Sunday 29 December 2019

Book Review - The Italian Wars Part 1 Helion Publishing


Something I've not done before, a Book Review, Yarkshire Gamer is turning into Radio 4 I hear you cry !

To make life easier the extensive Production Crew at Yarkshire TV have done a little 5 minute feature on the book.


The book can be purchased direct from the publisher on the link below, £19.95 including post and packing,

https://www.helion.co.uk/military-history-books/the-italian-wars-volume-1-the-expedition-of-charles-viii-into-italy-and-the-battle-of-fornovo.php


There are 128 pages with black and white illustrations throughout and colour plates (example above) in the centre.

It contains everything you would expect from a Book of this type, history, armies involved, battle description etc, I particularly liked the modern day photos of the field and also the "orbat" in the Appendix.


So in short everything I needed a year ago when I started my army ! Is there a conspiracy 🤔 plenty of new ideas for units going ahead. Definitely Recommended


19 comments:

  1. Thanks for the review Ken, I have this one on order and it sounds like I have not wasted my shekels (or Amazon gift card received for Christmas in this case). Helion is well worth keeping an eye on. They cover some niches in Military History such as the 17th century, British Army of the FRW and modern stuff. I have their book on the Third Dutch War which is worth picking up if you’re into late 17thc naval stuff. Colin over at carrying on up the dale get review copies of their stuff regularly IIRC.
    Also great to hear your voice, definitely a Yarkshire lad.

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    1. Many thanks Peter, it's a new company for me so I will be exploring their back catalogue. As for the voice I was trying to sound posh 🤣

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    2. You sounded very posh and from Yorkshire

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    3. Posh and Yorkshire? 🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪

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    4. Peter was being very nice 😆

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    5. Peter's from Canada and doesn't know any better.

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  2. This looks like a good one! Thanks for the review.

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  3. Sounds like a solid choice, thanks for the review!

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  4. Great review (and a bit of a coincidence as Charles is actually sending me a copy to review soon).

    A great book indeed (I've had a pdf of the book in incomplete form for a while).

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  5. Forgot to say..... Par II will feature Ravenna and Marignano.

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  6. Nice review...and splendid uniforms, this period is so colorful...

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  7. Nice Review. My friends and I are looking into this as our next project. Do you have any other good recommendations for resources, both painting and general? /Jeff

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    1. Cheers Jeff. I found the best introduction the old Sir Charles Oman A History of the Art of War in the Sixteenth Century which is around on pdf for free. It's old now but it's a very good starting point.
      There are a couple of Italian Wars Osprey Books worth a look, Helion do a book on the Swabian League towards the end of the period and are due some more books on the era soon.
      In a period with no photography and no recognised uniforms there will always be an element of interpretation. I use the flags of a unit as a cue for the colours I'm going to use.
      Other gamers armies are always a great sense of inspiration, I'm biased but have a look through the rest of the Yarkshire Gamer blog, it was nice to see a number of units pop up on the web with my red and white Papal livery.
      James Roach and his Olicanalad's Games blog is well worth a look, James has a great collection. Aut Caesar, Aut Nihil is another good one too.
      Regards Ken

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