what suggestions for tactics/strategy books?

**alphington** · 10-21-2008, 13:38

Hi - I'm a late arrival to MTW which I have really enjoyed for a couple of months - now I want to get better at battlefield tactics and strategy. Indeed the game has got me interested in military history and those historical periods. I'd like to get a few very good books to help me but what should I get? I will get a copy of Art of War (which I've sort of read litttle bits of before) but what I'd also really like is material that includes detailed maps showing unit organisation etc probably using historical battles and maybe with 'classic' tactics included. In other words, materials that relate directly to the skills needed to be succesful in battles in MTW (and by implication the other TW games). So far I have found good reviews of these books:

Warfare by Geoffrey Parker
Great Commanders and their Battles by Anthony Livesey

and also found the Osprey publishing house (UK) that seems to have 100s or even 1000s of titles - however are these Osprey books actually good for learning tactics etc or are they aimed at school student audiences and a bit 'lightweight'?

So I'm asking for your experience and suggestions Thanks!

cheers!

**Csargo** · 10-22-2008, 08:58

Posting in the MTW forum will probably get you better info, but here is what I have found.

Try looking at this thread from the Monastery.

There's also a thread about Osprey here.

Also, if you don't mind online websites there is a large list in the Monastery as well in the History Resources thread. Most of the main posts where the things are in order is messed up, but if you scroll down there are still working links scattered.

Edit: Go here instead.

**alphington** · 10-23-2008, 07:53

Many thanks to you Ichigo - these links are really good and are just the sort of information that i wished for - I have many hours of research ahead of me now

**Andres** · 10-23-2008, 10:49

Welcome alphington

Enjoy your stay

**alphington** · 10-24-2008, 11:08

Thank you Andre, pleased to be here.

**Martok** · 10-30-2008, 00:56

Welcome aboard, alphington!

If you've not already done so, feel free to stop by the Main Hall and chat with the rest of us.

**_Pontifex_** · 10-31-2008, 01:56

Honestly some of the best ways to learn are by doing mock campaigns, campaigns solely with the purpose of getting the feel of things. Of course, online strategy guides wouldn'd hurt. Custom battles got me through RTW in the early days. I was quite overwhelmed at the beginning.

**will billy3** · 11-01-2008, 16:19

may I suggest the book the short and bloody history of knights. its not really a tatics book and it is not online but it is pretty interesting

**Wargo** · 11-16-2008, 22:28

Have a look at the free demo from Totalwarboard.com. The Warboard has a battlefield tactics section, and strategy articles derive much of their material from Morris Bishop's The Middle Ages and John Keegan's Face of Battle.