What are you currently reading ?

[fsn]

I'm reading "A Storm of Spears: Understanding the Greek Hoplite in Action [Kindle Edition] " by Christopher Matthew, or possibly Matthew Christopher. Ought to be a law against people having two given names and not a proper family name. Saul David - he's another one, and that Elton John. Still, who'd want to be called Reg?

"A Storm of Spears" is a very detailed analysis of the Hoplite in action - sort of as the name suggests. The Author makes a very good case for the overhand use of the spear being heroic rather than practical and argues persuasively for hoplites standing obliquely in line (rather than full front or side on) and using the spear underhand. The plethora of overhand poses on vases he suggests are either javelins, or a convention based on the memory of javelins, and perhaps all the better to show off the figure.

I have some problems with his thesis. Potters were probably part time hoplites, so I would have thought a few would have said "this is all wrong, I'm going to put underhand spear action", but the book is very interesting, and very detailed.

[FierceKitty]

What is the evidence for oblique files? It sounds a heck of a lot more difficult to me. And even pikes were used at high port in modern times (and, indeed, bayonettes).

[toxicpixie]

I s'pose if you see promo piccies of footballers they're all running heroically around kicking the ball, not writhing on the floor in simulated agony or biting people...

[FierceKitty]

But there's a difference between what they're intended and trained to do, and what they are compelled to do by circumstances (like having someone jab a spear into their necks).

I am reminded of Peter Greenhalgh speaking about the Dendras cuirass: "If Hector had been wearing one of these, he would be alive to this day."

[fsn]

The files weren't oblique, the hoplites stood with the body slightly turned - left foot forward allowing more play for the right spear-holding hand. The book maintains that the hoplite didn't stand full on, or totally sideways like a fencer. The shield wall would be solid and in close formation, overlapping.

[paulr]

I'm reading "A Storm of Spears: Understanding the Greek Hoplite in Action [Kindle Edition] " by Christopher Matthew, or possibly Matthew Christopher. Ought to be a law against people having two given names and not a proper family name. Saul David - he's another one, and that Elton John. Still, who'd want to be called Reg?

If you think those names are bad ... when I was at Uni Alan Meredith was introduced to ... Meredith Alan ... they got married and she is now Dr Meredith Meredith 

[FierceKitty]

I've always regretted that my little lady wouldn't agree to our adding each other's surnames to our own and becoming Lertanantawong-Hay-Whitton. And, indeed, my previous wife was a van Pletzen; if we'd gone the same road too, I could have had a really super-silly surname by now.

Ah, well, nobody's become Major Major Major Major yet....

[FierceKitty]

The files weren't oblique, the hoplites stood with the body slightly turned - left foot forward allowing more play for the right spear-holding hand. The book maintains that the hoplite didn't stand full on, or totally sideways like a fencer. The shield wall would be solid and in close formation, overlapping.

Heath makes the fairly obvious point that the overlapping big shields were a major reason for the hoplite phalanx, and precluded the underarm thrust. He adds that in Hellenistic times, the formation may have become less dense (but then the hoplite was becoming something like the Gloucester Gladiators at Malta in WWII).

[fsn]

Matthew suggests the spear was not held underarm, but couched. The point would then project between the curves of the two shields.

[FierceKitty]

Wouldn't that make for a rather feeble thrust? Little room to extend or swing your arm. A hoplite isn't propelled by a big horse.

[marie]

how to wire an N Gauge railway...selfridge on hold....

[kipt]

Just finished "Rising Sun, Falling Skies: The Disastrous Java Sea Campaign of World War II".  Great detail of ship to ship and aircraft to ship combats.  Detail is amazing.  Last week finished "Fast Carriers", which is also WWII (obviously), and also has great detail.  Halsey does not come off well.  The author has a lot of critique of the different carrier admirals.

[pierre the shy]

Found a very good book in the local library that I'm ploughing through at the moment - Peter Barton's "Battlefields of the First World War - Unseen Panoramas of the Western Front" put out by the IWM.

its a fairly weighty tome but fantastic detail and gives a very good idea of typical terrain for 1914 - 5 games for people like me who are somewhat removed from the actual locations (I live in NZ) - great for our upcoming Arretez game

I've seen Peter Barton on a few programmes about military subjects that have been on the telly over here - he certainly knows his stuff. 

[kipt]

Just finished "Under the Shadow of Napoleon: French Influence on the American Way of Warfare from the War of 1812 to the Outbreak of WWII".

Up to 1812 the American way of war (drill and tactics) really didn't follow anything, although there was British influence.  Winfield Scott's success in 1812 led to a following of French tactics, which continued to and through WWI.  During the next 2 decades technology shifts and then the German successes led to a move away from the French ideas.

Interesting looks at battles of 1812 (Chippawa and Lundy's Lane), the Mexican War, the Civil War (ACW), Spanish-American War and WWI.  The author is a major in the US Army.

[fsn]

Just started reading "Wellington's Guns" by Nick Lipscombe.

Apparently he called all artillery officers "Nancy" and blocked the development of a milllatreuse type machine gun.

[fsn]

Though I may be misremembering those bits.

[Steve J]

Spanish Civil War Tanks by Zaloga. As you'd expect from Zaloga an excellent and informative read. I've already got ideas for some SCW forces as well as AVBCW ones, and I'm only half-way through.

[kipt]

Just finished "Battle Exhaustion: Soldiers and Psychiatrists in the Canadian Army, 1939 - 1945".  Lots of psychiatry but the interaction between casualties, fatigue, leadership and how it affected units (battalion level) I found most interesting.

[cameronian]

'Moon over Malaya', 2nd Batt Argyll & Sutherlands in Malaya/Singapore.

[kipt]

Finished "1636: Seas of Fortune".  This is the 15th book in the series "1632"  It is alternate fiction where the US town of Grantville gets deposited in Germany during the Thirty Years War.  The latest book takes place in South and North America, which is influenced by the "uptimers" encyclopedias and maps.  Didn't like it as much as those that take place in Europe.