Bomb Iran From The Comfort of Your Living Room

With the advent of videogames, the iPad and other electronic devices, it’s refreshing – even comforting - to know that some people still enjoy variation roll of the dice over the click of a mouse. But unlike the standard board games that are sitting on the top shelf of your closet collecting dust, Persian Incursion is a lot more current. The goal of the game is to control the Israeli Air Force and destroy Iran’s nuclear weapons program.

Persian Incursion, a game co-designed by Larry Bond, is a cross between Risk and a Tom Clancy novel. This comparison is by no accident as Bond was the co-author of Clancy’s Red Storm Rising and was instrumental in the plot development for The Hunt for Red October. Bond knows his stuff, and it shows.

But unlike Risk, or other dice board games like Dungeons & Dragons, Persian Incursion is based on reality, and comes with an incredible amount of content and material, so much so that most players outside of serious armchair generals may find themselves overwhelmed.

The game comes with a comprehensive package, including a target folder which includes information on Iran’s nuclear facilities (including exact measurements), oil terminals and refineries, and airfields. There is a full reference library about Israeli and Iranian military assets including aircraft, ballistic missiles and defenses.

The strategy of Persian Incursion is two-fold, and is actually where the game demonstrates its true knowledge. While bombing the Iranian facilities is one of the tasks, victory comes by winning the political game.

Not unlike the television show Survivor, players need to influence allies or enemies, and help shape domestic opinion in order to win. Players get to choose one of several different starting scenarios, such as Turkey allowing Israel access to its airspace, or a region that refuses to work with Israel altogether, publically and privately. Much like real life, the player that wins the public relations war usually wins the game.

This game obviously isn’t for everyone. It’s pretty intense and time-consuming. But for those interested, it can provide a real lesson on the Israel-Iran conflict and the military and political ramifications of such a strike, all from the comfort of your own living room.