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!