Sunday, May 31, 2020

Medieval Warfare Vol VI, Issue 5: Bernard's Chosen - The Knights Templar

 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
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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
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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
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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!
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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.
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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!
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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