by Paddy Griffith, illustrated by Peter Dennis; $9.95. Almost anything written by Paddy Griffith is sure to attract this reviewer's attention. He is sometimes exasperating but always interesting. His comments on miniatures border on being insulting and poorly considered, but his originality and insight into the hobby in general are often excellent. Paddy Griffith however is never better than when he is commenting on military history in general. His most recent effort is no exception. "Battle in the Civil War" is a full size (8 by 10) 48 page, soft cover book explaining the nuts and bolts of Civil War combat. The work is profusely illustrated by Peter Dennis. Peter himself is the author of a very good set of ACW rules for 5mm figures using the variable length bound in a semi comprehensible manner. His drawings in"Battle" are just super. They remind one of FreclerickRayand mightwell be described asa comic book, but in the highest sense. indeed the entire work looks rather like a comic book. The text is divided up in little boxes and columns which are at times a little difficult to keep in order. The information inside the covers of this little book is just plain priceless. Not since Coggins"'Arms & Equipment" has there been such a cache of information of use to the gamer in a single volume. Moreover since the information largely agrees with this reviewer's findings (prejudices), it seems to be accurate as well. For example, Griffith tells us such hard to find bits of knowledge as how long an average brigade column was or the deployed frontage of an artillery battery. He relates the times needed to change formation, to deliver information, to restock ammunition and other gems. There are sections on command, control, communications, friction, everything. The sections are all too short, leaving the student wishing for more, but the basics are all present in plain open language and illustrations of pen and ink beauty. In short, if a gamer or aspiring rules writer wishes to rapidly familiarize himself with the realities of combat in the War forSouthern independence, here is an inexpensive place to start. Also, look at the scale space your present miniature units occupy and compare them with Griffith's information; you will then know how realistic your rules really are. You may well do the same thing with how they advance, deploy, etc. As a handbook and as an easy quick reference guide this book belongs in the library of every Civil War gamer. The book is available from Fieldhead, The Park, Mansfield, Nottingham­shire NG18 2AT, England. It is most highly recommended. More Reviews Irregular Miniatures 25mm The Joust Alliance Miniatures 25mm Medievals Geo-Hex Modular Terrain Mike's Models 15mm Seven Years' War Editions Brokaw 15mm Age of Marlborough Essex Miniatures 15mm Vikings and Saxons Dixon 15mm Samurai Die Kaiserzeit 25mm Franco Prussians Frontier 15mm Franco Prussian Wargames Foundry 25mm 1870 Artillery Wargames Foundry Franco Prussian Painting Guide Generalship and Tactics in America 1861-1865 Book Jagdpanzer WWII Rules Osprey Men-at-Arms Napoleonic Prussian Cavalry (2) 1807-1815 Osprey Men-at-Arms #167 - Brunswick Troops 1809-15 Osprey Men-at-Arms ACW Union Artillery, Cavalry, & Infantry President Washington's Indian War: The Struggles for the Old Northwest 1790-1795 Back to Table of Contents -- Courier Vol. VII #3 To Courier List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1986 by The Courier Publishing Company. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com