Osprey Men-at-Arms Series SC (1973-2011 OSPREY) comic books 2003

Volume 381 - 1st printing. "Prussian Staff & Specialist Troops 1791-1815!" Written by Peter Hofschröer. Art by Christa Hook. The origins of what would become the German General Staff of the late 19th and 20th centuries - probably the most professional military machine in the world - can be traced to the Prussian Army of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. This concise study, concluding the author's series of five titles on the Prussian Army of 1792–1815, covers the staff; the reforms in tactical employment of all-arms brigades (which, contrary to received opinion, pre-dated the disasters of Jena and Auerstedt in 1806); the artillery and other technical troops; and regimental colours and standards. Among the illustrations are rare diagrams from the artillery drill manual of the day. Softcover, PC/PB&W.

Add to cart Near Mint $8.00

Add to cart Very Fine $6.00

Volume 382 - 1st printing. "Wellington's Peninsula Regiments (1)!" Written by Mike Chappell. Art by Mike Chappell. The forces which Wellington led in Portugal and Spain and up into southern France between 1808 and 1814 achieved a consistent record of victory perhaps unmatched in the history of the British Army. Some 40 per cent of this volunteer army were Irishmen – a remarkable figure, given the recent unrest and bloodshed in Ireland. This book details the record, and illustrates the uniforms and equipment, of the two cavalry and three infantry units boasting formal Irish identity: the 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards, 18th Hussars, 27th (Enniskillen), 87th (Prince of Wales's Own Irish), and 88th (Connaught Rangers) Regiments of Foot. Softcover, PC/PB&W.

Add to cart Near Mint $8.00

Volume 383 - 1st printing. "Colonial American Troops 1610-1774 (3)!" Written by René Chartrand. Art by David Rickman. From the earliest English settlements the survival of the infant colonies in North America depended upon local militias. Before the mid-18th century royal troops were seldom shipped out from Britain, and the main burden of successive wars with the American Indians, and with Britain's colonial rivals France and Spain, fell upon locally raised units, which also fought alongside the Crown forces during the major operations of the French-Indian War of the 1750s. This final book of a fascinating three-part study covers the militias and provincial troops raised in the Carolinas, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Georgia, Nova Scotia, Hudson's Bay and Quebec Province; and also Rangers, and colors and standards. Softcover, PC/PB&W.

Volume 384 - 1st printing. "Armies of the German Peasants' War 1524-26!" Written by Douglas Miller. Art by Angus McBride. In the 1520s, a brief but savage war broke out in Germany when various insurgent groups rose to overthrow the power structure. The movement took as its emblem a peasant's shoe and the collective title of 'Bundschuh', and this became known as the Peasants' War - although the rebel armies actually included as many townsmen, miners, disaffected knights and mercenary soldiers as rural peasants. The risings involved large armies of up to 18,000 men, and there were several major battles before the movement was put down with the utmost ferocity. This book details the armies, tactics, costume, weapons, personalities and events of this savage war. Softcover, PC/PB&W.

Volume 385 - 1st printing. "The Hermann Göring Division!" Written by Gordon Williamson. Art by Stephen Andrew. Each of Germany's World War II armed services could claim one unit which earned a unique combat reputation, and which consequently was enlarged and developed far beyond the size originally planned. Hermann Göring, commander-in-chief of the air force, was determined that his Luftwaffe should share the glory of Germany's land conquests, and gave his name to a regimental combat group of infantry and Flak artillery. This élite unit was steadily enlarged into a brigade, then an armoured division, and finally into a two-division corps, fighting with distinction in Tunisia, Sicily, Italy, and on the Russian Front. This concise history is illustrated with rare personal photographs and eight colour plates, detailing the very varied uniforms and special insignia of this crack formation. Softcover, PC/PB&W.

Volume 386 - 1st printing. "The US Army of World War I!" Written by Mark Henry. Art by Stephen Walsh. When the USA entered World War I in April 1917 her Regular Army counted just 128,000 men and lacked all the necessary equipment and training for modern trench warfare. By the Armistice of November 1918, General John J.Pershing's American Expeditionary Force in France had more than 2 million men and was holding 25 per cent of the Western Front. They had helped smash Ludendorff's brilliant Operation Michael in the lines before Paris; had turned onto the offensive themselves at St Mihiel and the Meuse-Argonne; and if Germany had not negotiated peace with unexpected speed the US Army would have taken over from their tired Allies an even greater share of the planned 1919 campaign. This concise account of America's first world class army, its organization, uniforms, weapons and character, is illustrated with rare photos and eight full color plates. Softcover, PC/PB&W.

Add to cart Near Mint $8.00

Volume 387 - 1st printing. "The Italian Army of World War I !" Written by David Nicolle. Art by Raffaele Ruggeri. The dilemma of the young Italian kingdom and the experience of her army in the Great War were unique among the combatant nations. Late to enter the war against the Central Powers, she faced a massively defended Austro-Hungarian front in the north, including strong mountain features, as well as distractions in the Balkans and a simultaneous rebellion in her Libyan colony. Costly and repeated battles on the Isonzo front culminated in the disaster of Caporetto in October 1917, followed by a remarkable revival and eventual victory in 1918. This concise study describes and illustrates the Italian Army's campaigns, organisation, uniforms, weapons and equipment – including the famous 'death companies' and Arditi assault troops. Softcover, PC/PB&W.

Volume 388 - 1st printing. "Zulu War -Volunteers, Irregulars & Auxiliaries!" Written by Ian Castle. Art by Raffaele Ruggeri. Mention of the Zulu War of 1879 inevitably conjures up images of the redcoats at Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift; it is often forgotten that the limited number of Imperial troops available led to the raising of several thousand local troops from Natal, Cape Colony and beyond. Typified by hard-riding white frontiersmen and lightly armed African infantry, these units made up for the British Army's severe shortage of cavalry scouts and local knowledge. Ian Castle's concise study of their organisation, uniforms, weapons, and campaign service covers a far wider range of units than ever previously published; it is illustrated with rare photographs and vivid colour plates. Softcover, PC/PB&W.

Volume 389 - 1st printing. "Napoleon's Red Lancers!" Written by Ronald Pawly. Art by Patrice Courcelle. The legendary Dutch 'Red' Lancers - the 2nd Light Horse Lancers of Napoleon's Imperial Guard - were formed in 1810 after the emperor annexed Holland and its army to France. The former hussars of the Dutch Royal Guard got a handsome new uniform, a new weapon, and a hard-driving new colonel in Baron Edouard Colbert. His lancers distinguished themselves in Russia in 1812, at huge cost; in Germany in 1813, and in the Low Countries in 1814. When Napoleon returned from exile in 1815 the Red Lancers were with him until night fell over Waterloo. Ronald Pawly is the world's leading expert on the archival and pictorial record left by this regiment; his detailed text is illustrated with rare portraits and photographs, and eight glowing colour plates of a surprisingly wide variety of uniforms. Softcover, PC/PB&W.

Volume 390 - 1st printing. "Roman Military Clothing (2)!" Written by Graham Sumner. Art by Graham Sumner. The armour and weapons of the Roman army have long been the subject of intense research and speculation. While much has been published on their arms and armour, however, the actual clothing of Imperial soldiers has largely been overlooked. In this second part of a rigorous study of the literary, sculptural, pictorial and archaeological evidence, the specialist author-artist examines the clues which enable us to attempt reconstructions of items worn by officers and men all over the empire during the two centuries between the reign of Septimius Severus and the twilight years of Stilicho. Softcover, PC/PB&W.

Volume 391 - 1st printing. "The British Army in World War I (1)!" Written by Mike Chappell. Art by Mike Chappell. At the outbreak of World War I in August 1914 the British Army was unique: it was a small force raised entirely by voluntary recruitment. The first campaigns of the British Expeditionary Force brought admiration from the enemy, but by the end of 1914 it had been virtually eliminated. Kitchener's call for new volunteers drew such a patriotic response that by mid-1916 the BEF had grown to 55 divisions. This book explains and llustrates the uniform, equipment and organization of the British Army up to the end of the battle of the Somme. Softcover, PC/PB&W.

Volume 392 - 1st printing. "The Austro-Hungarian Forces in World War I (1)!" Written by Peter Jung. Art by Darko Pavlovic. The part played in the Great War by the army of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy is little known to English-speakers, perhaps because the end of the war saw the complete destruction of the Empire. Yet it was of central importance, providing nearly all Central Powers forces on the Italian front, huge numbers on the Russian front, seven Army Corps in the Balkans – and even a little-known contingent in Turkey and Palestine. The first half of the story of this complex multi-national organization at war is described here in a concise but detailed text, supported by data tables and an insignia chart, and illustrated with rare photographs and colourful uniform plates. Softcover, PC/PB&W.

Volume 393 - 1st printing. "World War II German Women's Auxiliary Services!" Written by Gordon Williamson. Art by Ramiro Bujeiro. Under the Nazi regime, Hitler's conservative views on the place of housewives and mothers in society limited German women to a much less active role in the war than their British and Allied counterparts. Nevertheless, the demands of a prolonged war did see German women in a range of uniforms as auxiliaries with the Army, Navy, Air Force and SS, particularly in the signals and air defence services. This unique book explains and illustrates these organisations and their uniforms and insignia, as well as Red Cross nurses, and auxiliaries of the Labour Corps, Customs Service, National Socialist Women's Organisation, and League of German Maidens (Hitler Youth). Softcover, PC/PB&W.

Volume 394 - 1st printing. "The German Army in World War I (1)!" Written by Nigel Thomas. Art by Gerry Embleton. In August 1914 the mobilization of Imperial Germany's 800,000-strong army ushered in the first great war of the modern age - a war which still stands as the greatest slaughter of soldiers in history. That German Army is also the best example of a particular period of military thought, when virtually the whole manpower of the European nations was integrated into mass conscript armies, supported by several age categories of reservists and by dedicated industrial and transport systems. In this first of three volumes the author offers an extraordinary mass of information, in text and tables, illustrated by photographs and colour plates. Softcover, PC/PB&W.

Volume 395 - 1st printing. "Tribes of the Iroquois Confederacy!" Written by Michael G Johnson. Art by Jonathan Smith. The Five (later Six) Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy were central to the story of the white colonization of the American Northeast. The European fur trade transformed their world, and the struggles between English and French colonists forced the tribes to take sides. Sir William Johnson's efforts in the Mohawk Valley ensured that the Iroquois Nations were allies of the British crown; and the loyalty of his kinsman Joseph Brant (Thayendanegea) during the American Revolution forced the Mohawks into Canadian exile. This richly illustrated book introduces Iroquois history, social organization, religion and material culture. Softcover, PC/PB&W.

Volume 396 - 1st printing. "Medieval Scandinavian Armies (1)!" Written by David Lindholm and David Nicolle. Art by Angus McBride. While Scandinavia's 'Viking Age' is one of the most studied aspects of early medieval history, much less has been published about the centuries that followed. Yet the armies of Sweden, Norway and Denmark offer fascinating differences from the rest of medieval Western Europe, both in their organisation and their war gear - due partly to their remoteness, climate and terrain, but partly to their long freedom from the feudal system of other kingdoms. This book explains the special nature of Scandinavian armies, shaped by the relative weakness of kings and aristocrats, and the contrasts between the separate nations of the North. Softcover, PC/PB&W.

Volume 397 - 1st printing. "The Austro-Hungarian Forces in World War I (2)!" Written by Peter Jung. Art by Darko Pavlovic. The part played in the Great War by the armies of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy is little known to English-speakers, perhaps because 1918 saw the complete destruction of the Empire. Yet it was of great importance, providing nearly all Central Powers forces on the Italian front, huge numbers on the Russian front, the Balkans and even a contingent in Turkey and Palestine. This second volume describes this complex organisation from the accession of Emperor Karl I in November 1916, through the victory of Caporetto and failure of the Piave offensive, to the final Armistice. The text is supported by tables and insignia charts, and illustrated with rare photographs and colourful plates. Softcover, PC/PB&W.

Volume 398 - 1st printing. "The Texan Army 1835–46!" Written by Stuart Reid. Art by Richard Hook. The volunteer army that fought the Mexican dictator Santa Anna from 1835 to 1836 was immortalized in the epic battle of the Alamo. Taking arms initially to fight for the restoration of the liberal Mexican constitution of 1824, the volunteers were eventually fighting for outright Texan independence. This book describes and illustrates the group of men who, despite the diversity of their origins, equipment, weaponry and dress, were united in a common cause that reached its culmination in the victory of San Jacinto. The turbulent decade (1836–46) of Texan independence is also covered, and the little-studied army and navy of the Republic of Texas examined. Softcover, PC/PB&W.

Add to cart Very Fine $6.00

Volume 399 - 1st printing. "Medieval Scandinavian Armies (2)!" Written by David Lindholm and David Nicolle. Art by Angus McBride. While Scandinavia's 'Viking Age' is one of the most studied aspects of early medieval history, much less has been published about the centuries which followed. Yet the armies of Sweden, Norway and Denmark offer fascinating differences from the rest of medieval Western Europe, both in their organisation and their war gear. This second of two books covers the period which saw both expansion in the Baltic, and long wars born of the attempt to bring Scandinavia under a single monarchy - the Union of Kalmar. In the North, as elsewhere, the perfection of plate armour could not prevent the steady decline in the importance of the 15th century mounted knight in favour of the well armed infantryman. Softcover, PC/PB&W.

Volume 401 - 1st printing. "The Waffen-SS (1)!" Written by Gordon Williamson. Art by Stephen Andrew. Despite being disdained by the German Army's professional officer corps, the military branch of the Nazi SS security organisation grew from an initial strength of only a handful of battalions at the outbreak of war in 1939 to hundreds of thousands of troops in dozens of divisions. The battlefield reputation of the premier armoured and mechanised divisions would become second to none; lavishly equipped and regarded as utterly reliable, they were thrown into many desperate battles on both Western and Eastern fronts, often achieving remarkable results. Illustrated with rare photographs, this first of four Men-at-Arms titles details the organisation, uniforms and insignia of the Waffen-SS. Softcover, PC/PB&W.