Spring 2013 Newsletter from Against the Odds

Greetings from Against the Odds Magazine,

This is just a quick newsgram to fill everybody in on the latest happenings here at Against the Odds, plus some upcoming news, and a special offer we currently have going on at our website that may be of interest to you. I’ll get to that in a minute but first the latest news.

All copies of the 2012 Annual featuring Forlorn Hopes have been mailed, but so far only a few folks report getting them. None the less, they are all on their way and should be in your hands soon enough. Forlorn Hopes looks at the "high tide" of the Japanese Empire in WW2 – their successful conquest of the Dutch East Indies, one of their most strategically vital targets for the oil and rubber it could provide.
 
A broad look at the record suggests the Japanese mostly had things their own way against the hasty "ABDA" alliance (American, British, Dutch, Australian), with its varied mix of modern and obsolete weapons and widely differing priorities. But a closer look shows that this was a much closer campaign, stretching the Japanese to complete. With a few breaks, the Allies might have held on.

Forlorn Hopes, the 2012 Annual, delivers the extra size and contents you expect from ATO. Full color 22" x 34" map. 288 die-cut, full color large 5/8" counters provide players with the air, ground, and naval units which actually fought in the campaign, plus some which could have been there.

Bonus Item Inside: After war broke out in 1939, throughout the remainder of the year the most pressing problem for the Allied navies was to hunt down and destroy the German surface raider, Graf Spee. This "pocket battleship" was too quick to catch by the heavy ships, and too powerful to engage by lighter forces alone...an enclosed mini-game with this issue shows how it was done.

Check yours out when it arrives or order it today.

Austerlitz may have been Napoleon’s classic battle, in his own estimation. It was certainly one ‘title’ he refused to award to anyone else, though several of his marshals coveted being named “Duke of Austerlitz” or something. No, it was his masterpiece.

But it was not the only battle of the war. And another one might have changed everything.

Our release next month will be ATO #39 with These Brave Fellows inside. In 1805, a newly slapped together French corps - the VIII under Marshal Mortier  - is chasing the Austrians out of Bavaria, looking to snap up stragglers, loot, and also block anticipated Russian reinforcements from making it to the decisive battle for Vienna that Napoleon expected to fight.

Commanding a Russian army much closer than Mortier realized was the wily Marshal Kutuzov, who was neither blind nor overconfident. He saw the overextended enemy advance as a chance to strike a blow and suckered the lead division into a valley between two heavy Russian columns. A heated battle ensured that lasted for hours and on into the night. At one point pushed back against the Danube River, Mortier was tactfully advised by his aide-de-camp it was time to escape and save himself. Pointing at his troops in front of him he cried out, "We must not separate from these brave fellows; we must be saved or perish together!"

Featuring a splendid map that depicts the rugged terrain and impassable river that dominated the decision making on both sides, These Brave Fellows even includes full solitaire rules for those that can’t wait to dig up an opponent when they receive their copy. Don’t miss it!

Even more Napoleon is coming later this year with the 2013 Annual featuring La Bataille de Vauchamps.

Yes, the original La Batt design group has teamed up with Against the Odds to produce a game on a stunning Napoleonic victory in 1814.
 
If you ever wondered why Napoleon made Grouchy a Marshal in 1815 just in time for Waterloo, check out his decisive contributions in this battle with the French cavalry breaking several Allied squares! Had the ground been less muddy (allowing the French horse artillery to stay closer), things would have been even worse for the Allies.
 
As it was, in the final count, Allied losses may have been greater than 10-1 over the French, and Blücher (once again) was very nearly captured.

You can get Vauchamps at a substantial discount when you order it at the same time you subscribe or re-subscribe. (And subscribers, remember you to not have to wait until your sub ends to re-subscribe.)  

So, it’s time to talk about that special offer. Of all the battered cities and “lunar” landscapes of WW2, none quite matches the sights in Berlin, where Hitler and most of his “court” hunkered down in a now-famous bunker, looking for some sort of Wagnerian miracle to make the Soviet armies disappear, or just waiting for the fat lady to sing. Against the Odds released Fortress Berlin way back in ATO #8. It won awards, has been reprinted, and still rates as the best selling ATO game of all time. But we know a lot of you haven’t seen it and would love to have it. Especially if you can get it FOR FREE! Yes, visit our homepage and you'll see the banner below:

The details are all on our website. Just click here to pop in and see them. It’s a great way to make your subscription or back issue purchase go even further.

Last, a bit of news from our sister division Turning Point Simulations, Their website was down for a long time due to some technical difficulties but it’s back up and running safe and secure now. Their 4 newest releases are coming out next month too and they asked us to piggyback their news out on this newgram.

Here’s a shot of their upcoming Saratoga game – a lovely bit of work on a hard mounted map.

Check out their website too when you get a chance.

OK, thanks for reading!

Steve Rawling, Publisher, Against the Odds Magazine