Being on so-called light duties has meant I have been able to catch up on my reviews, courtesy of Helion of course. Here are the first of several reviews I shall be completing over the next week or so.
Another new addition from Helion’s excellent ‘from Reason to Revolution’ series (No. 148), edited by Zack White, is An Unavoidable Evil: Siege Warfare in the Age of Napoleon. It examines a part of Napoleonic warfare that usually gets brushed aside. I am of course, as if the clue was not in the book title, talking about the sieges. We know pretty much everything there is to know about the pitched battles, but as this book shows, generals often had little choice but to invest fortresses, blockade towns, and grind away at walls and stomachs alike. It is a collection of essays rather than a single narrative, and this approach works really well. The range is impressive, from Spain, India, to the Ottoman frontiers, and it makes clear that siege craft was not some outdated relic but very much part of the age. There are several useful maps and tables; my favourite was the chart showing how much transport was needed for only one 24pdr gun and two days of ammo. The chapters several stand out as both fresh and thought-provoking, namely those describing Russia’s wars against the Ottomans and the British in India.
Personally I would have liked more on the human side of sieges such as the suffering of civilians and the wider political impact. However, that minor and very personal observation does not detract from the overall quality of the book. Furthermore, for anyone with an interest in the period covered by the Napoleonic wars beyond the usual set-piece battles, and here I mean wargamers especially, this is a very worthwhile addition to one’s library. At just over 160 pages it is a slim volume, and it is very readable. Certainly a book I recommend if you want to see the subject in a fuller light.
From a wargaming point of view, some of the case studies here would make cracking scenarios with assaults, mining, starvation and blockades, all with the added tension of time and supplies. Food for thought.
ISBN: 978-1-804513-45-3 161 Pages Paperback
Moving on. If, like me, you delight in detailed books that straddle the line between reference work and inspiration for the gaming table, Wars and Soldiers in the Early Reign of Louis XIV, volume 8 – The Armies of Denmark-Norway, Courland and Danzig 1655–1690, is one you’ll want to add to your collection. Author Bruno Mugnai has excelled himself yet again with this book; every new offering in this series seems to offer something different, and this is no exception. For the serious or more casual enthusiasts of this period it has so much to offer.Where to start? The book brings together the often contrasting threads of organisational history, equipment, uniforms, ensigns, and army structure for each of the armies covered in this volume, namely Denmark-Norway, Courland and Danzig. With the exception of the former these are not exactly mainstream subjects but as ever Bruno can be relied upon to come up with the goods regarding these armies. Who doesn’t want a contingent from Courland in their army?
The book features an extensive assortment of both colour and black-and-white images. Notably, it includes 16 wonderful and highly detailed full-colour plates depicting troops, uniforms, and ensigns. The uniform plates are especially striking original pieces of artwork and are the work of the author. The volume is further supplemented by numerous tables, orders of battle, appendices, maps, and additional illustrations, such as period artwork and photographs of surviving artefacts. Comprehensive information concerning uniforms, standards, and weaponry is seamlessly incorporated into the narrative sections. Organisational charts offer insight into force composition, while uniform plates and ensigns serve as valuable visual references.
The author has yet again undertaken extensive research utilising archival sources and primary materials, moving beyond the reliance on secondary accounts. Consequently, this work joins the previous and equally wonderful seven volumes in making a significant contribution to the historiography of the period, rather than re-hashing already ‘established’ narratives.
Wars and Soldiers in the Early Reign of Louis XIV, Volume 8 is a rewarding companion. It will not supplant a narrative history, but it will enhance every narrative history you own — especially when you take it to the wargaming table. It gives substance to the otherwise airy abstractions of seventeenth century warfare. If you’re already comfortable with the era, or if you have a project in mind. Do not expect it to hold your hand — dive in, drink deep, and let the indexes and appendices be your guides. I am glad to own it, and am certain I will return to it often as I do repeatedly with Bruno’s earlier works. Highly recommended for serious students of Louis XIV’s early wars (especially those among us who like to carry history onto the table).
This is No. 130 in Helion’s ever expanding ‘Century of the Soldier 1618–1721’ series.
ISBN:978-1-804515-50-1 279 pages Paperback
Lastly for now we have this recently-published volume, part of Helion’s ‘Century of the Soldier’ series, S.I. Shamenkov’s Ukrainian Cossacks from the Late Sixteenth Century to the Early Eighteenth Century delivers a comprehensive examination of its subject matter. Spanning 260 pages, the book provides an in-depth analysis of the organisation, attire, equipment, and weaponry of the Cossacks over approximately one and a half centuries, from the establishment of registered companies to the era of the Hetmanate and subsequent mercenary formations.
Shamenkov has conducted extensive research. The text compiles numerous sources—including contemporary accounts, period artwork, museum pieces, and excavated finds—into an accessible overview of Cossack attire, armament, and their historical development. Rather than listing items, it presents a visual exploration of Cossack military culture. The book contains approximately 180 images, such as photographs of original artefacts, contemporary prints, and 28 pages of colour plates and reconstructions by the author depicting various troop types and a range of banners and standards. These illustrations provide detailed references for painting figures or developing Cossack-related projects. The section on banners is comprehensive, and the details about equipment and clothing offer clarification on debates regarding Cossack appearances in wargaming contexts.
The coverage allocates equal attention to both the ordinary rank-and-file members and the starshyna and hetmans. The book includes information about various formations, such as the Sich Cossacks, the Hetman’s registered troops, and the later western-style serdiuky and kompaniitsi. Weapons and clothing are described in detail, and the text also addresses tactics and battlefield methods to provide context for the visual material.
Though I have a few minor reservations, such as wishing for more maps or details about artefact present-day locations, they are greatly outweighed by the book’s overall quality. The production standards, writing, and illustrations are all excellent.
Overall, this work is a valuable contribution to the English-language literature on the Cossacks, a subject frequently overlooked in studies of seventeenth-century military history. It serves as a comprehensive reference for amateur historians, researchers, wargamers, reenactors, figure painters, and enthusiasts alike. This publication is highly recommended for those seeking an authoritative resource on the topic.
This is No. 129 in Helion’s ‘Century of the Soldier 1618–1721 series.
ISBN: 978-1-804514-46-7 230 pages Paperback
Plenty more to follow, and I might even get some little men finished this week as well!
The book features an extensive assortment of both colour and black-and-white images. Notably, it includes 16 wonderful and highly detailed full-colour plates depicting troops, uniforms, and ensigns. The uniform plates are especially striking original pieces of artwork and are the work of the author. The volume is further supplemented by numerous tables, orders of battle, appendices, maps, and additional illustrations, such as period artwork and photographs of surviving artefacts. Comprehensive information concerning uniforms, standards, and weaponry is seamlessly incorporated into the narrative sections. Organisational charts offer insight into force composition, while uniform plates and ensigns serve as valuable visual references.
The author has yet again undertaken extensive research utilising archival sources and primary materials, moving beyond the reliance on secondary accounts. Consequently, this work joins the previous and equally wonderful seven volumes in making a significant contribution to the historiography of the period, rather than re-hashing already ‘established’ narratives.
Wars and Soldiers in the Early Reign of Louis XIV, Volume 8 is a rewarding companion. It will not supplant a narrative history, but it will enhance every narrative history you own — especially when you take it to the wargaming table. It gives substance to the otherwise airy abstractions of seventeenth century warfare. If you’re already comfortable with the era, or if you have a project in mind. Do not expect it to hold your hand — dive in, drink deep, and let the indexes and appendices be your guides. I am glad to own it, and am certain I will return to it often as I do repeatedly with Bruno’s earlier works. Highly recommended for serious students of Louis XIV’s early wars (especially those among us who like to carry history onto the table).
This is No. 130 in Helion’s ever expanding ‘Century of the Soldier 1618–1721’ series.
ISBN:978-1-804515-50-1 279 pages Paperback
Shamenkov has conducted extensive research. The text compiles numerous sources—including contemporary accounts, period artwork, museum pieces, and excavated finds—into an accessible overview of Cossack attire, armament, and their historical development. Rather than listing items, it presents a visual exploration of Cossack military culture. The book contains approximately 180 images, such as photographs of original artefacts, contemporary prints, and 28 pages of colour plates and reconstructions by the author depicting various troop types and a range of banners and standards. These illustrations provide detailed references for painting figures or developing Cossack-related projects. The section on banners is comprehensive, and the details about equipment and clothing offer clarification on debates regarding Cossack appearances in wargaming contexts.
The coverage allocates equal attention to both the ordinary rank-and-file members and the starshyna and hetmans. The book includes information about various formations, such as the Sich Cossacks, the Hetman’s registered troops, and the later western-style serdiuky and kompaniitsi. Weapons and clothing are described in detail, and the text also addresses tactics and battlefield methods to provide context for the visual material.
Though I have a few minor reservations, such as wishing for more maps or details about artefact present-day locations, they are greatly outweighed by the book’s overall quality. The production standards, writing, and illustrations are all excellent.
Overall, this work is a valuable contribution to the English-language literature on the Cossacks, a subject frequently overlooked in studies of seventeenth-century military history. It serves as a comprehensive reference for amateur historians, researchers, wargamers, reenactors, figure painters, and enthusiasts alike. This publication is highly recommended for those seeking an authoritative resource on the topic.
This is No. 129 in Helion’s ‘Century of the Soldier 1618–1721 series.
ISBN: 978-1-804514-46-7 230 pages Paperback
Plenty more to follow, and I might even get some little men finished this week as well!
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