Focuses on the Knights Templar, one of the two famous main military
orders who fought in the Middle East during the Crusades, but who are
perhaps best known now for their destruction by Philip IV of France,
and their seemingly endless appearances in modern fiction. Here the
focus is on the real historical order, how they were founded and
organised, the reasons for their successes, and for their defeats, how
they were seen at the time, and how they were remembered
[see more]
Sunday, May 31, 2020
Ancient Warfare Vol X, Issue 5: The Legacy of Cyrus - The empires of Persia at War
Focuses on the massive Persian Empire, starting with the conquest of
Cyrus the Great and going on to the later Sassanid period. Includes an
interesting look at how Cyrus’s conquest of Babylon became the basis of
a much later Sassanid myth, the undocumented but archeologically
interesting of Dura-Europos, and the portrayal of Artemisia of
Halicarnassus in the Greek histories of the period
[see more]
[see more]
Ancient Warfare Vol X, Issue 3: Rome versus Poisonous Pontus - The Mithridatic Wars, 88-63 BC
Longs at the three wars between Rome and Mithridates VI of Pontus,
spread out over three crucial decades that saw the beginning of the end
for the old Roman Republic. Includes articles on the Roman strategy
in Asia Minor, the Greek view of the wars, the armies of Mithridates,
his ally Tigranes II and the Roman commander Lucullus. Away from the
theme there is a look at Egyptian sea power, and the nature of Greek
siege warfare
[see more]
[see more]
Thursday, May 28, 2020
HMS Tartar (1907)
HMS Tartar (1907) was
a Tribal class destroyer that served with the Dover Patrol during the
First World War, taking part in the early bombardments of the Belgian
coast, the battle of the Dover Straits, and surviving being mined,
before ending the war with the XI Submarine Flotilla of the Grand Fleet
at Blyth
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
USS Lardner (DD-286)
USS Lardner (DD-286)
was a Clemson class destroyer that served with the Atlantic and
Scouting Fleets during the 1920s and spent a year in European waters
before she was decommissioned in 1930.
Tuesday, May 26, 2020
Curtiss XP-87/ XF-87 Blackhawk
The Curtiss XP-87/ XF-87 Blackhawk
was the company’s first all-jet aircraft, and was briefly ordered into
production, before being cancelled in favour of the Northrop F-89
Scorpion.
Sunday, May 24, 2020
Torpedo Bombers 1900-1950, Jean-Denis Lepage
Looks at the fairly short history of the torpedo bomber, focusingly
mainly on the aircraft themselves, with a series of historical
introductions looking at the development of the torpedo and torpedo
bomber, and each of the historical periods the book is split into. The
book is built around hundreds of short articles on the individual
aircraft, each supported by at least one of the author’s own
illustrations. Very useful for the earlier period, and well into the
Second World War, perhaps less so later on, reflecting the decline of
the actual torpedo bomber!
(Read Full Review)
(Read Full Review)
Malaya and Singapore 1941-42, Mark Stille
Looks at one of the most disastrous campaigns in British military
history, from the Japanese landings in northern Malaya and southern
Thailand to the failed attempt to defend Singapore. Starts with an
examination of the justifiably criticised British commanders and their
more experienced and capable Japanese opponents, and of the opposing
forces, before moving on to a good clear account of the skilful Japanese
advance and the often woeful British defence, which led to the
eventual surrender of Singapore and over 130,000 POWs.
(Read Full Review)
(Read Full Review)
North Africa and the Middle East – Wargames Terrain & Buildings, Tony Harwood
Part two in a series on scratch building wargaming terrain, looking
at North Africa and the Middle East, but with no particular time
period in mind. Contains a mix of fairly simple and more complex
models, mainly buildings but also including a gunboat and an entire
oasis scene. The many and varied techniques look fairly achievable, and
the instructions are nice and clear. Now I just need an excuse to
build myself a model mud brick hut!
(Read Full Review)
(Read Full Review)
Thursday, May 21, 2020
HMS Mohawk (1907)
HMS Mohawk (1907)
was a Tribal class destroyer that served with the Dover Patrol during
the First World War, where she survived being mined and was damaged
during the battle of the Dover Straits. She ended the war with the X
Submarine Flotilla, on the Tees
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