Osprey Warrior Series SC (1993-2011 OSPREY) comic books 2007

Volume 113- 1st printing. "US Army Soldier!" Written by Kenneth W Estes. Art by Howard Gerrard. In April 2003, after brief combat, Baghdad fell under US control and the Coalition Provisional Authority was formed to maintain order until a new Iraqi government became a reality. This book details the stabilization operations and the experiences of US Task Force 1st Armored Division (TF 1AD), whose soldiers lived and fought under extreme conditions and whose activities were center stage in the controversial debate surrounding the initial occupation of Iraq. Soldiers' personal experiences from recruitment, training, and armed combat to their aftermath and effects emerge from interviews and new documentation by author Kenneth W. Estes in his account of this crucial military campaign. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $18.95.

Volume 115- 1st printing. "Condottiere 1300-1500!" Written by David Murphy. Art by Graham Turner. Originally contracted by wealthy Italian city states to protect their assets during a time of ceaseless warring, many condottieri of the Italian peninsula became famous for their wealth, venality and amorality during the 14th and 15th centuries. Some even came to rule cities themselves. Lavishly illustrated with contemporary depictions and original artwork, this title examines the complex military organization, recruitment, training and weaponry of the Condottieri. With insight into their origins and motivations, the author, Dr David Murphy, brings together the social, political and military history of these powerful and unscrupulous men who managed to influence Italian society and warfare for over two centuries. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $18.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $7.00

Volume 116- 1st printing. "Viet Cong Fighter!" Written by Gordon L Rottman. Art by Howard Gerrard. An enemy in the shadows, the Viet Cong was the military arm of the National Liberation Front, the Communist Party of the Republic of Vietnam. Often working with the North Vietnamese Army, they were a constant factor amid the rice paddies and battlefields throughout the war. Despite fighting an enemy with overwhelming firepower and resources, they ingeniously made use of the local environment and resources to wage war. Gordon L Rottman uses rare photographs and artwork to paint vivid portraits of these determined guerrilla warriors, discussing their initial training, their unique motivation, extensive political and psychological indoctrination, and the brutal reality of combat experience. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $18.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $7.00

Add to cart Very Fine $5.00

Volume 117- 1st printing. "French Resistance Fighter!" Written by Terry Crowdy. Art by Steve Noon. Working as an underground force, the French Resistance was initially formed spontaneously from scattered groups of the displaced and discontent. As the war progressed the Resistance developed into a secret army, terrorizing the occupying forces and would-be collaborators alike although they were unprotected by the Geneva Convention and faced torture and execution if captured. Striking photographs, coupled with first-hand accounts of capture and its terrible consequences, create an engaging and human history of the French Resistance fighter. Terry Crowdy details the military achievements, tactics, backgrounds and motivations of the patriots whose assistance helped ensure the success of the D-Day landings and French liberation. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $18.95.

Volume 118- 1st printing. "Byzantine Infantryman!" Written by Timothy Dawson. Art by Angus McBride. The Byzantine Army was the closest the middle ages came to producing a military superpower. Built on a strong belief system emphasising stealth, surprise, swift manoeuvre and overwhelming force, the Byzantine infantryman was trained in survival, sword, spear and archery techniques and also land and sea combat and fighting within the foulkon 'turtle' formation. Timothy Dawson, an expert in the training and techniques of the Byzantine Army, details the everyday experience of the infantryman from his recruitment, through his twice-a-day training regime to his encounters with his enemies. Full-colour artwork richly illustrates their incredible warrior society and gives a real insight into how they lived. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $18.95.

Volume 120- 1st printing. "Hittite Warrior!" Written by Trevor Bryce. Art by Adam Hook. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $18.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $7.00

Volume 121- 1st printing. "Soldier of the Pharaoh!" Written by Nic Fields. Art by Peter Bull. Mythical in their own time, the power and status of the Pharaohs of Egypt have remained so through the millennia. In this book, Nic Fields explores the lives of the ordinary soldiers who sustained Middle Kingdom Egypt. Using rare artefacts he reconstructs the day-to-day existence of the Pharaoh's army from archers to hand-to-hand fighters, through to the 'sole-companions' of the Pharaoh. Quoting from ancient sources he narrates sea and land battles in dramatic detail, all the while providing the reader with a rare insight into the minutiae of the soldier's life, from the food he ate to the gods he worshipped. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $18.95.

Volume 123- 1st printing. "Soviet Rifleman 1941-45!" Written by Gordon L Rottman. Art by Howard Gerrard. The Soviet rifleman, or Frontovik, initially suffered defeats and retreat during the early desperate days of the war, then resolved a stubborn defence during the brutal winter of 1941-42, eventually turning the tables at the battles of Stalingrad and Kursk, before victoriously marching into Germany. This title provides a view of the Soviet rifleman in defeat and victory, on the defensive and in the attack both in the heat of the summer, and the frozen brutality of the Russian winter. Their political beliefs, motivation, training, everyday life, weaponry and equipment are examined here, accompanied by rare photographs and full-color artwork. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $18.95.

Volume 124- 1st printing. "Teutonic Knight!" Written by David Nicolle. Art by Graham Turner. 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. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $18.95.

Volume 125- 1st printing. "Pirate of the Far East!". Written by Stephen Turnbull. Art by Richard Hook. Feared throughout the Far East, Japanese pirates were likened to 'black demons' and 'flood dragons'. For centuries relations between Japan, Korea and China were carried out through a bizarre trinity of war, trade and piracy. The piracy, which combined the other elements in a violent blend of free enterprise, is the subject of this original and exciting book. Stephen Turnbull vividly recreates the pirates' daily lives, from legitimate whaling and fishing trips to violent raids. He explores the bases and castles used by the pirates and uses eyewitness accounts and original artwork to give stunning descriptions of a vicious and brutal life. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $18.95.