Jerusalem! Tactical Game of the 1948 War

About this board game

Jerusalem! Tactical Game of the 1948 War is a two-player tactical board game about the 1948 conflict in which Israel established itself as a nation, with an approximate playing time of 180 minutes.

The central struggle is the fight to keep open—or bypass—the only source of food for Jerusalem. The Jewish forces must face a desperate battle for access to the city, while the Israeli player has the option of building the now-famous new road.

Rather than simply moving units, players conduct operations. This creates a distinctive flow of play intended to reflect the disjointed and desperate nature of the battle to keep the road to the Holy City open. The game presents an amazingly accurate and exciting simulation of the nearly aborted birth of the Israeli nation.

• Two-player tactical gameplay centered on the road to Jerusalem
• Operations-focused play instead of movement alone
• Units representing the invading armies and Arab guerrillas
• Jewish forces including the Palmach, Haganah, Irgun, and Stern Gangs
• El Katub, the mad bomber
• The option for the Israeli player to build a new road

Jerusalem includes forces from across the conflict, from invading armies and Arab guerrillas to the Jewish organizations defending the route. This range of units supports a focused portrayal of the struggle surrounding the city and its vital supply road.

First published in 1975 by Simulations Design Corporation, the game received a second edition from Mayfair Games in 1982. A third edition, published by Cool Stuff Unlimited in 2007, includes a new Latrun Road scenario. Jerusalem offers a detailed historical contest built around operations, supply access, and the fight for a route to the Holy City.