The Alamo and the Texas War for Independence
Da Capo Press, 1994. ISBN 0-306-80563-4

As an alternative or a supplement to Hardin, gamers might wish to use Albert A. Nofi, THE ALAMO AND THE TEXAS WAR FOR INDEPENDENCE Nofi's book was originally published in 1982 and so does not include the latest information developed by historians and archaeologists. It is only about half the length of Hardin's book, and is not as well indexed nor as well illustrated. Nofi provides, however, quite a bit of interesting or useful material not found in Hardin. Nofi is perhaps too concerned with being an iconoclast of Alamo myths, but as a former contributor to STRATEGY AND TACTICS magazine and designer of wargames, he knows what sorts of information gamers want to see. He provides, for instance, a useful chart on the Alamo's artillery, comparing the conflicting sources' accounts of numbers and sizes. He gives a good summary of the naval side of the war, which Hardin treats rather minimally. He gives the estimated population of Texas in 1835.

He provides modular sketches of most of the important characters on both sides, as well as on topics such as "Indios, Mestizos, and Criollos" (Mexico's main ethnic/cultural divisions), the French "Pastry War" against Mexico, and the "Blue Norther" storm which hit the Mexican army twice during the Alamo campaign. There is a useful survey of films and books about the Alamo and war. Where Hardin estimates the Mexican casualties at the Alamo at 600+, with little discussion, Nofi suggests that they were lower (300-400) and provides a four-page consideration of the issue. A reader with time and money for only one general history of the war will find Hardin the better choice, but Nofi's book is well worth having also.

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