This review first appeared in IPW, the newsletter for all discount games
club members. Contact colin@allusedgames.demon.co.uk for details.

Operation Shock Troop 

Issue game S&T 168 (Decision Games)

On 6th October 1973, Syria launched a massive offensive against Israeli
positions in the Golan Heights. Despite catching Israel completely by
surprise and dramatic initial success, the offensive soon ground to a
halt. It was not long before Israel's forces had regrouped and stood
poised to launch their counterattack - Operation Shock Troop. This
campaign is thc subject of this game.

Both sides armed forces were different in terms of capabilities and
doctrine and this is reflected in each players sequence of play. Both
player turns lead with an air attack phase, during which enemy units may
be forced to take step losses or withdraw. After this phase, the turns
differ.

The Arab player next has an artillery barrage phase. His artillery units
are very powerful but subject to spotting and, for the Syrian arabs,
simple command control type rules. This can limit thcir effectiveness.
Further, if they fire during a game turn, they may not move. The speed
at which this battle goes, these slow moving units risk being destroyed
by advancing Israelis.

The Arab player turn then follows normal wargaming convention, with
movement and combat. It is worth noting that each side uses its own CRT
and they have differing modifiers. Arab assaults are modified in their
favour for the presence of tank hunter units. The Israeli CRT awards
combined arms and T.O.W. artillery, whilst both sides are awarded for
the use of certain elite formations. Units are designated both armour
and leg strengths and use the one appropriale to the type of unit
defending. If both an armour and infantry type defend the same hex, then
a single combat may comprise of two rounds, armoured and non-armoured.
The Israeli CRT has more retreat type results, the Arab, step losses.

As mentioned earlier, the Israeli players sequence of play differs to
the Arab. He does not have an artillery barrage phase as his self
propelled artillery give direct support to a combat. Israeli movement
and combat are combined in a single phase. A stack or stacks will move
and have combat, after which, units that have not yet moved can exploit
any gaps in the enemy line.

This continues till all Israeli units have moved. The result is that the
Israeli units make rapid, rapier-like thrusts, whilst the Arabs are less
flexible, but hit hard when able to counterattack.

Supply rules in the game favour the Arabs, who have longer supply paths.
Morale rules favour the Israelis and the disparity grows greater as the
loss of key locations makes Syrian morale fall. This is important as the
lower a units morale drops, the further it retreats through combat. The
various Arab nations that send reinforcements to aid Syria are not,
however, affected by this rule.

In my humble opinion, it has been a long time since a decent game
appeared in S&T. I am not a fan of their 'series' games and most of the
others have been little or no fun. Bu this game is absolutely superb.
Excellent for solo play, but perhaps a little too much for beginners.

Even if you are not a fan of Middle East games in principle, you will
find that the sheer elegance of the game system will make you forget the
fact, or at least suspend judgement for as long as it takes to play the
game.

However, I have to say that any fan of mechanised warfare simply must
buy this game. It is, after all, one of those rare occurrences in
wargaming, a step forward in game design. As such, it deserves a place
on your shelf alongside the other classics

Alan Sharif