Syria invaded, but in 2011.

[Cpl Steiner]

I was reading an AAR of a board game called "Labyrinth - The War on Terror" (GMT) and thought immediately of CM:SF when I read the following passage:

"2011: The Syrian War

The Taliban open the new year with an attack on the United Nations, killing the leader of the long UN mission in that country and resulting in a UN pullout. A separate Taliban plot in Kabul goes awry, but another in Pakistan absorbs authorities’ resources. With most US troops at home, global Islamist proselytizing begins to take an anti-violence bent, denting al-Qaeda and Taliban finances.

[“Vieira de Mello Slain” blocks UN; failed Plot removes Afghan cell, Plot in Pakistan Alerted; “Hizb -ut-Tahrir” Funding down to 6 (Moderate).]

All this is but preamble. In the spring, the powerful jihadist organization in Syria finally makes its move on the regime. Asad’s security forces—focused on countering Israel—prove a weak reed against the popular internal uprising. With only moderate losses, the Islamists seize control of the country in a month. Not resting a minute in the onward march of the jihad, fighters immediately begin to infiltrate the Syrian-Iraqi border into the pro-Islamist population of al-Anbar province.

[successful Jihad in Syria, -1 cell to 7, Syria to Islamist Rule Adversary, Islamist Resources to 4 (of 6 needed for win); 3 cells Travel Syria to Iraq]

This time Washington divines that containment is not enough. It quickly assembles Coalition backing and launches a summer invasion of the new Syrian Islamist state, quickly pushing jihadists eastward out of Damascus. While there is little cheering in the Muslim world, shock and revulsion at Asad’s weakness keeps protest mild this time. A provisional government of appointed anti-Asad Syrians proves itself popular and surprisingly competent. To show that the Central Asian “terror states” are not to be left off the hook, US special forces based in Afghanistan raid northward.

[Regime Change Deploy 6 troops from Track to Syria, US to War, Syria tests Fair Ally, Islamist Resources back to 2 (for Central Asia), Prestige -1 to 4 (still Medium); “Special Forces” removes cell in Central Asia.]

Jihadist efforts to strike at US troops in Syria and the new government there are largely self-defeating; terrorist plotting inside Iraq adds up to little that Saddam’s security services can’t handle. Iran meanwhile uses agents within Pakistan to strike jihadist interests there. The jihad’s only success for the remainder of the year is the recruiting of new cadres in its Central Asian bastion and formation—aided by jihadist use of the Internet—of a new cell in Lebanon. While stabilization work in Syria remains, the US feels confident enough in the Fall to draw down its troop strength there by a small percentage.

[5 Plot ops in Syria with only 1 success (Alerted) eliminates the 4 cells remaining there; 6 Plot ops in Iraq also yield only 1 success, but the Alert to stop it triggers “Jihadist Videos” that places a cell each in Central Asia an Lebanon; “Iran” removes a cell from Pakistan (despite “FATA”).]"

N.B. - In the alternate timeline of this particular AAR, Iraq was never invaded in 2003.

All above from links on this page:

Labyrinth on GMT

See also BGG page:

Labyrinth on BGG

I might pick up this game as a Christmas treat to myself!

P.S. - I know advertising of "competitor" games is against forum rules but I thought I might get away with this one as a) it's a Strategic Board Game, not a Tactical Computer Game, and this particular AAR has some relevance to CM:SF in terms of the invasion of Syria. If not, then apologies and please remove.

[Sequoia]

If Labyrinth is any where as good as Twilight Struggle, a Cold War game that it reminds me of, then it's worth checking out.

[Erwin]

Me too. GMT is about the best cardboard game co out there, and their TWILIGHT game system on which Labyrinth seems to be based won best game of 2008/9(?)

[vincere]

If Labyrinth is any where as good as Twilight Struggle, a Cold War game that it reminds me of, then it's worth checking out.

I've lost count of how many times I've looked at Twighlight but not bought it. Interesting to hear praise for it here.

[Erwin]

I own the Twilight game, but like so many other cardboard games it's sitting around here unplayed.

The reason I bought it is that it won several awards when it came out and www.boardgamegeek.com also rates it highly.

When you consider that Labyrinth is probably the only serious global terrorism/insurgency game out there, I think it's a must buy for anyone interested in the topic.