Bar-Lev: The Yom-Kippur War of 1973

About this board game

Bar-Lev: The Yom-Kippur War of 1973 is a detailed two-player-to-five-player simulation of modern air and mechanized combat, with games lasting about 360 minutes. Set in the opening hours of October 6, 1973, it recreates the Egyptian and Syrian attack against Israel and the intense armored warfare that followed.

Across two highly detailed map boards, players command battalions of tanks, mechanized infantry, artillery, and supporting forces. Israeli units include Centurions, M60s, M48s, Super-Shermans, and a range of artillery, while Egyptian and Syrian forces bring T-62 tanks, BTR personnel carriers, Saggar anti-tank missiles, and mobile or fixed SAM sites.

The Air Module adds a substantial aerial dimension, with individual counters representing Mirage IIIs, Skyhawks, Phantoms, MiG-19s, MiG-21s, MiG-23s, SU-7s, and SU-11s. Huey and Chinook helicopters are also represented, alongside the air forces’ ground-support and anti-aircraft capabilities.

• Two detailed map boards
• Ground Module and Air Module rulebooks
• 450 counters, including individually represented aircraft and helicopters
• Daily turns with play possible with or without a cease-fire
• An open-ended format supporting a wide range of “what-if” situations

With more than 150 military counters for each major participant, Bar-Lev offers a broad representation of the forces involved. The 1974 release inspired Frank Chadwick’s 1977 game and, in turn, Chris Fawcett’s 2019 version, while presenting its own expansive treatment of the Yom Kippur War.