What are you currently reading ?

[Leman]

Wow! that comes as a massive surprise. There are those who find it impossible to run a campaign without counting each pound of flour, number of musket balls/arrows, length of latrine pits and numbers/time to dig them. Personally I prefer to get on with the scrapping. My copy of The Organisation of War Under Edward III is still languishing unread on the bookshelf after only four years.

[Leman]

Kipt got in first so my massive surprise comment refers to the post before his.

[kipt]

Here are the books on Supply/Logistics in my bookshelf.

"For Want of a Nail: The Impact on War of Logistics and Communications", Kenneth Macksey, 1989, Good
"For Want of a Nail: The Influence of Logistics on War", Hawthorne Daniel, 1948, Good
"Pure Logistics", George Thorpes, 1986, Good
"Feeding Mars: Logistics in Western Warfare from the Middle Ages to the Present", John Lynn ed, 1993, OK
"How to Feed an Army", Military publication, USA, 1901, nuts and bolts detail on ration sizes and weights
"Supplying War: Logistics from Wallenstein to Patton", Martin Van Creveld, 1980, very good
"The Royal Army Service Corps: A History of the Transport and Supply in the British Army", COL Beadon with a forward by John Fortescue, 1932, volumes 1 and 2, detailed but slow
"The Organization and Administration of the Lines of Communication in War", COL Furse, 1894, similar to "How to Feed an Army" above.  Again detailed but slow
"The Sinews of War: Army Logistics 1775-1953, Army Historical Series (USA), 1966, a very good, detailed picture of the times
"The Predecessors of the Royal Army Service Corps: 1757 - 1888" by LTC Masse, 1948, a good overview
"Confederate Supply", Richard Goff, 1969, a good history of Confederate problems
"Logistics and the Failure of the British Army in America: 1775-1783, R. Arthur Bowler, 1975, very specific but good
"Supply in Modern War", Col Shaw with a  preface by MG J.F.C. Fuller, 1938, discusses WWI and the period between the wars, interesting

There is information about supply in several other books such as Hamley's "Operations of War".

The easiest to get is Van Creveld, and possibly the most helpful.  The "Sinews of War" is also good and most likely available through the US Publishing of the Army Historical series.  The others are searches and finds from used book stores and on line dealers.

Hope this helps.

[lowlylowlycook]

Thanks!   Some of those look pretty interesting even if, I'm with Leman in thinking that games are rarely made better by including supply issues.

[paulr]

I suspect that Kipt's list is indicative of the difference between professionals and amateurs

I find when carefully handled supply difficulties can add another dimension to games, the key is to ensure that the tracking doesn't become too onerous

A simple example is having limited indirect fire missions for artillery, but not tracking direct fire weapons or mortar ammunition

[Terry37]

I just finished "Fox the Rhine", and am well into the squeal "Fox at the Front". I am a big fan of Weird World War and alternate history and this two volume work is truly one of the best and most creative alternate histories of WW2 I've read so far. One aspect is a bit tough to swallow, but the two authors do a good job of presenting it, and in such a way as to make it acceptable.

Terry

[Steve J]

Battlegroup rulebook to get a better handle on the rules post my first game.

[Sandinista]

Has anyone read King Arthur's Wars by Jim Storr, if so what is it any good?

I have been try to post this question as a separate topic but site is not letting me 

Cheers
Ian

[paulr]

It is the apostrophe in the topic title that will be stopping you, a bug that appear a few weeks ago

[Fenton]

Currently reading The Crusades by Thomas Asbridge..Very interesting and highly recommended. I knew the basics but didn't realise there was so much Muslim in fighting at the time that allowed the Crusader kingdoms to become established

[Sandinista]

Have you read The Crusades Through Arab Eyes by Amin Maalouf?

I found it a fascinating book, one I would recommend anyone to read

Cheers
Ian

[Steve J]

Fight for the Throne by Duffy. Nice to be reading a 'proper' book rather than rulebooks, which I had been doing over the Xmas and New Year period.

[Ithoriel]

"The Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt: The History and Legacy of the Beginning of Egyptian Civilisation" - Charles River Editors

Picked up a Kindle copy for around a quid. A brief overview of Old Kingdom Egypt that I'm finding interesting but it's not exactly a page turner!.

[KTravlos]

Finishes Book 3 in the Legend of Galactic Heroes series by Yoshiki Tanka, "Endurance". As always Alliance Admiral Yang Wen Li has the pertinent quotes.

"Perhaps nations were nothing more than expedients created to justify human madness"

"States unworthy of their own existence, jealous of people who did deserve to live, took as many with them as they could in the moment they were cast into hell"

"Rudolf the Great ( explanatory point: who committed mass genetic and racial genocide in the tune of billions) could not be defeated by the sword. However, we know about the sins he committed against the human race. That is the power of the pen. The pen can indict a dictator who lived hundreds of years ago-of tyrants who lived thousands of years ago. You cannot travel back in history with a sword, but with a p en, you can do that."

Pertinent in our times, especially with the rising choruses that try to explain away past evil as normal.

Also in my two hour Istanbul commute: Two Osprey MAA books: Imperial Chinese Armies 1840-1911 and Chinese Warlord Armies 1911-30. Both were good light readings.

[Fenton]

Have you read The Crusades Through Arab Eyes by Amin Maalouf?

I found it a fascinating book, one I would recommend anyone to read

Cheers
Ian

I haven't. I shall keep an eye out for it