Guns of August WW1 Coverage - New article every week this summer!

[vtsaogames]

It’s too late for me to steer clear of The White War, as I read it last year. It’s the only detailed study of the Italian front I’ve read and I wasn’t aware it was unreliable. Could you mention some more authoritative sources? I’ve recently bought Nick Lloyd’s The Eastern Front, which covers Italy, but haven’t begun reading it yet.

Also read White War and am interested in another take - in English. My Italian is barely capable of ordering basics from a menu.
Oh yes, and dove il gabinetto, so useful after a pint or two.

[Cholmondely Percival IV]

My Italian doesn’t even reach that level and I don’t anticipate rectifying that, even though I probably should. Incidentally, I’ve no idea whether it’s included in the reading list that is linked above, but I’m currently reading  Bloody Victory by William Philpott, on the battle of the Somme, which for the first time in my experience makes sense of the Entente’s - and, earlier, Falkenhayn’s - strategy of attrition, as opposed to merely deriding it as so many works do. Aside from the detailed coverage of the battle itself it also provides an excellent summary of the events of 1917 and 1918, both in military and political terms. It may well be the most illuminating book on WWI I’ve read. Now for the immediate counter-attack, I imagine.

[Will Bailie]

On the subject of great WWI reads, I recommend Robert Graves' 'Goodbye to All That', his memoir of his time in the BEF on the western front. 

And for the sheer wackiness of it all, 'Mimi and Toutou Go Forth' by Giles Foden tells the story of how the Royal Navy sent the eccentric Lt-Cdr Spicer Simpson to contest German control of Lake Tangayika.

[Cholmondely Percival IV]

Thank you. Graves’s book has long been on my to read list but I haven’t yet acquired a copy. I’d vaguely heard of Foden’s book but have read about those gunboats in Battle for the Bundu by Charles Miller, an excellent account of the fighting in German East Africa. At least, I assume that’s where I read about it - it was rather a long time ago. In any event, I’ll recommend it.

[vtsaogames]

Read something years back about Mimi and Toutou. Spicer-Simpson was one strange bird.

[thestoats]

It’s too late for me to steer clear of The White War, as I read it last year. It’s the only detailed study of the Italian front I’ve read and I wasn’t aware it was unreliable. Could you mention some more authoritative sources? I’ve recently bought Nick Lloyd’s The Eastern Front, which covers Italy, but haven’t begun reading it yet.

Sure thing! If you don’t want to translate from Italian, your best bet imo would be Vanda Wilcox’s writings on the Italian Army during the war. John Gooch has also written a book titled The Italian Army and the First World War, but although the work is well-researched it does devote many pages to Italy’s poliyical developments from 1861-1914 and their attempts at colonization in the early 20th century, so less for us to read about the Great War proper sadly.

If you’re looking for vast  information on uniforms and equipment, you can’t go wrong with Verlag Militaria. They have a two-volume book, originally in German but translated into English, full of pictures, illustrations, diagrams, and lots of text that focus on the uniforms and equipment of the Regio Esercito.

[Cholmondely Percival IV]

Thank you. I will seek out those books at some point. Do you game this theatre yourself?

[thestoats]

I’m just beginning to collect some Germans and Russians for skirmish-level actions using the “To the Last Man” ruleset, but currently I haven’t played a game yet. I haven’t yet considered the Italian theater but given the solid range of 1/72 scale plastics I might have to!

[Cholmondely Percival IV]

I didn’t know there were WWI Italians available in 1/72, though I assume French could stand in. Actually I know nothing about the Italian uniforms other than the Adrian helmet and the use of the fez by some special forces (at least, according to Thompson.)

[thestoats]

Yes, HaT and Waterloo 1815 both produce WW1 Italian figures in the scale. Sadly in 28mm there are fewer options with Scarab Miniatures having the most comprehensive range. But yes, the Arditi used a fez, alongside their Bersaglieri tunic with folded down collar. Sadly nobody makes the Bersaglieri themselves

[SPQR7070]

This week we reviewed the Scouts Out! WW1 skirmish ruleset.

[Will Bailie]

I didn’t know there were WWI Italians available in 1/72, though I assume French could stand in. Actually I know nothing about the Italian uniforms other than the Adrian helmet and the use of the fez by some special forces (at least, according to Thompson.)

Plastic Soldier Review has comprehensive reviews of 1/72 plastic figures, including breakdowns by nationality and period.  Here is the WWI summary page:  https://plasticsoldierreview.com/PeriodList.aspx?period=11

In addition to Scarab, Brigade Games has a reasonable selection of WWI Italians (and A-H to oppose them!) https://brigadegamesminis.com/collections/ww1-great-war-italian-front