
- BGG rank
- BGG #10,673
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Boots & Saddles: Air Cavalry in the 80's
- 2 players
- 240–720 min
- Complexity 3.5/5
- 1984

1977
Rules assistance for Bar-Lev: The 1973 Arab-Israeli War
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Bar-Lev: The 1973 Arab-Israeli War is a board game released in 1977 for 2 players, 360 minutes per game, and ages 16 and up. It was designed by Frank Chadwick and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Hexagon Grid.
"Bar-Lev: The 1973 Arab-Israeli War" is an Operational level board wargame of the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, referred to by the Israelis as the War of Atonement or the Yom Kippur War, and by the Arabs as the War of Ramadan. Players will represent the Israeli and Arab high commands and maneuver their units and conduct combat in an attempt to attain the objectives of their respective nations. Because of the two front nature of the war, Bar Lev is uniquely suited to a multi-player game, with one player commanding the Israelis, one the Egyptians, and one the Syrians. Additional players can also be added to allow one commander for each front for the Israelis, air force commanders, or commanders for the various Arab allies. The ground game can be played without the air game, but it is recommended that the air game be incorporated into play as soon as the players are familiar with the ground rules, after two or three games, for instance. (from rulebook introduction) Scale: Operational, Battalion-Regiment, 1 Day per turn, 3-6 Km/hex Turn Sequence: 1. Recon units move, 2. Artillery phase, 3. Movement phase, 4. Enemy recon units move, 5. Direct Fire phase, 6. Enemy units regroup Components: Rulebook (10 pages of densely written rules with 3 pages of optional Air rules) Two 18 x 24 inch maps 528 Counters (with a 3rd combat factor for defense not in the first edition) 9 Charts: Israeli Armed Forces, Israeli Mobilization/Refit, Egyptian Armed Forces, Syrian Armed Forces, Ground CRT/Unit Identification, Air CRT/Unit Identification, Terrain Effects, Egyptian Operational Points, Syrian Operational Points This game, though based on the 1974 design by John Hill, is a completely new one, with a different designer (Frank Chadwick).
Bar-Lev: The 1973 Arab-Israeli War supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Bar-Lev: The 1973 Arab-Israeli War is 360 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Bar-Lev: The 1973 Arab-Israeli War for ages 16 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Bar-Lev: The 1973 Arab-Israeli War has a complexity rating of 3.5 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Bar-Lev: The 1973 Arab-Israeli War belongs to these categories: Wargame and Modern Warfare. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Hexagon Grid. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Bar-Lev: The 1973 Arab-Israeli War are: Frank Chadwick. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Bar-Lev: The 1973 Arab-Israeli War as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.