Description
At one time, it looked like the expansion of Islam was an unstoppable force.
By 725 A.D., Muslims owned virtually all of the Iberian peninsula and had crossed the Pyrenees, taking key towns in south-western France and forming a new province called al-Andalus. And then, politics began to trump religion. With a power struggle going on in Andalus proper, the local leaders in al-Andalus starting making accommodations with their powerful Christian neighbor to the north, Aquitaine.
Tactics and More Tactics
The Battle of Tours includes 160 counters that capture the widely varying weapons systems at this battle. You’ll find both light and heavy infantry, light and heavy cavalry, and (a few) mounted archers. But beyond unit types, you’ll command troops who actually fight "differently" from each other. Muslim units are activated by "tribes," as a collection of varied unit types that all happen to move together. Frankish units activate by type—all the heavy infantry, all the light infantry, all the cavalry. The difference means the two armies "feel" different to command. Players designate basic "orders" by selecting counters, then find out who obeys. The chaos and lack of real control conveys an historic chaos that really captures the flavor of this battle, where failure can mean slaughter, but victory can mean losing control, as troops turn from soldiers to looters. You can be up one turn and down the next. Hang on for the ride.
The Battle of Tours includes:
One full color, 11” x 17” mounted mapboard
160 full color, die-cut counters
12 page rulebook
