Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Age of the Big Battalions => Topic started by: jetengine on 08 July 2021, 12:34:28 AM
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When it comes to historicals (a rarer genre for me) I tend to focus on Dark Ages (Vikings yeah!) Or WW2 (Tanks and Infantry yeah!) but I'm getting a bit tired of scruffy dudes in furs and industrial designed uniforms. I want something a tad fancier, from a time when the military was full of gentleman (and oiks). The only problem is which era to choose.
So first of all, Napoleon is out. Loved Sharpe, really great. Can't stand the uniforms, too bloody complicated to paint and I'm not a fan of the Shako. Maybe one day, but not now.
Scale is irrelevant but if 28mm I'd prefer to be able to play without a million models. I tend to go Large Warband scale in 28mm (80-100 models) and more in smaller.
So my choices currently are....
Seven Years War - Some of the Napoleonic Eras fanciness, but a tad toned down. The Tricorne is awesome. Multiple nations and battles including my own. Several rulesets, no plastics, but a fair amount of metals.
F&I War - Pretty much the same as the above, albeit smaller and nastier. George Washington started it. Very few plastics, lots of metals, several rulesets.
ACW - Great music, great uniforms, tons of plastics. Only two factions, not a massive interest amongst my groups as its a very foreign war. Also a tad difficult to get into do to its overwhelming amouunt of info.
Franco Prussian War - I know little beyond two things, the Prussians had better guns and the French Uniforrms look AMAZING. Plastics are slowly coming, only two factions.
Any suggestions or advice for a guy with a plethora of choice ?
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If having your nation involved is a bonus, could you tell us which nation that is? Might help with the suggestions.
One other era to consider is War of the Spanish Succession or Great Northern War. Two different wars but they overlap, and between them included almost every nation in Europe. Uniforms tended to be simpler than the later 18th Century, so easier to paint. Uniforms were not as standardised as later, so you can fit a bit more variety into a single army, so you can have some fun without having to paint all the figures with identical uniforms (or nearly identical!). There are plastic figures available from Warlord Games. Lots of tricornes, but also a few different types of mitre, as well as various floppy hats, caps and other options.
As for rulesets, Dan Mersey's Rebels and Patriots provides a pretty flexible toolbox to create armies for the black power era. A little fine-tuning can provide good fun and should be around your preferred army size (30 to 50 models on each side).
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Franco Prussian War - I know little beyond two things, the Prussians had better guns and the French Uniforrms look AMAZING. Plastics are slowly coming, only two factions.
Prussians had better artillery and leaders, French had better rifles. And uniforms, which is why I did them. In 15mm Old Glory 15s (different from main Old Glory company) have very nice figures. For grand tactical games, with whole armies on the table we chose Bloody Big Battles. I hear They Died for Glory is used much for tactical games, maybe a division per side. Other rules too, I'm sure.
As said above, War of the Spanish Succession has simpler uniforms, lots of 28mm plastics, and simpler tactics. Very few skirmishers to confuse things, all smoothbore weapons.
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I would concur that War of Spanish Succession would be a good fit. Many different armies with relatively simple designs. Multiple theaters on several continents.
As an alternative, you could do the Nine Years War (1688-1697), which has all the same cool features as WSS, but you also get greater widespread use of more archaic forms of warfare to make more interesting armies, like pikemen and armored soldiers. For that, I would look into Front Rank Miniatures when they start doing orders again.
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Scale is irrelevant but if 28mm I'd prefer to be able to play without a million models. I tend to go Large Warband scale in 28mm (80-100 models) and more in smaller.
Just noticed this. Perhaps a skirmish rule set like Rebels & Patriots would be more what you are looking for. 50, 60 figures per side or so. Sharp Practice if you can go a little higher.
Our Franco-Prussian BBB 15mm setup has a max of 300 figures or so per side, usually not all on the table at once.
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I rapidly fell in love with SYW a long, long time ago, and they've been my most consistently played period for nearly four decades. Why?
1) Appearance: less flamboyant and in much better taste than other H. and M. armies. A slightly militarised civilian dress, and a few hussars etc. for pepper on top.
2) Balance: Of the big five, only France is really not in with a good chance. With Prussians, Austrians, English (as they were universally called), and Russians, you've always got a few local specialities that can give you the edge, but nothing too decisive. And within each army, you've got everything you want, 'cept'n' Alice.
3) Cultural: irrelevant, but it's the era I feel most at home in. With music like that, it set standards our times don't come near.
4) Figures available: Pendraken's range is really comprehensive.
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Tricorns are brilliant.
How about Jacobite rebellions. Nice figures in 28mm.
Vodkafan & I are tweaking Rebels & Patriots.
OR
English Civil Wars. Again some very nice 28mm Figures,
plus if you make the units generic & raise 100 figures,
you can fight 50 V 50 or take on someone else with
your 100.
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If you go for Jacobites don't forget it's not just 1745 and look towards 1689 or 1715.
I would also suggest looking at Spanish Succession/Great Northern War/9 Years War
Plastics from Warlord are not brilliant, but there are some good looking metals from League of Augsberg, Ebor, Dixon, and North Star. Foundry too (but they are a bit smaller, fine if you keep them in separate units)
For skirmish type rules there's a set called Donnybrook, aimed at units of 4-12 figures (small units = tough veterans, large ones = raw recruits) with a few units per side. There's also a PDF supplement "Donnybrook at Sea" where you can use small sloops etc and turn to naval actions, or piracy.
Otherwise, have a look at Sharp Practice.
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Jet engine, all great periods but a few things to consider. Can you game it using the figures for both “large skirmish” and bigger battles? Does the period cover both historic small and big battles ? Are their good sources in your native language.
With these thoughts I would look at French-Indian wars. American War of Independance, American Civil War. Rules such as Muskets and Tomahawks, Sharpe Practice 2 and Rebels and Patriots cover the skirmish end and there are a plethora of larger-scale rules.
What about Renaissance or English Civil War? The latter is always popular.
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A couple of questions before I air my own prejudices.
Which is more important to you: gameplay, or spectacle?
Which excites you more: skirmishes, or big battles?
Myself, I favour gameplay and big battles, which colours my answers below.
SYW: don't do it. The battles are linear, the tactical options limited, as argued here:
http://bloodybigbattles.blogspot.com/2016/04/airing-some-prejudices-on-one.html
(No offence to those who do enjoy it, it's a matter of taste, and I have played some fun SYW games myself. I just think there is better fun to be had elsewhere.)
F&IW: if skirmish games are your thing, at least this offers enough variety of troop types to make it interesting.
ACW: some super-interesting battles to refight (I particularly love The Wilderness and Chickamauga), but relatively symmetrical armies. Therefore:
FPW (etc): go for it! Especially if you get Austrians as well, then you can fight a triangle of 1859, 1866 and 1870. Each of these makes for really interesting tactical challenges because of the asymmetry of weapons and tactics and doctrine. DON'T do it in 28mm; DON'T do it as a skirmish game (too little variety of weaponry); these wars were all about the big battles, and there is so much good gaming to be had from them at that level. The whole second half of the 19th century is fascinating because of the evolution of technologies and tactics in that period. Lots of different conflicts to explore.
That's just my advice and, as I said, it does depend what you like. Others may have better advice for your tastes. Good luck with finding what's right for you.
Chris
Bloody Big BATTLES!
https://groups.io/g/bloodybigbattles
BBB on FB:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1412549408869331
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Chris, I’m intrigued by your FPW recommendation? Are there many sources available in English? I last looked at it “pre-Internet” back in the ‘80s, plus 19th century isn’t something I read about much.
Thanks
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Glad you like the idea of FPW. There's no shortage of FPW info in English. Covered well by Osprey for the necessary uniform info and I guess basic overview:
https://ospreypublishing.com/the-franco-prussian-war-1870-1871-ebook?___store=osprey_rst
My excellent publisher Helion has plenty for you, especially from the estimable Quintin Barry:
https://www.helion.co.uk/conflicts/franco-prussian-war.php
and lots more good books around, I'm sure.
Worth adding that the FPW falls into two distinct phases, the Imperial phase (up to the battle of Sedan - which makes a surprisingly good game considering the French are trapped and doomed) and then the Republican phase. The former sees high quality French troops dismally led. The latter sees masses of hastily raised raw levies, with a smattering of elites (Foreign Legion, Papal Zouaves, spahis), but better commanded, notably by Chanzy. Garibaldi shows up too, though he doesn't do a lot. Action around the siege of Paris involving forts and gunboats and railway guns ... plenty of colour to be found, as well as the grand tactical challenges.
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If SYW interests you at all, read a few real histories before you believe those who say it's all line-'em-up-and-shoot-'em-down.
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Hi FK, having recently translated Clausewitz's history of the SYW, I can report that "it's all line-'em-up-and-shoot-'em-down" is pretty much what he says too, so I'm in good company. There are some really interesting battles, to be sure, but the truly interesting decisions are mostly in the pre-battle manoeuvring, rather than once battle is joined on the tabletop, so to speak.
Still I will happily grant that there are good games to be had from Zorndorf, Torgau, Rossbach etc. I'm sure there are good reasons why it has sustained your interest for so long. No disparagement intended.
Chris
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The English Civil War (ECW) is a fun period. There's really only two main sides to worry: The King and the Parliament. But there's also the Scots and Irish if you want something different. Warlord Games provide an easy gateway with plenty of plastics and metal figures. They do a starter set that comes with a with a bunch of troops and a set of rules (Pike and Shotte). The uniforms are very easy and because there's limited info on them you can't really make mistakes with the uniforms. Lots of interesting personalities involved too.
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For my tuppence worth, I'd give a shout for the American War of Independence.
There are Perry 28mm minis in plastic for the main units, lots of metal options for some of the slightly odd uniformed chaps and those non-uniformed. Even the main units have a good few uniform options.
For other scales, there are Pendraken and Kallistra in 10/12mm, and I reckon all the main companies do figurs in 15mm. And there are 1/72 plastic - never forget good old vintage Airfix.
There are some good rulesets for the period. I've played AWI with Black Powder for battles, and Rebels and Patriots and more recently, Musket and Tomahawk for skirmish level games. Both of the skirmish games featured between 50 to 80 miniatures.
cheers,
Tom
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One other era to consider is War of the Spanish Succession (...) Uniforms tended to be simpler than the later 18th Century, so easier to paint. Uniforms were not as standardised as later, so you can fit a bit more variety into a single army, so you can have some fun without having to paint all the figures with identical uniforms (or nearly identical!).
That's what I was about to suggest. :)
Another interest of this period is that, if some day you wish, many of these soldiers could also fight against pirates. :D
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An interesting exchange, prompted by a great question. I love ACW personally, despite the similarities of army structure etc., as the settings and scales of encounters are so different, from large scale set pieces to confused encounter battles, near-trench like conditions, and mounted infantry skirmishes.
FPW has the same, and with more colourful uniforms. As noted above, perhaps the most diverse period is actually after Sedan.
Finally, if you take an outlying country (Sweden?) or empire (Ottomans?) as a focal point, you can structure armies and enemies in several wars/eras to line up against them, either in actual or fantasy battles. This works anywhere (France vs Britain in 1870, e.g.?), so maybe just start with a style or army you like and build out.
The latter has launched me on a Roman project, Augustan era. I have no idea who (everyone?) they'll fight yet, but paint has been spilled.
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Hi FK, having recently translated Clausewitz's history of the SYW, I can report that "it's all line-'em-up-and-shoot-'em-down" is pretty much what he says too, so I'm in good company. There are some really interesting battles, to be sure, but the truly interesting decisions are mostly in the pre-battle manoeuvring, rather than once battle is joined on the tabletop, so to speak.
Still I will happily grant that there are good games to be had from Zorndorf, Torgau, Rossbach etc. I'm sure there are good reasons why it has sustained your interest for so long. No disparagement intended.
Chris
Didn't intend to come across as after your blood. But there's a sort of "Tactics before Napoleon = Music before Beethoven = Meat without salt" attitude that one runs into so often....
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Because you seem to want something 'smart and colourful' I'd go SYW. The uniforms are fairly uncomplicated, especially if you go for figures without equipment. Some of the Foundry Prussian and Russian packs paint up quickly and well and have little in the way of straps / belts; many of the Russians are in simple summer campaign dress without coats, some with lovely blue rain capes (that make painting even simpler!
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ur6ZLU-30JA/WrzrX_AVhOI/AAAAAAAAMqg/7xJDMHGRzdIUbCbAb-FHlddC-eEpnw6lwCEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_1801.JPG)
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SByFJjMJkX0/VZUbPigpubI/AAAAAAAAJuI/SaJVNKKFoVI/s640/IMG_9680.JPG)
Of course, it all depends on the size of games your planning, at the larger end they can look spectacular
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QTIbpPGrLLU/WfxovrRaKnI/AAAAAAAAMWU/bhABVN-Q_1Q6Z3--AJp3CQcrqQ-HL_fHACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_1614.JPG)
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AP9LRNhBkx4/Wfxov2e63PI/AAAAAAAAMWY/e88GzHpel24brgOQCrx4r8brv99W2q_PACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_1615.JPG)
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-99IrWYKG9IE/WfxoyRTV45I/AAAAAAAAMWg/ULLLhbRxbxcz9jlgzSbHyZpyPp9j5aPYACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_1618.JPG)
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-inECIkj7VV8/VyjEAwKkhhI/AAAAAAAAKuk/wzlpgKbZBrIlG_cGgLuAVwlzK8LkWs3vgCLcB/s1600/Lobositz%2Bdeployments%2B3.jpg)
But smaller games with just a dozen units a side are also great fun, this one is the Reserve Demolition scenario by Grant.
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gAqyfBaxMmc/UoS9AGmBISI/AAAAAAAAHJI/6YxfCCFaqIQ/s400/IMG_8152.JPG)
Of all the collections I've painted over the years, SYW was the most fun and rewarding. So much so that I painted in excess of 2700 of them. You are right about Napoleonics in that respect. I'm painting a similar number for my Peninsular collection and although great when done, getting them done has been a slow grind and I still have about 700 to go. However, I wouldn't not do them or discount them, because they are the prettiest collections to look at and, once done, they do make you feel rather groovy.
My French, finished this year (a similar number of Brits are 85% done).
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n0SH-zJhHzY/X1pS3qLEWOI/AAAAAAAAOs8/bva4TDHMGtkYPiOXHJ7BX9s-5_ohv0wrACNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_3421.JPG)
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vvGYLrZR29Q/X1pC1SvTHUI/AAAAAAAAOsQ/gX6sLqCODwseKSpgwaKEUmsKzowcXKzAgCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_3430.JPG)
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Because you seem to want something 'smart and colourful' I'd go SYW. The uniforms are fairly uncomplicated, especially if you go for figures without equipment. Some of the Foundry Prussian and Russian packs paint up quickly and well and have little in the way of straps / belts; many of the Russians are in simple summer campaign dress without coats, some with lovely blue rain capes (that make painting even simpler!
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ur6ZLU-30JA/WrzrX_AVhOI/AAAAAAAAMqg/7xJDMHGRzdIUbCbAb-FHlddC-eEpnw6lwCEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_1801.JPG)
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SByFJjMJkX0/VZUbPigpubI/AAAAAAAAJuI/SaJVNKKFoVI/s640/IMG_9680.JPG)
Of course, it all depends on the size of games your planning, at the larger end they can look spectacular
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QTIbpPGrLLU/WfxovrRaKnI/AAAAAAAAMWU/bhABVN-Q_1Q6Z3--AJp3CQcrqQ-HL_fHACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_1614.JPG)
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AP9LRNhBkx4/Wfxov2e63PI/AAAAAAAAMWY/e88GzHpel24brgOQCrx4r8brv99W2q_PACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_1615.JPG)
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-99IrWYKG9IE/WfxoyRTV45I/AAAAAAAAMWg/ULLLhbRxbxcz9jlgzSbHyZpyPp9j5aPYACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_1618.JPG)
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-inECIkj7VV8/VyjEAwKkhhI/AAAAAAAAKuk/wzlpgKbZBrIlG_cGgLuAVwlzK8LkWs3vgCLcB/s1600/Lobositz%2Bdeployments%2B3.jpg)
But smaller games with just a dozen units a side are also great fun, this one is the Reserve Demolition scenario by Grant.
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gAqyfBaxMmc/UoS9AGmBISI/AAAAAAAAHJI/6YxfCCFaqIQ/s400/IMG_8152.JPG)
Of all the collections I've painted over the years, SYW was the most fun and rewarding. So much so that I painted in excess of 2700 of them. You are right about Napoleonics in that respect. I'm painting a similar number for my Peninsular collection and although great when done, getting them done has been a slow grind and I still have about 700 to go. However, I wouldn't not do them or discount them, because they are the prettiest collections to look at and, once done, they do make you feel rather groovy.
My French, finished this year (a similar number of Brits are 85% done).
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n0SH-zJhHzY/X1pS3qLEWOI/AAAAAAAAOs8/bva4TDHMGtkYPiOXHJ7BX9s-5_ohv0wrACNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_3421.JPG)
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vvGYLrZR29Q/X1pC1SvTHUI/AAAAAAAAOsQ/gX6sLqCODwseKSpgwaKEUmsKzowcXKzAgCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_3430.JPG)
Those look absolutely smashing Oli ! I have to agree on the 7 year war thing, I'm leaning more towards that or WSS (similarish uniforms, though I know nothing about it beyond it dealing with the absolutely bonkers Sun King, a super villain name if there ever was one). I still have a yen towards the FPW but might leave that to see what crops up now the perries are interested.
Would I feasibly be able to use 7 Year War figures in the French and Indian war ?
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British and French regulars are the same for both pretty much, except that I think some British infantry sometimes cut their coats down to get through the forests of America - and later became designated as light infantry (?). French regulars are certainly the same.
Obviously, there are plenty of local American / Canadian additions for both sides and plenty of Indians. I've played a few F&IW games, mostly small ones (except the one pictured below, set around the shores of a lake, hence the table shape) and enjoyed them very much. At some point I may very well collect for this period myself - for me it's the investment in period specific terrain that is the sticking point (terrain storage issues - aaaarrrrghhhh - trees, you never can have enough for F&IW).
If you go the F&IW route, and slightly off kilter, try and get the board game by GMT called Wilderness War. As well as being one of the best two player board games I've ever played, it pretty much gives you everything you need to collect for the period (and for me, collecting everything would still make it a minor collection - it's a very low numbers war), as well as giving you a fantastic idea of how the war was fought (it's card based with all the built in historical events featured).
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bcIFLPcvv1o/VvBRZ5AIb8I/AAAAAAAAKlA/baaDixuranQNPNmkolaRSPL9hH7DJJ5nQ/s640/IMG_0399.JPG)
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OHV9dsHRL6Q/VvBRer6E_xI/AAAAAAAAKl0/5G-9LevEUnYGQBHrhxLMzeWlkcy3BQerw/s640/IMG_0405.JPG)
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IJpqItEVL4E/VvBRmyQvpwI/AAAAAAAAKl0/95BoYoGfRPs-TzSKjj6g8mANWv0_zVA6A/s640/IMG_0410.JPG)
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If cost and time to assemble forces (and also terrain!) is a concern for you, there is a low-cost way to try out games in this era: Peter Dennis' Paper Soldiers!
https://peterspaperboys.com/collections
(https://peterspaperboys.com/collections)
https://www.helion.co.uk/series/paper-soldiers.php?sid=6ae3a3c1941f9ad8e29b2012dc706eab (https://www.helion.co.uk/series/paper-soldiers.php?sid=6ae3a3c1941f9ad8e29b2012dc706eab)
Peter and Helion have armies available for several of the wars that have been discussed in this thread, including ACW, ECW, WSS, SYW, AWI, Jacobite '45, Peninsular War, and more. Low entry cost, easy to assemble so you can try out some games and then decide if you want to plunge deeper into things.
I've played some games for the '45 using Peter's paper soldiers. There's no way that I could have painted the equivalent number of highlanders (all that tartan o_o ) but cutting and assembling the paper Jacobites was much more achievable.
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Chris et al, many thanks for the advice on the sources for FPW. I have all the Ospreys and have checked out Helion's website . Looks a good selection.
For the record and echoing some other comments I game
SYW in 15mm. Two old Freikorps armies that need some TLC. Still looking for decent rules .I'm checking out the Osprey set plus another set whose name eludes me.
FiW Skirmish in 28mm using "Muskets and Tomahawks"
AWI in 28mm. Based for Black Powder but my opponent swears by a simple 2-3 page set called "Loose Files and American Scramble"
Napoleonic Peninsular in 28mm . Tried Black Powder v1 but binned them. Now looking at "General d'Armee" but waiting for my opponent to return from overseas.
ACW in 6mm. Tried "Altar of Freedom" but found them way too fiddly. Now looking at the ACW adaptation of "Blucher"
Finally, I too have bought the "Paper Soldiers" Spanish Succession book as I fancy the period but not the painting!
Bon chance with your deliberations
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AWI in 28mm. Based for Black Powder but my opponent swears by a simple 2-3 page set called "Loose Files and American Scramble"
Ditch the poorly defined order system. Design your own or do without and this rule set is dandy. Redcoats? Get stuck in, don't bother with long range musketry.
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So, been thinking about it a bit.
I have to be enthused both by the history AND the models before I settle on anything. 7 years war...doesn't really grab me. French Indian War does but to me thats always more of a skirmish thing then anything else (ie : Muskets and Tomabawks, Song of Drums and Tomahawks) so for bigger battles (100 odd 28mm dudes, more if smaller) this leaves me thinking about the ACW or FPW.
I DO want the 'smart, colourful blocks of troops' thing this era goes for but I obviously need to be interested in the history behind it.
Also, I presume some of the smaller scale rulesets work on smaller tables ? 4×4 for example ?
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jetengine, you do seem to be keen on FPW so maybe you have already 75% made your choice.
The uniforms are nice and colourful.
However, ACW also has some colourful (but still fairly simple) uniforms to offer, lots of nice figures out there and can be gamed big or small. I always thought I would have to paint hundreds of figs to do ACW, but my pal suggested Rebels and Patriots and we have never looked back. We have had great fun using Rebels and Patriots with about 60 figures a side, it's not too hard a task to get a unit together when you only need 12 or 6. A lot of our R & P ACW games are on a 4 x 4 table without feeling cramped, so that is a yes.
And the history of the ACW is both fascinating and tragic (as all civil wars are) and will probably grab you with only a little reading.
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If you go with FIW/SYW as your preferred timeframe you can do the Sugar Islands... which are battles on the smaller side but with lots of flavor. Plenty of 28mm figures that will work for you.
Check out some of what Mark Luther's been doing with 15mm Sugar Islands here - https://www.flickr.com/photos/6mmgaming/albums/72157714041233566
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I've been obsessed by the ACW for quite a while, mainly because of one thing: The literature on the subject is vast, but of excellent quality. You will find very good battle & campaign studies as well as social, cultural and political histories. Also, many sources are easily available, either as reprints, on university or library homepages or via archive.org.
Because I wanted to do something local (I live in Austria), I've recently started napoleonics and while there is also a lot of literature, a large number of it is either uniformology or of variable quality. However, the availability of sources is also quite good.
As has been said before, ACW is as great for skirmishes (which I do most of the time) as for huge battles and everything in between. And despite the symmetry of the two sides, it offers a huge variety of scenarios and can include fun stuff such as gunboats, trains and balloons.
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I haven't delved too deeply in the reading material on the ACW.
On the one hand, I read 3/4 of Keegans "ACW: A military history" and found it incredibly dull and dry before giving up. Just wasn't enjoying it in the slightest.
On the otherhand, I've almost finished the second Starbuck book and am enjoying it greatly, even if Cornwell is having a difficult time trying to balance out the Confederacy narratively as proragonists (part of the reason I suspect he slowed to a a halt on writing more, to the point he's even resurrecting Sharpe before getting back to it)
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Oh, the Keegan book is shockingly bad, don't let yourself be put off by this.
If you are interested in the tactics, Paddy Griffith's Rally Once Again: Battle Tactics of the American Civil War is still valid and a good read. There are newer studies by Nosworthy and Earl Hess, though, which are very good but a bit dryer.
For very readable battle accounts, I can recommend Noah Andre Trudeau, e.g. his book on Gettysburg.
And one of the best studies on the soldier's experience, and one of the best books on the war in general, is The War for the Common Soldier: How Men Thought, Fought, and Survived in Civil War Armies by Peter Carmichael.
If you're interested in a specific topic, feel free to send me a PM, I'll be happy to recommend you some books :)
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Oh, the Keegan book is shockingly bad, don't let yourself be put off by this.
If you are interested in the tactics, Paddy Griffith's Rally Once Again: Battle Tactics of the American Civil War is still valid and a good read. There are newer studies by Nosworthy and Earl Hess, though, which are very good but a bit dryer.
For very readable battle accounts, I can recommend Noah Andre Trudeau, e.g. his book on Gettysburg.
And one of the best studies on the soldier's experience, and one of the best books on the war in general, is The War for the Common Soldier: How Men Thought, Fought, and Survived in Civil War Armies by Peter Carmichael.
If you're interested in a specific topic, feel free to send me a PM, I'll be happy to recommend you some books :)
Thank god that its not just me that found it a dreary mess, all the online reviews were raving but it's just a snoozefest. I get it was written in the 80s but its just bad. Meanwhile McLynns Napoleon biography was a great pageturner that had me interested all the way throughout.and was written barely ten years later!
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Keegan wrote great books - especially The Face of Battle, which was really groundbreaking - but the ACW book is a huge disappointment.
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Keegan wrote great books - especially The Face of Battle, which was really groundbreaking - but the ACW book is a huge disappointment.
Yes, his first was his best.