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 The Origins of Surface -To-Air Guided Missile Technology German Flak Rockets and the Onset of the Cold War by James Mills   This is the mos...

The Origins of Surface -To-Air Guided Missile Technology by James Mills The Origins of Surface -To-Air Guided Missile Technology by James Mills

For your Wargamer, Toy soldier collector, MiniFig collector, military history nut. Reviews, interviews, Model Making, AARs and books!

book




 The Origins of Surface -To-Air Guided Missile Technology


German Flak Rockets and the Onset of the Cold War


by


James Mills




  This is the most technical book that I have ever read from Casemate Publishers. It goes through the tentative steps that the UK and the US made toward SAMs (Surface-To-Air Missiles), before and during World War II. The real crux of the book is the Allied and Russian scouring of Germany after the war for technology and designs of the German SAM programs. Much like Operation Paperclip (the US grab for German scientists, whether they were war criminals or not), this is a story of who is able to grab who and what before another country finds it.


 To tell this story, the author takes us back from the end of the war to the German designs and testing that took place before then. As usual, with the German Wunderwaffen programs, it is a tale of too little and too late, which is a tremendous blessing for the Allied and Russian Air Forces. It shows how the Germans were going in so many directions at once. They were working on both guided and unguided munitions. 


 The main part of the book is taken up by the story of the UK and US attempts toward producing a SAM. Then it goes on to show how each of these nations combed Germany for scientists and technology from the German projects. The US Nike SAMs came out of the collaboration between the scientists. The book then shows how France also got into the race to find information. Then the author goes into his conclusions about this hidden part of history (until now). Next, there are an extensive number of Appendices which also includes a look at the Russian attempts to appropriate the knowledge for themselves. 


 This is not an easy book to read. That does not mean that it is not engrossing. It is much more for history readers that are also military tech lovers. This is not just a strict book of who did what and when they did it. There is a tremendous amount of 'how' that are in these pages.


 Thank you, Casemate Publishers, for allowing me to review this deep and interesting book. It tells a tale that needed to be added to the military history of World War II and its direct aftermath.


Robert

Book: The Origins of Surface -To-Air Guided Missile Technology: German Flak Rockets and the Onset of the Cold War

Author: James Mills

Publisher: Casemate Publishers

  The Maps of the Wilderness An Atlas of the Wilderness Campaign, Including all Cavalry Operations, May 2-6, 1864 by Bradley M. Gottfried  W...

The Maps of the Wilderness by Bradley M. Gottfried The Maps of the Wilderness by Bradley M. Gottfried

For your Wargamer, Toy soldier collector, MiniFig collector, military history nut. Reviews, interviews, Model Making, AARs and books!

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 The Maps of the Wilderness


An Atlas of the Wilderness Campaign, Including all Cavalry Operations, May 2-6, 1864


by


Bradley M. Gottfried





 We have all read about how Napoleon and Marshal Berthier would crawl over maps during their campaigns. I think possibly that image in my mind started a lifelong love of maps. I love to look at all maps but especially campaign and battle maps. I believe it gives me, and others, a much-needed visual representation of the histories we are reading.


 These books by Bradley M. Gottfried completely switches the program from what we military history readers are used to. Instead of the prose being the main part of the book, in this case the maps are the real headliner. The descriptions are not inferior; in fact, far from it. It is just we are finally given exact and easy to read and follow maps of a campaign or battle. This is in comparison to many very well written military histories that have two or three maps that look like they were drawn by a second grader. This is actually the fifth in this series of books by the author. I can easily recommend all of them to the reader. They are:


The Maps of Gettysburg

The Maps of First Bull Run

The Maps of Antietam

The Maps of Bristoe Station and Mine Run Campaigns


 This book easily measures up to its elder brothers. The confusing and claustrophobic fighting of the Battle of the Wilderness is finally brought into the light of day. The books written about the battle are sometimes hard to follow because of the complete confusion on the part of the actual participants. They sometimes had no idea of where they were, let alone where the units on either side of them were at any given time. The painstakingly drawn maps clears up all of that confusion. 


 In conclusion, if you have any interest in the Battle of the Wilderness, or the American Civil War in general, this book is a must have for your library. While you are ordering it at Savas Beatie please take a look at the rest of the series.


 Robert

Book: The Maps of the Wilderness

Author: Bradley M. Gottfried

Publisher: Savas Beatie

  Bloody Verrieres The I. SS-PanzerKorps' Defence of the Verrieres - Bourguebus Ridges Volume II by   Arthur W. Gullachsen  This is volu...

Bloody Verrieres: The I. SS-PanzerKorps' Defence of the Verrieres - Bourguebus Ridges Volume II by Arthur W. Gullachsen Bloody Verrieres: The I. SS-PanzerKorps' Defence of the Verrieres - Bourguebus Ridges Volume II by Arthur W. Gullachsen

For your Wargamer, Toy soldier collector, MiniFig collector, military history nut. Reviews, interviews, Model Making, AARs and books!

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 Bloody Verrieres


The I. SS-PanzerKorps' Defence of the Verrieres - Bourguebus Ridges Volume II


by


 Arthur W. Gullachsen





 This is volume II of a comprehensive look at the defense of the ridges during the Normandy Campaign. This book will have a tough time equaling its older brother. Volume I was full of history tidbits that I have not seen anywhere else and there are tons of books on this part of the Normandy Campaign.

 Have no fear, the author has continued in Volume II to shine a light onto the history of the battles for the ridges. He also never fails to report on the bravery and tenacity of the British, and Canadian etc. attackers. He does, however, find fault with what he calls their "bite and hold" tactics. He feels that they are using outdated World War I tactics in World War II. This is a point that he makes throughout the book with plenty of examples. He shows us how the German 1st SS Panzerkorps used a defense in depth to absorb the British and Commonwealth attacks. He also contends, along with other writers, that the British and Commonwealth attacks and losses were not in vain (although they could have been better commanded and planned out). They kept the main striking power of the German Army in Normandy in a desperate battle for Caen and the surrounding area. This allowed the Americans to break through on the German left flank. 

 In the book he dispels some of the myths that we have been taught about the campaign. Such as, Sepp Dietrich did not know how to read a map or that the SS in Normandy were just fanatics that had no real tactical ability. The author shows that the Germans were able to halt the Commonwealth forces even though they were completely outmatched in artillery and air power.

 The book comes in at just under 300 pages including the appendices, end notes, bibliography, and index. It shows the battle for the ridges from July 23 - August 5, 1944. The author concentrates on the 2nd Canadian Corps attack during Operation Spring starting on July 25th. The book continues with the German counterattacks after Operation Spring. This shows how the German forces were still resilient even after the long battle for the environs of Caen. 

 Thank you, Casemate Publishers, for allowing me to review this second volume from this author. He is a captain in the Canadian Army and also a teacher of military history in the Royal Military College of Canada's History department. The books are two of the best to read about the tactical warfare during the Normandy Campaign. They should be in the library of anyone who has any interest in the campaign.


Robert



  The Battles of Antiochus the Great The Failure of Combined Arms at Magnesia That Handed the World to Rome by Graham Wrightson  Antiochus I...

The Battles of Antiochus the Great by Graham Wrightson The Battles of Antiochus the Great by Graham Wrightson

For your Wargamer, Toy soldier collector, MiniFig collector, military history nut. Reviews, interviews, Model Making, AARs and books!

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 The Battles of Antiochus the Great


The Failure of Combined Arms at Magnesia That Handed the World to Rome


by


Graham Wrightson




 Antiochus III, or the Great, was a ruler of the Seleucid kingdom from 223 to 187 BCE. He ascended the throne at eighteen years of age after the assassination of his brother Seleuces III. His throne was not secure by any means. The provinces in the east had left the empire a few decades before. He was also faced with a revolt by the satraps of Mesopotamia, Medea and Persia. The Ptolemies had almost crushed the Seleucid kingdom a few years before. Syria was also lost to the Ptolemies at the time of his ascension to the crown.  The author informs us of all of the history written above at the start of the book. He also goes into the state of the nations around the Seleucid kingdom so that we readers know exactly where the Hellenistic world, and beyond, stand at this time.


 The book describes itself thusly:

"The author analyses Antiochus' major battles, Raphia, Arius, Panium, Thermopylae and, of course, the disaster at Magnesia which opened the door to Roman dominance of the region."


 The author's take on the militaries of the later Hellenistic kingdoms is that they had not learned the lesson of Alexander or the Diadochi very well at all. He extols that the militaries of the later kingdoms were just a pale comparison to the great armies that had conquered the Persian Empire and beyond. Not just because there was no longer an Alexander to lead them, but because they did not understand what made those armies invincible for their time. The book shows how the percentage of infantry to cavalry, approximately 3 to 1, had changed so that it was more than 10 to 1 by Antiochus' time. The main idea of the book is that these newer rulers did not understand the combined arms approach that was needed to win with a Hellenistic army. He uses the battle history of Antiochus to prove his point. In this the author easily succeeds.


 However, the book gives the reader much more than the above. He goes into the tactical uses of each of the parts of a Hellenistic army. The author shows us how to use a Hellenistic army and where Antiochus went wrong. Antiochus was a singular unlucky king. He ruled at a time when Rome was branching out to make the Mediterranean Sea a Roman lake. It did not help that one of the greatest Roman generals, Scipio Africanus, was present with the Roman forces. While he deserved his appellation 'Great' by reconquering all of the Seleucid territories in the east, Antiochus ensured the death of the Seleucid kingdom by his loss to Rome. This is a tour de force about the military history of Antiochus' reign. I can easily recommend the book to anyone who wants to learn about him and the militaries of the Hellenistic kingdoms. Thank you, Casemate Publishers for allowing me to review this excellent book on an era that hardly ever has some light shed on it.


Robert 

Book: The Battles of Antiochus the Great: The Failure of Combined Arms at Magnesia That Handed the World to Rome


Publisher: Pen & Sword

Distributor: Casemate Publishers

  War Along the Wabash The Ohio Indian Confederacy's Destruction of the U.S. Army, 1791 by Steven P. Locke   The United States was only ...

War Along the Wabash: The Ohio Indian Confederacy's Destruction of the U.S. Army, 1791 by Steven P. Locke War Along the Wabash: The Ohio Indian Confederacy's Destruction of the U.S. Army, 1791 by Steven P. Locke

For your Wargamer, Toy soldier collector, MiniFig collector, military history nut. Reviews, interviews, Model Making, AARs and books!

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 War Along the Wabash


The Ohio Indian Confederacy's Destruction of the U.S. Army, 1791


by


Steven P. Locke




  The United States was only eight years old when this campaign took place. One tends to be a bit shocked that only after so few years that the country and Army that had defeated Britain was almost totally destroyed by an Indian Confederacy. This book goes back in time a few years to show how the smoldering resentment of both the English and the Native Americans burst forth into war. We are shown that Britain ceded all of the territory up to the Mississippi River to the new United States. There was only a small matter of the indigenous population who were not a part of the treaty. The native tribes had been pushed farther and farther back by the colonists, even though Britain had tried to stop the colonists from encroaching farther inland. 


 As the book shows, the British were still upset about their loss during the American Revolution and were very slow to, or not at all, follow the treaty's stipulations in the Northwest Territories. They refused to leave most of their forts. Not only that, but they were fomenting hatred among the Native Americans for the new rush of settlers that were encroaching on their lands. The British were also arming the Native American tribes of the area.


 The author explains that just like after every war until the Cold War the United States had shrunk its Army to an incredibly small size. Governor Arthur St. Clair was authorized on March 4, 1791, to raise the Second American Infantry regiment. This, along with the First American Infantry Regiment (The U.S. Army at the time) and with some six-month volunteers, only amounted to 4,000 soldiers! This force was to be used to create forts and strike out at the Ohio Indian Confederacy.


 This sets the stage for one of the U.S. worst military defeats with losses more than three times that of the Battle of the Little Big Horn. The three Native American chiefs Buckongahelas, Little Turtle, and Blue Jacket are almost forgotten now except for historians. The fame of Red Cloud, Sitting Bull, and Crazy Horse now far exceeds these earlier warriors. 


 The book goes into the hows and whys of the campaign. It then traces the resulting campaign and the trek through native American land. The battle does not really have a name like Tippecanoe or other battles against the Native Americans. It is called St. Clair's Defeat or the Battle of the Wabash but again it is mostly lost to history.


 The author has given us an excellent book about the era just after the American Revolution in the Ohio River Valley and the Northwest Territory. The book follows St. Clair's expedition day by day and gives all of the bad decisions that were made on many levels to lead to the crushing defeat. Thank you, Casemate Publishers, for allowing me to review this deep and well written book. It is a must for anyone who wants to know about early American history or the history of the Native Americans trying to defend their land.


Robert

Book: War Along the Wabash: The Ohio Indian Confederacy's Destruction of the U.S. Army, 1791




 

They Came Only to Die: The Battle of Nashville, December 15–16 by Sean Michael Chick    I knew of the author long before I saw this book bec...

They Came Only to Die: The Battle of Nashville, December 15–16, 1864 by Sean Michael Chick They Came Only to Die: The Battle of Nashville, December 15–16, 1864 by Sean Michael Chick

For your Wargamer, Toy soldier collector, MiniFig collector, military history nut. Reviews, interviews, Model Making, AARs and books!

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They Came Only to Die: The Battle of Nashville, December 15–16


by


Sean Michael Chick




 

 I knew of the author long before I saw this book because he is a prolific wargame designer, and a very good one at that. So, I was very curious to see how his writing compared to his game designing skills. Not that I really had a doubt in my mind. I just wanted to see how much of a crossover there actually was.


 The Battle of Nashville was certainly a battle that did not need to be fought. Lieutenant General John Bell Hood was in charge of the of the Confederate Army of Tennessee. Hood had started the Civil War in Virginia commanding a brigade of Texans. As a brigade, and later division, commander he was in the Army of Northern Virginia under General Robert E. Lee as one of its finest officers. He was wounded in the left arm at Gettysburg; the arm was left pretty much useless. Then his division was sent west with the rest of Lieutenant General James Longstreet's corps to fight under Lieutenant General Braxton Bragg. Hood fought in the Battle of Chickamauga where he was wounded in his right leg, and it had to be amputated. After his recuperation he was first made a corps commander under Lieutenant General Joseph E. Johnston in the Army of Tennessee. He then replaced him and became commander. So, he was a field commander of an army with only one leg and one arm and constantly in pain from his wounds. He fought the Union General William T. Sherman for the city of Atlanta and lost. At this time Hood came up with a plan for his Franklin-Nashville Campaign. In a nutshell, the plan was for Hood's army to go north and in doing so force Sherman to follow him. This did not happen because the size of Hood's army was no more than the Union troops defending Tennessee. This put into motion the terrible battles of Franklin and Nashville.


 The author shows us the background to the Battle of Nashville and also the history that led each of the commanders during it. He says that many times Hood has been excoriated in print and that he does not deserve it. He feels he was a commander who was put into a desperate situation and did the best he could under the circumstances. The situation that the Army of Tennessee was in, lacking almost everything that an army needs, even before their invasion of Tennessee, is shown to the reader. The actual battle and the terrible retreat that the Army of Tennessee faced in the middle of winter is explained in detail.


 The author also gives us little biographies of every commander that is mentioned in the text. The book is full of black and white pictures of the combatants and the different areas of the campaign. The one thing that I love are the maps. These are as clear and full of information as a reader could possibly want. 


 This is an excerpt from the book:

"Total Rebel losses in two days of battle were at
least 6,000 with 4,462 prisoners. Fifty-three cannon
were in Union hands. Federal losses were at least
3,000. With most casualties coming within a few hours
at the end of each day, Nashville had a fairly high loss
rate per hour. In addition, it was the most lopsided
victory achieved by an attacking army in the Civil War,
with the possible exception of Five Forks and Sailor’s
Creek, which involved fewer troops and casualties
than Nashville."

 
  The book ends with many descriptions and photos of what the intrepid amateur historian will find when going to the many historic sites mentioned in the book. I have read several of the great books that are in the Emerging Civil War Series from Savas Beatie. I am pleased to say that this volume follows in its older brothers' footsteps. This is a perfect introduction to someone who just wants an overview or a reader who plans to dig into the subject more deeply. Thank You Savas Beatie, for allowing me to review this very good volume on a little-known part of the war in the west.

Robert



Publisher: Savas Beatie

 







 Victory was Beyond Their Grasp With the 272nd Volks-Grenadier Division From the Hurtgen Forest to the Heart of the Reich by Douglas E. Nash...

Victory was Beyond Their Grasp by Douglas E. Nash Sr. Victory was Beyond Their Grasp by Douglas E. Nash Sr.

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 Victory was Beyond Their Grasp


With the 272nd Volks-Grenadier Division From the Hurtgen Forest to the Heart of the Reich


by


Douglas E. Nash Sr.






 The book follows the 272nd Volks-Grenadier (Peoples-Grenadier) Division from creation until the end of the war. Actually, the division came from the remnants of the 272nd Infantry Division. That division was first incorporated in 1940 but was disbanded after the fall of France. The division was recreated in late 1943 in Belgium. The division had fought during the Normandy campaign and was in the thick of the fighting around the city of Caen, or what was left of it.

 

 I have been reading about the Second World War for many years. However, it is only recently that I have started reading and wargaming the last year of the war. Before I had done this, I had made the mistake of lumping the Volks-Grenadier divisions with the Volkssturm. The latter was just a last-ditch home guard of little to no military use. The author shows that the Volks-Grenadier divisions were actually an attempt to reconfigure the German Army divisions, especially upping the firepower of the infantry. These divisions have a spotty record, but it is not their fault. Due to limited training of replacements, and lack of some of the planned armaments, the divisions were not as effective as they had looked on paper. Colonel Nash goes into the 272nd VG beginning, training, and movement of the division to the front line.


 The division's first taste of battle was in the Hürtgen Forest, a name that is not well known as some of the other U.S. battles during WWII. The Battle of the Bulge, fought around the same time, really took all the press. The Battle of The Hürtgen Forest was more of a grinding battle of attrition between both sides. The author does a fine job of moving from the overall picture of the front to the very small actions that took place.


 This book is a wonderful addition to any history lover's library. It shows how after the last year of the war (after the closing of the Falaise gap) it was still a nightmare for the troops of both sides. You will see that even after the fall of Germany was plain to see the German Army continued to fight and to do so as effectively as they could.


 Thank you, Casemate Publishers, for allowing me to review this great book. For anyone who wants to look at the last year of WWII this book is a place to start from.


Robert

Book: Victory Was Beyond Their Grasp:

Victory Was Beyond Their Grasp (casematepublishers.com)

Author: Douglas E. Nash Sr.:

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  Stalingrad New Perspectives on an Epic Battle  Volume 2 The City of Death by Christer Bergström  This volume has to fill a big pair of sho...

Stalingrad New Perspectives on an Epic Battle: Volume 2 The City of Death by Christer Bergström Stalingrad New Perspectives on an Epic Battle: Volume 2 The City of Death by Christer Bergström

For your Wargamer, Toy soldier collector, MiniFig collector, military history nut. Reviews, interviews, Model Making, AARs and books!

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 Stalingrad New Perspectives on an Epic Battle


 Volume 2 The City of Death


by


Christer Bergström






 This volume has to fill a big pair of shoes to follow the publishing of volume one. The first book was one of the best military history books I have ever read, and I have read tons of them. 

 These are the chapters etc. that are in the book:

Part One: Street Fighting
Chapter One - Onto the Volga
Chapter Two - The Legendary Strongpoints
Chapter Three - Paulus's Fatal Mistake
Chapter Four - The City of Death
Chapter Five - The Battle for Red October

Part Two: The Turning Point
Charter Six - The Trap is Set
Chapter Seven - Success and Failure
Chapter Eight - The Stab-in-the-Back Myth

Part Three: Diary of a Dying Army
1: December 1942
2: January February 1943

Part Four: The Battle in Reality and in History Writing

Appendices
Appendix One - Axis Order of Battle at Stalingrad on September 12,1942
Appendix Two - Soviet Order of Battle at Stalingrad on September 12,1942
Appendix Three - Axis Order of Battle Stalingrad Don Area December 1, 1942
Appendix Four - The Soviet Terma of Surrender, Presented to 6. Armee on January 8, 1943
Appendix Five - Film Clips From the Battle of Stalingrad

There are also various Glossaries and a good number of well-done maps.

 So, this volume will take us from the hell of the street fighting in Stalingrad to the point where the Germans had managed to almost conquer the entire city. Then the story continues to the Soviet encirclement of 6. Armee and its final death throes. 

 This is what Vaktel Books has to say about the book:

330 pages hardcover. Format 6″ x 9″
Illustrated with many previously unseen photos
Large and clear maps
QR codes with relevant film clips

The realistic air bridge – and why it failed.
How could the Russians persevere?
General Paulus’s greatest mistake.
What happened to the civilians in Stalingrad?
The myths about ”Pavlov’s house” and the Mamayev Kurgan hill.
The German plan to evacuate Stalingrad – and how it failed.
A critical analysis of writing history about Stalingrad.

 This is an excerpt from the book:

"In a way, the Battle of Stalingrad was decided on September 12, 1942. That day, General Friedrich Paulus, the commander of German 6. Armee in Stalingrad, met Hitler at his Eastern Headquarters in Vinnitsa, and presented a plan in two stages, aimed at solving all problems in the Stalingrad area: First, the city of Stalingrad had to be
taken, in order to prevent the Soviets from bringing more troops across the Volga to strike a blow at the German flank. After this had been completed, all forces of 6. Armee and 4. Panzerarmee could be released for aims which truly would be decisive if realized: The former was to surround and annihilate the Stalingrad Front north
of the city and wipe out the dangerous Soviet bridgeheads in the northern part of the Don Bend at Serafimovich and Kletskaya; the latter was to carry out an operation called “Herbstlaub” (Autumn Leaf), intended to capture the Soviet positions south of Stalingrad at Beketovka and Krasnoarmeysk. If all of this was to be achieved, it was assumed that the Germans could occupy winter positions in relative calm."

 This volume does not have to look on its older sibling with envy. The second volume is just as well written and full of new information as the first. The writer moves effortlessly from the larger picture to the intimate recollections of the poor civilians who were caught up in the hellish maelstrom. 

 The author believes that Paulus had committed a 'fatal mistake' in the battle during the last days of September 1942. This is from the book:

"Paulus had indeed committed a grave mistake. Had the Germans continued to attack the northern industrial area instead of shifting their attention towards the Orlovka Salient, one might assume that the by then remaining Soviet forces would not have been able to withstand the pressure, and the Germans could have captured the whole area. The significance of this simply cannot be underestimated, since it would probably have caused the entire Soviet defense in Stalingrad to crumble, after which the LI Armeekorps could have been in an offensive to push the ne Don Front northward. This in turn could have avoided the whole Stalingrad catastrophe for the Germans." 


 These books are also on the cutting edge of technology. You have the ability to download materials and to actually watch videos of the actual events with the embedded scan codes and links.

 Thank you, Vaktel Books and Lombardy Studios, for letting me review this excellent book.

Author: Christer Bergström


Publisher Vaktel Books

North American Distributor: Lombardy Studios

Lombardy Studios is doing a new Kickstarter for 'Aerocatures':

As an FYI Lombardy Studios is working on releasing the wargame 'Streets of Stalingrad Death of a City' You can find more information here:

  Fight for a Throne The Jacobite '45 Reconsidered by Christopher Duffy  'Bonnie' Prince Charlie and the '45 has always been...

Fight for a Throne: The Jacobite '45 Reconsidered by Christopher Duffy Fight for a Throne: The Jacobite '45 Reconsidered by Christopher Duffy

For your Wargamer, Toy soldier collector, MiniFig collector, military history nut. Reviews, interviews, Model Making, AARs and books!

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 Fight for a Throne


The Jacobite '45 Reconsidered


by


Christopher Duffy






 'Bonnie' Prince Charlie and the '45 has always been one of my favorite historical times. Even though, I would have fought on the losing side. It stands to reason, because one of the first songs I was taught as a child in parochial school was the 'Skye boat song'. The first part of the song:


"Speed, bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing,

Onward! the sailor's cry.

Carry the lad that's born to be king!

Over the sea to Skye."


 I later grew to like the taste of Drambuie, supposedly a favorite of Prince Charlie. Enough about me; let us head toward the book.


 Prince Charles Edward Stuart landed in Scotland on the 23rd of July 1745. He was called the 'Young Pretender' (his father James Francis Edward Stuart was called the 'Old Pretender'), because his grandfather James II was forcibly removed from the English throne in 1688. The author shows us that the Jacobite (not to be confused with the Jacobins) cause had many adherents in the British Isles and Ireland. This book goes through all of the history of the Jacobites before we get to the '45. 


 The prince landed in Scotland against the wishes of his father and in the company of seven gentlemen. While discussions about him landing had always included a good number of French troops (He and his father lived in France. Louis XV used them as pawns against George II of England), he landed with no troops whatsoever. The sheer lunacy of his act of essentially invading Scotland with a total of eight men should be clear.


 The author goes into all of the twists and turns of Scottish Highlands politics of the time. He shows us how Charlie was able to raise a rag tag army that came much closer than it should have to taking George II's throne. He had even been able to invade England before his Scottish troops and lairds pulled him back to Scotland. The story continues through their retreat to the Highlands. They were being chased by British Regulars and their rotund commander the Duke of Cumberland. He was George II's favorite son and George III's brother. Because of his harshness in the Highlands, he was nicknamed the butcher. The book goes into how the Jacobite cause was virtually wiped out after the last battle on English soil Culloden was fought.


 One thing that the book has enormous amounts of is large wonderfully clear maps. In Appendix II there are thirteen! weather maps corresponding to the major events of the campaign. This book is certainly one of the best books I have read that allows the reader to keep up with where and when by the use of these spectacular maps. I have seen books that have maps that look like the author drew them on a drink napkin in the dark. 


 Thank you, Casemate Publishers for allowing me to review this large, 600+, pages work. This is an excellent history of the Jacobites and the '45. Did I mention that it has maps?


Robert

Book: Fight for a Throne: The Jacobite '45 Reconsidered

Author: Christopher Duffy

Publisher: Helion & Company

Distributor: Casemate Publishers



  Waterloo:  Napoleon's Last Army Featuring the Art of Keith Rocco Research and Text by Paul L. Dawson Published by Lombardy Studios  Cu...

Waterloo: Napoleon's Last Army Featuring the Art of Keith Rocco Research and Text by Paul L. Dawson Published by Lombardy Studios Waterloo: Napoleon's Last Army   Featuring the Art of Keith Rocco   Research and Text by Paul L. Dawson   Published by Lombardy Studios

For your Wargamer, Toy soldier collector, MiniFig collector, military history nut. Reviews, interviews, Model Making, AARs and books!

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 Waterloo: Napoleon's Last Army


Featuring the Art of Keith Rocco


Research and Text by Paul L. Dawson


Published by


Lombardy Studios






 Cuirassiers, Hussars, and Dragoons oh my! That is not even mentioning the Chasseurs and Lancers. Of course, we also have to add in all of the different types of infantry and artillery. 



Naturally, the pictures in the book do not have the watermark. It is just so they are not passed about the internet. This picture is  Artillerie a Pied de La Garde



 This is a big coffee table sized book. However, unlike most books that size that are long on pictures and not very deep, this book is extremely informative while also being canyon depth. When you hold the book in your hand it has real heft to it. Then after you look at the picture on the cover you realize you might just have a treasure in your hand. Once you open it there is no more doubt. This is the definitive book on the dress and equipment of all the units of the L'Armée du Nord that Napoleon commanded in the 1815 campaign.



93e Regiment de Ligne Tambours



 This is what Lombardy Studios has to say about the book:

"64 original paintings portraying many of the French Army units at Waterloo
Over a decade of research and artistic rendering by Keith Rocco went into producing the paintings in this book
150+ photographs of historical artifacts from the holdings of three museums and seven private collections
Foreword by David Markham, President, International Napoleonic Society"



7e Dragons 1815 Chef dEscadron Marligne



 "176 oversize-format 9 3/8” by 13 1/2” large pages
128 pages featuring 64 Keith Rocco soldier paintings – 32 Imperial Guard and 32 Line units
Full color throughout
Fine high-grade, art quality paper
Facing pages feature descriptive text relating to the subject of the painting along with captioned photos of rare artifacts depicted within the artwork
An added plus: 28 more pages dedicated solely to beautifully photographed and captioned artifact photos
Illustrated Uniform Glossary in French and English
Index of units and officers that are portrayed in the book’s paintings
4 large horizontal battle paintings on 2-page chapter title spreads, including:
Plancenoit – Guard Infantry & Artillery chapter. A NEVER-BEFORE-PUBLISHED PAINTING OF THE IMPERIAL GUARD FIGHTING IN THE CEMETERY! The artist created this painting especially for this book.
Empress Dragoons – Guard Cavalry chapter.
The Great Gate of Hougoumont – Line Infantry & Artillery chapter.
Quatre Bras – Line Cavalry chapter."



Shako Plate and Cockade of a Grenadier in the 27th Line Infantry


 This is an absolutely amazing magnum opus for both Mr. Rocco and Mr. Dawson. Speaking of Mr. Dawson (historian, researcher, and author), he has put over two decades worth of time into this book. So, if you are keeping score this book has over thirty years of research put into it. Very few books can boast that claim.


Coat of the 25th Line Infantry Regiment Voltigeur Company


 Every page is a blaze of color and information. This book is a miniatures wargamer's treasure trove. Actually, I take that back. This is a treasure for anyone who has the slightest interest in the last French Army that Napoleon commanded. 

 This little tidbit of history is on page twelve:

"At Waterloo, the 3rd and 4th Regiments of the Foot Grenadiers attacked the Allied line in a final, futile attempt by Napoleon to break the British before the Prussians could tip the balance against the French"

 In 1815, the 1st and 2nd Regiments of Foot Grenadiers were the 'Old Guard'. The 3rd and 4th Regiments were the 'Middle Guard'.



Line Lancers Helmet

 The pictures that I have included are only a tiny amount of what you will find in its pages. To be honest, I am usually not impressed by books that have this many paintings and pictures. My tastes turn more to the books that are heavy on type and maps. So, even I was surprised how much this book enraptured me. Of course, for each Rocco illustration there is also a full page of information about the formation shown.

 I must admit that I have always had a soft spot in my heart for Cuirassiers. I have watched all cavalry charges on film innumerable times. However, if the charge includes those armored fellows, I am rapt to the screen. Oh, the 'Big Boots' or 'Gods' of the Imperial Guard are incredibly impressive but give me a Cuirassier charge any day. The pictures that Mr. Rocco has done of my favorite horsemen have left me in awe of his ability.


I had to add this picture of Mr. Dawson in the uniform of 'The Gods'


 I would definitely say run, walk, or crawl (or use your mouse) and head toward Lombardy Studios to pick up your own copy. You will not be sorry. Thank you, Mr. Lombardy, for allowing me to review this garden of Napoleonic delights. Now, please excuse me. I have to watch some War and Peace.

Robert

Lombardy Studios:

Waterloo: Napoleon's Last Army Featuring the Art of Keith Rocco and Research and Text by Paul L. Dawson:

P.S. for you board wargamers the work is proceeding well on Mr. Lombardy's new Stalingrad game.

  World War II Snipers The Men, Their Guns, Their Stories by Gary Yee  This book is about a part of World War II that is not mentioned nearl...

World War II Snipers: The Men, Their Guns, Their Stories by Gary Yee World War II Snipers: The Men, Their Guns, Their Stories by Gary Yee

For your Wargamer, Toy soldier collector, MiniFig collector, military history nut. Reviews, interviews, Model Making, AARs and books!

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 World War II Snipers


The Men, Their Guns, Their Stories


by


Gary Yee







 This book is about a part of World War II that is not mentioned nearly enough. To be honest, Hollywood has more examples of snipers than most history books about the conflict. The author Gary Yee and Casemate Publishers have set out to set the record straight. Now onto the book.

 This is a blurb from Casemate Publishers about the book:


"Thousands of volumes have been published about World War II but relatively little attention has been given to the sniper. Drawing from memoirs, government documents and interviews, World War II Snipers incorporates eyewitness accounts to weave a comprehensive narrative of snipers in World War II.

While certain common traits were shared among belligerents, each had its unique methodology for selecting and training snipers and, as casualties were high, their replacements. Drawn from hunters, competitive shooters, natural marksmen, outdoorsmen, city dwellers, farmers and veteran soldiers, they fought to assert local battlefield dominance and instill among their enemy a paralyzing fear."


Mauser ‘BYF’ K98k with Zf41 scope. Dave Roberts collection. Image courtesy Rock Island Auction Company via Casemate.



 To start out with, this is a very large book. It measures roughly 8 1/4" x 10 1/4". Its length is 352 pages. To top it off, it is jam packed with either black & white or color photos. There is at least one photo or inset on every page. This book goes into everything, and I mean everything, about sniping and snipers in World War II. It takes us from the Weapons, to training, to the history, and also has the snipers' personal stories. This is a list of the contents:


Part I: Selection & Training

Chapter 1: Prewar and Early War Years

Chapter 2: Selection

Chapter 3: Training


Part II: Wartime Sniping

Chapter 4: Western Europe, North Africa, and Italy

Chapter 5: Liberation of Northwestern Europe

Chapter 6: To the Rhine and the Elbe

Chapter 7: Drang Nach Osten

Chapter 8: The Stalingrad Kessel

Chapter 9: Nach Berlin!

Chapter 10: Far East

Chapter 11: Southwest Pacific Theater

Chapter 12; The South Pacific Theater and Asia


Part III: The Weapons

Chapter 13: Guns and Equipment


Conclusion

Notes to the text

Glossary

Bibliography

Index



Snow camouflage suit-clad 6th Airborne Division sniper in the Ardennes, January 14, 1945. British Official Image via Casemate.


 This book is one of the most detailed reference books I have ever read. The material it has in it about the guns themselves is worth a book itself. I have used a scoped rifle many times in my life. However, because of this book I have learned so much about scopes that I seem to be a simple tyro in my knowledge regarding them. The information inside the book is almost a training manual for sniping, at least with World War II weapons. The only unfortunate thing about the book is how historically snipers were treated by all major combatants. It seems that even soldiers in the same armies hated snipers so much that it even boiled over onto their own snipers. The author informs us that no country really ever let a sniper surrender. Universally if a sniper was found there was no quarter given. Even possessing a scoped rifle was cause for swift execution. The fear of snipers was also universal in all of the world's armies. Having to worry about getting shot while responding to the call of nature and eating etc. put all of the soldiers on edge. 



German armed with M91/30 with PEM scope mounted on siderail mount. Image courtesy Georg Oberaigner via Casemate.


 Thank you so much Casemate Publishers for letting me review this excellent book. I also want to thank the author, Gary Yee, for writing it. It is certainly a labor of love on his part. If you have any interest in sniping or World War II, you need to have this book in your library. 


Robert

Book: World War II Snipers: The Men Their Guns, Their Stories

Author: Gary Yee

Publisher: Casemate Publishers


 

  Blue Water War The Maritime Struggle in the Mediterranean and Middle East 1940 - 1945 by Brian E. Walter  The thinking about the war in th...

Blue Water War: The Maritime Struggle in the Mediterranean and Middle East 1940 - 1945 by Brian E. Walter Blue Water War: The Maritime Struggle in the Mediterranean and Middle East 1940 - 1945 by Brian E. Walter

For your Wargamer, Toy soldier collector, MiniFig collector, military history nut. Reviews, interviews, Model Making, AARs and books!

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 Blue Water War


The Maritime Struggle in the Mediterranean and Middle East 1940 - 1945


by


Brian E. Walter






 The thinking about the war in the Mediterranean is now often colored by hindsight and error really. The threat of the Italian Armed Forces is often thought of as laughable. This was not the case in reality, and most certainly not in 1940 when Italy declared war on Britain and France. Mussolini was afraid that if he did not declare war before France fell, he would not be invited to the peace talks to pick up some scraps from both countries' colonies in Africa. The book shows us just how seriously the British took the Italian threat. The British Admiralty had actually suggested to Churchill to remove all of their naval forces from the Mediterranean. Luckily for Britain, he squashed the idea immediately.


 The author starts out the book by showing us a bit of the previous history of the Mediterranean and what country held what and where. He then goes on to give a complete rundown of all of the Armed Forces of Britain and Italy and Germany in the Mediterranean at the start of the fighting. On paper, the Italian forces look formidable, as do the British. However, both sides had distinct advantages and disadvantages to cope with. Italy's physical location in the middle of the Mediterranean was its greatest asset. British naval training and morale was theirs. The author shows something that I had never known before. The Italian Merchant fleet had almost one third of its tonnage outside of the Mediterranean when Italy declared war. This included most of its largest and newest ships. Most never made it back to Italy. This hogtied the Italian ability to supply their troops throughout North Africa during the war. Italy did not have the manufacturing ability to really fight a war, let alone replace those ships. Italy did have one great advantage in that she had the largest fleet of submarines in the world then (115), either ready or near completion. Unfortunately for them, the Italian Navy did not really use this asset to its best advantage.


 The Mediterranean was after the Normandy Landings seen as a backwater; that thinking continues to this day. The author does a fine job in showing how in 1940 the British Armed Forces were dismayed to find themselves at war in the Mediterranean. He shows how it became a war of defeating the other side's convoys, along with the desperate battles over and around Malta. The book then continues inexorably to the capitulation of Italy and the battles for the Italian mainland. While it is a book about the naval war, the author does a very good job of letting the reader know about the land war operations.


 This is an excellent volume that shines a searchlight on a part of World War II that is often overlooked. The book comes with maps and a large number of tables showing a multitude of pertinent information following the text. The first Appendix is a timeline of the entire events in during World War II. The second Appendix is of biographies of prominent Royal Navy Officers who served in the Mediterranean Theatre. Thank you, Casemate Publishers for not only printing this great book, but also for allowing me to review it.


Robert

Book: Blue Water War: The Maritime Struggle in the Mediterranean and Middle East 1940 - 1945

Author: Brian E. Walter

Publisher: Casemate Publishers

 


The End of the Gallop   The Battle for Kharkov February - March 1943 by  Alexei Isaev Translated by Kevin Bridge   This book is about the Th...

The End of the Gallop: The Battle for Kharkov February - March 1943 by Alexei Isaev, Translated by Kevin Bridge The End of the Gallop: The Battle for Kharkov February - March 1943 by Alexei Isaev, Translated by Kevin Bridge

For your Wargamer, Toy soldier collector, MiniFig collector, military history nut. Reviews, interviews, Model Making, AARs and books!

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The End of the Gallop

 The Battle for Kharkov February - March 1943

by

 Alexei Isaev

Translated by

Kevin Bridge





 This book is about the Third Battle for Kharkov. This would be at the end of a string of Russian victories that started with the encirclement of the German 6th Army in Stalingrad. After this battle would come a relatively long lull for the Eastern Front until the Battle of Kursk started.

 The book is not a long one at about 130 pages. However, the author packs into its pages everything the reader needs or wants to know. I have read two books from Alexei Isaev, and I am very impressed with the detail and impartiality that this author brings to the table. The book gives an explanation of why the Battle of Kursk had to be postponed as long as it was. The German troops were in very bad shape after plugging the huge gap that the defeat in the South had caused. This was also the first time that the Soviet Armed Forces had ever fought and had to resupply attacks that reached far into the German rear. So, their forces were as bad off as the Germans at that time. The author shows us just how debilitated the divisions on each side were before the battle even started. For a division or higher to have only 20-30 available tanks on its roster was not uncommon, sometimes even less.

 The fight for Kharkov was akin to two older fighters slogging it through the last round. In this case, the Germans had just enough left in the gas tank to eke out a win. In the author's conclusion, he also goes into what effect if any the new German Tiger tanks had on the fighting. 

 This is a very well-done book on the Third Battle of Kharkov. By its length you would think it would be just a primer, but this is not the case at all. This is just more proof that good things do come in small packages. Thank you, Casemate Publishers for allowing me to review this book. I will have another book review authored by Mr. Isaev coming up. It is 'Stalingrad: City on Fire'.


Robert

Book: The End of The Gallup: The Battle for Kharkov February - March 1943

Author: Alexei Isaev

Publisher: Helion & Company

Distributor: Casemate Publishers






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