US Marine Corps

Pacific Theater of Operations 1941-43

by Jerry Chaskes

Battle Orders 1

This book, first in Osprey's new "Battle Orders" series, provides a basic introduction to the USMC during the first half of WW2. If BO1 is anything to go by, the Battle Orders series has a lot of potential. Rather than describing uniforms and equipage (as in the Men At Arms, Warrior, or Vanguard series) or detailing a campaign (as in the Campaign series), BO1 written by Gorden Rottman, describes the USMC as a force and how it evolved during the first part of the war to meet changing circumstances, both in terms of how it approached its mission and in terms of how it organized and equipped for battle to accomplish its mission. The book runs 96 pages and includes 42 photos (mostly b&w). These play a smaller role than in many of Osprey's other series, serving (with captions) mainly to illustrate specific points. The various Marine campaigns are detailed from the perspective of how the FMF organized for battle, e.g., what formations were present, how they were equipped, and why. The 15 maps - generally in color and always informative - support the narratives with troop dispositions and movements. 82 tables and charts provide all manner of supporting data ranging from tables of organization all the way from squad to division-level, orders of battle, and equipment rosters. Taken as a whole, BO1 provides a decent overview of what the USMC did during the early war years, and from an organizational view, how. This is not a painting or gaming guide; this is a "how it worked" guide…

Battle Orders 1 should be available for $19.95 from your local game or book shop. Thanks are due to Osprey Publishing for providing the review copy! Recommended both to the gamer and the reader interested in the USMC. - Bill Rutherford

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