The Valley of Tears 7Tthh Brigade Stands Defiant

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Designed and developed by Mark H. Walker art by Nicolas Eskubi

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The Valley of Tears… 7th Brigade Stands Defiant

The Valley of Tears: 7th Brigade Stands Defiant

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The map covers apptrhoximately four-kilometer section of the Golan Heights between TTehle H Vearlmleyo noift T aenadrs :B 7oo sBtreigra. dTeh Set acnodusn Dtefrisa nrte present infantry platoons (40-60 men),

Sagger Teams, and vehicle platoons (2-5 vehicles). Each turn represents fifteen minutes to one hour. The Valley of Tears…

7th Brigade Stands Defiant At first glance it appears the Israelis have almost a numerical parity with Dice the Syrians. Such is not the case. The A six-sided die (1d6) —not supplied with Israeli counters represent seriously the download— determines the results of Thdee Vpalellteeyd opfl aTteoaornss: 7—tmh Bosritg waditeh S ntaon mdsor Dee fiant fire combat, Close Assaults, and other than two tanks or 20 men. game functions.

The Valley of Tears: 7th Brigade Stands Defiant

Stacking Up to two counters may stack in a hex. Stacking limitations apply at all times. Fired, Disrupted, and Wreck markers, helicopters, leaders, AVLB units in the anti-tank ditch, and Sagger units do not count against stacking.

seen below). Armor is considered a Unit Types hard target. Foot: Includes the troops who primarily walked to battle and Unit Color fought with rifles, sub- Israeli units are blue. machineguns, and Syrian units are tan. light machineguns. Includes Israeli and Syrian infantry and Syrian Sagger teams, and are represented by a NATO symbol on Setting up the Game their counter. Infantry and Sagger Israeli units set up first as follows: teams are considered soft targets. • 13 Centurions, 2 Leaders: On or Mechanized infantry, which are within one hex of hex row 2900. depicted by a picture of a BMP-1 IFV, • 2 Infantry: In hex 2101. are NOT considered foot soldiers for • 3 Infantry, 1 M3 Mortar: game purposes. Anywhere on, or west of, hex row 2900. Helicopters: These Additional Israeli units enter as are the Syrian Hip indicated under Refit and on the transport helicopters. Israeli Reinforcement table. They do not count against stacking Syrian units enter on the east edge of limitations, but must the map as directed by the Syrian be attacked separately from the other Reinforcement table. units in the hex. Helicopters are Set up both Israeli and Syrian units on considered soft targets. their full-strength side. This is the side with larger (higher) firepower factors. Leaders: Notable individuals who Outline of Play influenced the fighting. Leaders DO Rally Phase Both sides may attempt to rally disrupted NOT count against units by rolling 1d6 for each unit and stacking limitations. If comparing it to the unit’s morale. All the units the leader is Israeli units’ morale is 4. Syrian infantry stacked with are destroyed roll 1d6. and Sagger units (not BMP-1) have a morale On a roll of 1-2 the leader survives of 4. All other Syrian units’ morale is 3. and is placed on the nearest friendly unit at the beginning of the next turn. If a friendly leader is in the hex roll two On a roll 4-6 the leader is eliminated 1d6 and choose the better result. Leaders and permanently removed from the are NOT, however, necessary to rally units. board. Reinforcement Phase Armor: Tanks, ZSU anti-aircraft • Israeli player rolls for vehicles, M3 mortar tracks, and the reinforcements (consult the Set-up BMP-1 are armor and designated by a and Reinforcement Table). picture of a tank on the counter (as 3

• Israeli players rolls for air support, Movement and places Combat Air Patrol (CAP). • Syrian player rolls for A unit’s movement factor (MF) is an reinforcements (consult the Set-up abstraction of the unit’s speed. In each and Reinforcement Table). turn units may move up to, but not • Syrian player rolls for air support. exceed, their movement factor. Foot units have a movement factor of 3 and Syrian Movement Phase armor platoons (including mechanized infantry) have a movement factor of 6. • Move units: The Syrian player may move all of his non-disrupted units. In the Israeli movement phase the • Opportunity Fire: The Israeli player may opportunity fire at moving Syrian Israeli player may move all, some, or units. none of his non-disrupted units. The Israeli player may move units marked Israeli Movement Phase with a Fired marker. The Syrian may move his units during his movement Refit: Israeli rolls once for each Israeli • phase. Units that begin the movement wreck marker. On a roll of 1-3 a phase stacked together may move reduced platoon (selected randomly together and split off units at any from the destroyed platoons) enters on the west edge of the map during the time. But units that begin the current movement phase. Remove the Movement Phase together, and move wreck marker regardless of the die roll to the same hex, must move together. result. Units that enter from off map • Place Mines: Israeli player may together, and move to the same hex, place mines. must also stay together. • Move units: The Israeli player may move all of his non-disrupted units. Units are moved to adjacent hexes, paying the movement factor cost to Israeli Combat Phase enter the hex or cross the hex side as shown on the Terrain Effects Chart • Combat: Non-disrupted Israeli units, (TEC). Units may not enter an enemy not marked with a Fired marker, may fire on Syrian units. occupied hex (a hex with enemy units in it). • Israeli air support conducts attacks. Fire Combat Syrian Combat Phase Fire combat occurs in both the Fire and Movement Phase. In their respective • Combat: Non-disrupted Syrian units may fire on Israeli units. Syrian units may not opportunity fire. • Syrian air support conducts This represents their semi-poor attacks. leadership and overall lack of initiative. Close Assault Phase Fire Phase all non-disrupted units not Non-disrupted adjacent units may conduct Close Assault. Israeli player designates and marked with a Fire marker, with a Line conducts all his attacks first, and then the of Sight (LOS) to an enemy unit, and Syrian player. within range of the unit, may attack it (as excepted by rules below). In the Shop Keeping Phase Movement Phase, Syrian units that move within the LOS and range of Marker Removal: Remove all fired • non-fired, non-disrupted Israeli enemy markers and planes. units may be fired on by the Israeli unit, this is called Opportunity Fire, 4 and is covered in detail in the section Result Table (FRT), modify the column on Opportunity Fire. as dictated by the Terrain Effect Chart (TEC), and roll 1d6. The possible Units may only attack once per turn, results for both types of attacks are: but an enemy unit may be attacked as many times as the attacker wishes Disrupted: One unit (with different units). Israeli units that (defender’s choice) in are stacked together may combine the target hex is their firepower. Syrian units may only disrupted. Place a combine firepower if they are stacked disrupted marker on in the same hex as a leader. the unit. All units in the hex must be disrupted before a You may always fire at adjacent units, unit may receive a second disruption. but may fire not at enemy units if a A disrupted unit that it receives crest hex side, which is not adjacent to another Disrupted result (not a either the attacker or the defender, disruption as the result of a step loss) lies between the attacker and target loses a step instead. Disrupted units hex. Nor may you fire on an enemy may not move, fire, or initiate a Close unit if two or more Lava Bed hexes are Assault (although they may defend). between the attacker’s hex and target’s hex. Determine if a hex blocks Disrupted helicopters immediately fire by stretching a thread from the hover and unload passengers. Mark center of the attacker’s hex to the the passengers with a Disrupted center of the defender’s hex. If the Marker. After the passengers have thread passes through blocking hex or unloaded, remove the helicopter from hexes the fire is blocked. If the thread play. passes exactly down the side of a blocking hex, such as a lava bed hex, Loss (1, 2, 3): ALL units in the hex the fire is not blocked. are disrupted. If previously disrupted this disruption doesn’t affect them Units are never required to fire. Mark (this is an exception to units that fire with a Fired marker. the effects of a second disruption as stated in To resolve combat the attacker must the first paragraph first designate whether he wishes to under disruption). attack the hard (Armor) or soft Additionally, the (Infantry) targets in the hex defending units lose (Exception —off board artillery and the total amount of steps (defender’s mortars firing separate of other units). choice). A unit is flipped to indicate the You may not fire on both in the same first step lost, and removed when it attack. To attack the soft targets add loses another step. Removed Israeli the high explosive firepower of the Centurion and Sherman platoons are attacking units, consult the replaced with a Wreck Marker. All units appropriate column on the Fire Result must lose one step before any unit Table (FRT), modify the column as loses two. dictated by the Terrain Effect Chart (TEC), and roll 1d6. NE: No effect. Nothing happens. Really. To attack the hard targets add the armor piercing firepower of the Opportunity Fire attacking units, subtract the highest Opportunity Fire is a form of fire armor rating in the target hex, consult combat that occurs in the Syrian the appropriate column on the Fire Movement Phase. Only Israeli units 5 may initiate Opportunity Fire. If an map), they are eliminated instead. The enemy unit moves within the line of attacking units may occupy the hex. sight and range of an unfired and undisrupted unit or stack of Israeli DElim: All defending units are units, those units may attack the eliminated. The attacking units may moving units after it enters a new hex occupy the hex. by following the rules for fire combat stated above. The moving unit/s may AR: All attacking units are disrupted, only be attacked once per hex that it lose one step and retreat one hex. enters. Units receiving a disrupted or Attacking units may not retreat loss result must stop moving. Mark adjacent to an undisrupted enemy units that Opportunity Fire with a Fired unit. If forced to do so, they are marker. If firing on a hex that contains eliminated instead. If attacking units both moving and non-moving targets, may not retreat do to terrain the fire affects only the moving restrictions, they are eliminated targets. instead.

Close Assault AElim: All attacking units are Unfired and undisrupted units may eliminated. close assault adjacent units in the Close Assault Phase. It is NOT NE: No effect. Nothing happens. We’re mandatory to attack adjacent units. All not kidding. adjacent units may attack the target unit. Add the close assault firepower of all attacking units and compare the Special Units and attacking total to the close assault Capabilities firepower of the units in the target Helicopters: Helicopters are soft hex. Express the result as an odds targets. Helicopters have two ratio —attacking combat factors versus modes: Flying and hovering. Their defending combat factors. For default mode is flying example, 8 attacking combat factors (they enter the board versus 4 defending factors would be 2- in flying mode); 1 odds. Fractions are dropped. So, 10 when hovering mark attacking combat factors versus 4 them with a Hovering defending combat factors would still be marker. 2-1 odds, but 12 attacking factors Helicopters may versus 4 defending is 3-1 odds. This change mode once per turn, during odds ratio corresponds to a column on the Syrian Movement Phase. Flying the Close Assault Table (CAT). Modify helicopters may not attack enemy the column as per the TEC. Roll 1d6 units, nor may they unload and consult the CRT. The possible passengers. They may move freely. results are: They have an infinite movement factor. Hovering helicopters may DR: All defending units are disrupted, unload their passengers and fire their and retreat one hex. If the unit/units weapons, but may not move. were already disrupted, they lose a Transport helicopters enter play with step and retreat. Defending units may passengers onboard (beneath the not retreat adjacent to an undisrupted helicopter), but may not pick up enemy unit. If forced to do so, they passengers once in play. Each are eliminated instead. If defending transport helicopter counter may carry units may not retreat do to terrain two infantry units and a Sagger unit. restrictions (for example, edge of the To unload, the helicopter hovers and 6 the units are placed in the hex. The Off board artillery does not need to units may not move on the turn they be used in concert with high explosive unload, but they may Close Assault. attacks from your ground units. You Units may only unload in clear terrain may use them separately as or hills. After they unload their bombardment factors. When employed passengers, remove helicopters from as bombardment factors, off board play. Syrian transport pilots didn’t artillery may attack armored units. hang around the battlefield. Resolve the attack as a high explosive attack (do not subtract the armored Helicopters in hover mode attack as unit’s armor factor from the attack), per the Fire Combat rules. Flying but consider all “Loss” results to be helicopters may not attack. Units Disrupted instead. For example, if 12 attacking helicopters halve their range, off board factors attack two platoons dropping fractions. For example, a unit of Centurions, and draw or roll a “1”. with a range of 5 would have a range The Centurions are Disrupted. of 2 when attacking a helicopter. Disrupted results on previously disrupted units cause step losses. AVLB: AVLBs were When attacking in such a manner the the mechanized off board may attack both hard and bridges that the soft targets in the soft hex. The soft Syrians used to targets are affected as indicated on breach the anti-tank the FRT. For example, the Syrian ditch. If at the player calls a 16 Firepower beginning of the bombardment attack on an M51 Heavy Syrian Movement Phase an AVLB and an Infantry Platoon in an open occupies an anti-tank ditch hex, Syrian hex. The Syrian player rolls a 2. The units may move through the hex by result on the FRT is “Loss 1.” All units paying 2 movement points. in the target hex are disrupted and the After an AVLB enters an antitank ditch infantry unit loses one step. it may not move for the remainder of the game. It costs an AVLB 1 Air Support movement point to enter the anti-tank For the first days of ditch. the Yom Kippur War the Syrians held a AVLBs have two armor factors. If an semblance of air parity AVLB begins a game turn in the anti- over the battlefield, tank ditch, its armor factor is 40, and Israeli Skyhawks otherwise the AVLB’s armor factor is 4. and Syrian Migs both This represents the difficulty the pounded the forces below. To simulate Israelis had in destroying placed this, each player rolls 1d6 (Israeli first) bridges. during the reinforcement phase and consults the Air Support Table to Off board Artillery Support: Syrian determine their air support for the artillery fire was effective during the turn. Air support may be employed as battle for the Golan Heights. In fact, follows. most of the Israeli casualties were the result of Syrian artillery fire. To Combat Air Patrol: The Israeli player simulate this, the Syrians receive two may use one aircraft to provide a 16 firepower packets of artillery each Combat Air Patrol over the battlefield turn. These “16-firepower packets” (Syrians cannot conduct CAP may be used together or separately. missions). To do so, place the Skyhawk on the map during the 7 reinforcement phase. Any Syrian air effective, but the ammo was limited. support attack within five hexes of the The BMP-1’s other weapon —a low CAP Skyhawk adds 2 to its 1d6 attack velocity 73mm cannon was ineffective abort roll (see below). Any helicopter against the Israeli Centurions. The that flies within five hexes of the following rule represents this Israeli CAP must roll 1d6. On a roll 3-6 dichotomy in weaponry. the helicopter is destroyed and all passengers eliminated. Subtract one Whenever a BMP-1 or Sagger unit from the die roll for each Hip already attacks with its armor piercing destroyed on the current turn. firepower, an odd (meaning the opposite of even) roll The Syrian player may attempt to on the FRT results in destroy the Israeli CAP Skyhawk by NE. This represents placing one or more of his Mig-23s in the unit being the Skyhawk’s hex. After doing so the temporarily out of Syrian player rolls 1d6, if the result is Sagger ammunition. 6 the Israeli CAP is removed. On any Either unit may still other result the CAP remains and the attack normally in future turns, and — Syrian plane/s is/are removed. Add with luck, will have a new supply of one to the die roll if two Syrian planes Saggers. are attacking the CAP. Mines: Ten mine Close Air Support: markers are included Either player may with the game. Flip conduct Close Air the mine markers at Support (CAS) the beginning of play missions by attacking so their firepower (the ground troops. Each numbered side) is face down. plane represents 24 firepower factors, which attack on the FRT. Note that the At the beginning of the first Israeli player may choose whether to employ Movement Phase in each turn, the the firepower factors as either high Israeli may place any remaining mine explosive or armor piercing. After markers (only one per hex) deciding which factors to be employed, ANYWHERE (including a Syrian designate the hex to be attacked (each occupied hex) —except a anti-tank plane may attack one hex) and roll ditch hex containing an AVLB— on 1d6. If the result is 6 or more the the board. The mine marker remains attack aborts. The Israeli must add 1 face down until it is placed. After to the die roll for each non-disrupted placing the marker flip it firepower ZSU within range of the hex to be side up. This firepower immediately attacked (4 hexes). Add two to the die attacks any Syrian unit that enters the if the attacker is a Syrian and there is hex. If a Syrian unit is already in the an Israeli CAP within 5 hexes of the hex the mine immediately conducts hex to be attacked. and attack. There are no modifications to this attack, the mine firepower is BMP-1 and Sagger used as the FRT column and results Units: Both the BMP- are applied accordingly. 1 Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) and After the mine attacks the Israeli rolls Sagger teams could 1d6. On a roll of 1-4 the mine is fire the deadly Sagger removed —this represents minefield Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) off a depletion and sweeping by the turret launcher. The missile was very Syrians. If the die roll is 1-2 the mine 8 remains in place. Roll for removal after factor from the attack), but consider each time the mine attacks new units all “Loss” results to be Disrupted entering the hex. instead. Mortars may not opportunity fire. Leaders: Israeli leadership was THE Winning key ingredient in the To win the Syrians must exit 9 armor battle. To simulate units, of which at least five must be this, the Israelis have tanks (T-55, T-62) off the west edge three leaders. The of the map. The game lasts 10 turns. Syrians have two. Capturing the fort on Tel Hermonit (hex 2101), is the equivalent of exiting An Israeli leader shifts an attack by three armored units. any units he is stacked with one column to the right. A Syrian leader Optional Night Rule allows the units in the leader’s hex to Valley of Tears is a balanced, combine firepower (the Israelis do this intriguing game for both sides, but for as a matter of course). those Israeli players wishing a more

challenging game we offer the Leaders do not count against stacking. following optional rule. Leaders have no movement factors per se. They may freely move from any Night Turns: The first two turns are stack to another stack. Whenever the night turns. During night turns all player chooses to move a leader to a Israeli units’ range is halved and none new stack, he rolls 1d6. On a roll of 1- may attack at extended range. For 2 the leader is killed in transit. On a example during a night turn, an Israeli roll of 4-6 the leader is placed in the Centurion platoon has a range of 4 new stack. Add 1 to the roll if the (half of 8) and MAY NOT attack at destination stack is adjacent to the extended range (any range greater stack the leader is departing. than 4).

If all the units in a leader’s hex are Syrian unit’s range remains the same eliminated, roll 1d6. On a roll of 1-4 but they MAY NOT attack at extended the leader is also eliminated. On a roll range. Hence a T-55 keeps its range of of 5-6 place the leader on the nearest 5, but may not attack at greater than Israeli stack. 5 hexes.

Mortars: Mortars may The Syrian Hip helicopters, and the fire on any unit within infantry they are transporting, may their range as long as NOT enter on a night turn. If using this they or any other optional rule do not roll for their entry Israeli unit has a LOS until turn 3. to the target.

Mortars do not need to be used in Need more Fired markers? You may concert with high explosive attacks remove Fired markers from Israeli from your ground units. You may use units after their Combat Phase. them separately as bombardment factors. When employed as bombardment factors, mortars may attack armored units. Resolve the attack as a high explosive attack (do not subtract the armored unit’s armor 9

Syrian Reinforcement Table Turn Units Entry 1 20 T-55, 3 BMP, 2 ZSU, Leader East Map Edge 2-10 Roll 1d6, and if result is even the 3 Hip, 6 Syrian Infantry, 2 Sagger East Map Edge following units enter. 2 10 T-55, 1 ZSU, 3 AVLB, 1 Sagger East Map Edge 3 10 T-62, 1 ZSU, 7 BMP-1, 1 AVLB East Map Edge 4 10 T-62, 1 ZSU, 2 AVLB, Leader East Map Edge

Israeli Reinforcement Table Die Roll Units Entry 1 2 M51 West Map Edge 2 3 Centurions West Map Edge 3 3 M51 West Map Edge 4 3 Centurions West Map Edge 5 1 Centurion, 1 Leader, 1 M-3 West Map Edge Mortar

At the beginning of each reinforcement phase the Israeli player rolls 1d6. If the die roll is equal to or less than the turn number, the Israeli player receives the units indicated above. If the indicated units have already entered, the Israeli player receives the units indicated by the next higher number. You may only receive a set (for example #3) of reinforcement once.

Air Support Table Die Roll # Israeli Planes Die Roll # Syrian Planes 1-2 2 1 2 3-5 1 2-3 1 6 0 4-6 0

Roll 1d6. Each player rolls for their own planes. The player adds 1 to her die roll if she received air support the previous turn. 10

Fire Results Table Firepower 3 6 12 16 24 36 48 Action Chit 1 Disrupted Disrupted Loss 1 Loss 2 Loss 2 Loss 3 Loss 3 2 NE Disrupted Disrupted Loss 1 Loss 1 Loss 2 Loss 3 3 NE NE Disrupted Disrupted Disrupted Loss 1 Loss 2 4 NE NE NE Disrupted Disrupted Disrupted Loss 1 5 NE NE NE NE Disrupted Disrupted Disrupted 6 NE NE NE NE NE NE NE

 Combat factors greater than 48 use the 48 column.  If, due to terrain or armor modification, the Firepower Factors column would be shifted left of the “3” column you may not attack. Less than 3 Firepower Factors may not attack, unless firing ramp, leadership, or adjacency adjustments would move the FRT column to “3” or more.  Units may attack at up to twice their printed range, but halve their firepower factors when doing so. For example a unit with a printed range of 4 may attack a target 8 hexes away, but would halve its firepower when doing so.  Shift the final column one right (i.e. shift “6” to “12”) if ANY of the attacking units are adjacent to the defending units.  Shift the final column one right for any Opportunity Fire attacks, except when firing on helicopters.  Shift the final column one right if the attacker is an Israeli unit firing from a ramp.  Column shifts per the TEC. All column shifts are cumulative.

Close Assault Table Action 1-2 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 6-1 Chit 1 DR DR DR DElim DElim DElim DElim 2 AR AR DR DR DElim DElim DElim 3 AElim AElim AR DR DR DR DElim 4 AElim NE AR AR DR DR DR 5 NE NE NE NE AR NE DR 6 NE NE NE NE NE NE NE

 Attacks at less than 1-2 are not allowed.  Attacks at greater than 6-1 resolve on the 6-1 column.  If attackers include infantry and defenders are armor without any infantry, shift the column right one.  Shift the column right two (1-1 becomes 3-1) if ANY of the defenders are disrupted.  Column shifts per the TEC. Column shifts are cumulative.

Terrain Effects Chart Terrain/Example Movement Cost Column Shift to Left (FRT and CAT)

Lava Beds/1504 3 1 Road/1713 1 Regardless of other terrain in hex when entered from None another road hex, otherwise cost of terrain in hex. Hill/2510 1 None

Open/1110 1 None Firing Ramp/2209 +1 to enter from a non-ramp hex 1 RIGHT when attacking, 1 LEFT when defending Crest Hex Side/1715-1716 hex side Only foot-type units may cross. +1 to do so. 1 if attacked across crest by any attackers Anti-Tank Ditch/3202 Prohibited for Armor. Exception —AVLB costs 1 MP to 1 for foot, none for enter. Costs foot units 3 MP to enter. others Fort/2101 1 2