By the outbreak of the First Carthaginian War, Carthage controlled the whole coast of northern Africa. This book explores the heterogeneous mixture of races within the Carthaginian forces, and discusses their clothing, equipment and weaponry. It details their tactical deployment and covers the campaign experiences of the great general Hannibal.
Immortalized through their exploits at the battle of Thermopylae under the legendary Leonidas, as well as countless other victories throughout the classical period, the Spartans were some of the best-trained, organized and most-feared warriors of the ancient world. This book covers various aspects of the Spartan warrior's life.
The period from 1200 BC onwards saw vast changes in every aspect of life on both the Greek mainland and islands as monarchies disappeared and were replaced by aristocratic rule and a new form of community developed: the city-state. Alongside these changes a new style of warfare developed which was to be the determining factor in land warfare in Greece until the defeat of the Greek city-state by the might of Macedonia at Chaeronea in 338 BC. This mode of warfare was based on a group of heavily armed infantrymen organized in a phalanx formation - the classic hoplite formation - and remained the system throughout the classical Greek period. This new title details this pivotal period that saw the transition from the Bronze Age warriors of Homer to the origins of the men who fought the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars.
More than a century has passed past since German archeologist Heinrich Schliemann discovered the treasures of Bronze Age Mycenae. Through a combined study of the mythical tradition, archeological findings, and written sources, this title explores the evolution of warfare in the Bronze Age Greek world.
Focusing on the Chiricahua Apache, led by such famous warriors as Cochise Mangas Coloradas, Victorio, Nana and Geronimo, this book explains how their upbringing, training and culture equipped them uniquely for survival in the harsh environment of New Mexico and Arizona, and enabled them to fight off their Mexican and American enemies for so long.
The mainland and islands of Greece were settled by peoples moving from Asia Minor in c.5000 BC, while a further wave in c.5000 BC introduced bronze-working to the region. This title recreates the world of these peoples through an examination of their material culture.
The Military Order of Teutonic Knights was one of the three most famous Crusading Orders, on a par with the Templars and the Hospitallers. Originally focusing on the preservation of the Crusader States in the Middle East, after the loss of their Middle Eastern enclaves in the 13th century, the Knights turned their attention to the Baltic. Over the next two centuries Northern Crusades were conducted against pagan Prussians and Lithuanians and, to a lesser extent, against Orthodox Russia. This title uses detailed illustrations and photographs to bring to life the appearance, beliefs and battle experience of the Teutonic Knights.
With Hitler's army rampaging across Europe, Winston Churchill ordered the creation of a special fighting force - the Commandos. These valiant men were volunteers drawn from the ranks of the British Army, formed into a Special Service Brigade and put through a rigorous but highly effective training programme. Over the course of World War II they would see action in every major theatre of operation and are credited with numerous feats of gallantry during the D-Day landings. Although many units were disbanded after the war, the Royal Marine Commandos have maintained the standards of this elite fighting formation to the present day.Angus Konstam explores the history of the Commandos during their formative years, providing detailed descriptions of their training, weapons and equipment. Battle reports are accompanied by specially commissioned Osprey artwork and historical photographs, offering readers an in-depth analysis of some of the most famous fighting units in the British Army's history.
Tells the story of the rise of the US mechanised infantryman, focusing on his recruitment, training, lifestyle and combat experiences in Iraq.
Regarded as the elite arm of the military during the Middle Byzantine period, the cavalry executed high speed reconnaissance, agile arrow barrages and crippling blows to enemy formations. This book offers an examination of their training, weaponry, dress and daily life.
Osprey's survey of the Long-Range Patrol Scouts of the US Army during the Vietnam War (1955-1975). The Vietnamese knew the Long-Range Patrol Scouts as "the men with green faces," a reference to the camouflage paint that they used. Operating in patrols of four to six men these men were like ghosts, operating well behind enemy lines and fighting in the shadows. In the rough, inhospitable jungle war these Scouts became invaluable assets. They did not engage the enemy, rather they became the Free World's eyes on the ground, spying out enemy positions and movements before calling in strikes to eliminate them. This book examines the Long-Range Patrol Scout's superior stealth movement techniques, camouflage and concealment, tracking, counter-tracking, observation, and other fieldcraft skills. It also examines the occasions they participated in small scale direct actions including ambushes and small scale raids. Written by a Special Forces' Veteran who fought in Vietnam, and packed with rare photographs and full-color artwork this book not only provides an insight into the remarkable lives of these scouts when on campaign, but also details the training and conditioning that it took to become a shadow warrior.
Tells the story of those boys who fought aboard His Majesty's mighty ships-of-the-line to defend their kingdom against the French.
The Chindits were a specially organized, equipped and trained body of men employing innovative fighting methods based on ideas developed by Major-General Orde Wingate. This book describes the origins of this elite formation, detailing their recruitment, training and specialist fighting methods.
The Taras were the leading power of the scattered Greek states of southern Italy and built their reputation on the unmatched horse warriors who helped the Taras claim and maintain their power. In this book, expert author Nic Fields examines the Tarentine horsemen in detail, discussing their tactics, weapons and equipment and detailing how they operated as mercenaries throughout the region. With a wealth of contemporary sources and rare artefacts, illustrated with specially commissioned colour artwork and photographs of artefacts, this is an intriguing insight into the everyday lives of these horsemen, revealing how they acquired the skills that enabled them to dominate the region.
During World War One the French Army was in a state of disarray, plagued by indiscipline, mutinies and desertion. The ordinary French citizens that were called upon to defend their motherland - the Poilu - were disrespected and demoralized. This title charts the history of the Poilu.
On average a Special Operations Executive (SOE) agent would be dead within three months of being parachuted into action. This work features the story of these agents, some of whom were women as young as 22, following them through their experiences beginning with their recruitment and their unorthodox training methods.
Diocletian and Constantine were the greatest of the Late Roman emperors, and their era marks the climax of the legionary system. This title details the equipment, background, training and combat experience of the men from all parts of the empire who made up the backbone of Rome's legions in this pivotal period.
Gregory Fremont-Barnes examines the lives of the American Bomber Crewmen of the Eighth Air Force, 'The Mighty Eighth', who manned, maintained and repaired the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses and the B-24 Liberators that flew from the airfields of England. He highlights the physical and psychological strain placed on these men, who required brute strength to control the aircraft on long bombing missions and extraordinary endurance to fly for hours at 20,000 feet at temperatures below freezing in unpressurised cabins. In addition to this, with Luftwaffe fighters and anti-aircraft fire to contend with, it required incredible skill and some luck to return from a mission unscathed. This book is a fitting tribute to these often uncelebrated heroes who took the war deep into the Third Reich, as well as a fascinating historical account of their experiences.
The Viet Cong was the military arm of the National Liberation Front, the Communist Party of the Republic of Vietnam. Using rare photographs and artwork to paint the portraits of the determined guerrilla warriors, this title discusses their training and motivation, political and psychological indoctrination, and the reality of combat experience.
Osprey's survey of pirates of the Far East, from 811 to 1639. For many centuries, international relations between Medieval Japan, Korea and China were carried out by means of the 'inseparable trinity' of war, trade and piracy. Much has been written about the first two means of interaction. The third element, which combined the other two in a violent blend of free enterprise, is the subject of this original and exciting book. It is written by Stephen Turnbull, who has visited all three countries in search of the elusive pirates of the Far East.
Narrates the experiences of a common soldier, exploring their motivation for serving the Wehrmacht, and detailing their experiences in a brutal and hostile theater of World War II.
The creation of the Volkssturm on 18 October 1944 was a desperate measure by the Nazi government. This work follows the experience of a Volkssturm soldier from his call-to-arms through to his capture and treatment as a POW, examining his reaction to the creation of the German Home Guard and his response to the fighting into which he was thrust.
The Mau Mau Freedom Fighters waged a guerrilla war for eight years (1952-1960) against their British colonial rulers, to win back their land and independence. This book explores their unique motivations, training and tactics, as well as their battle experience.
Great Britain had introduced the tank to the world during World War I, and maintained its lead in armoured warfare with the 'Experimental Mechanised Force' during the late 1920s, watched with interest by German advocates of Blitzkrieg. Despite these successes, the Experimental Mechanised Force was disbanded in the 1930s, making Britain relatively unprepared for World War II, both in terms of armoured doctrine and equipment. This fully illustrated new study examines the men who crewed the tanks of Britain's armoured force during World War II, which was only four battalions large in 1939. It looks at the recruitment and training of the vast numbers of men required, their equipment, appearance and combat experience in every theatre of the war as the British armoured division sought to catch up with the German Panzers.
The Roman centurion, holding the legionaries steady before the barbarian horde and then leading them forward to victory, was the heroic exemplar of the Roman world. This was thanks to the Marian reforms, which saw the centurion, although inferior in military rank and social class, superseding the tribune as the legion''s most important officer. This period of reform in the Roman Army is often overlooked, but the invincible armies that Julius Caesar led into Gaul were the refined products of 50 years of military reforms. Using specially commissioned artwork and detailed battle reports, this new study examines the Roman legionary soldier at this crucial time in the history of the Roman Republic from its domination by Marius and Sulla to the beginning of the rise of Julius Caesar.
Built on a belief system emphasising stealth, surprise, swift manoeuvre and force, the Byzantine infantryman was trained in survival, sword, spear and archery techniques and also land and sea combat. This book details the everyday experience of the infantryman from his recruitment, through his training regime to his encounters with his enemies.
Presents the history of the British Paratrooper, from 1940 to 1945, that details the training, weapons and equipment used by these elite troops. This book brings the history of the ordinary paratrooper to life, drawing on the author's position as a former curator of the Regimental Museum.
Approximately 200,000 African Americans fought for the Union during the Civil War. Through first-hand accounts, this title examines the journey of the African American from slave to soldier to free man, providing an insight into the impact that these brave men had on the war and how it influenced their lives thereafter.
Provides a focus on the history of the ancestors, who fought for the South Carolina Militia, to show just how effective the irregular forces were in a complex war of raids, ambushes, and pitched battles. This book explores the tactics, and performance of the opposing Patriot and Rebel forces, shining new light on the vicious struggle in the South.
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