Official Osprey thread

[The Blind King of Bohemia]

Yes the company have replied and informed me that they have loads of copies of Age of the Crusades in stock. They dispatched it today which means that I should recieve it by the end of the week. I don't think I've ever looked forward to a book this much before! Of course Angus' artwork should be phenomenal if those plates I posted a short time ago are anything to go by, and the Medieval era is something Concord have neglected up to now. For anyone who wants to know what plates will be in this book, here is a list that a collaborator who worked on the book sent me a while back:

(Written around four groups/sections of paintings)
CREATION OF THE WESTERN-EUROPEAN CRUSADER MINDSET /RESISTING OUTSIDE
INTRUSION; SETTING THE STAGE FOR THE CRUSADES:
Otto I, Duke of Saxony, vs. the Magyars 955 (Battle of Lechfeld)
Battle of Clontarf 1014
Battle of Stamford Bridge 1066
Battle of Hastings 1066
THE CLASH OF CULTURES:
Normans in Sicily 1017-1097
Byzantine street scene (night, Norman mercs.) mid 11th cent.
Battle of Manzikert, August 26, 1071 (horz.)
Battle of Manzikert, August 26, 1071 (vert.)
The First Crusade 1096-1099 (assault on Jerusalem, July, 1099).
Battle at the Horns of Hattin.
Knights Hospitalers in the Holy Land, 1150-1290 (Hospitalers with ballista,
circa 1200).
THE NEW ENEMY/THE FIRST MAJOR THREAT TO THE WEST:
Mongol invasion of the West, first half of the 13th cent.
Mongols defeat Teutonic Knights and Poles at Battle of Liegnitz, Apr. 9, 1241
Mongol siege of Bagdad 1258
Timurid camel troopers, Empire of Tamerlane 1370-1405
STOPPING THE TURKISH-ISLAMIC THREAT TO THE WEST:
Turkish cannon, siege of Constantinople 1453
Landsknechts at the Turkish siege of Vienna 1529 (horz.)
Landsknechts at the Turkish siege of Vienna 1529 (vert.)
Russian siege of Kazan 1552 (Russians capture Kazan from the Tatars).
The Knights of Malta (stopping the Turkish advance 1565).

This of course might have changed but I doubt it will. So far we've seen the Liegnitz, Stamford Bridge, Hospitallers manning a Ballista, the horizontal Siege of Vienna and (I think) the Lechfeld one. I've also seen the Ottoman guns at Constantinople, but it was only small. 14 more to look forward to!

[Meneldil]

Wow, this book looks amazing. I'll try to order it on amazon.co.uk

I'll receive the Osprey Warrior 01 - Norman knight in a few days. It's my second non-McBride Osprey, and I hope the plate by Christa Hook will be better than those in Saxon, Viking and Norman.

[The Blind King of Bohemia]

It came.

Before I go any further, I just want to say that in my opinion, and I feel as though with my collection I am in a position to say this, this is the greatest illustrated military history book ever made. Its amazing.

I'll now review each plate, giving it a grade. You'll notice that none are marked below B - all are extremely good, while some are incomparable.

Plate 1 - The Battle of Lechfeld, 955

I was wrong, you haven't seen this yet. It depicts a Saxon Cavalryman going up against 3 heavily armoured Magyars, taking the central leading figure by surprise. A vivid and attractive action scene. B+

Plate 2 - The Battle of Clontarf 1014

Absolutely fantastic - a huge melee between Irish and Viking warriors with horsemen marauding in between. Arguably the best plate in the book, and a frontrunner for one of the best military plates I've seen. A+

Plate 3 - The Battle of Stamford Bridge 1066

You've seen this one - a lone Viking Berserker defends the bridge against many Saxon warriors while a cunning spearmen wades through the water underneath to bring him down. A famous scene which I've always wanted Angus to do, and its even better than I could imagine. A+

Plate 4 - The Battle of Hastings 1066

Another great piece - Norman horsemen throw spears at the Saxon shield wall which holds firm in the background, while a gloomy sky looms above. A very atmospheric piece befitting the scene it depicts. A

Plate 5 - Normans in Sicily fighting Arabs, 11thC

3 fearsome and well-equipped Normans find themselves backed up against some ruins, ready for a last stand. No actual Arabs are in the picture but a grounded Norman endures a painful arrow wound in his thigh. B+

Plate 6 - Norman mercenaries gamble in Constantinople, 11thC

A rare light-hearted piece which depicts well-armoured Norman mercenaries sharing a joke and gambling outside a brothel. A drunken soldier is helped by his two friends in the background while another Norman tries his luck with a Byzantine prostitute. B

Plate 7 - The Battle of Manzikert 1071 (Horizontal)

You've seen this already - the Seljuk cavalry have crashed into the Byzantine infantry, which features some Norman mercenaries. Some stand while some turn face and flee. An excellent picture. A+

Plate 8 - The Battle of Manzikert 1071 (Vertical)

A simple but highly effective plate. Three Byzantine warriors, one mounted, fall foul to Seljuk arrow fire. The horseman is collapsing from his wounded horse, while a Byzantine soldier clutching his spear lies on the ground with an arrow in his torso. Another (a Variangian?) stands firm with his shield deflecting the missiles. A

Plate 9 - Crusaders storm Jerusalem 1099

Another breathtaking piece - Franish crusaders mount a victorius surge against the walls of Jerusalem. A siege tower has reached the walls, allowing soldiers to race across the bridge while supported by archers in the tower. Soldiers climb ladders, but are pegged back by arrow fire. A+

Plate 10 - Knights Templar in the Holy Land, 12thC

Again, you've seen this already - Templars man a ballista against a threatening group of Muslim cavalry about to attack them. I believe it is the Battle of Arsuf. Angus again shows how he can capture a piece of the action unlike any other. B+

Plate 11 - Crusaders escort Christian pilgrims in the Holy Land, 12-13thC

Crusaders, possibly Templars, watch over pilgrims while one soldier notices a fair few Muslim horsemen converging on the clifftop above. One senses a battle is about to ensure. B

Plate 12 - The Mongols ride West, 13thC

After sacking Kiev, a huge Mongol horde ride further into Europe while a foreboding storm rages above. The leading Mongol bears a strong Chinese influence while the two around him are extremely well-armoured heavy cavalryman. B+

Plate 13 - The Battle of Liegnitz 1241

You've seen it but not fully - its a horizontal piece and is about twice as big! Angus throws us into the height of the battle, where the Mongols seem to be gaining supremacy over the brave Teutonic Knights in a furious melee. Superb. A+

Plate 14 - Mongols besiege Baghdad 1258

In the background a Mongol trebuchet fires relentlessly upon the beautiful city of Baghdad, which you can just make out being reduced to rubble. In the foreground two great-looking Mongols, one a commander, play their part as the soldier prepares his bow to fire arrows at the defenders. B

Plate 15 - Timurid Camel Troopers take on Indians, 1398

An awesome plate. A beautifully decorated Indian War Elephant finds itself under attack by three Tartar Camel Warriors, who fire arrows to try and bring the beast of burden down. One Indian has been felled, while the rider and an archer in the war tower attempt to fire some arrows back. A+

Plate 16 - Turkish Cannon at the Siege of Constantinople 1453

Many Turkish workers prepare the huge gun as Ottoman officers look on. Constantinople burns in the background as they gear up for another volley. Very good but a last stand of Constantine wouldn't have gone amiss. B

Plate 17 - Landsknechts at the Siege of Vienna 1529 (Horizontal)

Again, you've seen this - tired German warriors nurse their wounds and take a break while a mounted officer orders them back in to defend the breach against the Turks. Lavish attention to the colourful outfits show why Angus towers above the rest. A

Plate 18 - Landsknechts at the Siege of Vienna 1529 (Vertical)

Another 3 battle-worn German Landsknecths (one clutching a halberd, another a two-handed sword and the third a gun) stand ready against another Turkish charge. The city burns behind them. B

Plate 19 - Russians at the Siege of Kazan 1552

I love the look of the Russians in this plate - they're dressed in decorative clothing and ready for battle. In the background is a huge siege tower with gun emplacements atop. A

Plate 20 - The Siege of Malta 1565

Valette orders his men to defend a boat (I think?) against the forthcoming Turkish fleet. A small cannon his prepared while another pulls a rope and a third gets a gunpowder keg opened. Valette looks great and ready for battle. Just wish it was a fighting one against the Turks! B+

If you have any kind of interest in the Medieval era at all, you MUST buy this book. Any McBride doubters will surely be disproved.

[Steppe Merc]

Damn, that sound awesome! I wish they sold them on American Amazon... grr, why do you Brits get the better books?

[Meneldil]

Yeah, ordering from amzaon.co.uk is quite expensive

[The Blind King of Bohemia]

Try www.caliverbooks.com. That's who I got it from. They ship all over the world, and though its expensive I'd like to think it's worth it.

[Meneldil]

BKB, you're *the* man.

[Duke Dick]

Sounds good BKB.

[The Blind King of Bohemia]

I've been checking out Amazon and found that they've updated their site with the second half of 2005's Osprey line-up. For Ancient and Medieval fans, it looks awful! Although there's probably more, here's the only info I found:

Acre is done by Graham Turner, not Christa Hook.
Turner is also illustrating Battle of the Boyne campaign book.
Crusader Castles of the Holy Land 1292 to 1309 (I think) is coming out in the Summer.
There's only one Angus McBride addition, and its not the Mycenaeans but Warriors of Medieval Japan, which is a compilation of older works. I reckon the Mycenaeans is still coming out though, plus more books relating to there eras besides!

[Steppe Merc]

Damn. I love the good Osprey books, but so many ones that I would never buy clog the bookstores... It's really angrering. That and the fact Amazon doesn't sell Montvert... and the ones I'm intrested in don't appear on that excellent site that BKB posted. Ah well...
What about the Caroligian Cavalryman? Isn't that coming out soon too?

[The Blind King of Bohemia]

Yeah March. I'll definitely be picking that one up.

Take for example Osprey's recent poll on their site. Some great choices - Fortifications of Ancient Carthage (Fortress), Genoese Crossbowmen of the Hundred Years War (Warrior) and an awesome-sounding Medieval Armies of Croatia and Serbia 600-1389 (MAA), surely a McBride cert. The poll was rounded off by Napolean's Swiss Regiments (Elite) and Port Arthur (Fortress). It doesn't really mean much, but Port Arthur is winning by 12%! Who votes on these things?!?

Still, at least Amazon have relisted the McBride illustrated Sassanian Elite Cavalryman for January 2006. Would have preferred him to do something more interesting though.

[The Wizard]

That last news you gave just made my day, BKB



~Wiz

[The Blind King of Bohemia]

Its odd how I didn't like the Mycenaeans as well but Gregorius was thrilled about it! I'd personally rather see McBride do a Medieval era book, notably something about Poland, Lithuania and the Baltic or the Armies of Medieval Africa (not the northern Muslim parts). But I'm happy with anything he does deep down.

[The Blind King of Bohemia]

I just got Women Warlords by Tim Newark and Angus McBride and I was very surprised. It's awesome! I don't know why it took me so long to get this book. Some great pictures - Joan of Arc being captured by Burgundians, Amazons fighting Conquistadors, Sarmatians fighting Graeco-Scythians, plus another 13 great plates. Highly recommended!

So how are all your collections looking by now? Am I the only one constantly updating mine on the first page?

[Steppe Merc]

You're the only one. I'll udpate when I get home.. Right now I'm ignoring my teacher in computer class.
And I'm looking foward to the Sassanians as well! Woo!

[Meneldil]

Are Warlords armies and El Cid - Concord I think- any good ?

[The Blind King of Bohemia]

Warlord Armies is excellent - some superb Celtic work by Angus and Richard Hook is on good form also, with pics of Lithuanian warriors, Hussites and Vikings. Graham Turner chimes in with a decent pic and Graham Summer lets the side down somewhat.

El Cid looks pretty good to me, I don't know the artist but his work looks impressive. That's on my 'to get' list.

Check out the 'Fighting Men Series' section of www.concord-publications.com for sample pics from these books. Angus' work is the cover Clontarf picture on the Balkans Warlords one.

Good news - I've just heard back from Osprey and 'apparantly' Sassanian Elite Cavalryman will be out in July this year! Oddly, this came from the same guy who told me that The Mycenaeans will be Angus' only book this year! I've e-mailed him back for assurance on this matter.

Oh and Warrior Women of Northern Europe was cancelled, and will not be coming out.

[Steppe Merc]

Hoot! Yay! Give me Sassanians over Women any day...

Um... That came out wrong.

[Meneldil]

Hum, I just noticed that the Vikings and the Normans, from the Elite serie aren't show anymore at ospreypublishing.com
What does that mean ? Are those 2 not published anymore ?

[The Blind King of Bohemia]

Mmm maybe a compilation is coming, or they're being republished? Those two books are awesome, so it'd be a great shame if they have been discontinued. Amazon still have them in stock.

I've been told that Angus McBride will be illusrating both Sassanian Elite Cavalryman and The Mycenaeans for 2005. I hope he does a couple that actually interest ME for 2006!

[Meneldil]

Just in case, I have ordered both of them on amazon.fr
Can't wait to receive The Vikings, The Normans and Norman Knights. All of them the same day. Yay !

Too bad Warrior women has been cancelled.

I had a look at Concord website, and the plate look weird. Quite different from usual McBride's work.

[The Blind King of Bohemia]

Which plates? Rest assured, his Concord work is 10X better than his Osprey work.

[Meneldil]

Not one in particular, but it just that they seem cartoonish (is that a word) to me. A bit like the plate you can find in warhammer books.

[The Blind King of Bohemia]

Not that I agree with you, but they do look better in print form.

Here's a question: what 10 Osprey books would you like to see in the future? Put the series and the artist. Mine would all be illustrated by McBride of course.

1. Irish Warrior 900-1598 (Warrior)
2. Teutonic Knights (Elite)
3. Poland, Lithuania and the Baltic 1000-1300 and 1300-1500 (MAA - 2 volume set)
4. Medieval Balkans Armies 1000-1300 and 1300-1500 (MAA - 2 volume set)
5. Medieval Iberian Armies 1000-1300 and 1300-1500 (MAA - 2 volume set)
6. The Armies of Medieval Britain 1000-1300 and 1300-1500 (MAA - 2 volume set)
7. Armenia, Georgia and the Christian Armies of Asia Minor 1000-1450 (MAA)
8. Armies of Medieval Africa 800-1200 and 1200-1600 (MAA - 2 voume set)
9. Armies of the New World (Elite)
10. Armies of Medieval India 800-1200 and 1200-1500(MAA - 2 volume set)

Alright I cheated a bit with the 2 volume thing, but this was tough enough as it is. So what do you want to see?

[Meneldil]

Heh, there are some nice pics in warhammer books. Although I don't like the company, I admit that I enjoy to read their book.

Here are the Ospreys I'd like to see someday. All by McBride, since I haven't had any look at anyone else's art except Garry Embleton (X_X) :
1 - Armies of the Diadochi - MAA - Would probably need two or three books.
2 - Greco Bactria and the Mauryan Empire - MAA
3 - The Teutonic knights - Elite/Warrior
4 - Christian states in Asia Minor (1) - The Latin Empire and the Crusader States and (2) - Armenia and Georgia (MAA)
5 - Armies of the Khazar Kagnate (MAA)
6 - Hellenic warships (New vanguard)
7 - Armies of the Bosphorean Kingdom (MAA)
8 - The Maccabean army (Elite)
9 - Armies of the Albigean (sp?) Crusade (MAA)
10 - The Battle of Bouvine - 1214 (Campaign)

[Steppe Merc]

Ohh, the Indian and the Georgian one looks good. Let me try and start... will update.

1. Armies of the Selejuk Turks - Elite
2. Armies of Pontus - Men at Arms
3. Heratoi (right? these are Companions, right, or did I misspell it?)- Warrior
4. Armies of the Diodachi - Elite
5. Armies of Persia (redone correctly by McBride... not those crap pajama peoples) Elite

Will continue...

[The Blind King of Bohemia]

Good choices. There's many more I can think of, but I'm trying to restrict myself.

9 - Armies of Medieval France (MAA)

You have seen Angus McBride's French Medieval Armies 1000-1300 and French Armies of the Hundred Years War haven't you? They're both great.

French Medieval Armies

FA 100YW

[Spartakus]

I've been following this thread for some while now, thought I would smack up my own collection as well.

In no particular order:

MEN-AT-ARMS SERIES
French Medieval Armies 1000-1300
French Armies of the Hundred Years War
German Medieval Armies 1000-1300
German Medieval Armies 1300-1500
Medieval Scandinavian Armies 1100-1300
Medieval Scandinavian Armies 1300-1500
The Age of Charlemagne
Byzantine Armies 886-1118
Armies of the Crusades
Saxon, Viking and Norman
Medieval Heraldry
The Mongols
Saladin and the Saracens
The Moors
Armies of Islam 7th - 11th century


ELITE SERIES
The Normans
The Vikings
The Samurai
The Knights at Tournament
Medieval Heraldry

WARRIOR SERIES
Germanic Warrior 236-568
Knight Templar 1120-1312
Celtic Warrior

FORTRESS SERIES
Norman Stone Castles (2)

GENERAL MILITARY SERIES
Alexander the Great (consists of Men-at-Arms 148: 'The Army of Alexander the Great' and Campaign 7: 'Alexander 334-323 BC')
Rome at War - Caesar and his legacy (consists of Essential Histories 21: ?Rome at War?, Essential Histories 43: ?Caesar's Gallic Wars? and Essential Histories 42: ?Caesar's Civil War?).

As some of you might see, there's a lot of McBride works here. I think he's one of Osprey's best artists. I also liked Christa Hook's work in Knight Templar, yet what I've seen of Gerry Embleton so far hasn't been my cup of tea.

I have one complaint, though, the writing sometimes tend to be a little drab. Too much "well, he wears this mail and this weapon and this bow", just lining up the facts without giving much thought to readability, "stuff happened this way and that way." There are notable exceptions, especially David Nicolle, and I also appreciated Simon MacDowall's writing in Germanic Warrior 236-568.

[Steppe Merc]

5 - Armies of the Khazar Kagnate (MAA)

Damn, that's a good choice! I actually posted my list the same time as yours, so it's just coincidence that we both have Diadochi...

[Meneldil]

Oh, right there are already some Ospreys about French medieval army. I thought it was french medieval knight. I'm going to replace it by the Albigean Crusade. I don't know if there are many military information about it, but it sounds good.

Steppe, I'm really looking for infos about the Diadochi armies for my Diadochi TW mod. Too bad there are nothing on that topic from Osprey (and the Montvert aren't published anymore :-/ )

I'd like to learn more about African medieval armies and Western europe armies, though it's not in my wish list