Osprey

Napoleon's Specialist Troops

review by Jim Arnold

By Philip Haythornthwaite; Osprey Men-At-Arms. £4.50.

This new Osprey release is devoted to the technical branches of Napoleon's war machine. It covers the artillery, engineers, supply and commissary troops, and the medical service. The artillery section includes both the foot and horse artillery for both the line and Imperial Guard.

Buyers purchase the Men-At-Arms books for uniform information. After a short organizational discussion, and unlike some of the Osprey series, Napoleon's Specialist Troops jumps right to the heart of the matter on the third page of text. Beginning here and for the remainder of the book, Philip Haythomthwaite provides the type of detailed uniform information we have grown to expect of him. Everything from shako chin scales to plumes to the color of field overalls ("Paris mud", a grey-brown color) is here. Some very fine black and white reproductions display details about the artillery train and the Imperial Guard engineers. A couple of short, but useful sections describe regimental artillery and marine units.

The color plates are drawn by the well-known Bryan Fosten and include the expected - good coverage of the horse and foot artillery and the artillery train - as well as some interesting unexpected drawings of an Army of the Rhine pontonier from 1794 and a Pionniers Noirs from 1806. For those familiar with the Osprey series this book provides exactly what one would expect from the talented Haythomthwaite-Fosten team. It is pleasing to report that they reliably continue to produce good work.

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