillery bombardment is separate and distinct from regular combat.
Although an Egyptian unit must be adjacent to the bombarded Israeli unit, it is not considered to be actually participating in the bombardment (i.e. the Egyptian unit may still participate in conventional combat in that Phase). No advance after combat takes place in the case of successful bombardment. A bombed unit may also be attacked conventionally by other units in the same Combat Phase.
The same Israeli unit may not be subjected to two bombardment attacks in the same Egyptian Combat Phase.
If the Egyptian player has only one target in his Units' Zones of Control, he loses the right to make the second bombardment (i.e., unused bombardments are not accumulated).
Israeli artillery support is an integral part of a conventional attack.
Before rolling the die to resolve the supported combat, the Israeli player announces that he is using artillery support. If there are column shifts to the left (due to terrain advantages for the defender), the artillery shift to the right is netted out against them (e.g., if the Egyptian unit were on the Chinese Farm hex, the shift would be reduced to one column to the left if artillery support were used by the Israeli attacking force).
The Israeli player gets one additional artillery supported attack for each Israeli unit that has crossed the Suez Canal (see 11.0).
If he has additional supported attacks available, he may not use more than one per attack. If the Israeli player does not use all the artillery support available in a given Combat Phase, he does not accumulate unused support for use in a subsequent Combat Phase.
Neither player may use his artillery capability during "night" game turns game turns 1, 4, and 7).
GENERAL RULE: At the end of the seventh game turn, play stops and the winner is determined by whether or not the Israeli player has a bridge unit in hex 0312 with a line communication to hex 1908 and whether or not at least six Israeli units are in the Cross Canal Unit Holding Box (see 11.0). If these conditions are met, the Israeli player wins if not, the Egyptian player wins. Ties are impossible.
A line of communication is defined as a continuous path of clear and or road hexes, uninterrupted by the presence of Enemy units or their Zones of Control.
Note that for the purpose of tracing this line, Friendly units cancel the effect of Enemy Zones of Control in the hexes that they occupy.
Once the bridge unit has been placed on 0312 (Matzmed) the Israeli player loses the game if it moves or is forced to move due to combat.
Enroute to Matzmed, the bridge unit may only enter clear and road hexes.