We Are Coming, Nineveh! ^ APR 2023

We Are Coming, Nineveh! is a tactical/operational-level game of the Iraqi government campaign to liberate the western area of the city of Mosul from the forces of Daesh between 19 February and 9 July 2017. This was one of the largest and most difficult urban operations of the post-WWII era, and marked a major defeat for Daesh and its so-called “Islamic State.” The game is thus able to combine low complexity (and hence be accessible to even neophyte wargamers) with a rich and detailed treatment of this important battle.

In this two-player game, players assume the role of either the Iraqi security forces or Daesh (also known as ISIS). They first decide on operational priorities. With their objectives established, they then select which additional capabilities they wish to bring to the fight. With more than four dozen different options—units, weapons, fie support, intelligence, advisors and training, defensive preparations, and more—each game will be different from the last.

All this is the prelude to an intense tactical game, wherein two sides fight for control of the streets and neighborhoods of the city. Blocks and area movement are used to recreate “the fog of war.” A detailed map depicts the complex urban geography of West Mosul, notably the dense builtup area of the Old City. Event cards can be triggered at any time, generating tactical vignettes, posing difficult moral choices, or inflicting collateral damage. Gameplay is intuitive, engaging, and extremely realistic.

Unlike most wargames where there is a single measure for victory or loss, We Are Coming, Nineveh assesses three key aspects of the campaign: the speed at which the operation is completed, the casualties suffered by Iraqi government forces, and the collateral damage done to Mosul. One might outperform the historical case, capturing the Old City faster—but at a terrible civilian cost.

Contents:

• 1 Mounted map (A1 size)
• 92 Wooden blocks
• 2 Sticker sheets
• 20 Different markers
• 163 Different cards
• 2 Dice
• 1 Rulebook
• 1 Historical book