As I was born and grew up a few miles from the site of the battle of Beecher's Island, the Plains Indian Wars have always held a strong interest for me. I'm sure I'm not alone in being fascinated by the campaign and battle of the Little Bighorn. I've always wondered what Custer was thinking when it was obvious that something very wrong was happening....all those battles in "the war", and its going to end here on this barren slope in the middle of nowhere??
Anyway, on to some of my favorites:
Yellowstone Command, by Jerome Greene.
(Greene is a retired National Park Service historian. I've had the pleasure of listening to many of his author's talks at local bookstores. This is a representative work of his, in this case covering Miles campaign in the Great Sioux War 1876-77. He has a large volume of work; you can't go wrong with any of them. I asked him what he was going to do now that he was retired...his answer? "I'm going to read all of those books that I've bought over my lifetime!")
Life of a Soldier on the Western Frontier, by Jeremy Agnew.
(Paperback, nice summary of what life was like on the plains in the army. Covers organization, armament, enemies, ...great stuff)
Lakota Noon, The Indian Narrative of Custer's Defeat, by Gregory Michno.
(Michno is a proflific Indian Wars author, and I consider this book to be one of the absolute best on the LBH. Fascinating analysis of Indian testimonies; almost a time motion study of the battle.)
Great Sioux War Orders of Battle; How the United States Army Waged War on the Northern Plains, 1876-1877, by Paul Hedren.
(Great detail; not necessarily an easy read, but really interesting to follow the various deployments through the war)
With Custer at the Death, by Robert Burke
(Absolutely THE best mapped book of the LBH I've seen. Follows the battle phase by phase)
The Last Stand, by Nathaniel Philbrick.
(I also had a chance to listen to Philbrick at a local author presentation. This one was filmed for Book TV - I'm shown in the footage; a special prize to anybody who spots me! This book reads like a novel, and really captures the drama and color of that summer in 1876)
Do I game the Plains Indian Wars? Not yet....I've never found a way to resolve the proper feel of scenario. I just find the environment, tactical situations, and personalities so compelling that they are of great interest to me as a period to study.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
My Favorite Franco-Prussian War Books
Continuing on with the favorite book theme, today I'll go through my favorite FPW books.
Alphonse De Neuville L'epopee de la defaite from Copernic books (1979)
(This is a beautiful book with page after page of exquisite ADN artwork of the FPW. This is perfect for inspiration...no units marching in step in these illustrations!)
Tactical Deductions from the War of 1870-1871 by Albrecht von Boguslawski
(A reprint of the original 1872 work by Boguslawski, who was a Captain in the Lower Silesian Infantry Regiment No. 50. A great on the ground view of how things worked.)
The Prussian Infantry in the War of 1870-71 by Prince Kraft zu Hohenlohe Ingelfingen
(Taken from an 1889 translation. Absolutely fascinating detail of all the stuff that makes us want to wargame a period.)
The Campaign in Alsace, August 1870 by Brigadier General J.P. Du Cane
(Reprint of 1907 work. A great, detailed look at the battles of Weissenburg and Woerth)
The Battle of Spicheren, August 6th 1870 by Lieut. Col. GFR Henderson
(Reprint of 1891 work. Pretty much as above. Very detailed look at Spicheren)
The Franco-Prussian War, 1870-71 by Quintin Barry
(Maybe not the best books in the world, can be tedious at times. On the other hand, when was the last time you saw a recent 2 volume history of the FPW published? If you're interested in the period, you should have it.)
The Franco-Prussian War, by Michael Howard
(I bought this back in my college years, before I'd even heard of the FPW. Howard sets the standard for FPW works)
A Day of Battle, Mars-La-Tour 16 August 1870, by David Ascoli. After Howard, this was my next book purchased on the FPW many years ago. Excellent writing and presentation...buy this if you can find it)
The Franco-Prussian War, by Geoffrey Wawro.
(Nice general history. You either like Wawro or you don't. I like his style...a nice easy read).
Alphonse De Neuville L'epopee de la defaite from Copernic books (1979)
(This is a beautiful book with page after page of exquisite ADN artwork of the FPW. This is perfect for inspiration...no units marching in step in these illustrations!)
Tactical Deductions from the War of 1870-1871 by Albrecht von Boguslawski
(A reprint of the original 1872 work by Boguslawski, who was a Captain in the Lower Silesian Infantry Regiment No. 50. A great on the ground view of how things worked.)
The Prussian Infantry in the War of 1870-71 by Prince Kraft zu Hohenlohe Ingelfingen
(Taken from an 1889 translation. Absolutely fascinating detail of all the stuff that makes us want to wargame a period.)
The Campaign in Alsace, August 1870 by Brigadier General J.P. Du Cane
(Reprint of 1907 work. A great, detailed look at the battles of Weissenburg and Woerth)
The Battle of Spicheren, August 6th 1870 by Lieut. Col. GFR Henderson
(Reprint of 1891 work. Pretty much as above. Very detailed look at Spicheren)
The Franco-Prussian War, 1870-71 by Quintin Barry
(Maybe not the best books in the world, can be tedious at times. On the other hand, when was the last time you saw a recent 2 volume history of the FPW published? If you're interested in the period, you should have it.)
The Franco-Prussian War, by Michael Howard
(I bought this back in my college years, before I'd even heard of the FPW. Howard sets the standard for FPW works)
A Day of Battle, Mars-La-Tour 16 August 1870, by David Ascoli. After Howard, this was my next book purchased on the FPW many years ago. Excellent writing and presentation...buy this if you can find it)
The Franco-Prussian War, by Geoffrey Wawro.
(Nice general history. You either like Wawro or you don't. I like his style...a nice easy read).
Sunday, May 15, 2011
I'm Baaaaaack!
Sorry, no game report this time. I had knee surgery a week ago, which cancelled the usual game. Our next game is set for June 4, so a game report will follow that.
In the meantime, I thought I'd start a series of posts that list my top 10 favorite books I own for each period.
So - I'll begin with my ACW book collection. These are just the top 10 - not in any particular order:
Last Chance for Victory; Rober E. Lee and the Gettysburg Campaign, by Scott Bowden & Bill Ward
(Fantastic book; this is on my list for regular re-reading).
Gettysburg, The Second Day by Harry Pfanz
(the 2nd day at Gettysburg is to me the most fascinating of the 3 days, full of what ifs and possibilities. If you have this book, you don't need any other for this day)
Gettysburg, a Journey in Time by William Frassanito
(Fascinating study of battlefield photos and identifying their actual content and location....great stuff)
Antietam, The Photographic Legacy of America's Bloodiest Day, by William Frassanito
(as above - GREAT book).
Landscape Turned Red, The Battle of Antietam by Stephen Sears
(My first book on Antietam, and my most often returned to. Its odd to me that Antietam has a tiny fraction of books written about it compared to Gettysburg)
Of Sabres and Carbines: The Emergence of the Federal Dragoon, by Laurence Schiller
(Brilliant pamphlet studying Federal cavalry development and tactics)
The Quest for Annihilation, The Role and Mechanics of Battle in the American Civil War, by Christopher Perello
(This book seems to have been written specifically for wargamers. If this book doesn't grab you, you're probably not interested in the ACW)
The Union Cavalry Comes of Age, Hartwood Church to Brandy Station, 1863, by Eric Wittenberg.
(Wittenberg specializes in books covering ACW cavalry. He is a great writer, and his books are meticulously researched. I have a thing for ACW cavalry actions, and you can't go wrong with anything done by Wittenberg)
Grant Wins the War, Decision at Vicksburg, by James Arnold.
(Jim Arnold is a wargamer, and his books are universally well written and interesting. This book covers the Vicksburg campaign in a clear way that makes you want to break out the figures)
No Better Place to Die, The Battle of Stones River, by Peter Cozzens.
(I bought this many years ago during a visit to the Stones River battlefield. Great book, as I've come to expect from Cozzens. Buy each and every one of his books, you won't be disappointed.)
That's it for today! The knee is doing GREAT; as the surgeon said - I'm only limited by my pain threshold. Recovery pain is a whole lot better than injury pain.
In the meantime, I thought I'd start a series of posts that list my top 10 favorite books I own for each period.
So - I'll begin with my ACW book collection. These are just the top 10 - not in any particular order:
Last Chance for Victory; Rober E. Lee and the Gettysburg Campaign, by Scott Bowden & Bill Ward
(Fantastic book; this is on my list for regular re-reading).
Gettysburg, The Second Day by Harry Pfanz
(the 2nd day at Gettysburg is to me the most fascinating of the 3 days, full of what ifs and possibilities. If you have this book, you don't need any other for this day)
Gettysburg, a Journey in Time by William Frassanito
(Fascinating study of battlefield photos and identifying their actual content and location....great stuff)
Antietam, The Photographic Legacy of America's Bloodiest Day, by William Frassanito
(as above - GREAT book).
Landscape Turned Red, The Battle of Antietam by Stephen Sears
(My first book on Antietam, and my most often returned to. Its odd to me that Antietam has a tiny fraction of books written about it compared to Gettysburg)
Of Sabres and Carbines: The Emergence of the Federal Dragoon, by Laurence Schiller
(Brilliant pamphlet studying Federal cavalry development and tactics)
The Quest for Annihilation, The Role and Mechanics of Battle in the American Civil War, by Christopher Perello
(This book seems to have been written specifically for wargamers. If this book doesn't grab you, you're probably not interested in the ACW)
The Union Cavalry Comes of Age, Hartwood Church to Brandy Station, 1863, by Eric Wittenberg.
(Wittenberg specializes in books covering ACW cavalry. He is a great writer, and his books are meticulously researched. I have a thing for ACW cavalry actions, and you can't go wrong with anything done by Wittenberg)
Grant Wins the War, Decision at Vicksburg, by James Arnold.
(Jim Arnold is a wargamer, and his books are universally well written and interesting. This book covers the Vicksburg campaign in a clear way that makes you want to break out the figures)
No Better Place to Die, The Battle of Stones River, by Peter Cozzens.
(I bought this many years ago during a visit to the Stones River battlefield. Great book, as I've come to expect from Cozzens. Buy each and every one of his books, you won't be disappointed.)
That's it for today! The knee is doing GREAT; as the surgeon said - I'm only limited by my pain threshold. Recovery pain is a whole lot better than injury pain.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
1866 Game Wrap Up
Finishing up with the photos from last week's 1866 game: The Austrians massed a line of artillery in the center of the battlefield at effective range and (gasp) took time to soften up the Prussian infantry and artillery. This allowed the Austrian infantry, spearheaded by Jaeger and Grenze units, to close and crush the Prussian line. Well played by the Austrians! (John, Ed, Greg R., Brad) Maybe next time, Prussians! (Chris, Greg C., Terry).
Austrian cavalry swing toward the flank
Austrian gun line appears depleted...Prussian guns have done some damage!
Jaegers close on a Prussian battery
Austrian infantry flow through their gun line
Austrian Jaegers protect a flank near a Class II river
Defiant last stand of the Prussian center...holding on to the end...standard waving in the breeze
Friday, April 8, 2011
1866 Game - April 2
I'm a bit behind - this game photo summary is of last week's Austro-Prussian 1866 game. The Austrians had a substantial numerical advantage - 24 units to 14. The Prussians held on valiantly, but the Austrians ended up steamrolling them in the center of the field.
Here come the Austrians!
Austrians come over the hill to attack the Prussian left flank
Now THAT is a gun line....facing the Prussian center
General Toby makes a new friend
More in a later post.......
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Book Review: With Zeal and With Bayonets Only
"With Zeal and With Bayonets Only: The British Army on Campaign in North America, 1775-1783" by Matthew H. Spring.
Its easy for me to give this book a D12+1 on the die scale for reviews (D12+1 is the highest, a D4 is the lowest).
What can I say? This is simply a magnificent work. If you have ANY interest in the AWI, you should read this.
This isn't a campaign, or battle history. Its about the inner workings of the British army, with tons of snippets sprinkled throughout to give a flavor for the action. If you want to know "how things work" - buy this book....NOW. I think its on Amazon for around $18 in paperback now.
The chapters will give you some idea of the contents:
The Army's Task
Operational Constraints
Grand Tactics
March and Deployment
Motivation
The Advance
Commanding the Battalion
Firepower
The Bayonet Charge
"Bushfighting"
Hollow Victories
I've come away with a greater appreciation for the challenges faced by the Brits, as well as the flexibility in their tactical abilities.
Buy this book - you will not be disappointed.
Its easy for me to give this book a D12+1 on the die scale for reviews (D12+1 is the highest, a D4 is the lowest).
What can I say? This is simply a magnificent work. If you have ANY interest in the AWI, you should read this.
This isn't a campaign, or battle history. Its about the inner workings of the British army, with tons of snippets sprinkled throughout to give a flavor for the action. If you want to know "how things work" - buy this book....NOW. I think its on Amazon for around $18 in paperback now.
The chapters will give you some idea of the contents:
The Army's Task
Operational Constraints
Grand Tactics
March and Deployment
Motivation
The Advance
Commanding the Battalion
Firepower
The Bayonet Charge
"Bushfighting"
Hollow Victories
I've come away with a greater appreciation for the challenges faced by the Brits, as well as the flexibility in their tactical abilities.
Buy this book - you will not be disappointed.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Franco-Prussian Game Report
We had a great, unique FPW game last night. Chris' friend, Mike LaVigne was in town, and was able to make the game. I believe it was the first time he's played Field of Battle, or seen Field of Battle played.
The scenario generated by the player's decisions resulted in a Prussian force outnumbered by 20% deployed essentially across the short end of the board, primarily behind a Class II railroad embankment. The French had deployed across most of the table width, so 2/3 of their army had a long march to get to the engagement. The Prussians were outgunned, with 1/2 of their artillery not making it to the battlefield. Obviously the Prussian army was in no mood to fight...rolling up only 15 Army Morale Points, to 24 for the French.
The Prussian 2 right command groups were pushed over the railroad and toward the French left flank wood on their baseline. A stiff fight resulted between the Prussians and defending Turcos. Most of the Army Morale Points lost by both armies were lost in the fight for the woods.
The French were surprisingly fast in recovering and moving their army to attack the Prussians. The French right flank, under General "Triple Move" Mumby moved at an unbelievable speed. I've never seen so many triple move rolls in a single game. I think General "Triple Move"'s troop moved around 8 to 9 feet to crush the Prussian left flank.
By the time the French closed on the Prussian right flank (now commanded by me, as Chris and Mike had to scoot to make the start of the Colorado Avalanche vs. Edmonton Oilers game), only 3 Army Morale Points remained for the Prussians. A devastating attack by the French, multiple UI losses for the Prussians...and wouldn't you know it - the turn of the Army Morale Card! The Prussians failed on the first try, and the game ended with a decisive result in around 2 1/2 hours (19 units for the French, 15 for the Prussians).
The scenario generated by the player's decisions resulted in a Prussian force outnumbered by 20% deployed essentially across the short end of the board, primarily behind a Class II railroad embankment. The French had deployed across most of the table width, so 2/3 of their army had a long march to get to the engagement. The Prussians were outgunned, with 1/2 of their artillery not making it to the battlefield. Obviously the Prussian army was in no mood to fight...rolling up only 15 Army Morale Points, to 24 for the French.
The Prussian 2 right command groups were pushed over the railroad and toward the French left flank wood on their baseline. A stiff fight resulted between the Prussians and defending Turcos. Most of the Army Morale Points lost by both armies were lost in the fight for the woods.
The French were surprisingly fast in recovering and moving their army to attack the Prussians. The French right flank, under General "Triple Move" Mumby moved at an unbelievable speed. I've never seen so many triple move rolls in a single game. I think General "Triple Move"'s troop moved around 8 to 9 feet to crush the Prussian left flank.
By the time the French closed on the Prussian right flank (now commanded by me, as Chris and Mike had to scoot to make the start of the Colorado Avalanche vs. Edmonton Oilers game), only 3 Army Morale Points remained for the Prussians. A devastating attack by the French, multiple UI losses for the Prussians...and wouldn't you know it - the turn of the Army Morale Card! The Prussians failed on the first try, and the game ended with a decisive result in around 2 1/2 hours (19 units for the French, 15 for the Prussians).
The initial deployments. The French army is deployed across the table (left side of photo)...the Prussian army is way, way down on the end of the table...
French commands on their right flank
French commands in the woods on the French left, soon to be under attack
Prussians cross the railroad and move to the attack on the woods
French right flank leaps into action and starts to close on the Prussians
Prussians deployed behind the Class II cover of the railroad embankment
French cross at the ford
Prussian attack begins to falter as the Turcos bloody the Jaegers
A sharp looking unit of French Chasseurs
More French cross the river
The end comes quickly for the Prussian left flank as the French under Genl. "Triple Move" Mumby close in. There used to be Prussian infantry in the gap at the railroad...they're routing now, out of the photo.
The French reserves ready to crush what remains of the Prussian left flank.
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