 Battle
Orders 3, US Armored Divisions, The European Theater of Operations 1944-45,
by Steven J Zaloga, ISBN 1-84176-564-3, 96 pages.
This is a very good book about the US Armored Divisions in Northwest
Europe, from their intended combat mission to their actual combat experiences
in various roles. It begins with the official doctrine and the tankers’
training, then looks at the different organisation of the heavy and medium
divisions, including their infantry, anti-tank, artillery and engineer
components and their splitting into Combat Commands. The examinations
of tactics ranges from direct assault on a defended position to counterattack
and each is given an actual example, fully analyzed and with maps to show
the terrain and how the units moved. Finally there’s a potted history
of each of the 14 Armored Divisions that served in the ETO. There are
useful tables of divisional organisation and even a breakdown of Sherman
strength in Europe month-by-month split between 75 mm and 76 mm Gun tanks.
The new Battle Order series doesn’t contain colour plates but a wide
selection of photographs shows the tanks in service, with good captions.
Recommended!
 Fortress
18, Norman Stone Castles (2) Europe 950-1204, by Christopher Gravett,
illustrated by Adam Hook, ISBN 1-841776-603-8, 64 pages.
Norman Stone castles began, of course, in Normandy not England; they
were also built in southern Italy and in Sicily following the Norman conquests
of those areas. Here is a very readable account of them from their beginnings,
with photographs (many in colour), floor plans of major keeps, castle
layout plans, maps showing where they were built, and of course some great
colour plates showing what they looked like. The text describes how their
designs developed, with a particularly detailed examination of Chateau
Gaillard in Normandy since this was one of the strongest. Then comes an
examination of the principles of defending a castle, followed by a look
at their arrangements for domestic life. Next is a chapter on the castle
in war, describing sieges both successful and unsuccessful. Finally there’s
a chapter on what happened to the Norman castles in later centuries, with
a section describing what can still be seen today at all the ones worth
visiting. If you like castles this is a fascinating book, and if you have
any hopes of visiting Normandy, southern Italy or Sicily it’s an
essential guide to take with you.
 New
Vanguard 94, British Artillery 1914-19, Field Army Artillery, by Dale
Clarke, illustrated by Brian Delf, ISBN 1-84176-688-7, 48 pages.
This is a very welcome book for all WW1 modellers as well as for artillery
enthusiasts. It begins with a look at British artillery organisation–
Field, Horse, Mountain and Garrison units all forming part of the Field
Army – and covers the duties of the gun crew members as well. Then
comes a long chapter with a section on each type of gun, from the 2.75
inch screw guns of the Mountain Artillery to the heaviest of the field
guns, the 60 pounder breech-loaders and everything in between. The famous
13 and 18 pounders are given their due but nothing is neglected so there
are guns described here that most non-specialists haven’t even heard
of. An excellent selection of contemporary and museum photographs shows
the guns in good detail and is backed up by superb colour plates. To make
it even better, not only are some interesting colour schemes shown by
the plates but there’s a section about the actual colours used –
ideal for modellers, and there are quite a few kits available. Highly
recommended.
 Elite
102, Santa Anna’s Mexican Army 1821-48, by Rene Chartrand, illustrated
by Bill Younghusband, ISBN `-84176-667-4, 64 pages.
We’ve had recent Osprey titles on the Alamo and on the Texan Army,
and now here is the full picture of their Mexican opponents. It is fairly
well-known that Santa Anna was not exactly a chivalrous officer, but some
of his fellow-Generals were not much better and a brief introduction describes
their rivalry for the Presidency as well as dealing with the Mexican Army’s
organisation Most of the book, however, is devoted to the uniforms of
the troops in all units – infantry, cavalry, artillery, militia and
presidential guard. And what a glittering show they must have made! The
text and plates give more than enough to send any figure modeller into
rapture, with loads of simple conversion possibilities from French Napoleonic
figures since the French influence was strong. Recommended for anyone
wanting a change!
 Elite
104, Britain’s Air Defences 1939-45, by Dr Alfred Price, illustrated
by Darko Pavlovic, ISBN 1-4176-710-7, 64 pages.
This interesting book covers all aspects of Britain’s defense against
air attack, not just the RAF fighter squadrons though they are included.
Here are the Army anti-aircraft guns and their crews, the Royal Observer
Corps, sound locators, balloon barrages, antiaircraft rockets, and even
the balloon-carried aerial mines that were tried. Everything is explained
in fair detail, even the differing principles of siting light and heavy
antiaircraft guns. A good selection of period photographs is backed up
by some very clear plates and maps. It would be hard to beat this book
as a general introduction to its very wide subject. Recommended for anyone
who wants to know about air defence – the weapons have changed but
the principles have not.
 Warrior
6, Boer Commando 176-1902, by Ian Knight, illustrated by Raffaele Ruggeri,
ISBN 1-84176-648-8.
These were the very first Commandos, lending their name to Britain’s
first Special Forces in 1940 before their great expansion. Their origins
in the South African veldt were simply the gathering together of farmers
against native Africans, both defensively and aggressively. More formal
units came into existence together with the Boer Republics, which pushed
further into African lands to get away from British “interference”
with their land seizures so had to defend themselves against counter-attack.
Then, as is well known, they fought twice against incorporation into British
South Africa. Not so well known is that a fair number of non-Boers joined
them during those two Boer Wars. Here is a good description of their informal
training on the farms as marksmen, their equally informal original organisations,
the way in which those developed, and their fighting record. There are
period photographs and drawings to show how they looked (even some formally
uniformed bodies were created though mostly the Commandos fought in their
ordinary clothes) and excellent colour plates as well. Recommended!
 Warrior
87, Italian Arditi, Elite Assault Troops 1917-20, by Angelo L Pirocchi,
illustrated by Velimir Vuksic, ISBN 1-84176-686-0, 64 pages.
Although German Assault Troops are well known to English-language readers
their Italian equivalents are not. Here is their story, from the original
concept through recruitment, training, service life, battles and eventual
disbandment. Uniforms, arms and equipments are well described in the text
and shown in the photographs and colour plates. Anyone with an interest
in WW1 will find this book fascinating,
 New
Vanguard 96, Spanish Galleon 1530-1690, by Angus Konstam, illustrated
by Tony Bryan, ISBN 1-84176-637-2, 48 pages.
Does “Spanish Galleon” bring to your mind a picture of great
lumbering ships harassed by smaller English ships in the Armada fighting,
or of Drake seizing treasure ships? Actually they weren’t such monsters,
and they didn’t all carry treasure form the New World to Spain. Here
is their development from earlier ship types, their evolution into more
seaworthy ships as the original high poops and forecastles became lower,
and their record in battle. Their armament evolved too, and that aspect
is very well described. Also here are how their crews lived and how they
were commanded, in fact everything you could ask for. Don’t miss
this one! Highly recommended.
 New
Vanguard 97, M18 Hellcat Tank Destroyer 1943-97, by Steven J Zaloga, illustrated
by Jim Laurier, ISBN 1-84176-67-9, 48 pages.
This is an excellent book, just what Hellcat fans were waiting for.
Steve Zaloga gives all the story of the M18’s development and introduction
into combat, and a lot of information from veterans’ reports of how
it performed. He also analyses Tank Destroyer Command doctrine and why
it failed in combat, and shows how the Hellcat was actually used instead.
There’s also a note of which units got Hellcats and where they served,
and the Pacific Theatre is not neglected. Some of the WW2 photographs
have been seen before, but here they get detailed captions with more information.
Postwar service and variants, including the M39 Armoured Utility Vehicle
and some of the oddities from former Yugoslavia, are also covered. Great
colour plates show markings and camouflage, so modellers can have a field
day with their M18 kits. Very highly recommended.
 Men-at-Arms
404, The Waffen-SS (2) 6. to 10. Divisions, by Gordon Wlliamson, illustrated
by Stephen Andrew, ISBN 1-84176-590-2, 48 pages.
This book gives combat histories of the Nord, Prinz Eugen, Florian Geyer,
Hohenstaufen and Frundsberg Divisions together with good clear photographs
of their uniforms and close-ups of surviving cuff titles. The colour plates
are very well done, showing a good cross-section of the uniforms of each
division. I have to admit a personal distaste for SS figures, but if you
want to paint them properly either as AFV crews or single figures you’ll
find this an excellent reference.
 Essential
Histories, The Spanish Invasion of Mexico 1519-1521, by Charles M Robinson,
ISBN 1-84176-563-5, 96 pages.
Here’s a good account of the Conquistadores’ campaigns in
the Mexican peninsula. It’s full of detail, with excellent contemporary
illustrations. There are also some maps, even a plan of Mexico City as
it was when Cortes had to fight his way out of it. It’s impossible
to summarise such a fascinating book, so all I can say is that if the
Spanish Conquest interests you at all this is a “must have”
book. Very highly recommended.
 Essential
Histories Special 3, The Second World War, a World in Flames, ISBN 1-84176-830-8,
480 pages.
This is a compendium of the 6 separate Essential Histories on the main
theatres of WW2, with a foreword by Sir Max Hastings. All 6 original books
were written with considerable authority, so if you don’t have them
and want a good general book on the war this is an excellent choice. The
main battles are well covered, and so are the courses of the various campaigns
as well as the political situation. Recommended.
As always, if you don’t have a local stockist these books can be
ordered online direct.
My thanks to Osprey for the review books, also as always.
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