OLD DUFFER'S
BOOK CORNER

The Bayonets
of The Republic

The Bayonets of The Republic John Lynn for Westview.

Motivation and Tactics in the Armee du Nord 1791-94 is not perhaps a topic all of you would have selected, which probably explains why Mr Lynn did. What follows is a mixture of S.L.A.Marshall on motivation (with lots of stats) Brent Nosworthy on tactics and a moderate historian on the career of the Armee. I found it rather unexciting writing (Gunther Rothenburg is my nearest comparison) but its topic has a great deal of interest. Just why did the French hold back the Allies?

Numbers, revolutionary fervour, bayonets, tirailleurs, effete baroque generals, the limitations of any military activity in the era, the political situation in Poland? Clearly lots here to feed whatever prejudices (nascent or otherwise) you might have. Lynn avoids all this by demonstrating how no single cause rules the roost. Just when they should have lost they won, and hey presto it happens in reverse next time. The line is used a lot, but so is the column, French cavalry is weak but the infantry prefer to stand in line rather than try the complexities of square (another silly wargamer's myth disposed of). I continue to be surprised by the lack of games on this period, wake up Vae Victis and stop publishing Gettysburg games!

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