WARGAMES THROUGH THE AGES - 3,000 B.C. to 1500 A.D." review by Bob O'Brien. and Phil Barker Author: Donald Featherstone. (8 x 5.5" 304pgs, 12 photographs; 35 Line drawings. Stanley Paul and Co. - £ 2.75p). The latest book written by the Editor of Wargamer's Newsletter, this book is honoured through being reviewed by two of the best-known 'Ancient' wargamers in the world - Bob O'Brien and Phil Barker, co-authors (with Ed Smith) of all the Wargames Research Group rules. Bob O'Brien When a Bank Manager is asked to vouch for the credit-worthiness of a customer it is a tradition that the better the prospect, the fewer words used, so that the best of all are revealed by just one word "Unquestioned". This is rather the way I feel about this book, which is by far the best thing that Don has ever done, and stands head and houlders above his earlier books. This is not that there is nothing to criticise - the author who writes a book that cannot be picked on is either not trying or has nothing to say. A vast field is covered, and a new approach to making up the indefinable thing that can be called the "character" of an Army has been put forward. I welcome this, and look forward to wargamers arguing like mad over the Army Fighting Assessment Charts. It has the most extensive bibliography that I have seen in any book devoted to the subject, covering not only further sources of references, but availability of figures for the different periods. I can see people offering large sums of gold for back issues of the Newsletter and Slingshot, in particular. Any wargamer contemplating entry into that most fascinating of periods, Ancient, should have this book, and I look forward to further offerings on the same lines - I repeat "Unquestioned" and urge anyone with the slightest interest in wargaming to buy it. Phillip Barker This is an ideal introduction to Ancient armies and their characteristics for the Napoleonicist who is getting a little tired of the same old reliable lines of red coats, or the Modernist who wants a change from shoulder-to-shoulder Airfix tanks. In view of the huge field covered it would be unfair to carp at the occasional error of fact that has crept in where Don has been led astray by his authorities. His strongest point has always been descriptive colour, and any man who can read this book and not feel an urge to rush out, buy figures, and start painting probably has no soul to be stirred. Apart from inspiration, it contains a very extensive bibliography, the only weakness of which in our eyes, being convinced that one word by a Roman is worth three about a Roman, is the relative paucity of Ancient authors mentioned. It also has some very good original thinking deserving the attention of the most blase of the fraternity, and I hope to see Don producing more of this sort of thing in the future. Readers may be put off by the jacket blurb that the book contains all the information necessary to build up any army of the Ancient or Mediaeval period, which is obviously untrue. However, a wargamer who builds up and fights an army with the appropriate chapter as a guide will certainly produce something more accurate, and almost certainly more efficient than most of those seen on the tables today. "THE FOOT GUARDS REGIMENTS 1880 to 1914" compiled by A.H.Bowling. (8 3/4, x 6"; 70 photographs; 9 colour prints; 64 pages. Almark Publications. Case-bound: £ 1.75; paperback - £ 1.25 This in a pictorial album illustrating the men, uniforms and other aspects of the Guards Regiments during a peak period in British military history. There are fully descriptive captions plus an introductory text. The photographs are of the greatest interest and the men "shine" so much that one almost stands to attention an one goes through its pages! Most interesting. "GERMAN NAVY WARSHIPS 1939-1945" by W.D.G.Blundell. (8 1/4 x 6"; 88 pages; 90 scale drawings; 80 photographs; 3 colour plates. Almark Publications. Case-bound L1.90p; paperback - £ 1.25). A mine of information for the Naval wargamer. There is an introductory text outlining the functions, activities and development of each Warship, class list and basic specifications are included. An invaluable source of reference all under one inexpensive cover. "WEHRMACHT ILLUSTRATED SERIES No. 3. PANZER GRENADIERS, No. 4 GERMAN HALFTRACK VEHICLES 1939-1945" The former is by Peter Chamberlain and Chris Ellis and the second book by J. Williamson. Both published by Almark, these books give basic information, with plenty of large pictures, data and colour plates. Each book has an introductory text which gives clear historical and development details and the pictures have fully descriptive captions. At 50p each, these represent dirt-cheap editions to the library of the modernist wargamer. "THE UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: Fourteen Studies In Campaign Life A.D. 43-1944 (9 1/2" X 7" , 264 pages, Innumerable photographs and 14 full-page coloured plates by Gerald Embleton. Guinness Superlatives Ltd - £ 4.50. I cannot remember when last I so enjoyed a book! This gloriously put together volume consists of fifteen lengthy and marvellously detailed chapters, each describing a typical soldier from a different military period, begining with a Roman legionary and ending with a British paratrooper at Arnhem. Each chapter is by a different writer, the majority of them familiar to English wargamers and military collectors and all of them quite obviously experts in their subject. They include Brigadier Peter Young; Boris Mollo; Colonel Nicholson; W.A.Thorburn; Frederick Wilkinson etc., etc. This is a book that can be read and re-read, both for its interest and for its highly informative details. It is sumptuously produced and the coloured plates are worth the price of the book itself. As a source of inspiration to wargamers it will be difficult to find anything better. In a sense, I am green with envy that my Hector MacDonald of the Black Watch is not one of this illustrious company! "THE FORTRESS - Anzio 1944 by Raleigh Trevelyan. (8" x 5"; 223 pages. Leo Cooper - £ 1.75). If you really want to know what World War II was like then read this book because it tells of an infantryman's adventures in one of the hottest spots of World War II, Down to earth without being speckled with swear words, and yet not packed with "glory" this book is most rekLdable. "THE ROYAL IRISH FUSILIERS" by Henry Harris. 8.75 x 5.5"; 171 pages; numerous photographs. Leo Cooper - £ 3.50 Another one of the "Famous Regiments" series, by Henry Harris (well known as the collector of model soldiers) this book tells a fascinating story of a famous fighting Irish Regiment. Back to Table of Contents -- Wargamer's Newsletter # 121 To Wargamer's Newsletter List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1972 by Donald Featherstone. This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com