The Battle of Tours, 732 A.D. Item is intended for adults, over the age of 18. This is not a childs toy. How Charles Got His Hammer... 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. This arrangement upset powerful people on both sides of the religious divide and they responded in basically the same way-they both invaded Aquitaine! Scholars still debate on whether the Muslim leader, Abd ar-Rahman, was really aiming for conquest or actually just looking to neutralize a threat (and bring home vast amounts of Christian plunder). One thing is certain. The meeting between Abd ar-Rahman and the Frankish army under Charles (the Mayor of the Palace was his title at this time) would start a process of pushing Islam out of Spain that lasted for the next 700 years. But it all started at Tours... Now, TPS gives you the chance to determine the future of France and Western Europe, with a tactical system which highlights the different strengths and weaknesses of both sides. For the Muslims, youll find them lightly armored, cavalry heavy, and prone to piecemeal attacking by tribes. The Frankish army is a century before Charlemagne, caught in transition from Roman heavy infantry tactics and the birth of armored knights. It is mobility versus defense, Moorish spears versus Frankish long swords. And you make the decisions.