"The War of the Austrian Succession - A Wargamer's Guide - Part I. Uniforms of the French Army, 1740-48 by Stephen Manley, and same title except "Part III Uniforms of the Dutch Army 1740-48" Available from Podsdam Flags & Publications, 16, Buckminster Close, Derby, DE21 2EA, UK at 3.99 pounds plus .50 pence postage per copy. Booklets can be supplied to Canada and USA on application. Other titles currently available are "Part III, Uniforms of the British Army 1739-48", "Part IV, Uniforms of the Spanish Army 1739-48". Other nations and states uniforms are in preparation.

Stephen Manley has been a member of the Solo Wargamers Association (SWA) for many years and is one of the advisers in the SWA Advisers service. I am happy to see these well presented booklets as I am very interested in "The Lace Wars" as a whole and I have had some good games in the WAS period.

As an old English teacher, I quibble over the line in the title - "A Wargamer's Guide" - "A Wargamers' Guide" surely? Meaning a guide for all wargamers and not a Guide by a single wargamer or for a single wargamer. It depends where you put the apostrophe.

The booklets are excellently illustrated and are A4 in size with a clear plastic sheet covering the front and plastic ringbound. Part I After an Introduction, pages 1 to 10 deal with the Infantry of the linc. Besides uniform details one gets facts about equipment, weapons, musicians, headgear, grenadiers. sapeurs (pioneers), Militias, Les Grenadier Royaux. Then there are tables which give details of the dress of Line Regiments ( 1740-48).

Next comes pp 11 to 14, the Foreign Corps, Les Swiss, Germans, Scots, Irish and Italiins. Tables are given lor these stout troops too. Chapter III covers the Footguards, Les Gardes Francaise and Las Gardes Swisse. Chapter IV covers all different types of cavalry and contains tables of uniform differences. Additional chapters cover the Maison du Roi; Genarmene de France; artillery and supporting troops including the pieces, engineers, sapers and labourers; and Les Troupes Legeres as well as Volunteer Corps. Availability of wargames figures from three manufacturers are named. There is a select biography encompassing 15 books including the Funkens, Lawson, Pengel & Hurt, Knotel and Kannik. The other booklet, the Dutch Army, is produced in the same way. Another excellent gathering of inlormation at a reasonable price. I am told Richard Barbuto is doing a booklet on the Army of the USA for the War of 1812. This is accompanied by one on the King's Army by Stephen Mauley. This series is very well worth looking at and I recommend the booklets I have seen to you.

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