Persian Gulf: Battle for the Middle East

About this board game

Persian Gulf: Battle for the Middle East is a two-player game of modern warfare, diplomacy, and escalating conflict, with an approximately 300-minute play time. Released in 1986, it uses the rules of the Third World War series to portray operations across the deserts and mountains of the Middle East.

A special “game within a game” focuses on the political, diplomatic, and military maneuvers of the United States and Soviet Union before—and leading to—the general outbreak of the Third World War. Both superpowers seek control of Iranian factions and influence across other Middle Eastern nations. As committed factions begin fighting, each side can decide whether to send troops in support.

• The United States can deploy its Rapid Deployment Force and call on B-52 strikes.
• The Soviet Union can use forces from its southern borders and Afghanistan.
• Every move toward intervention escalates the confrontation, potentially bringing the superpowers into direct conflict.
• Victory conditions account for the oil resources of the Persian Gulf.

Four maps cover the region in detail, centered on Iran and Iraq and extending into parts of Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the USSR, Saudi Arabia, and Afghanistan. Mountains, sand, and wilderness rules reflect the scarcity of roads and its impact on military operations.

Regional forces vary widely, from poorly equipped Iranian Revolutionary Guards and the Soviet-controlled Afghan Army to capable Turkish forces and elite Israeli and Jordanian intervention contingents. Persian Gulf also portrays Arab and Arab-Israeli rivalries, while optional rules allow it to be combined with the other three games in the Third World War series.