Recent Reads - June 2020

A couple of retro gaming related titles this month. One is a take on the familiar guide format that has seen titles such as Nostalgia Nerd's Retro Tech and Evan Amos's The Games Console hit the shelves, whilst the other is the story of Commodore as seen through the eyes of Commodore UK's final Managing Director, David Pleasance.

The title page

Gaming in the Obscure by Johnny Blanchard is first up and is a look at several gaming consoles (and a computer) that, for a variety of reasons, never hit the big time. The hook for this book is that Blanchard owns the systems, which adds an air of authority to the descriptions and views expressed. At 160 pages in length, this permits a decent look at a selection of systems and important software titles for each one. The author has grouped the hardware by console generation, giving a list and a timeline of all of the machines launched in that generation, highlighting the ones he wishes to focus on. Each featured machine gets a brief history, why it failed and tips on collecting them today, along with a selection of games shown by full page screenshots. One thing this book is missing is any text describing those games, but that is a minor niggle. After all, the focus is predominantly on the hardware.

The comments on collecting are really useful.

There are numerous photographs of the machines and these are well taken and presented. Blanchard's writing style is straight forward and easy to follow, and by far the most interesting parts are the comments on owning and collecting these machines. Would-be collectors take note of these, you'll learn some important lessons here. Throughout the text, Blanchard comments on a second volume and this is something I hope he follows up on. Judging by the first, it should be something to look forward to.

Sadly, you can't buy a physical copy of Gaming in the Obscure, but it is available on the Kindle platform. Currently part of the Kindle Unlimited, it is also available for purchase here for the princely sum of £4. Seriously, £4. That is a bargain and even if I were signed up to Unlimited, I would still buy this outright. Overall then, if retro gaming hardware is your thing, this is a highly recommended book. You can follow the author on Twitter here, as well as his YouTube channel here.

Commodore: The Inside Story is part autobiography, part reminiscence. The autobiography is that of David J Pleasance, as noted above, the last co-Managing Director of CBM UK. Starting with a potted history of his early life, it doesn't take long before we reach the 1980's and the author's employment with Commodore. Not that the early years are boring, and Pleasance's writing style is free flowing and engaging enough to make these early sections as interesting as the core of the book. A nice line of humour runs throughout the telling and there are definitely a few instances of "you wouldn't get away with that today" dotted here and there. It also hits the nostalgia button when talking about computer retailing at the time.

That is only the first half of the book though. The second half contains sections by a variety of people linked to Commodore and the Amiga computer. From RJ Mical and Gail Wellington, to Keiron Sumner and Stephen Jones, these reminiscences are packed with anecdotes, memories and little tidbits that bring the (frankly tragic) story of Commodore and the Amiga to life. Each of these add depth to the overall tale and are more than just padding for the word count, giving further insight into the company. In fact, it's nice not to hear from the usual suspects.

And what a story it is too. I'll not go into detail here (buy the book!), but Commodore's corporate behaviour really does make me wonder how they managed to be so successful. Poor people management, even worse financial management and a complete inability to understand the business they were in and the products they were selling; with hindsight there is no surprise at all at the company's failure. This is the crying shame. I, like a couple of million others in the UK alone, never mind the rest of the world, spent our formative years using an Amiga.

I purchased this book from Downtime Publishing. Here, you can buy this title in a number of formats: hardback, e-book and audiobook. There is also a DVD or Blu-Ray option if you prefer. I ordered the hardback and was very pleasantly surprised upon receiving it to find that it had been signed by the author with nice little personal message. It was a lovely little touch. As for the quality of the physical hardback? It's superb. The hard cover itself is reassuringly solid, the binding is tight and the pages themselves are glossy and thick. You will be paying £30 for the physical copy but you're getting a quality tome for it.

Anybody, and I mean anybody who was an Amiga user back in the day, should buy this book. It will give you an understanding as to why Commodore succeeded and failed throughout the years. The same goes for anyone interested in the history of computing in general. Again, you'll learn a lot. I cannot sing the praises of this book highly enough.

This brings me onto the follow up. The author, alongside Trevor Dickinson (owner of A-EON Technology, who currently produce Amiga OS4 powered computers and also the provider of a forward for the first book) have launched a Kickstarter for From Vultures to Vampires, which will follow on from the collapse of Commodore in 1994 to the present day. To say it has been an eventful 25 years for the Amiga platform would be an understatement. After finishing Commodore: The Inside Story, I pledged for a copy of the new book and hopefully it will hit its funding goal. Check it out if it appeals to you.

Recent goings on

With the back end of April fast approaching, it should come as no surprise to any of you that not much has been happening given the current situation. There are a couple of things to note though...

Beer with Cards (or is that Cards with Beer?)

First up, I have received my edition of Craft Beer Brewer by Bazcardz (via Gamecrafter). A nicely produced little card game, the aim is to end up with the highest number of points by brewing the best beer you can. With cards.

OK, it's a bit more than that. You get a Yeast card and five random ingredient cards. Over four turns, you discard and replace your cards to build a beer that has to have a Yeast with compatible Malt and Hops cards. Additional points can be earned for having suitable Flavour and Brewing cards. Community cards can also be used, but watch out for the "Ale Fail" cards that introduce problems into your brewing and, more importantly, cost you points. The person with the highest number of points at the end of turn four is judged to have brewed the best beer. You also get to name your beer and at that point, well, it's your imagination.

It sounds simple but it is a fun game to play in short bursts, especially if you're drinking beer at the same time. The real benefit of the game is that it is also educational and with several playthroughs, you'll start to learn more about beer brewing than you thought possible whilst playing a card game. It's pretty much obvious who this game is aimed for and it has provided a few interesting hypothetical beers whilst more mainstream bottled beer has been consumed. If you fancy trying this game out, you can purchase it from Gamecrafter here. You can also follow the game's creator on Facebook here, where you'll also find a brief YouTube video that explains the game more fully.

Reviewing games should be fun... shouldn't it?

My most recent review for Retrovidegamer is The Perfect General for the 3DO. It wasn't supposed to be that game though. No, it was supposed to be Flying Nightmares for the same console. Nominally a flight sim based on the Harrier (it seems to be based on the previous Domark title AV-8B Harrier Assault), this is a terrible game. Confusing and complicated controls, poor responsiveness to control input and a horrendous difficulty level, it's just not fun to play. After several hours I had had enough. To hell with it. These things should have some level of enjoyment and that was sorely lacking here. I am not one who gets angry whilst playing videogames and I can honestly say, hand on heart, that I have never thrown a controller down but I came close with this one. Flying Nightmares? More like F*****g Nightmares! And no, I am never going back to it.

Avoid this title like the plague...

Reading habits

With the current situation, I have been fortunate enough to be able to work from home, as has my good lady. What this has meant, however, is that I have started to rattle through my reading pile at a vast rate of knots as out of house activities are limited to the odd walk and a trip to the shops. After all, there is only so much television one can deal with and I find reading a very comfortable alternative. Recent titles have included A J Venter's "Battle for Angola", Leopold Scholtz's "The SADF in the Border War", James Barr's "Lords of the Desert" and Cary Elwes' As You Wish. The latter, an unexpected present from my good lady, is a whimsical and funny tome about the making of The Princess Bride - arguably one of the most perfect movies ever made. If you've never read the original book by William Goldman, you should. Never seen the film? Inconceivable! And once you have read or seen either of those, buy "As You Wish". Next off the reading pile is something closer to home (geographically), George MacDonald Fraser's "The Steel Bonnets".

Videogaming

Finally, onto that other relaxing past time, playing videogames for pleasure. Over the last couple of months, I've managed a replay of Mass Effect's 1 and 2. A good time was had and a realisation that whilst ME 1 was a good start to the trilogy, ME 2 really did get a whole lot better, in story, characterisation and presentation. Following those two came Bioshock and Bioshock 2, the latter of which I am still progressing through now. Old games, to be sure, but still very playable and entertaining. Not something I could really say about quite a few modern day titles, especially those with a focus on online play. That's just me though. On the side, there is Cold Waters, a PC based Cold War submarine simulator that's proving challenging and rather fun.

Speaking of old games though, I have finally put the money down for a Blaze Evercade handheld console. With an eye firmly on licensed emulated versions of dozens of retro titles released on cartridges (how quaint...), this has had my attention since it was announced. You can find out more about it via the link above and make your own mind up, but for me, it ticks the retro box in a nice, legal package. With a release window between May 22 and the middle of June, I'll let you know what I think of it when mine is delivered.

And so, back to The Steel Bonnets. If you're never read any MacDonald Fraser before, certainly give the Flashman series a go. The Pyrates is also a hoot and his non-fiction work is similarly good. Until next time...

Recent Reads - November 2019

Becoming Superman is the autobiography of J. Michael Straczynski, probably best known for creating the sci-fi show Babylon 5 in the 1990’s, but whose career is much more varied. From animated series (He-Man, She-Ra, The Real Ghostbusters), live action TV (Captain Power, Murder She Wrote, Jeremiah and Sense8), films (Thor, Changeling) and comics (Spiderman, Superman), there isn’t much that he hasn’t done – and that’s not including the “Guide to Scriptwriting” which is a go to book of its kind ever since it was published in 1982.

Buy this book. Seriously, but it now!

When this book was announced earlier in the year, I mentioned it to my good lady and she kindly offered to buy me it for my birthday. Having read it over a couple of days, I can honestly say this book made me laugh, cry, cheer and despair – and that’s just the cats!

Straczynski’s life is related with humour and a degree of honesty rarely found in most biographies. Indeed, there is little varnish here at all. Beginning with how his family made its way to the United States, and then detailing the lives of his parents, it certainly feels as if nothing has been left out. Once the set up has been completed, Mr Straczynski takes centre stage for the rest of the book.

It is not an easy read and more than once, I asked myself how exactly Straczynski ever ended up being a functioning adult. Despite the knock backs and travails, he succeeded not only at that but also brilliantly in his aim of being a writer. Along the way, you’ll find out how screwed up families can be, the pitfalls of trying to make a career out of writing and the sheer unfairness of the entertainment industry. You also, however, meet some of the colleagues and friends that have helped and nourished Mr Straczynski, and how deep the human spirit can be when you find yourself in a precarious situation. Individuals (and characters) include the late Harlan Ellison, Michael O’Hare, Jeff Conaway and Andreas Katsulas.

What Straczynski does do very well is reinforce the point that if you believe in something enough and you keep trying, there is much you can achieve. This book is evidence of that and throughout the harrowing struggles of Straczynski’s life, he never gave up. Whether it be personal issues, fighting his corner at work or hangovers from his family, his self-belief and self-awareness have carried him forward. This is a very worthy read and highly recommended.

Fiction next and “Show me a Hero” by Patrick Alexander is something a lot more cynical. Set in the then future 1980’s, (being published in the late 1970’s), it posits a Britain ruled by a far left dictatorship where personal freedoms have been crushed and a weakened resistance group are trying to bring own the government. The main character, Tom Ashman, is a high level operator with the resistance, planning a gold bullion raid to fund its ongoing operations. The primary antagonist is Colonel Julian Cunningham, chief of the Secret Police.

Alexander’s writing is terse and no-nonsense. There is little frippery and, whilst most of the characterisations suffer because of this, the two foes are defined well enough to hook you into the story. With some very on-the-mark jibes about British politics (few of which have dated at all - make of that what you will), “Show me a Hero” is an engaging tale well told. Tonally, it feels very much like those typical ‘70’s TV shows The Sweeney and The Professionals. Dated, but on the mark. There are a couple of issues though: due to the lack of smaller character development, motivations for some actions are muddled, and there is a fascination with military kit and weaponry that borders on a fetish – though not to the point of the terrible Jerry Ahern written series of post-apocalyptic novels under the Survivalist banner. It is the ending, though, that gives “Show me a Hero” its biggest punch and elevates this book above similar pulpy tomes. Truly, it ends with a wonderfully British cynicism that remains timeless.

Speaking of pulpy books, this brings me neatly to the first seven Clive Cussler-penned Dirk Pitt novels. Seven??? Well, a recent holiday to the US meant a fair bit of flying and loitering around airports so I dusted off my aged Kindle and downloaded these titles to see if, what I recall were decent stories when first read in the late 1980’s, were worthy of that recollection. As L.P. Hartley (was he J.R.’s brother???) wrote, “The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.” and boy, is that apt here.

First off, the positive points. The seven novels: Pacific Vortex, Mayday!, Iceberg, Raise the Titanic!, Vixen 03, Night Probe!, Deep Six, demonstrate Cussler’s improved writing (note – Pacific Vortex was the sixth novel published but the first continuity-wise. It was a first attempt at a novel by Cussler and published purely as a “curio”). As each book was released, it shows Cussler becoming more adept with intricate plots and action set pieces. The familiar template of historical prologue followed by “present day” action is well established by Deep Six, as is the expansion of the Pitt universe. Characters change (smoking being the prime example here – veritable chimneys at the start, with only a couple of cigar smokers by book five) and a definitive timeline is in set up, placing the action of these novels in the then-future late 1980’s. As fantastical action thrillers, these are easy reads and decent enough time fillers.

The negatives? Sigh…

The simple stuff first: Cussler’s characterisations. Essentially, villains are two dimensional and are there to be beaten. There is never any doubt that the good guys will win. Also, Cussler’s depiction of women is, at least in these novels, dire and tone deaf. Even by the time we get to Deep Six, published in 1984, he still can’t write from a woman’s point of view without coming across as more than a little sexist. Some might say old-school gentlemanly, but a lot of female characters are there to be ogled, perused and rescued. Even supposedly strong women are no match for Pitt’s sexual magnetism. As for the other male characters, well, when one (in Iceberg) remarks of a woman “She’s too young for menopause, she must be on her period”, you know he was writing to an audience. Mayday!, however, is the one that takes the prize for the most awkward handling of a woman: Pitt’s actions, if undertaken today, would land him in court. After finding a beautiful woman still grieving her husband’s death eight years prior, he gives her a hard slap about the face and then they promptly have at it on a beach!

Then there is the representation of gay characters. Reading Iceberg again left a nasty taste in my mouth as Pitt masquerades as a gay man to fool the villain of the piece. The portrayal is offensive, all over the top camp and clothing. The language used to describer Pitt’s behaviour (“a goddammed homo act” and “he thinks I am a faggot”) are just plain nasty – though I suppose period accurate if we’re going to go there. The introduction of St. Julien Perlmutter in Deep Six starts to even out the balance but even then, upon receiving a welcoming hug, Pitt’s response is asking if Perlmutter wants a kick in the crotch. I know, as I noted before, the past is a different place but attitudes really have changed since then.

The presentation of technology in the earlier tales is very 1970’s, with computer banks and seemingly omnipotent computer decision making – very Dr Who! Cussler is, though, on more certain footing when it comes to cars and diving. 

I would like to say I’ll continue the Pitt series until the end of the solely Clive Cussler penned stories, and maybe the first he co-wrote with his son, Dirk – the humorously titled “Black Wind” - purile of me, I know! For me, I find when a co-author is added, books tend to lose that certain spark that made them decent. Then again, by that point in his career, Cussler had become so formulaic. It might not make much of a difference.

You may think I have judged these a tad harshly considering when they were published, but then again, it is useful to see where the author began and where they ended up. As you can still buy newly published (co-authored) Pitt novels today, I think it is worthwhile re-reading these and calling out where they have dated extremely poorly. Not high literature by any means, they are still worth a go if you like light-hearted thrillers. Just bear in mind that political and social attitudes have changed significantly since their first publication.

Oceans Ventured by John Lehman

John Lehman is a qualified A6 Intruder bombardier/navigator who served as Secretary to the  US Navy from 1981 to 1987. In Oceans Ventured, he relates his role in the naval build up and honing of the US Navy of the 1980's into an organisation at the peak of its capabilities. In doing so, Lehman starts by giving a potted history of the US Navy up to the late 1970's from where his account really begins, detailing the negative political and military effects of the Carter Administration. He then continues until the end of the Cold War, finishing with an epilogue detailing his thoughts on the current state of the US Navy and the geopolitical pressures it faces today.

This book had been on my wish list since publication, mostly because the late Cold War period is my thing. Having read this book over the course of a couple of days, I have to admit to being more than a little disappointed with it. It's not Lehman's writing per-se that is an issue, though his habit of jumping around with his chronology is a tad confusing. Nor is it the substance - generally there is enough detail in the vignettes to make this book worth reading. No, it's more that there are enough gaps and omissions to make you wonder what he has deliberately omitted and that makes this tome feel a little lacking.

I do have an issue with the potted history. Lehman guides us through the thinking that a strong naval force can protect and project a nation's beliefs, but when he gets to the War of 1812, his history moves onto shaky ground. Yes, the American 44's were superb fighting vessels and proved that the fledgling Navy could tackle a larger foe but Lehman is extremely disingenuous when noting the 44's record of disrupting British trade whilst ignoring the much larger Royal Navy's record in blockading US trade (and hence tax raising ability) for a much more disruptive economic effect.

There are also some factual errors. The most glaring was the Falklands War dates (2nd August to 14th June 1982!) and the comment that the Royal Navy  re-took the Islands. True, the Navy was key to the whole operation but I think there would be many who served in the RAF and Army who would add comment to their role in the conflict.

Politics rears its ugly head quite often in the book as well, with some bi-partisanship being recognised but with an overall theme of "Republican good, Democrat bad!", even to the point of commenting that some people were good at their jobs despite their political leanings. Hmmm.

Then we have the central argument. The presence of a renewed and reinforced US Navy, especially in the Atlantic and Mediterranean effectively ended the Cold War. That's not something I agree with and to be honest, once America started deficit funding it's arms build up, there was  no way the more economically constrained Soviet Union could hope to keep up. The argument about forward operation of carriers off the Kola Peninsular is also controversial and is probably better off decided on the wargaming table. I for one would not have liked to have been in CINCLANT's shoes if ordered to test out that theory. It's also here that Lehman's chronological jumping becomes the book's most confusing element, as does his habit of listing by year how many new ships the Soviets were building - ignoring the fact that ships take years to build so I am sure at one point he's added up the number of Slava-class cruisers to  way more than the four actually launched.

His treatment of the Soviet Navy hierarchy is also suspect, with quotes used to demonstrate how fearful and fawning senior Soviet Admirals were of their American counterparts and their kit. Except, as far as I know and have read, they weren't. Lehman is also being a tad disingenuous by complaining that the Soviet naval build up continued after the change in political relations, so that new ships were being commissioned into the early 1990's. This ignores the time and effort spent in constructing them in the first place and you would never expect anyone to scrap such expenditure on a whim. Finally, there is a lack of detail in some of the revelations, most notably the Kamchatka Peninsula overflight in the early 1980's. This is the second text to reference that operation but doesn't give any specifics. Even the declaration of American carrier ops in Norwegian fjords could have done with a bit more detail.

It is in the epilogue though, where Lehman climbs fully onto his soapbox and truly shows his political colours. He ponders the (in his mind) correct decision to scale down the fleet after the Cold War ended but then laments that force sizes are too small to meet the present day threats which the US Navy might face. I think Lehman is wrong here. The forces built up in the 1980's are pretty much either retired or near end of service life (with the exception of the carriers). Whilst technical advances have made individual ships more potent, they have also made them more expensive and Lehman avoids the question of how a force equivalent to the 1980's US Navy would be funded. Deficit funding back them worked as there was a period  afterwards where spending was reduced. Compare then to now, where the War on Terror has, amongst other things, left America with a debt pile that is eye watering (some $22.8 trillion!) Fiscal pressure alone would make any comparable naval build up now simply unaffordable, and that isn't including the controversial budgets for the new Ford-class carriers, the abortive Zumwalt-class destroyers and the pork-barrel that is the Littoral Combat Ship. Lehman here seems to want his cake and eat it, a  powerful naval force without considering how it could be paid for.

So, if you ignore the above issues and take Oceans Ventured as what it purports to be, you'll probably  enjoy Lehman's book. Similarly, if your politics fit in here, it could be one for you. As for me, I expected a bit more of a history and detail so it rates as ok-ish but quite a bit of a disappointment overall.

Naval Gazing

One thing about having someone like Andy as a friend is that he is very willing to loan me books, and usually these are war gaming related. Now sometimes my good lady despairs of this as she thinks I have too many of the damn things (note, I don’t, as this post will show later on), but at least with Andy’s loans, these are short term only and are returned quite quickly.

So, the pair of books he loaned me recently were concerned with naval war gaming and date from what you could call the First Golden Years of war gaming, the late 1970’s. First up is Naval War Games by Barry J Carter. This focuses on the World Wars One and Two and comes across as very much an introduction to the period as well as the hobby in general. The tone is straight forward and ever so slightly po-faced without over doing it. Grandfatherly might be a suitable description. There is, however, a lightness at times that not only dates the book but also the author as well.

The book has some good comparisons between scratch built ships and shop bought kit and there is, like many other similar titles of the period, an emphasis on making do with what you can get your hands on or what you can make yourself, especially considering the state of the commercial market at the time. The photographs are few and far between, but that is also in line with the period, as is their quality. The writing, however, is well worth the cost of this book and as an introduction to gaming the naval conflicts of the two periods, there is a lot to take in. Of course, some of this is now quite dated and the shop bought kit noted here would today reach a tidy sum on e-bay!

The author provides some sample rules to try out and although they are quite interesting, they use a grid based system for distances which, given today’s simpler direct measuring, feel very… gamey. Still, they would be worth trying, even if just for curiosity’s sake. Of note is the author’s recommendation of play testing the rules and making changes where ever you see fit. What a refreshing idea!

Written at the time when war gaming was arguably more niche than today but still not as niche as it had been in the 1960’s (and it is still a pretty niche hobby despite the protestations of those who would lump it into table top gaming which, for me, is far too broad a church), this tome is a useful insight as to where the hobby has been and how far it has developed.

Next up is Sea Battles in Miniature – A Guide to Naval Wargaming by Paul Hague. Published just five years later, this is a far more broad introduction to naval warfare in general. The hobby seems to have become more established by then as there are a few more manufacturers and the author is very much on a mission to educate people on the topic of naval war gaming, which he notes seems to be treat as the poor cousin of land based war gaming. The tone here is very light and the sense of enjoyment the author takes in his hobby is tangible, taking it for what it is, rather than what it might be. I do, however, think he takes the challenge for realistic representation a little too far with the insistence on scale meaning that floor level is preferred to the table top in order for it to “look right”, and I am not entirely sure he is joking when he suggests taking over the local Mecca for a proper looking playing area! There is also a detailed section on how to scratch build balsa ships and the attraction of using flats, something I have honestly never seen in the naval arena before.

There are some general war gaming comments here as well, such as those who practice gamesmanship are not welcome to the hobby (amen, Brother!) and that rules are there to be played with, home-written amendments and all. Such a far cry from the modern commercial industry (or at least some of the game designers). The last section of the book covers various periods of naval warfare and the presentation takes the form of game reports featuring Mr Hague and friend. Tongues are placed firmly in cheek (the names of the admirals alone should raise a few chuckles) and they demonstrate the included rules very well. They also provide food for thought for future rule amendments.

In a way, it is funny to compare these titles, for the first follows the Featherstonian introduction type whilst the second is more a “Here! Play this! You’ll like it!” kind of book. It aims to be a torch bearer for naval war gaming in general and opines that whilst naval war gaming might be seen as more technical compared to its land-based cousin, that only means you need to learn more and that gaining of knowledge is part of the fun of the hobby. It has always been my opinion that a greater knowledge of the period always, and I mean always, makes playing that particular period more enjoyable. If only that approach were more common today… Incidentally, Mr Hague adds a decent bibliography (that include Mr Carter’s tome) and adds to what is a lovely little package.

Overall, these are two very useful book and highly recommended to anyone who plays, or has an interest in playing, with ships on a table (or dance hall floor, if you have one close to hand!). True, the included rules are a tad basic but you are literally ordered to improve and add as you see fit. I, for one, am very grateful for the loan of these from Andy and I think anyone who reads these will take something positive away for their gaming.

Now, onto two other books. And I bought these so they’re staying in the collection and for good reason too…

The Deadly Trade by Iain Ballantyne is an all encompassing history of submarine warfare. From the earliest attempts to travel under the surface to the nuclear powered behemoths that cruise the depths today, Ballantyne has written a very readable and detailed account. The author knows his stuff and engages the reader, with knowing little asides and comments that raise a smile here and there. True, the majority of the book deals with the First and Second World Wars and by its very nature, there is not too much specific detail in places, but that is where the bibliography comes in and, my word, is it a good one! I always like it when I read through a bibliography and can state honestly that I have quite a few of the books listed in it.

As a history of the submarine, this is a worthy read and the perfect book to either break into the subject or as a starting point to find other sources of more detail. One of which, had it been published when Ballantyne’s book was written, is In Deepest Secrecy by Jaime Karremann – the story of the Royal Netherlands Navy Submarine Service during the mid to late Cold War period.

Yep, this is niche, a small force of six diesel powered subs and the limited, though vital, role they played. Part history, part explanation of how they operated, this was a book I saw upon publication but missed on its first run. Fortunately, I was able to pick up a copy and to be honest, it was worth the wait. You’re not going to get Tom Clancy levels of excitement, but neither are you going to get bored to death by nothing happening. No, this book is an excellent account of how one of the smaller Western navies performed its role in the most dangerous and difficult of circumstances. If you’re in any way intrigued by the subject, grab yourself a copy as soon as you can!

Now, with all this talk of Submarines, where did I put my DOS copy of 688 Attack Sub?

Helion & Company: The Iran-Iraq War volumes.

Helion and Company have a great track record of publishing titles on some really obscure conflicts and topics, and it was at a war games show last year that I saw the four volume set for the Iran-Iraq War. That conflict is something I recall being on the news quite a bit as a child and as the late 20th Century is my period of choice, purchasing these volumes was an easy decision to make.

Volume one covers the initial battle for the province of Khuzestan in South Western Iran between 1980 and 1982. Volume two follows up with the Iranian response that eventually saw the Faw Peninsula fall to Iranian forces between 1982 and 1986. Volume three takes up the rest of the war, where Iraqi forces retook the Faw Peninsula and battered Iranian forces to a stalemate, at least on the ground. In the air, they had overcome the Iranian Air Force. The final volume relates to the conflict on the fronts further north. Although the fighting was equally bitter, it was not on the same scale as the conflict in the south.

Written by E.R. Hooton, Tom Cooper and Farzin Nadimi, the books themselves are quite slim, following the usual Helion format. At  around 80-ish pages each, these books combine well written text with numerous contemporary photographs, custom illustrations and details colour plates. Each volume contains an excellent biography and extensive notes on the main text and my only real issue with the series (and other Helion texts) is the lack of maps. More precisely, the lack of maps at the right juncture. In many, there is a detailed map with the names of key towns, facilities and the like, but they always seem to be placed in the back of the book. It would be handy if such maps were near the front where you can see them before being deluged with place names in the text, It is, however, a minor complaint.

Taken as a whole, the Middle East @ War Series volumes 5, 6, 9 and 10 provide a superb introduction, overview and description of the Iran-Iraq War and offer not only eye-witness accounts but also well argued analysis of the conflict. Given the nature and recent history of both nations, it is unlikely that we'll ever see a definitive single (or multi) volume history of this struggle but this quad of tomes is certainly enough to give the reader a finer appreciation of it. Indeed, the political shenanigans of the various factions within Iran was a revelation to me and provided a much greater depth of understanding as to why the state of Iran behaved the way it did. That and the ever-repeated experience of Iraq where dictators try to control too much centrally and end up making a hash of whatever they are trying to achieve.

Some might complain about the quality of the photographs (which is unwarranted considering the paucity of imagery anyway, due to the nature of the combatants) and the lack of detail in specific operations but as mentioned before, the bibliography is extensive and there are companion volumes also published by Helion that focus on specific aircraft types and their histories (The Mirage F1 and MiG 23 volumes in the same Middle East @ War Series provide far greater detail on the introduction to service and combat operations for those types).

I highly recommend these books to anyone with an interest in that specific conflict, the politics of the nations involved and late 20th Century military conflict in general. The information contained within is as much good use to war gamers as to history buffs and would contribute well to any game no matter what rule set you use. Certainly as far as my wargaming goes, future ventures to H'irraq will have some added verisimilitude courtesy of these fine books and others from Helion and Co.

If these titles have caught your interest or you just want to have a look at what else Helion offer, visit their website here.

Recent Reads - A Trio.

Another chance to get through the reading pile occurred recently and it must be said that the to be read pile is getting rather low now, no more than two dozens titles left. Believe me when I say this is quite good for me. This time, I managed to finish three titles of interest, two very informative and one entertaining.

I'll start with the entertaining title first: "Disaster at Stalingrad" by Peter Tsouras. I picked this up at a book shop just off the Minster in York last year and I must say it's been a fun read. Tsouras has form in the alternate history genre and this is another corker. Taking up most of 1942, Disaster at Stalingrad posits a naval battle around supply convoy PQ17 that destroys the German surface fleet as a going concern but also ends the Allied convoys to Murmansk. A simultaneous move to bring supplies in via Persia and German intrigues in Turkey combine to affect the conflict around Stalingrad and the German push to the Caucasus region. The end result? Well, you'll have to read the book for that, but I can say that Tsouras writes in an easy going and plain style, combining action with information that gives you a well defined image of the conflict and the actions of those within that conflict. You may not agree with the ending of the book, and it certainly leaves more questions than answers (as does most alternate history), but as a take on what could have happened in World War Two, this definitely beats space lizards.

Next up is "Hue 1968" by Mark Bowden. This is a narrative history of the battle of Hue during the Tet Offensive, and boy does it not pull any punches. A journalist by trade, Bowden has written an excellent account of the battle, even-handed in its portrayal of both sides, immaculately researched (the source notes and interviewees give a sense of the effort put into this book), and packed with visceral detail. Some of the descriptions are not for the faint of heart yet he paints a vivid picture of a battle that few expected to fight. Neither the Viet Cong/NVA forces (who expected the general population to rise up and support the North), nor the US armed forces (more experienced in jungle warfare and very derogatory about the capabilities of the Viet Cong/NVA, which was to cost them dearly) were ready for urban warfare, and preconceptions on both sides were torn up by the bloody, bitter fighting that caused massive casualties for both the armed combatants and the civilian population caught in between. Indeed, the American generalship of the period is put very much under the microscope as well as the political motives that guided the military's actions and it is very much true that the battle of Hue and the Tet Offensive in general made real the fears that America did not have the will to win, just the will to get out without too much a loss of face. "Hue 1968" is an extraordinary book about a period that seems to have been forgotten. Indeed, 'Nam 1965-1972 by Battlefront games doesn't mention Hue at all in its 1968 section, preferring the siege of Khe Sanh. This may fit into the stereotype of the conflict, but that is to miss the point. Of course, there are other rule sets available. Any wargamer who wishes to re-fight Vietnam would be well served if they read this book first as even if it does not cover your area of interest, it certainly puts the human story into perspective.

Finally, "The Challenge" by Andrew Lambert takes us back a bit further in time to the War of 1812 and the naval battles fought between America and Britain. It is an easy read and extremely detailed, Lambert has a good eye for detail and a writing style that suits this type of book. I certainly learned a lot about the naval actions, ships and the participants. Tactics are well described as is the basis of the war. The conflict on land gets only brief mentions: this is a story of economic embargo, fraught naval battles and gentlemanly conduct. It is also nice to have a non-American view of the conflict, as not everything is about the debacle that was New Orleans. I mean, when you go to war ostensibly to end a supposed wrong but really to take Canada and Florida but end up with a ruined economy, no coastal trade, neither Canada nor Florida and a rather singed Presidential home, yet still claim victory, well, that says something. One of the points of this book is that the War of 1812 was something Britain considered a nuisance, a side show to the existential struggle against Napoleon. Britain ended the war having secured peace and so began the era of Pax Britannica, hardly the sign of a defeated nation. A comment raised by Lambert is that the true losers in America were the Native allies of the British and slaves and that is a very fair point. Criticism of the book: it can come across as a little bit too biased to the British, but then again, maybe not. After reading several tomes on the War of 1812 and the inherent American bias, it is nice to read an alternative view. As with all history, the more sources you read on a period, the greater your understanding of that period, and I heartily recommend this one to create a balanced view.

Haynes - 57 varieties???

The Haynes Owner's Workshop Manuals are a bit of a British staple. From 1960 onwards, there were manuals printed for pretty much every mainstream car in the UK. A few years ago, Haynes branched out from the car market and started producing manuals for everything else. Ignoring the Alien Invasion and Zombie Apocalypse ones, what caught my interest were the Manuals for aircraft, ships and military vehicles.

Just a few of the many available

With a retail price of £25.00, this could be seen as quite expensive but they are quite common in remainder book shops like The Works and you can get them quite cheaply on Amazon. Most of the above cost me £6 a piece!

They follow the same format, a history of the subject, then a technical description covering design, weapons, propulsion and  the like, specialist versions and then a service history. What makes these books an excellent source is that whilst all of the information contained within them is already public knowledge, it's the way they place all of that information in one volume. It helps that the authors of each volume are experienced in their field - the Chieftain and Challenger 2 editions, for instance, are written by a gentleman who served twenty years in the British Army and used and commanded such vehicles in service. These are not the be all and end all of their respective topics by any means, but they include decent bibliographies for further reading and a wealth of illustrations and photographs. Indeed, if you're a modeler or wargamer who wants to put some realistic kit on the table, you'll find a lot of detail in these books that will make your efforts that much better.

In a sense, these are similar to Ospreys, and can be considered a good introduction to their respective topics. The advantage the Haynes volumes have is that they are more detailed, have much better imagery and can be found (outside of war games shows), a bit cheaper than Ospreys.

Catching up with some reading...

One of the ‘joys’ of getting the bus to work is the opportunity to catch up on my reading. A couple of hours per day means I can get through quite a lot of the ever present book pile in a short period of time. With that, here are four recent reads I’ve quite enjoyed.

First up, Shackleton Boys. The latest in the ‘Boys’ series of military memoirs, this follows the UK based squadrons that operated the Shackleton in the MR/AEW/miscellaneous role from the 1950’s to the early 1990’s. That a derivative of the Lancaster bomber was still on operational service in 1990 tells you a lot about UK defence policy of the time!

Anyhoo, on to the book itself and it follows a format of stories told in airfield order. By and large, the tales are interesting and informative and definitely give you a very good idea of what squadron life was like outside of the fast jet community. None of the contributions are wasteful, each adding a bit more to the overall history of the “Shack” and I finished the book wondering how such an aircraft could end up being loved by so many with all of its foibles and challenges. Also surprising was the length of time the aircraft remained in service. Even with the tremendous balls-up of the Nimrod AEW project, it’s still hard to fathom that if the balloon had gone up in the 1980’s the RAF would have depended upon the “Shack” to such a high degree. Then again, they also used the MR version as a makeshift troop carrier during Suez so they would have managed somehow. Well written and entertaining, if you have any interest in the Cold War RAF, you could do far worse than read this book. A follow up is due this year covering overseas bases and the sole non-UK operator, South Africa.

Next up is 1983. No, not a prequel to that novel, 1983 is the telling of what the author describes as perhaps the greatest period of Cold War tension outside of the Cuban Missile Crisis. This is narrative history and manages to pack quite a bit in, with background on both American and Soviet activities, the events of the year itself and the later events that calmed the Cold War down. However, there are a few technical inaccuracies that spoil the generally authoritative tone of the book.

Other issues include a degree of repetitiveness where chapter topics overlap and an annoying habit at the end of most chapters to leave a cliffhanger or forewarning. This betrays the books origins as a TV program and the author’s background. Whilst it might work every time there is a commercial break, it really does not work in written form. While this book is very much an overview of the period, there are some nuggets of information that I did not know about and the excellent bibliography does improve its worth. If you are a Cold War aficionado, then you could do far worse than 1983. An entertaining read and a good start for further reading.

Sniper One by Sgt Dan Mills follows the sniper platoon of Y Company, 1^st Battalion Princess of Wales Royal Regiment during its tour of Iraq during 2004/05. This is an easy book to read, well written and straight-forward. The characters of the various soldiers are well-drawn and whilst you sometimes think they are a little too stereotypical, there is a genuine thread running through the account. Very much a warts and all telling of the platoon’s activities, Mills does not pull any punches and for that, he should be applauded. Again, of much interest if that is your gaming period or if you're a history buff.

Another warts and all tale is Sir Cedric Delves Falklands War account, following then Major (now Lieutenant General retired) Cedric Delves leading a troop of the SAS to war. From the very beginnings of the conflict, to the ill-fated and extremely lucky South Georgia operation and then to the Falklands itself, this memoir is highly readable and both entertaining and enlightening. The author finds his voice quickly and his often humourous portrayal of the operations of the day definitely give you the feel of being there. A major plus is the honesty of the author. When things go wrong, he points out the reasons why, be they technical, human or sheer bad luck. There is a degree of discretion though and there is little negativity towards others, something that the passage of time and the professionalism of the author must have a hand in. Where self-criticism is warranted though, it is given. As a memoir, you get very little of the wider picture but to be honest, there are books a plenty for that. No, this title is a worthy addition to the library of anyone with an interest in the period. It also humanises those who took part in the conflict, something that tends to be lost when gaming. Personally speaking, I have always found that an understanding of those who fought in the period you are playing helps make the game both more realistic and thoughtful – it’s never just about the dice.

Finally, a piece of fiction. The Last by Hannah Jameson is a murder mystery set in the period immediately after World War Three has broken out. Located in the grounds of a remote Swiss hotel, the author builds up a decent atmosphere and some unique characters. Using a first person narrative, they do indulge in a little of of unreliable narrative and the final denouement is decent, but not spectacular. Some people don’t like post-apocalyptic fiction and to be fair, this doesn’t much fall into that category as the author seems to have concentrated upon the murder-mystery aspect first and the apocalyptic setting second. In that sense, this is a bit of a disappointment and the final page is a bit of a cop out. Having said that, I have read far worse and since the copy I have is also signed by the author, I’ll be keeping hold of this one.

Year in Review - Books

My final Year in Review piece and it's books this time. I've managed a fair bit of reading this year and have read titles of varying quality. Not all of these have made the review but of the ones that have, some I have already posted about so I'll get those out of the way first.

Stephen Kotkin's Stalin duo, with still no date on the final volume, proved a tough read but interesting enough, whilst Richard Pike's Phantom brace were good, despite the second volume's change in presentation and The Explorer's Guild didn't live up to its promise.

Other books this year included another due of history tomes, James Holland's The War in the West. Volume three is due next year and is worth consideration. The books take quite a high level view with emphasis on individuals and their course through the war. Focusing as it does on the West, there is only cursory mention of the Eastern Front but the author does tie things neatly together. I would say that there is some repetition of facts within the narrative (Yes, I get it, the MG34 was wasteful to produce), and that the author's key contention, that Britain was never in that much danger due to it's logistical capabilities, is a bit too pat from the start, but overall, these two volumes tell the story of the Western theatre well.

Suez, by Keith Kyle, is considered by some to be the reference work on the Crisis and after reading it, I can see why. It is compelling and authoritative, combines details and grand scale politics and treats everyone fairly, which is not to say that it's kind to them, No. not at all. But there is one key off-putting issue with the book and that is the style of writing. This is purely a generational thing (it's flowery and effusive, a style that hasn't been taught in schools for a long time) but don't let that put you off if you want to know the background and the events of Suez. It just made it harder to read for me that I thought it would be.

Keeping with the period, slightly, is The Doomsday Machine by Daniel Ellsberg. He of the Pentagon Papers fame, Ellsberg writes with some humour about his time working as a nuclear strategist and planner. It's an enlightening tale and one that should fill you with horror at the mentality of those who controlled the nuclear forces of America during the Cold War. There are some factual errors in there and the overall tone betrays a left-leaning political basis but again, as with Suez, don't let a style (or politics but you off). There is much to be learned here.

That could also be said of The Sleepwalkers, Christopher Clarke's history of how Europe came to be in the position it was in during 1914 that led to The First World War. This is a densely packed title and hard going, especially with the focus on Serbian and Balkan politics but as a book to tell you why the First World War happened, it's hard to beat. There are other tomes that provide differing points of view and scale but The Sleepwalkers is an excellent addition to the mass of literature about that horrifying period.

Richard J Aldrich's GCHQ gives the uncensored tale of the eponymous secret agency. It does, especially the early years, and is entertaining in its own right. However, there are a couple of factual errors in there that detract from the authority of the author and the period following the end of the Cold War is patchy at best (the 30 year rule is a massive hindrance here too) so it's a case of buyer beware for this title.

Off the historical track and onto videogames, which tend to do poorly when it comes to books. Somehow, the mediums don't tend to gel too well. In these two instances, they kind of do. Blood, Sweat and Pixels is an anthology book by Jason Schreier, detailing the production stories of ten videogames. Some were massive successes, one didn't even get released. However, in each section, there is a tale of joy, humility, triumph and despair. If you're ever wondered what videogame development could be like, or want a window onto that world of entertainment software development, then this is the book for you.

Then there is Retro Tech by Peter Leigh. Better known by his YouTube channel name of Nostalgia Nerd, Leigh has written a guide to home computer and console hardware in a neat and tidy little package. By his own admission, PC gaming and handhelds get short shrift as they really do need books of their own, but what you do get here is a brief history of each machine, some nice pictures and a selection of three games for each one: a must see title - demonstrating the power of the machine at the time, a must play title - one you must play to appreciate what the machine brought to the table and a must avoid - really, one that should never be touched with a barge pole. What I like about Leigh's writing is that his voice shines through the text and if you've ever seen one of his videos, you'll know straight away what I mean. As a one book guide, this is very good and whilst there are other hardware books out there, this is one of the best.

Finally, we have Persepolis Rising, book 7 of The Expanse series. If you've read previous posts, you'll know how much I like the TV series which is based upon the books. The TV show is only up to the third book and I do wonder how they'll continue given the scale of the books. Even after seven volumes, the characters remain fresh and the story interesting. It helps that the planned nine-title series is split into three books of three. Seven kicks off another fight for the crew of the Rocinante and this time, you do get the feeling it's the end of the line for some, even if they don't know it yet. If you've not picked up The Expanse from the beginning, it's no good starting here, but I do recommend you do start. It's grand scale sci-fi and a good read too.

Well, that's it for the Year in Review series. I hope you've enjoyed them and if you have any comments, I welcome them all. May you all have a happy new year, and a healthy and prosperous 2019.

The Magnusson Protocol

No, not a Robert Ludlum thriller, but more like a state of mind to be in when I approach a new book, TV show, game, whatever really. It can be summed up in a simple phrase: "I've started, so I'll finish."

You see, I have recently read a pair of books (of a trilogy - the third part has not been completed yet) and watched a TV series that have both invoked the Magnusson Protocol, the former being a good example of sticking with something, the latter less so. Let me explain.

Stephen Kotkin's Stalin: Paradoxes of Power 1878 - 1928 and Stalin: Waiting for Hitler 1928 - 1941 are, without doubt, two of the most exhaustively researched and highly detailed accounts of the life of Stalin and the Russian Empire/Soviet Union I have ever read. Not quite as personal as Simon Sebag Montefiore's superlative duo of tomes, Kotkin's work is truly on an epic scale while, at the same time, maintaining a personal focus on Stalin and those around him. For those who measure such things, the hardback second volume contains 900 pages of densely packed type before you get to the notes and bibliography. They take up another 200 pages of even smaller type.

It took me a good month to get through the first volume in paperback and I approached the second with some trepidation, knowing full well this would be a long slog to the end. There is nothing wrong with the style of writing, nor does it need any editing - there is just an awful lot to read and the second volume took about six weeks to wade through. If I were to complain about anything, well, that would be his propensity (as an Yank - sorry, American) to refer to the British as Brits (and individuals as a Brit) in volume one. It's a smidge annoying and he only does it once in volume two so I'll leave it there, but you know, no one else gets the shortened nationality so why should we...

Educational, informative and enlightening, I am pleased I stayed with these books and I will read the third when it is published. That is not to say I actually enjoyed reading them. That is something entirely different, but the knowledge I gained from completing the two volumes has, in my opinion, outweighed the struggle of getting through them. It was good to finish, as indeed I had started. If you have an interest in the period, by all means give them a go, you may find them an easier read than I did.

The TV show that also invoked the Protocol was Luke Cage. Now in its second season, this show had built up a decent base of expectation, with its soul, character and writing. True, there were issues with pacing and the musical accompaniment that made each episode feel like a riff on "Opportunity Knocks", either that or some record label paid a lot to have their bands perform in the show, but overall, season one showed promise. All season two had to do was provide a decent story and improve on the weaknesses. It didn't.

Season two has all of the faults of the first: the pacing is glacially slow and doesn't really kick off until episode 5. Yep, episode 5 of 13. It feels like once again, the writers of a Marvel show have a cracking set of storylines to fill eight hours of brilliant television and then get told that the network have booked a 13 episode season - but since the budget was for the 8 hour story, they have to stretch everything out to cover the mandated air time - and that means the pacing goes all to hell. The show still has the musical interludes, covered as acts performing in one of the main locations, so you have between five and ten minutes (of a roughly 55-60 minute episode) of bands/groups/solo artists performing. Why? Well, why not? It fills in the run time. Except that even when these sections are woven into the story telling, they drag the episode to a halt, destroying any pace built up and making even those short hours feel like they are a lot, lot longer. Ignoring the advertising function of these sections, they add nothing else to the show.

Not that the negatives end there. Oh no. The Netflix/Marvel TV shows have always tended to look right, that enough money was spent to make sure that, whatever other faults they had, they didn't look cheap. Well, this season of Luke Cage might be the tipping point. I understand that location filming in New York is expensive but when most of that location shooting is in an old warehouse, on a dis-used wharf or in some generic back street, you might want to consider your future options. It also affects the balancing act that every superhero TV show and film has to make - swinging between drama and over-the-top antics. Whereas the likes of Jessica Jones veers towards drama, if a little dour at times, and Daredevil keeps us knee deep in red leather, Cage is hitting that OTT limit, even when it doesn't mean to. From the overuse of slow motion camera work in fight (and walking) scenes to the visibly fragile props (tables, walls, padlocks - they all look like they were made on Blue Peter), the show is heading dangerously close to the 1970's Spiderman TV show in the levels of naffness and I can't help but feel that the show's budget needs a bit of a pick me up if they want to keep the New York filming.

Direction is leaden despite the regular change over of directors and this impacts the acting too, as most of the regular cast aren't that bad, or at least they weren't in season one. Now, however, Alfie Woodard's scheming villainess starts at Pantomime dame levels and camps it up higher and Theo Rossi's Shades is just a pastiche now - all sharp, too-tight suits, whisper level delivery and sunglasses at night. Even Mike Coulter, as the titular character, seems to be phoning it in, either gruff and bored or gruff and angry whilst looking bored. There is only so much broody-face you can get away with in one episode, yet this spans the whole season. I am presuming the tone of the characters was a conscious decision by the showrunners but for the most part, the cast come across as caricatures at best and lazy stereotypes at worst.

If, by reading all of the above, you may think I don't like the show at all. To be honest, it's not about liking it, more in being terribly disappointed in it. There were some good points - the best being the one episode cameo by Iron Fist who, surprisingly for his character, isn't annoying. It does give me some faith that Iron Fist season two might atone for the sins of the first season. Maybe...

So, back to the Magnusson Protocol. When telling a friend about the issues I was having watching Luke Cage, he commented that I should give up on it, that it was a waste of time if I wasn't enjoying it. I can see the point he was making and on a level, agree with it. However, if I had stopped half way through, I would not be in a position to make a fully informed comment on the show or make a judgement as whether or not to watch another season if one is made. It's a personal choice, as with all things leisure time related, but I think that there is something to be said for not giving up just because it's not really working for you at the beginning. In the case of the books, they fulfilled their purpose albeit with a bit of a struggle. With the TV show, it failed to be entertaining but knowing why it wasn't and what I feel didn't work, I will know better in future.

A Trio of Tomes

After the recent posts on Operation Warboard and how it plays, Andy very kindly loaned me three other books that he thought I might like to read. Knowing that this would lead to at least one blog post, I gladly accepted them and, without any comment on quality just yet, managed to rattle through them all over the course of a couple of days.

The three books then, are War Games by Donald F Featherstone, Wargaming World War Two by Stuart Asquith and Armoured Wargaming by Bruce Quarrie.

Aged by use, but still in decent enough condition.

I remember when £6.95 was expensive for a book...

So, first up, War Games. This is the oldest of the three and in both presentation and style, you can tell straight away that it is very much a period piece. That is not to say that it isn't useful, but given that it was first published in 1962 (this edition in 1973, with additional printings in '65, '67, '68, '70 and '72), some modern readers might be put off by the tone. I'll sum it up for you: It's your hobby, you enjoy it, make stuff up as you go along. And yes, that includes the figures!

I had some preconceptions of the contents of this book before I started reading it but what really caught me off guard was the guide to making your own moulds and, as follows, your own figures. At no point does he suggest making a copy of figures you have bought (that would be extremely dodgy), but he does suggest that if you alter existing figures to a type that aren't easily available (which seems to be very much a thing in those early days), you can then use that to cast your own. To a point, that makes sense, but not something that you would think would be suitable today. However, although the market for figures is now huge compared to the options available back in the 1960's, it did make me think about where a particular section of the figurine market is heading - namely the limited run skirmish type games, where at shows, you'll find figures breaking through the £5-6 per figure barrier with ease. Given the relative cheapness of 3D printers (or just go old school and use traditional moulds), how long will some companies survive charging such prices for models before an albeit limited section of the customer base decide "sod this for a game of soldiers" and go back to DIY methods. I am not saying that traditional manufacturing companies will go too, quantity, quality and scale of production will always mean that there will be the likes of Old Glory, Perry etc. But it did get me wondering if many, nay any, of the smaller boutique manufacturers have long term viability on a price basis alone. Then again, if the market decides that it can't be arsed and will pay the prices asked anyway, they have no cause for complaint.

Anyhoo, back to the book. It's has that grandfatherly tone that writers loved in the period, a cross between intellectual and condescending as hell, a balance Featherstone manages to keep just on the right side of easy to read. Once you get past the sections on figures, terrain and how to run a campaign, there are the meatier sections for rules - three sections covering Ancient, Horse and Musket and "Modern" (WW2) scenarios. They read quite well and I think that the TWATS could certainly get through two of the periods on a Saturday afternoon game. True, these are not the most complicated of rules but as this book is an introduction to war gaming in general, I have no issues with that. The appendices cover suppliers of model soldiers, a very small skirmish set of rules, further resources for war gamers, a list of books and literature for war gamers and a final section on the Lionel Tarr Periscope. Seems we can't get away from that particular gentleman's name in this period of the hobby...

Overall then, a worthwhile book and one that, despite it's dated approach, gives another variant of the back to basics gaming that I think the hobby needs to include in this day and age.

Something that can also be said of Wargaming World War Two, focused as it is on one period only. The layout is interesting, in that it begins with a chronological walk through of the war by theatre, at a suitably high level for space considerations but enough to give you pointers for campaigns, battles and events that you might wish to war game. Following that is a meaty section on the combatants, with specific details on force composition and organisation. We then get a technical information section on the equipment used by each participant. That takes you to page 114 before we get to the rules and scenarios. These are, once again, quite straight forward and could be worth a bash for an afternoon game. From page 138, we have a list of suppliers of figures and models, which brought back childhood memories of model shop visits as this book was published around that time when I first took historical wargaming seriously (1989). There is also a decent list of books given for additional reading which was nice to see.

Page 143 begins the naval side of wargaming, a much smaller section than the land based part but still with enough detail to get you started. Ending at page 165, there are some decent rules, a couple of scenarios and a smattering of suppliers listed for your model needs as well as another list of useful books.

Pages 167 to 190 finish the book with the air war, with the same organisation of the previous two sections, and again, whilst a little basic, give enough to get you started. And that is what this book is, in no way pretending to be the be-all and end-all for the period, just a way to get you started. In that sense, it is spiritually very close to the earlier Featherstone text and, indeed, Operation Warboard. After giving what they have suggested a go, it is then up to you to make of the hobby what you will. One thing of note is that the 16 years between the Featherstone and Asquith publications saw a vast expansion of model suppliers, most of which seem to have originated during the "golden" period of the mid to late 1970's.

Finally, we have Armoured Wargaimng and this turned out to be a bit of a disappointment. You see, what it advertises is armoured wargaimng. What you get is a (basic) history of the tank, its uses and a smattering of light technical details. That takes you up to page 113. The rules, they are 12 pages of text, followed by another 9 pages of stats. That's it, almost like the rules were an afterthought. Now I am not saying they won't be played, but looking at the values given in the stats, for example, you cannot kill a modern day 1980's MBT at all with a frontal shot. Never, not gonna happen. Hmmm... Still, they would be worth a go just to see if the mechanisms work but I will also add that the rules are for armoured warfare only - no infantry, no additional support per se.

Of the three, Featherstone and Asquith are most likely to get an airing in future games, whilst Quarrie will probably be given a miss, there being a distinct lack of content and finesse.

Thank you, Andy for the loan of these books, they have all been an interesting read, despite the aforementioned disappointments. It's always good to read up on how the hobby was perceived in the past and it does give an interesting comparison to the state of it today. Oh, and that you needed libraries. All three details texts that were out of print and recommended that you order through your local library. As quaint as that seems now in this day of Amazon, Abe and others, libraries did, and still do have a purpose, despite the disdain they seem to be held with by our elected elders and betters (cough!).

The Explorers Guild Volume One - A Book Review

Whilst checking out the local branch of Travelling Man a couple of weeks ago, I found book that interested me. The tale is about an organisation, The Explorers Guild and the search for the mythical city of Shambhala. Its approach is a tad different from most novels, mixing prose and comic book presentation, but it does work, mostly.

Written by John Baird, Kevin Costner (yes, that Kevin Costner), Stephen Meyer and illustrated by Rick Ross, the novel covers the years 1912 to 1918 and is written in the style of factual tomes of the 1920's and 30's, with a hint of Victoriana thrown in for good measure. By the way, don't think that because volume one is mentioned in the title, there is no volume two. At least, there is no sign of it yet.

So, beginning in 1912 and running several story strands concurrently, TEG weaves a complex tale with quite a few characters introduced at the beginning and more added later on. The language is quite flowery, even for the period it is supposed to ape and I did have difficulty in the switching from text to art. To be fair, most of that was down to me, but I would say that, whilst I did get used to the switches, they still jarred even towards the end. Oh, and when I say flowery, I mean downright purple. I get it that real books written around that period could, and often did have such style, but I think they overdo it here just a tad.

Mixing in a forgotten city, a loose cannon of a British Army Major and a gallivanting actress, plus a religious order and the aforementioned Guild, TEG reads like it should be adapted for the small screen. Maybe, given the background of the creators, their was an eye to that end. Who knows. It certainly ticks the boxes for serial production; foreign locations, duplicitous characters and a scope of story that takes all of its 763 pages to get through. The pace does sag in the middle third but the final two hundred pages pass by in a flash.

The artwork for the illustrated sections is clean, well drawn and easily readable. There are colour illustrations at the beginning of each "book" of the story and the format mimics the style of tomes for the period it covers.

This did take some time to get through, partly due to the high pages count, partly due to the nature of the text. However, I did enjoy it and if there were ever to be a volume two, I would pick it up.