- BGG rating
- 6.2
Rules assistance for Middle East Combat
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 360 min
- 12+
- Complexity 3.0/5
Rules assistant for Middle East Combat
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Middle East Combat is an expansion for Axis & Allies released in 1993 for 2–5 players, 360 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Erik James Olsrud and its main mechanics are Area Movement.
About the game
From the insert: "Middle East Combat is a titanic battle between Iraq, the USSR, Iran, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia for control of oil resources and key neutral nations, played with basic Axis & Allies rules." Contents: 23"x30" bright full color folded map showing region names, oil areas, factories, and capitals(Heavy stock paper) 5 unit placement cards Ten page rulebook which covers additional rules for - neutral nation armies - civil insurrections - modern weapon technologies - USSR special rules - game balance adjustments - short game scenarios - map clarifications - 10 questions and answers from the game The Red Pact of USSR and Iraq form one side in this war and the Triad Nations of Iran, Turkey, and Saudi-Egypt form the other side. Victory Conditions, 1) Hold ten oil areas at the end of a full turn, 2) Hold all enemy capitals, or 3) Hold a total of three neutral or enemy capitals. Another use for your Axis & Allies game pieces.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Magic & Tactics Unlimited
Questions and answers
Middle East Combat supports 2–5 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Middle East Combat 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 Middle East Combat for ages 12 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.
Middle East Combat has a complexity rating of 3.0 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.
Middle East Combat belongs to these categories: Economic, Wargame, and Modern Warfare. Its main mechanics are Area Movement. 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 Middle East Combat are: Erik James Olsrud. 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 Middle East Combat as an expansion for Axis & Allies. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Axis & Allies to use it. Check that your edition of Axis & Allies is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.