Some interesting books.

 This is No.155 in Helion’s from Reason to Revolution 1721–1815 series.

In Fuentes De Oñoro, Massena’s Last Battle and the Campaign of 1811 Kenton White has produced a clear, steady and authoritative account of one of the more awkward, fascinating battles of the Peninsular War, relying on a well-paced and absorbing narrative that guides the reader through the messy realities of 1811 with calmness and precision. 

The author brings out the personalities—Massena fraying at the edges, Wellington juggling risks—with just enough colour to keep things human without drifting into melodrama. The campaign context is handled particularly well and as a result I never felt lost, nor did I feel lectured. It is simply explained, neatly structured, and surprisingly easy to follow. The Peninsular War is not an area I am as familiar with as say, 1805 to 1808, so this approach certainly helped me through the detail admirably. 

The battlefield analysis is sensible rather than showy, and the maps and illustrations support the text without overwhelming it. For wargamers, there is more than enough in here to spark scenario ideas, but it never feels like that is the book’s aim. For me I was content to let the facts carry the story. The two appendices make interesting reading and comparisons, as they present the orders of battle and strength returns for both Wellington’s and Massena’s armies as of 1 May 1811.

All in all, it’s a measured, engaging and quietly impressive study—one that rewards a relaxed afternoon’s reading and leaves you with a solid appreciation of a complicated little corner of the Peninsular War. 

ISBN:978-1-804518-24-3                        269 pages              Paperback

Moving on to a very popular subject, the Great Italian Wars. The Battle of Pavia 1525 by Massimo Predonzani is a reminder of just how chaotic early-modern warfare could be, even when some of Europe’s biggest names were on the field. You go in expecting pikes, shot, and grand manoeuvre — and you come out with mud, confusion, desperate firefights in the dark, and a king having a very bad day indeed, no doubt wishing he had stayed in bed!

The Italian Wars seem to be a very well-represented conflict at the moment, with numerous wargamers’ guides, rule sets and supplements in abundance. This book complements the author’s five-book series on the Italian Wars, also published by Helion. Predonzani tells the story with a nice, steady hand. The build-up is clear without being ponderous, and when the fighting kicks off it is brisk, sharp, and refreshingly uncluttered. The clash between French gendarmes, Swiss pikes, and Imperial shot is explained in a way that actually makes sense, which is no small achievement given how often Pavia gets buried under layers of myth and hindsight.

What really works is the sense of things going wrong very quickly. Command decisions unravel, formations lose cohesion, and suddenly this carefully planned campaign turns into a brutal scramble in woods, parks, and broken ground. Predonzani is particularly good at showing how firearms and terrain teamed up to ruin traditional assumptions about cavalry and shock tactics.

The maps and illustrations carry the book and are genuinely helpful rather than decorative. You can follow the action without constantly flipping back and muttering under your breath, which is always a good sign. The colour plates are amazing, especially the eight pages of the Pavia tapestries. The colour drawings, particularly that of Francis I and the one depicting the fight between the Imperial Landsknechts and the French Black Band, together with the banners, are also detailed and beautifully executed.

All told, this is a cracking account of one of the Renaissance period’s truly decisive battles. Clear, engaging, and very readable, it strips away the legend and leaves you with a fight that feels messy, dangerous, and very real. If you have ever wanted a book on the battle of Pavia that actually makes sense, this one is well worth your time. This is No. 33 in Helion’s superb and eclectic ‘from Retinue to Regiment 1453–1618’ series.

ISBN: 978-1-804518-34-2 161 pages Paperback