Table Top Games

WWII/Modern Reference Library

by Bill Rutherford

WWII Army Organizations and Equipment, 3rd Ed. by Ian Shaw, 96 pgs, $7.50;

Ultra Modern Army and Organizations, Volume 1, 116 pgs, $9.50; Ultra Modern Army and Organizations, Volume 2, 92 pgs, $9.50;

Modern Army Lists and Organizations for the 1950's and 60's, 70 pgs, $7.50;

Digests 1, 2, at)(13 to the Ultra Modern Army Lists, 61,64, and 68 pgs.,$7.50, by Bruce Rea-Taylor.

Published by Tabletop Games, 53 Mansfield Road, Daybrook, Nottingham, England.

These books, collectively, are what might be called the TTG reference library. They all abound with army lists and organization tables that cover almost everybody in their respective periods. All are extensively annotated, providing a wealth of detail beyond the lists themselves. All have bibliographies, which is a big help to the serious gamer. Best ofall, the lists were substantially correct in just about every instance. Of the Ultra Modern Lists, Volume 1 contains data for NATO and the WarPac nations; Volume 2 details the rest of the world, including Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, the Far East, etc. The 1950's-60's list deals primarily with European forces, though the Middle East is handled as well. Shaw's WWII list covers just about everybody; true, the 1939 Poles are missing, but the Czechs and the Hungarians aren't! He details 30 armies, with an additional section at the back of the book giving "Starter Armies" for beginners to get wet. Rea-Taylor details an additional 106 organizations, not counting those added in the digests, discussed below!

The digests address the Ultra Modern Lists and constitute an ongoing project to update and expand upon the lists and upon the Challenger miniatures rule set with periodic organization and equipment updates and rules amendments, published whenever the volume on hand justifies a new digest. This is not a matter of trying to create a demand; new organizations are appearing in the military press almost daily - as they are substantiated, they are included. Likewise is new equipment detailed. As of the 3rd digest, data is contained as well for OMG - Corps Commander, TTG's grandtactical modern miniatures rules. I suspect that notes will soon begin appearing for their WWII rules, Firefly, also,

I whole heartedly recommend all of the above army lists to any gamers interested in the periods/armies addressed by them.

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