What are you currently reading ?

[kipt]

Finished "Fleet Tactics and Coastal Combat" second edition by Capt. Wayne P, Hughes Jr., USN (Ret.).

This book has fleet tactics from Nelson to now.  Good descriptions, examples from the Age of Sail to WWII.  Considered by the USN to be a great thinker on naval tactics, several admirals keep a copy of his books on their shelves.

In this book he discusses and analyses combat in the coastal littoral, where he believed the next major naval combats will occur.  He has a scenario between Greece and Turkey where he has the US Fleet trying to prevent a bigger war, with apologies to both our NATO allies.  Interesting set-up, but he does not take it to combat, this not being a novel.

All in all, a good book on navies.

[kipt]

Finished "Maney's Confederate Brigade At The battle Of Perryville" by Stuart W. Sanders.

Maney's Brigade, made up of the 41st Georgia and the 1sty, 6th, 9th and 27th Tennessee, was part of Cheatham's division and fought on the right flank of the Confederate army in this battle.  All veteran troops except for the 41st Georgia, they defeated two Union brigades and captured an 8 gun battery over taxing terrain and in the heat on an October day with little water.

They had the help of Stewart's brigade, 5 regiments from Tennessee and a battery of 2 6# and 2 12# guns.  By the time the battle ended, Maney's troops had almost 50% casualties, but the Union left was almost, but not entirely, broken and running.

I have been to this battlefield and the terrain in a series of high ridges and deep valleys. Just attacking for so long, almost 3 hours, would have exhausted the men, not counting the thirst from the day, climbing the ridges, and from biting and loading the black powder cartridges.

This is a scenario I want to do, so will be working on the maps and troops.  Hopefully I can present this at a later date.

[kipt]

Finished the "Gettysburg Magazine" January 2025 issue 72,

Articles include

"It's a Wonder that Any of Us are Alive": Union Chaplains at the Battle of Gettysburg, Part 2.
"Where Duty Called": Wiedrich's battery at Gettysburg.
"To Make a Demonstration, to the Letter": Seven Distinct Maps of Longstreet's Gettysburg Performance.
Mythology of Combat: The Battle of Little Round Top.
"Unfit for Service": Captain Hugh Garden's "Palmetto Light Artillery" at Gettysburg.

Always has something good.

[petedavies]

"Command and Control: Nuclear Weapons, the Damascus Accident, and the Illusion of Safety" by Eric Schlosser.
Superb history of the development of US nuclear capability along with the control systems (or lack of them...) that were supposed to "keep us safe".

I was totally gripped by this excellent work of history that reads like a cold-war thriller – not to mention amazed that we all somehow made it through the end of the 20th century. Just learning about SAC's plans in the 50's and 60's (basically destroy the entire world in a few hours, then leave someone else to worry about it) makes the tone of all the SF I read/watched in the 70's & 80's much more understandable!

Some particular standouts:

• The usual propensity of senior leaders to use secrecy and "security" to hide their mistakes.
• The incredible (sometimes verging on suicidal) bravery and commitment of the "guys at the bottom", technicians, firefighters, EOD personnel - usually in their early 20's.
• The equally incredible way very similar guys, when bored enough, would "goof off" with weapons & handling equipment and nearly create thermonuclear disaster.

Best book I've read in a long time.
Cheers,
Pete

[paulr]

Just finished Voices from D-Day eye-witness accounts of 6th June 1944 by Jonathan Bastable

A lot of very interesting quotes interspersed by some at times ropy scene setting text by the author

Still worth it for the quotes

[clibinarium]

"Command and Control: Nuclear Weapons, the Damascus Accident, and the Illusion of Safety" by Eric Schlosser.
Superb history of the development of US nuclear capability along with the control systems (or lack of them...) that were supposed to "keep us safe".

I was totally gripped by this excellent work of history that reads like a cold-war thriller – not to mention amazed that we all somehow made it through the end of the 20th century. Just learning about SAC's plans in the 50's and 60's (basically destroy the entire world in a few hours, then leave someone else to worry about it) makes the tone of all the SF I read/watched in the 70's & 80's much more understandable!

Some particular standouts:

• The usual propensity of senior leaders to use secrecy and "security" to hide their mistakes.
• The incredible (sometimes verging on suicidal) bravery and commitment of the "guys at the bottom", technicians, firefighters, EOD personnel - usually in their early 20's.
• The equally incredible way very similar guys, when bored enough, would "goof off" with weapons & handling equipment and nearly create thermonuclear disaster.

Best book I've read in a long time.
Cheers,
Pete

I second this recommendation. I've listened to it twice now while working. There is a documentary based on it as well, but obviously it can't cover what the book does in detail.

[kipt]

Finished an Osprey "The Italian Army 1940-45 (1): Europe 1940-43" by Philip S. Jowett, illustrated by Stephen Andrew.

Typical Osprey but it does list every Italian division in the war which is nice.

[lentulus]

Just finished:  Priestly and Lambshead's Tabletop Wargames: A Designers' & Writers' Handbook

Now reading Prit Buttar's Retribution: The Soviet Reconquest of Central Ukraine, 1943 mostly because I like reading about Nazis getting their butts kicked.

[kipt]

Finished "Shiloh 1862" by Winston Groom.  Older research, 2013 published, but a good read; more like a novel with the flow.  Many first person accounts. No OB but it has adequate maps from a high level perspective.
I did enjoy it.

[kipt]

Finished a bit of an esoteric book "Naval Shipyards Of The World: From the Age of Sail to the Present Day" (present day being publishing date of 2000), by Robert J. Winklareth.

Every country and every state shipyard of that country plus the private shipyards that produced naval ships.  Most capital ships (in the age of sail, down to third rates) are named, with a short history if the ship was famous. Many shipyards had financial problems and were acquired by others or by the state.

Many layouts shown with the number of slipways, dry-docks and heavy cranes. Huge fluctuations of shipyard labor depending of course on what happened in history.  Tremendous production rates in some of these yards, particularly in WWII (of course).

Interesting book but hardly a read like a novel.

[kipt]

Finished "The
Cavalries at stones River: An Analytical History" by Dennis W. Belcher.  Good book describing the 8 different cavalry actions before, during and after the battle at stones River.

The author tells how the two cavalries fought differently, how the Confederate cavalry had an initial advantage due to organization, how Rosecrans and Stanley brought the various regiments together and put competent commanders in charge and how they successfully stymied the Rebels.

The rebels had great success in raiding the Union supply trains but when Confederate General Wheeler was off behind the Union lines during the battle it was probably a mistake.  Rebel General Wharton did a great job on the Confederate left flank during the Union rout there, but if Wheeler's troops had been available, the outcome of the battle could have been different.

[fsn]

Received today from Caliver Books

[pierre the shy]

great timing fsn...I'm running a FK&P Newburn scenario tomorrow night 

Can you please share your thoughts on the book...I was aware of it but have not yet ordered it, so I would be very greatful of your opinions on the book and how detailed it is on the battle.

Thanks
Peter

[kipt]

Finished "Shiloh And The Western Campaign Of 1862" by O. Edward Cunningham, editors Gary D. Joiner and Timothy B. Smith.  The book was originally a thesis by Dr Cunningham who passed away in 1997.  "Two generations of National Park service historians have relied heavily on the park's faded, worn, and exhaustively studied copy of Edward Cunningham;s provocative Shiloh dissertation".

The editors decided it would be good to get it into print (2007) as it is a good read and full of detail. A very good book on the battle.

[fsn]

great timing fsn...I'm running a FK&P Newburn scenario tomorrow night 

Can you please share your thoughts on the book...I was aware of it but have not yet ordered it, so I would be very greatful of your opinions on the book and how detailed it is on the battle.

Thanks
Peter

I haven't read all the way through but it's 90 pages; 47 of background/introduction; 11 on the battle and the 11 on Newcastle from 1640-1650. The remaining pages are appendices on The Art of War, Siege Warfare and The Scots Army. There are 12 pages of illustrations in full colour.

The book is written by a local historian, and I think it would better have been called "Newcastle at are 1640-1650 and The Battle of Newburn 1640" rather than the other way round. 

I've not come across any OOBs bar a single contemporary plate listing Scottish regiments quartered around Newcastle - though this is dated 1644. 

Skimming through the introduction, it's focused on Newcastle, interspersed with the story of the degenerating relationship between Scotland and the King.

I've read quite a bit about Newburn, and there not a lot added to my knowledge by this volume. It is more in the way of a Newcastle story. Interesting enough.

If I had taken it out of the library, I wouldn't have felt the need to purchase subsequently, but it's a handy little volume for what was a rather unimpressive skirmish. 

[Radar]

I haven't read all the way through but it's 90 pages; 47 of background/introduction; 11 on the battle and the 11 on Newcastle from 1640-1650. The remaining pages are appendices on The Art of War, Siege Warfare and The Scots Army. There are 12 pages of illustrations in full colour.

The book is written by a local historian, and I think it would better have been called "Newcastle at are 1640-1650 and The Battle of Newburn 1640" rather than the other way round. 

I've not come across any OOBs bar a single contemporary plate listing Scottish regiments quartered around Newcastle - though this is dated 1644. 

Skimming through the introduction, it's focused on Newcastle, interspersed with the story of the degenerating relationship between Scotland and the King.

I've read quite a bit about Newburn, and there not a lot added to my knowledge by this volume. It is more in the way of a Newcastle story. Interesting enough.

If I had taken it out of the library, I wouldn't have felt the need to purchase subsequently, but it's a handy little volume for what was a rather unimpressive skirmish. 

I too thank you for your précis. Saved me £17. Alas you aren't on commission.


I've come across far too many Civil War volumes that have titles that promise more than the contents deliver.

[pierre the shy]

Thanks for the quick response fsn, much appreciated.

Sounds like its a more general local coverage of Newcastle history during the ECW.

Furgol lists the Scots units during the Second Bishop's War so I'm basing my Scots OOB on them, though the first units to cross are identified in various other sources. My English OOB is largely circumstanial, though based on units shown as being present at the great muster at York shortly after the battle as well as from units identified as being present.

The biggest challenge is to get some balance, with upwards of 20,000 Scots with a heavy artillery train vs 4 - 5000 defenders, many of who don't really want to be there.

[fsn]

Sounds like its a more general local coverage of Newcastle history during the ECW.

It was written by a local historian, and reads like it was written by a local historian, not a wargamer.

The biggest challenge is to get some balance, with upwards of 20,000 Scots with a heavy artillery train vs 4 - 5000 defenders, many of who don't really want to be there.

As someone from North of the Border, it Sounds good to me.

[fsn]

Moving on ... now reading David Fletcher's volume on British Armour between the wars. I suspect I'm really, really going to want a Carden Loyd Carrier by the end of it.

So far, a tale of uncertainty about the technology of the future, financial constraints, and WS Churchill expressing an opinion.

 
I have learned that the Type D was lower at the front than the back, so it was recommended that it backed over obstacles.   

[kipt]

Finished "Decisions At Perryville: The Twenty-Two Critical Decisions That Defined the battle" by Larry Peterson and maps by Tim Kessel.  Good maps, OB's at the end in appendices (but no numbers of troops).

Author's discussion on what made a decision critical.  Participants narratives also.  Interesting but could have used a bit more editing and/or proof reading (Burnside was not defeated by Lee at 2nd Manassas).