>

In 1964, historian Lt. Col. Joseph B. Mitchell published a compact book, Twenty Decisive Battles of the World, an expansion of Sir Edward Creasy's most famous work from a hundred years past, updating it into the 20th Century.

Turning Point Simulations (TPS), a division of LPS Inc, examines these 20 battles with a new series of boxed wargames. These games emphasize accessibility and playability, and come with hard-mounted maps and mounted, die-cut counters. Each battle is presented in a design of low complexity, but high challenge, from some of the industry's top designers.

And be sure to check out our sister publication Against the Odds!

While TPS games focus on the decisive battles across time, Against the Odds magazine investigates all of military history from a broad perspective. The economic, political, religious and social aspects of warfare are examined in concert with events on the battlefield. Get yourself truly "connected" with games and gaming by subscribing to Against the Odds! Learn more...

Spring 2019 Newsletter - The Final Four from Turning Point Simulations!

Just a quick note to say the last 4 titles in our 20 game Turning Point series will start mailing in about 30 days. So here’s your chance to check them out and get your pre-orders in for them. And yes, you can still sign up for the entire series and collect all 20 now, plus receive a bonus 21st game from us later (our thank you gift to you) – more about that further down in this note.

What titles are we releasing? They range from the very first battle of consequence, Marathon, to perhaps the most famous battle in history, Waterloo. You can check them all out easily on line here, or take a read through the descriptions below.

The Battle of Marathon

Was it the single most important battle in Western Civilization?

Creasy wrote: “On the result of the Greek general’s deliberations to fight or not depended not merely the fate of two armies, but the whole future progress of human civilization." John Stuart Mill said Marathon “Was more important than the Battle of Hastings, even as an event in English history.”

The Battle of Marathon took place at a small fishing village northeast of Athens where, oddly enough, two armies confronted each other for FIVE days with almost no fighting, and Athenian democracy was put to the test as the Greek forces debated (and voted) whether or not to attack the Persians. (Spoiler alert: They did).

As to the battle itself, numbers are uncertain but we know the Greeks were heavily outnumbered. We know also that the two armies’ fighting style and equipment were near opposites, with Greeks depending on shields, armor, and close-quarter fighting and Persians depending on missile weapons and skirmishing. It seems pretty clear that the Greek army ran (or advanced at speed) as soon as they got within bow range, to reduce the time they would endure arrows without being able to retaliate. And it seems pretty clear that, once the Greek army closed with the Persians (who had no room to withdraw and maintain a firing distance) that the battle would be a slaughter.

At under two hours of play time, you can make your own explorations into this battle without scheduling “marathon game sessions” in order to play. With a mounted, full color 11” x 17” map and just over 175 unit counters, you’ll be able to try various strategies and see what differences you can make on the outcome. Units activate by chit-pull per formations and combat includes both melee and ranged fire. Leadership and morale matter (in several ways) and combat results use step reduction and several levels of unit deterioration.

The Battle of Marathon game offers a historical set-up scenario plus variants for both set up and reinforcements. With the variants, it’s possible that the Spartans may finally show up to the battle!

The Battle of Châlons

An Unstoppable Force Meets an Immovable Alliance

Attila the Hun had spent time “visiting” various parts of both the Roman East and West, but taken home more loot from the East and decided there must be riper pickings in the West. By 451 AD, adding much of Gaul to his empire and plundering the rest looks to have been his aim, but his movements suggest as much opportunism as strategy. For Hunnish leaders like Attila, were far more than merely brutal, creating alliances, taking advantage of the deaths of neighboring leaders, and playing both Eastern and Western Romans as clients and victims.

Defending the Empire, was a half-Roman (but all business!) general, Flavius Aetius. In fact, his father was also a Roman general but of “Scythian” origin, one of the original groups of powerful mounted nomads, so you could say he was closer to his allies and adversaries than most Roman commanders of the day, which is one reason he was one of the most influential men in the Western empire for over 20 years.

The “two” armies met at Châlons and were a varied hodge-podge of peoples, with the “Hun” side including various Goths, Alans, Burgundians, Rugians, Franks, Thuringians, and many more. The “Allied” side was primarily Visigoth and “Roman” (which would be a broad mix of peoples in the same uniforms) but also included various Celtic and German tribes, Romano-Britons and their own allies of Franks, Alans, and Burgundians.

Now, you can apply those multi-faceted armies against each other in a way that really shows off their diversity. The Battle of Châlons game uses full-sized cards for each unit (rather like our Arbela game by the same designer). Each card has all the information you need for movement, activation, combat, and morale. Players set up their best available deployments to execute their strategies and win the game (if the gods of fortune smile!). Your leaders allow activations and assist in combat. Some troops may make choices other than what the commanders might have wished (and that can work out well or otherwise). It’s all part of presenting this chaotic game in a timely and playable fashion.

A full battle will last 60 to 120 minutes. And then you can swap sides and try it again!

The Battle of Blenheim

“But ‘twas a famous victory!”

Over the course of the 12-year “War of the Spanish Succession”, there was much coming and going (along with secret negotiations and betrayals). The war included battlefields as far apart as Quebec and the Papal States, from the Netherlands to Hungary, and to various spots all over the German states. Including a small village on the Danube named Blindheim… which the British would garble as “Blenheim.”

By 1704, things had been going well for the French and their armies looked to capture Vienna and take the Habsburgs out of the equation. After days of marching, countermarching, probes and parrying, both sides found themselves at Blenheim, near the Danube River. The Birtish and Austrian forces attacked a French and Bavarian Amrmy of slightly larger size and in good positions. As the French were expecting them to retreat, their own cavalry was somewhat too dispersed and too much of their infantry was in the towns of the area. And, up to that point, the French Army was consdred "unbeatable."

The battle went back and forth, with each side having opportunities for success but seeing confusion and heavy losses confound good plans. Certainly Britain’s Marlborough and Austria’s Eugene worked together marvelously well, especially for allies, which may have been the key difference. The French leaders, Tallard and Marsin, and the Bavarians had their chances but missed them, needing infantry where they had cavalry and cavalry where they had infantry. When the British attacked the “seam” between the two forces, Marsin’s regiments fell back and Tallard’s collapsed. French losses were heavy, and their army’s aura of invincibility was gone forever

The Battle of Blenheim focuses on the battlefield area itself, with each side having two distinct commands and forces. Players will command the varied forces of each side, with British, Dutch, Austrians, Prussians, Danes, and various German allies on one side and French, Bavarians, and even Irish fighting for Louis. Each unit in the game represents one brigade with each combat strength point around 400 men or 200 horses. One hex on the map equals 400 meters. A turn represents around one hour of action and the game can last up to 9 turns.

The Day of Waterloo

 
It might be the most written about battle of all time…

After Napoleon’s return from Elba, he watched his peace efforts spurned and knew that four large armies would eventually invade France. In a precarious position at home as well, he elected to move quickly, hoping for a powerful spoiling attack against the Prussians and British in Belgium

His movements with the Armée du Nord shocked both Wellington and Blucher and hinted at the old brilliance of mind. But when it came to the battles… it seemed the imagination was no longer there. Ligny was a bludgeoning match, Quatre Bras a lost opportunity and bad communications and staff work caused failure at both. Dispensing a third of his army to “chase Blücher” (without Grouchy managing to find him), he took the rest to deal with “the Sepoy General” that he at least pretended to disdain. For his part, Wellington expected a strong flanking attack against his own right flank, cutting off any retreat to the sea (and 25% of his troops missed the actaul battle in preparation for it). What Wellington got instead was a "pounding match".

In The Day of Waterloo, leadership and morale are key, while tactical ability (it really matters in what order you position your counters) and artillery bombardment are both highlighted. It is, after all, a pounding match. The designer also gives you the opportunity to test some variables regarding smarter troop dispositions or operational planning, as well as giving the French the opportunity to begin the battle sooner (and deal with more severe mud).

The game offers a historical set-up scenario plus variants for both set up and reinforcements. With the variants, it’s possible that Grouchy may fully live up to Napoleon's order to pursue the Prussians and fatally delay their appearance on the battlefield!

Collect Them All and Get a 21st Game for Free!

So, visit our website and check ALL the details on these fine new games. There are hi resolution shots of the maps and counters, plus you can download the rulebooks to peruse. Collect just one, or collect them all.

Yes, that right, you can sign on to receive ALL 20 of these games for a single great price - and that price includes priority shipping to the US. We also offer a "Honeymoon Option" that lets you buy just the first four games and keep open your option (and benefits) to sign up for the entire series.

And, those who sign on to collect the entire series from us get an added bonus - which will not be sold individually or in stores. Our guiding book for the series, Twenty Decisive Battles by Creasy and Mitchell, stopped at Stalingrad. Those who collect the series will receive our "entry" into the suggested upgrading of the book - a 21st Decisive Battle, perhaps the most potentially decisive battle of all time.... Yours when you choose to receive them all from us and only when you choose to receive them all from us.

And of course, don't forget the previous 16 titles we published. You can check them all out at our website here. 

OK, that’s it for now, and thanks for the fun ride we’ve had bringing all these games to life!

Steve Rawling, Publisher, Turning Point Simulations