Turning Point (2005)

Published in 2005 by BSO Games (DTP), the description is from the GMT website, when it was on their p500 list.

It's Turning Point, a game covering the pivotal battle of Freeman's Farm, at Saratoga. It features all the units, from Morgan's Rifles to the British grenadiers, and all the dense, wooded terrain you would normally expect, but in a way you've probably not seen before.

The game uses two decks of cards, one deck for each player to drive the game. Each player gets a certain number of his cards each turn, never his full deck, and his allotment is usually different (in terms of number and type) from his opponent. The cards are used to determine movement, combat, and special items, such as Indian Stealth, Counter-Attack, Rifle Fire, and Rapid Movement, among others. Players may play as many cards as they wish when it's their turn, using each card for only one of the possible three purposes. Play passes back and forth between players, until both players have used all their cards … and the Turn is over.

Turning Point is thus a game of card play and management, which unfolds on the map of Freeman's Farm, which uses squares, rather than hexes,. You're still moving units, trying to outflank, attacking with what you hope are better odds (since you don't know what cards your opponent will play, if any, and you never know what his final strength will be), and using your cards, and wits, to outplay your opponent.

Turning Point was a nominee in the Charles S. Roberts awards for Best DTP-Produced Boardgame (Charles S. Roberts Awards) for 2005.