showdown: 
the coming indo-pakistani war

EXCLUSIVE RULES
10.0 INTRODUCTION
	10.1 First Player

11.0 REINFORCEMENTS
	
12.0 SURFACE TO AIR MISSILES 
		(SAMs)
	12.1 Firing a SAM unit 

13.0 NUCLEAR ARSENAL	
	13.1 Triggering Nuclear War
	13.2 Using Nuclear Weapons
	13.3 Nuclear Weapon Effects
	
14.0 CEASE FIRE HEXES
	
15.0 BRIDGE DEMOLITION
	15.1 Demolished Bridges
	15.2 Bridge Repair

16.0 RIVER CROSSING

17.0 MOUNTAIN UNITS

18.0 VICTORY CONDITIONS

19.0 SCENARIOS
	19.1 International Pressure

20.0 GAME NOTES
10.0 INTRODUCTION
Showdown simulates a hypothetical invasion of Pakistan by India sometime in the near future, with the possibility of a nuclear exchange.

10.1 FIRST PLAYER
The Indian player is considered the first player throughout the game (see 3.0).

11.0 REINFORCEMENTS
Insofar as Showdown represents only the first few weeks of an Indian invasion, no reinforcements arrive during the game. The units that are to participate in the invasion are assumed to have already been mobilized before the game has begun.

12.0 SURFACE TO AIR MISSILES (SAMs)

SAM units function like normal units in all respects, except they may be used to potentially nullify and eliminate support fire and nuclear weapons.

NOTE: SAM units do not ever exert ZOC.

SAM units possess a defense rating, but no attack rating, and thus no SAM unit may ever be used to attack any other unit. Further, SAM units are one-sided; they may be bombarded and/or attacked like normal units, but will be eliminated if depleted. If a SAM unit without a printed movement rating is required to retreat, it is must be eliminated instead.

In addition to the attack, defense and movement ratings printed on each SAM unit, each SAM unit is also printed with a range rating, which indicates the number of hexes from which that SAM unit (from its hex) may potentially nullify and eliminate one support fire marker or nuclear weapon chit applied by the enemy player during a combat phase. A SAM unit cannot nullify any support fire marker or nuclear weapon chit applied beyond its printed range.

Each SAM unit may only potentially nullify one support fire marker or nuclear weapon chit per combat phase. (That is, any particular SAM unit cannot nullify more than one support fire marker and/or nuclear weapon chit applied during the combat phase; it is assumed the launcher must be rearmed once it has fired.) Thus, because there are four combat phases during a turn (the Indian Combat Phase, the Indian Mobile Combat Phase, the Pakistani Combat Phase and the Pakistani Mobile Combat Phase), any particular SAM unit could attempt to nullify/eliminate a maximum of four markers/chits during any single game turn (assuming those markers/chits are applied within that SAM unit’s printed range).

Multiple SAM units may attempt to nullify/eliminate the same support fire marker or nuclear weapon chit, if within each SAM unit’s range.

12.1 FIRING A SAM UNIT
Whenever a player applies an aircraft support fire marker (any support fire marker with a jet aircraft printed on that counter) or a nuclear weapon chit, the enemy player may “fire” any SAM unit(s) within range of the hex where the aircraft support fire marker or nuclear weapon chit is being applied (even if on the SAM unit itself). The firing player then simply rolls a six-sided die (per each SAM unit, within range, that the firing player wishes to fire); if the die roll is a “1” or “2,” that aircraft support fire marker or that nuclear weapon chit is removed (permanently), and may not be applied to any combat. Any other die roll result is no effect.

A SAM unit may never nullify/eliminate any other type of support fire marker. Only aircraft support fire markers or nuclear weapon chits may be targeted by any SAM unit.

When any SAM has been fired, regardless of the result, flip that SAM unit to its “fired” side, indicating that SAM unit has been used during that combat phase. When that combat phase is completed, flip that SAM unit back to its front side (indicating it is eligible to be fired again).

13.0 NUCLEAR ARSENAL
Before beginning the game, the Indian and Pakistani player must each secretly roll a six-sided die to determine the quantity of nuclear weapon chits each player will receive. The Indian player adds +2 to his die roll, whereas the Pakistani player adds +4 to his die roll. The net results of each roll is the total number of nuclear weapon pieces the Indian and Pakistani players are allotted for use during the game after nuclear war is triggered.

13.1 TRIGGERING NUCLEAR WAR
Neither player may voluntarily use any nuclear weapon chit until nuclear war has been triggered. Moreover, the Indian player may never use any nuclear weapon chit until the Pakistani player has used at least one nuclear weapon chit. 

Nuclear war may only be potentially triggered if the Indian player has captured any Pakistani cities during the Indian player’s game turn. During any Phase of any subsequent Pakistani players’ turn, the Pakistani player may roll a six-sided die (once per turn) to determine if he may use nuclear weapons; if the Pakistani player’s die roll is equal to or less than the number of Pakistani cities (not just towns) captured by the Indian player, the Pakistani player may thus use any and/or all of his nuclear weapon chits (allotted per 13.0) during any current Pakistani Combat Phase(s). 

Once any nuclear weapon chit has been used, it is expended permanently and may not be re-used nor re-allotted.

13.2 USING NUCLEAR WEAPONS
To use any nuclear weapon chit(s), the owning player may simply place any of his nuclear weapon chits in any hexes.

EXCEPTION: neither player may ever place any nuclear weapon chit in any city or town within his own country, even if occupied by any enemy unit, nor in any hex that is occupied by any friendly unit.

When any nuclear weapon chit is placed in a hex, the enemy player may first attempt to fire any SAM unit(s) within range of that hex per 12.1. If the placed nuclear weapon chit(s) did not become removed by any firing SAM unit(s), each surviving nuclear weapon chit is detonated (see 13.3).

13.3 NUCLEAR WEAPON EFFECTS
When a nuclear weapon is detonated, the using player must roll a six-sided die; if the die roll is a “1,” that nuclear weapon has malfunctioned, and thus has no effect; it is removed (permanently), and may not be applied. If that nuclear weapon chit has not malfunctioned, any enemy unit in that hex is immediately and permanently eliminated. Additionally, that hex becomes irradiated and therefore permanently prohibited to all units’ movement (into or through) throughout the remainder of the game. No ZOC ever extends into any irradiated hex.

13.4 NUCLEAR RETALIATION
The Indian player may never use any nuclear weapon chit until the Pakistani player has used at least one nuclear weapon chit (even if removed by a SAM or malfunctioned). Once at least one Pakistani nuclear weapon chit has been used, the Indian player may use any and/or all of his nuclear weapon chits without restriction.

14.0 CEASE FIRE HEXES 
Movement into any cease fire hex by any unit (during either the movement phase or the Mobile movement phase) requires an MP delay, which is determined by a die roll. When any unit enters any cease fire hex, the owning player must roll a six-sided die; the number rolled indicates the MP cost for that unit to enter that hex (no other terrain costs apply, even if the die roll is less than the normal terrain cost). That MP delay die roll only applies to that entering unit as it enters that cease fire hex. Any subsequent entrance by that or any other unit into that or any other cease fire hex requires a die roll again, irrespective of any preceding MP delay die roll.

If the MP delay die roll exceeds the moving unit’s remaining MP, that unit must stop in that hex for the remainder of that game turn.

Exiting a cease fire hex does not require any MP delay roll.

15.0 BRIDGE DEMOLITION
As of the instant any Indian unit enters any hex within Pakistan proper that is adjacent to any bridge hexside and within the movement range (in terms of hexes, not MP) of any non-SAM Pakistani unit, the Pakistani player may attempt to demolish that bridge (halting the Indian unit’s movement temporarily). To do so, the Pakistani player rolls one die per every bridge within movement range of an Indian unit; that bridge is considered to be demolished if the die roll is a 1-3. 

The Paksitani player may not attempt to demolish any bridge that began the current game turn adjacent to any Indian unit.

Bridge demolition is entirely optional, though once any bridge is demolished, that bridge is considered demolished until repaired by an Indian engineer unit (see 15.2). The Pakistani player may never repair any demolished bridge.

15.1 DEMOLISHED BRIDGES
A demolished bridge immediately becomes a river hexside. All normal combat and movement restrictions then apply to that hexside, as if a normal river.

15.2 BRIDGE REPAIR
During the Indian Movement Phase or Mobile Movement Phase, the Indian player is eligible to repair any demolished bridge within movement range (in terms of hexes, not MP) of an Indian engineer unit, but only if the bridge to be repaired is not presently adjacent to any Pakistani unit, or within any Pakistani unit’s ZOC. To do so, the Indian player simply rolls one die per bridge within the engineer unit’s movement range; that bridge is considered to be repaired if the die roll is a 4-6. Repair is entirely optional, but if repaired, the repair remains in effect for the duration of that same player turn (though an eligible Pakistani unit may attempt another demolition of a repaired bridge as of any subsequent game turn, per 15.0). No Pakistani unit may ever repair any demolished bridge.

16.0 RIVER CROSSING
An engineer unit may be employed by the Indian player to permit any Indian units (including the engineer unit itself) to cross any river hexside (that is not within any Pakistani unit’s ZOC) as if it were a bridge hexside. To do so, the Indian engineer unit must be within movement range (in terms of hexes, not MP) of one (only) specific river hexside (either side of the hex) during the Indian Movement Phase or Mobile Movement Phase. That specified hexside is therefore considered a bridged hexside (which is not subject to demolition by the Pakistani player) for the entirety of that same game turn. If that hexside is a demolished bridge hexside, it is only considered a bridged hexside per this rule; that is, the demolished bridge across that hexside is not considered to be repaired by virtue of this rule. A demolished bridge will remain demolished until repaired per 15.2. Nevertheless, a bridged hexside (even if also a demolished bridge hexside that has not been repaired) permits movement across that river hexside in the same exact way. Indeed, the road movement bonus is not interrupted when moving into a river hexside that is currently bridged by any Indian engineer unit, if within its movement range (in terms of hexes, not MP).

A bridged hexside may remain as a bridged hexside until the Indian player designates another specific river hexside (within an engineer unit’s movement range) as a bridged hexside. The Indian player may opt to designate a different river hexside to be bridged at any time, but two different river hexsides may never be utilized as bridged hexsides during the same game turn.

A bridged hexside permits any unit (including Pakistani) to attack across that hexside per the bridge terrain type, if the Indian player had designated or utilized that hexside as bridged during that same game turn.

17.0 MOUNTAIN UNITS
The two Indian 4-4-3 mountain units may move and/or attack in any mountain terrain hex as if it is a clear terrain hex. The mountain units do not, however, receive any additional benefit when defending in any mountain hex (the penalty for attacking in a mountain hex is represented by the Combat Results Table).

18.0 VICTORY CONDITIONS
The Indian player wins the game if four Pakistani cities (not merely towns) are captured (and remain occupied) by Indian units until the end of the last game turn. However, if any Indian town (a town within India proper) is captured (and remains captured until the end of the last game turn), an Indian victory is downgraded to a draw result.

If the Indian player fails to achieve his victory conditions, or if at least two Indian towns have been captured (and remain occupied until the end of the last game turn) by any Pakistani units, the Pakistani player wins the game (even if four Pakistani cities have also been captured by Indian units).

19.0 SCENARIOS
Showdown is a speculative scenario of an Indo-Pakistani war set in the near future. This scenario accounts for current strategic doctrines, and assumes nuclear weapons use, or at least the threat of nuclear weapons use and the effect of that threat on both the Indian and Pakistani military. 

When setting up the game, the Paksitani player must first set-up one Pakistani unit in any hex within Pakistan proper. Then the Indian player must set-up two Indian units in any hexes within India proper. The Pakistani and Indian player then alternate setting up one (Pakistan) and two (Indian) units at a time until all units have been set-up on the map (after the last of the Indian units have been set-up, all of the remaining Pakistani units are set-up, except the two 1-3-2 infantry units.) 

Per 5.3, no units may be set-up stacked in the same hex, nor may any unit be set-up in any DMZ hex. After all other units have been set-up, the Pakistani player must set-up two 1-3-2 units as follows.

PAKISTAN
Unit Type:	Hexes: 
1-3-2		3821 (Jammu)
1-3-2		4221 (Srinagar)

19.1 INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE
The length of the scenario is decreased by one complete game turn per each nuclear weapon that is successfully detonated by the Pakistani (but not the Indian) player. For example, if the Pakistani player successfully detonates five nuclear weapons, the game will thus end prematurely at the end of Game Turn 15 (instead of Game Turn 20). Victory is determined normally whenever the last game turn has been completed. 
If the current game turn is already after a prematurely ended scenario, the scenario ends immediately, and victory is thus determined immediately. No additional phases, movement or combat may be conducted by either player.

20.0 GAME NOTES
This game was designed at the behest of Doc Cummins, speculating about a potential conflict between India and Pakistan sometime in the near future, which is certainly plausible. As the designer and developer, I’ll state I don’t predict such a conflict will occur, and thus the premise of this game isn’t intended to be prophetic. If an Indo-Pakistani war does occur in the near future in a manner mirroring this game, its timing will be coincidental. 

Simply stated, the proliferation of nuclear weapons in South Asia has created a MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction) dynamic whereby any war in that region now has an uncertain prospect for both India and Pakistan, with potentially grave consequences. Any future Indo-Pakistani war, whatever the cause and whichever side instigates it, is now fraught with the prospect of a nuclear exchange that both countries will likely regret later. The fear of massive devastation is probably enough to ensure Pakistan and India will be careful to avoid open conflict, especially on the strategic scale. As ironic as it may sound, nuclear weapons have probably stabilized the region and checked Pakistani-Indian enmity.

Nevertheless, another Indo-Pakistani war is possible, particularly if you believe in Barbara Tuchman’s notion that “war is the unfolding of miscalculations”; so this game isn’t at all implausible. In fact, for purposes of its scenario, it’s to be assumed some undefined event triggers another war in the near future. It isn’t difficult to conjure numerous events that could potentially trigger such a war. 

Whatever the actual triggering event might be, this scenario assumes the Indians have mobilized to invade Pakistan on a theater-wide scale, not to conquer Pakistan per se, but to inflict a defeat on Pakistan’s military (that was the Indian strategy during previous Indo-Pakistani wars). Pakistan lacks the industry, military and population to invade India on a large scale, though the Pakistanis have attempted to conduct local invasions to seize specific locations in and around Kashmir. 

If another Indo-Pakistani war is triggered, the larger Indian army will have the initiative, which the Pakistanis understand and anticipate (and will attempt to parry.) The Pakistanis’ objective is to inflict a decisive defeat on the invading Indians, and then occupy Indian territory, preferably a predominantly Islamic town such as Jammu. The Pakistanis can’t realistically expect to conquer a large area of western India, but any territorial gain after the dust has settled would be a substantial victory, even if only for use as a bargaining chip. Such an outcome isn’t particularly likely, considering India’s numerical superiority; however, it’s not impossible if the largely US-equipped Pakistani military performs well against the largely Russian-equipped Indian military. 

The Indians’ strategic objective during another Indo-Pakistani war would be the decisive defeat of the Pakistani military and, secondly, to present a credible strategic threat to Pakistan’s centers of population and industry, thereby forcing the government to negotiate a conclusion to the war on terms favorable to India. Despite India’s numeric superiority, Pakistan’s military is nearly equal in terms of tanks and combat aircraft, much of which is of recent US manufacture. 

The primary problem for the Indians is the potential of nuclear war. The Indians have announced they won’t employ nuclear weapons first. (That’s a strategic, not a moral, decision: India has nothing to gain by employing nuclear weapons during an invasion of Pakistan; doing so would only invite a nuclear counterstrike, which would thus nullify India’s offensive initiative.) The Pakistanis, however, realize the deterrence their nuclear threat presents, and therefore have not disavowed first use in the event of an Indian invasion. (That gives Pakistan strategic leverage, inasmuch as India can’t predict if their offensive may antagonize them enough to use nuclear weapons, at least on the battlefield, particularly if the Pakistani military has been routed or defeated.) To make matters worse, of the three to four dozen nuclear weapons each nation is believed to possess, their reliable delivery to a target is questionable. Nuclear-armed aircraft and SSM can be shot down (especially by modern SAMs), and there’s therefore no guarantee every (or most, or any) will be successfully detonated when employed. Obviously, a botched nuclear attack could entail severe.

The nuclear weapons included in the game are assumed to be primarily earmarked for battlefield use. Both India and Pakistan actually possess more nuclear weapons than are provided in the counter-mix, but those are assumed to be reserved for strategic (population and industrial) targets, and – perhaps – are already in flight when the first nuclear weapon chit is used in play. Indeed, that could be exactly how an Indo-Pakistani nuclear war unfolds. Alternatively, however, it could also be presumed that the opening phase of an Indo-Pakistani nuclear war might be limited to the battlefield, at least during its opening phase (the timeframe represented in the game). If, for example, the Pakistanis use nuclear weapons first to halt an Indian invasion, they may possibly refrain from attacking any strategic targets in India to avoid a riposte and to signal to India a total nuclear war isn’t their intention. Pakistan couldn’t expect India wouldn’t at least retaliate with a nuclear strike on the battlefield, but India might not want to escalate a nuclear exchange on the battlefield to a total nuclear war. It’s therefore conceivable an Indo-Pakistani nuclear war might remain confined to the tactical realm, assuming each side acts with restraint while facing possible annihilation from the other. In either case, the proliferation of nuclear weapons in South Asia has made “victory” an uncertain and nebulous concept.
		     —Eric Harvey

CREDITS
Design: Eric R. Harvey 
Cartography: Eric R. Harvey
Map Graphics: Joseph Youst
Counter Graphics: Eric R. Harvey and Larry Hoffman
Rules Booklet Layout: Callie Cummins
Playtesters: Eric R. Harvey, Terence Co and J. Scott Morris. 
© 2010, Decision Games, Bakersfield, CA. Made & printed in the USA. [ShowdownRules_V4]