The Latest Osprey Titles

By John Prigent

Essential Histories: The Plains Wars 1757-1900, by Charles M Robinson III, ISBN 1-84176-521-X.

For a change this month I’ll kick off with two books on allied subjects. If the Indian Wars interest you, this book about them will give all the background you could ask for. Although not a “picture book” with colour plates like the Men-at-Arms and warrior series, it has a host of contemporary photographs and drawings that show what the Indian really looked like – and give a good view of the real US Army on the plains as well. That makes it equally useful to figure modellers, and though I don’t recommend copying the photo on page 52 it does show why it was common for soldiers to sae the last bullet for themselves. The author explains why he uses the term Indian rather than Native American, and it makes sense. Strongly recommended to all who love the Old West.

Men-at-Arms 395, Tribes of the Iroquois Confederacy, by Michael Johnson, illustrated by Jonathan Smith, ISBN 1-84176-490-6.

My second book is about the Indians of the North-East, the famous Five Nations. Their origins and the Confederacy’s organisation are described, and so are their involvement in the wars between British and French settlers, the Revolution, and their continued story to the present. Figure modellers and painters will have a field day with this one, there are not only some of the most resplendent colour plates I’ve seen in the Men-at-Arms series but some useful old paintings and 19th century photographs as well. Recommended!

Campaign 118, The Yom Kippur War 1973 (1), The Golan Heights, by Simon Dunstan, illustrated by Howard Gerrard, ISBN 1-84176-220-2.

Changing centuries and subjects, this book casts a great deal of light on how a vastly outnumbered Israeli force stopped the Syrian attack across the Golan Heights and then took care of Jordanian and Iraqi reinforcements. Maps and bird’s-eye-view terrain illustrations show what happened where, and there’s a good selection of photographs as well as good colour plates. If you model the Middle East Wars this is a great source of diorama inspiration. Recommended.

Men-at-Arms 396, Medieval Scandinavian Armies (1) 1100-1300, by David Lindholm and David Nicolle, illustrated by Angus McBride, ISBN 1-84176-505-8.

Wow! This is one for the collection of every modeller who likes Mike Blank’s lovely Scandinavian figures and wants references to use for his own models. Here you get everything from early “peasant” types who can be modified from available Viking figures to others who are similar to Norman knights or even Germanic types. Lots of choice, and lots of base figures available to work from. The text is authoritative, and Angus McBride’s plates are as always a joy to look at. Highly recommended!

Men-at-Arms 394, The German Army in World War I (1) 1914-15, by Nigel Thomas PhD, illustrated by Gerry Embleton, ISBN 1-84176-565-1.

There’s a lot here about organisation and uniforms, from infantry and artillery to hussars and uhlans. The photographs and plates show quite a few subjects that can be produced by modifying available kits, so even if your scratchbuilding skills aren’t up to producing complete figures there are plenty to choose from. This was the period before the Trench War, so uniforms still looked much as they had around 1910 and are quite attractive. Recommended for all WWI fans, of course, but take a look at it too if your period is late 19th century too - you just might find inspiration here.

Elite 93, American War of Independence Commanders, by Rene Chartrand, illustrated by Richard Hook, ISBN 1-84176-568-6.

Back to North America, and here we have a quite complete list of the commanders on both sides with potted biographies and colour plates and/or contemporary illustrations showing them. As far as I can see no-one has been left out, even the French and Spanish commanders are here though curiously enough the Hessians have been omitted. If the War of Independence is your period this book is for you.

Campaign 132, The First Crusade 1096-99, Conquest of the Holy Land, by DavidNicolle, illustrated by Christa Hook, ISBN 1-84176- 515-5.

DaVid Nicolle is an acknowledged expert on the wars of the Middle East at almost any period, and here he gives us the background and origins of the First Crusade as well as how it proceeded. Both sides were fighting for what they felt was right, the Islamic warriors to defend earlier conquests and the Crusaders to expel them, and Dr Nicolle gives an even-handed account. The usual bird’s-eye-views show good reconstructions of the battles Aalthough the atmospheric plates aren’t aimed at modellers the other illustrations show carvings, mosaics and paintings of warriors of the period, so figure modellers can draw their own conclusions about armour and clothing. Recommended to all who’d like to know what went on.