Official Osprey thread

[Steppe Merc]

The two steppe ones are good, yes, but it's too much of an over view. I'd like to know more about the tactics and different types of soldiers each place fielded.

But I agree, there needs to be more other stuff as well. I would like them to cover more about Hungary's earlier years, which would work out, since it would cover the Avars and the Magyars as well. I really liked the Hungry and eastern Europe, though it is too far into the present for my tastes, by a bit.

[edyzmedieval]

Indeed Steppe Merc,

Many other subjects have to be covered. For example, I haven't found any books on my ancestors, the Dacians and the Thracians. Or, other books, like the Armies of the Khazar Khaganates, Romania in the Medieval Period, Medieval English Armies, French Elite Cavalry.....

[The Blind King of Bohemia]

I think I can help a bit there:

Rome' Enemies 1

Features the Germanics and Dacians, though the artwork (Embleton) is truly awful!

Thracians

Ah now this is much better! Great plates by Angus and purely just about the Thracians.

I agree about England, though there are some alternatives:

The Armies of Crecy and Poitiers (MAA)
The Armies of Agincourt (MAA)
The Wars of the Roses (MAA)
Henry V and the Conquest of France 1416-1453 (MAA)
English Longbowman (Warrior)
English Medieval Knight 1200-1300 (Warrior)
English Medieval Knight 1300-1400 (Warrior)
English Medieval Knight 1400-1500 (Warrior)
Many Campaign Books (Falkirk/Stirling Bridge, Tewkesbury, Towton, Bosworth,
100 Years War related, etc.)

Also the various Norman titles should be noted too. So its not that bad. A 2 volume English Armies set though, along with one for each of the Celtic nations of the UK (inc. Ireland) would be brilliant though.

[edyzmedieval]

Your new titles:

"Grand Master of the Osprey books"
"Sales Director of Osprey Publishing"

Thanks for that. I'm still thinking on what to buy, now my dad gave me my whole piggy bank to spend

[The Blind King of Bohemia]

Not sure about the latter (more like Sales Director of Angus McBride!) but the first seems appropriate. You think these are good you should try the Concord ones. Their low on info and more expensive, but 20 HUGE McBride plates, mostly always of actual fighting is worth it any day of the week!

[edyzmedieval]

I'm really not interested in the plates.

I bought the Osprey books for info, and the plates and maps help me understand more the situation, for example, Tannenburg 1410.

[King of Atlantis]

Yeh my preference is info first, plates second, but i am still looking foward to the viking plates/norman plates.

[The Wizard]

Well, on the table for future releases is a title about Serbian medieval armies. A while ago it was up for voting, but it lost to Sassanian Armies, IIRC.

It would be an immensely interesting book as far as I am concerned. The medieval Balkans are a very interesting theater.



~Wiz

[SwordsMaster]

Just got "Russian medieval armies" (1&2) and "Spanish armies of the Napoleonic wars" (all 3).... Should provide for an entertaining month...

[The Blind King of Bohemia]

Well, on the table for future releases is a title about Serbian medieval armies. A while ago it was up for voting, but it lost to Sassanian Armies, IIRC.

It would be an immensely interesting book as far as I am concerned. The medieval Balkans are a very interesting theater.

I believe it was Armies of Croatia and Serbia 600-1300. However, just because it was in a poll unfortunately means nothing. DO NOT bank on this being released otherwise you may be severely disappointed.

[The Wizard]

Well, I'm not. I was just musing that, if the idea was there, and that if the winning book would actually be published, the idea or desire to make such a book was certainly there.



~Wiz

[The Blind King of Bohemia]

I don't believe the winning book was - Sassanians was not in that poll. For some reasons some stupid people voted for a Port Arthur fortress book ahead of it. Check out here for all the past polls and which ideas were actually used:

Osprey Poll Archive

[King of Atlantis]

Almost every book in the new poll is about ww2.

BKB, is there any book just about knights. I dont want like knights 1400-1500, i just want one that gives an overview of knights.

[edyzmedieval]

Good books on knights:

Tannenburg 1410
God's Warriors
English Medieval Knight

and other. BKB can reccomend you more because he has tons of Osprey books.

[King of Atlantis]

Oh english medieval knight is what i was looking for is it in elite or men at arms?

[edyzmedieval]

It's in the Warrior series...

I plan on buying the French Medieval Armies, so I can learn about the French knights and Paladins

[King of Atlantis]

unfortuantly its split into differnt time periods. My funds are low and i already bought three.

[Meneldil]

Edyzmedieval, I doubt you'll find anything about the French Paladins in any Osprey book. These guys were mostly mythical figures just like the Knight of the Round Table. They might have existed, but I don't think there are proven fact to support this claim. The Chanson of Roland has been written 200 years after Charlemagne's reign.
There's not even a word about them in "Armies of Charlemagne". Your best try would be "Warriors - Carolingian Cavalrymen", but then again, I doubt you'll find anything about Paladins.

[edyzmedieval]

If the Paladins never existed,

Then how do you call the elite French knights?!

[The Wizard]

Chevaliers. Which is simply the French version of Dutch ridder and German ritter; all terms mean "rider".



~Wiz

[Meneldil]

Yeah, although the Paladins (if they existed) were most likely called Equites, Milites or *ancient german word for rider* in my opinion. Chevalier is a much later word.

[The Wizard]

Oh, if we're talking the real paladins, as in those in the time of Charlemagne itself and not the "knights in shining armor", then indeed, they would be called milites (sing. miles).



~Wiz

[edyzmedieval]

Back to topic.

Anyone here won the Osprey competition?!

[The Blind King of Bohemia]

I never enter them.

[edyzmedieval]

Oh, if we're talking the real paladins, as in those in the time of Charlemagne itself and not the "knights in shining armor", then indeed, they would be called milites (sing. miles).



~Wiz

I was talking about REAL Paladins, those in very shining armour, and the best of the knights.....

[edyzmedieval]

I never enter them.

Why not?! It's a good way to get books for free

I entered 2 times, last month and this month. Never won :(

[King of Atlantis]

How do i enter these contest?

[Meneldil]

I was talking about REAL Paladins, those in very shining armour, and the best of the knights.....

Well, the 'real' Paladins (those who supposedly fought with Charlemagne) are as controversial as the Knights of the Round Table. They *might* have existed, but who knows ?
Tales such as "La Chanson de Roland" were written much later (La Chanson de Roland was written in the 11th, and is - I think - the earlier written source about the Paladins).

Later in middle age, landless, wandering knights were sometimes also called Paladins in some tales and poems.

[edyzmedieval]

BKB,

How good are the following books:

Sassanian Elite Cavalry
French Medieval Armies 1000-1300

Thanks

[The Blind King of Bohemia]

The Sassanians is very good, haven't had a chance to read it all yet but the plates are nice, with one in particular being outstanding.

Now FMA I really like. Good info and top-notch plates. Highly recommended.