Elite
144, US World War II Amphibious Tactics, Mediterranean & European
Theaters, by Gordon L Rottman, illustrated by Peter Dennis, ISBN 1-84176-954-1,
64 pages
This book follows Elite 117 to deal with the major unit organisations
and tactics used from in Europe and North Africa, and includes the Landing
Ships and Landing Craft as well as Army matters. The landings in North
Africa, Sicily, Italy, and Southern France are briefly described, with
lists of units involved and other useful information, but the Normandy
Landings are deliberately omitted since they are covered in detail in
other Osprey books. There’s a good selection of photographs and
the colour plates show the LSTs and LCMs, etc, as well as the men, though
the tanks shown in them are somehow not quite right. It’s disappointing
that an M4A1 Duplex Drive is shown with only its serial number although
there’s a photograph of the actual tank in the book which shows
full tactical markings and even a name on the hull side. There does
seem to be a tendency lately for the plates in Osprey titles to omit
the markings that are so important to modellers.
Recommended with reservations.
Men-at-Arms
434, World War II German Police Units, by Gordon Williamson, illustrated
by Gerry Embleton, ISBN 1-8460-068-4, 48 pages
Most of us know about the German armed police units in Occupied Europe,
but this book shows that there’s a lot more to be learnt. The
entire German Police Force was militarised by the Nazis, and had a host
of different functions from town police to harbour and canal security
and even firefighting. Some Police battalions were converted into plain
infantry and even into SS units. This book gives a very good overview
of the different organisations and their functions, with good photographs
and excellent colour plates.
Recommended.
Warrior
110, Hitler’s Home Guard: Volkssturmmann, Western Front, 1944-45,
by David K Yelton, illustrated by Sean O Brogain, ISBN 1-84603-013-7,
64 pages
The Volkssturm as well-known was organised as a levee en masse, taking
every available man not in essential employment or totally incapable
of being useful. It was organised by localities, as a real home guard,
but the more able-bodied men could be sent to other areas in the face
of invasion. Here is the story of a typical man from initial recruitment
to being sent to the front line, capture and eventual return home. This
is an excellent reference to the Volkssturm, with good photographs and
plates to guide modellers wanting somewhat less warlike surrendering
figures for their dioramas
Recommended.
Campaign
174, Pharsalus 48 BC, Caesar and Pompey – Clash of the Titans,
by Si Sheppard, illustrated by Adam Hook, Osprey Publishing Ltd, ISBN
1-84603-002-1, 96 pages
If you’d like to know what lies behind the events shown in the
first series of Rome, and what will come in the second series, this
book is what you need. It begins with a look at the previous careers
of Caesar, Pompey and their supporters and the organisation of the Legions
under the Roman Republic, and then takes us through everything from
Caesar’s crossing of the Rubicon to the final battle at Pharsalus.
Good photographs, including modern ones of the terrain, maps and birds’-eye-views,
and colour plates are included to help the reader envisage the men and
the battles.
Highly recommended.
Warrior
109, US Marine Corps Raider 1942-43, by Ed Gilbert, illustrated by Howard
Gerrard, ISBN 1-84176-981-9, 64 pages
The Raiders were set up in imitation of the British Commandos, despite
opposition, and trained and equipped for a similar role, which they
carried out successfully on several Pacific Islands. Despite their lack
of support weapons and transport they were then thrown into the fighting
as normal infantry on other islands, and fared less well although fighting
with distinction. By the end of 1943 their separation from the rest
of the USMC made little sense, and in February 1944 they were disbanded
and reformed as the core of a new 4th Marine Regiment. Ed Gilbert, a
former Marine himself, has given us an excellent account of their history
and fighting record, backed up by a good selection of photographs and
good colour plates.
Highly recommended!
Fortress
51, Indian Castles 1206-1526, The Rise and Fall of the Delhi Sultanate,
by Konstantin S Nossov, illustrated by Brian Delf, ISBN 1-84603-065-X,
64 pages
Here the Fortress series ventures into more exotic territory with
an expert’s look at Indian castles. “Castles” is perhaps
a bit of a misnomer, with some of the fortifications having a very large
extent indeed with smaller forts inside them. After describing the many
types of fortress built in India (hill, plain, etc, all with their own
peculiarities) the book deals with how they were built, how their designs
evolved and how their walls, gates and towers functioned. All of this
is very different to European castles of the period and makes fascinating
reading. Then there’s a tour of three interesting examples: Tughluqabad
with 6.5 kilometers of wall around a city, palace and citadel, Bidar
and Chittorgarh. The living arrangements inside Indian castles are dealt
with as well, and then there’s a look at how they were attacked
and defended. Photographs and excellent colour plates combine with plans
to make the text even more interesting.
Highly recommended to anyone interested in castles and especially
to those visiting India!
Fortress
50, The Forts of Celtic Britain, by Angus Konstam, illustrated by Peter
Bull, ISBN 1-84603-064-1, 64 pages
Now we’re back to more familiar ground with an examination of
the earthwork hill-forts and stone-built brochs of Britain. The best-known
must be Maiden Castle, near Dorchester in Dorset, but many others still
have impressive earthworks and can be visited. UK residents and visitors
will find the maps here very useful for their general locations, and
the book’s final chapter is a good guide to those most worth visiting.
It starts, though, with a look at the historic context and dating, and
then come the types of fort and broch, how they functioned and how they
were built. Next is a tour of one fort, at Danebury near Winchester,
and then there’s a detailed look at Maiden Castle itself. After
that the types of earthwork are examined - they weren’t just heaps
of earth as often thought - and so are the stone brochs. There’s
an excellent selection of photographs and splendid colour plates, making
everything clear. This is a great book to have with you when visiting
any Celtic fort, not just the ones described in detail. Highly recommended!
Osprey
Modelling 22, Modelling the Sturmgeschuetz III, by Gary Edmundson, ISBN
1-84176-949-5, 82 pages
After the usual brief introduction and chapter on tools and materials
this book covers four builds at 1/35 scale: a Stug III B at Intermediate
level, combining DML’s III B with parts from Tamiya’s Panzer
III L, two Aber etched sets, Modelkasten tracks, Friuli early sprockets
and an Armoury by Gauntlet gun mantlet, plus some easy scratchbuilding;
a IIID at Advanced level, using the DML III F kit with the same Tamiya
parts sprue and Armoury by Gauntlet mantlet, Lion Roar etch, Friuli
tracks and a Jaguar resin interior and scratchbuilt detail including
the extra external air cleaners used by Sonderverband z.b.V288 in North
Africa; a III G from December 1942, the very early version, at Master
level from Tamiya’s III G with parts from their Panzer III L,
CMK interior and engine sets, Aber etch, Modelkasten tracks and details,
and an Eduard metal gun barrel; and a late III G from May 1944 production,
again from the Tamiya III G kit but this time using Chesapeake Model
Designs’ Stug III (late) conversion set, the Atak zimmerit detail
set, Aber etch Modelkasten tracks, details, and sprockets and an Elefant
gun barrel. A Gallery shows five other models, and there are useful
guides to museums holding Stugs, reference material, and available kits
and accessories as well as the usual page of colour swatches. Stug modellers
will find all of this very useful. Highly recommended.
Osprey
Modelling 8, Modelling Panzer Crewmen of the Heer, by Mark J Bannerman,
ISBN 1-84603-132-X, 82 pages
Here’s a handy book for all of us who need to paint Panzer figures.
After short sections on tools and materials and on choosing a figure
it shows us how to paint black Panzer uniforms –which give many
of us problems. Then it deals with Afrika Korps uniforms and finally
with the reed-green summer uniform issued from 1942. All just what Panzer
modellers wanted – but there’s more! The next chapter deals
with sculpting your own figure (using the available head, hand and boot
sets will make this easier by letting you concentrate on the clothing),
and next is a chapter about painting 1/48 scale figures which uses different
techniques to those in the earlier chapters. Special Techniques chapters
then show how to paint faces and other bare flesh areas, “tan-water”
(or “marsh”) pattern camouflage clothing, use oil paints
for Panzer black uniforms, and weather clothing realistically. Finally
there are lists of the websites of the main good figure manufacturers
and suggested further reading in books and on websites, as well as colour
swatches for suggested colour mixes. This book has something for all
levels of figure painting, from beginner to “almost expert”.
Very highly recommended!
Osprey
Modelling 33, Modelling the T-34/76, by Jorge Alvear, Mig Jiminez, Mike
Kirchoff & Adam Wilder, ISBN 1-84176-929-0, 82 pages
Here are four models of different T-34/76 at Advanced level versions,
used to show different techniques. First a Factory 112 version built
in 1942, combining the DML T-34/76 Model 1941 and T-34/85 UTZ Model
1944 with Aber etched sets and gun barrel, Artisan Mori early sprockets,
a Chesapeake Model Designs Model 1941 cast turret, Modelkasten tracks
and Moskit exhaust pipes plus some scratchbuilding. This chapter includes
a very clear explanation of how to solder etched metal parts. Next is
an early Model 1943 with hexagonal turret, built with parts from the
same two DML kits plus Tamiya’s T-34/76 Model 1943, Trakz early
T-34/76 interior, Miniarm’s T-34 (UVZ) N. Tagil 1942 turret and
T-34 spider wheels, Modelkasten tracks and bolt & nut set, CMK’s
T-34 transmission, and Aber etched trackguards. The concentration here
is on how to detail and paint the interior, including the gutted engine
bay of the tank being modelled. Next is an STZ T-34/76 of the Italian
Army, built from DML’s early T-34/76 Model 1941 German Army kit
with the MIG Productions STZ T-34 conversion set, Eduard and On The
Mark etch, a turret from the MIG Productions Bronekater Bk 1125, and
Friuli tracks. Here the main subject is the painting. Finally there’s
a German Pz 747(r)-3 used on the Western Front in 1944, again combining
DML’s Model 1941 and Model 1944 UTZ together with a Model 1943
turret from Tank Workshop, the turret roof with cupola from Tamiya’s
Model 1943 kit, a PART etched set and MIG Production fuel boxes. This
one gets scratchbuilt skirt armour, but the main emphasis is on producing
the very realistic weathered winter white finish. Recommended!
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