Fighting Techniques of the Napoleonic Age 1792 – 1815
Equipment, Combat Skills, and Tactics
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Product: Book
ISBN-10: 0-312-37587-5
ISBN-13: 9780312375874
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
Country:
Year: April 15, 2008
Size: 19.81 x 24.89 x 2.79cm
Number of pages: 256
Weight: 998gr
Binding: Hardcover
ISBN-10: 0-312-37587-5
ISBN-13: 9780312375874
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
Country:
Year: April 15, 2008
Size: 19.81 x 24.89 x 2.79cm
Number of pages: 256
Weight: 998gr
Binding: Hardcover
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reviews
Strange book, committee effort, interesting information 
I've read, over the years, a few books on Napoleon and the wars he fought. In many ways, this book is an essential primer, or at least a very useful tool for the reader who's not an expert on Napoleon, but who nonetheless wishes to know something about warfare during the era, at a nuts-and-bolts level. The book is divided into five chapters, covering infantry; cavalry; command and control; artillery, engineers and sieges; and naval warfare. Each of these chapters is lavishly illustrated with pictures, both color plates and black and white drawings. Each chapter includes a discussion of several battles, which illustrate what the text is saying. For instance, the chapter on artillery tactics includes several pages on the Battle of Friedland, where the French artillery literally blasted a hole in the middle of the Russian front. Each of these accounts of a battle is accompanied by a two-page 3D map of the battlefield showing the maneuvers of the units involved. So what are my reservations? I'm not an expert on Napoleon, so I can't comment on the authenticity of the opinions expressed, but I did have some reservations about how the material was presented. For one thing, there's no forward, introduction, preface, or anything like that. The bibliography is rather sparse, there are no acknowledgments, no footnotes or other sourcing. The book literally starts on the first page discussing infantry tactics, and on the last page concludes its discussion of Naval warfare on the Great Lakes during the War of 1812. One serious annoyance involves the maps: there are a lot of them, and there should be a standardized key for them. There isn't, for some reason, and somebody should be shot: in some of the maps, the French forces are represented by blue arrows and icons, in others they're red. This makes things extremely confusing, especially if you're not an expert on the era, and can't just glance at a map and tell which side is which. If you *can* do that, you probably don't need this book that much anyway. Those misgivings aside, this is an interesting book, full of information that's not available elsewhere, and I would recommend it.
I've read, over the years, a few books on Napoleon and the wars he fought. In many ways, this book is an essential primer, or at least a very useful tool for the reader who's not an expert on Napoleon, but who nonetheless wishes to know something about warfare during the era, at a nuts-and-bolts level. The book is divided into five chapters, covering infantry; cavalry; command and control; artillery, engineers and sieges; and naval warfare. Each of these chapters is lavishly illustrated with pictures, both color plates and black and white drawings. Each chapter includes a discussion of several battles, which illustrate what the text is saying. For instance, the chapter on artillery tactics includes several pages on the Battle of Friedland, where the French artillery literally blasted a hole in the middle of the Russian front. Each of these accounts of a battle is accompanied by a two-page 3D map of the battlefield showing the maneuvers of the units involved. So what are my reservations? I'm not an expert on Napoleon, so I can't comment on the authenticity of the opinions expressed, but I did have some reservations about how the material was presented. For one thing, there's no forward, introduction, preface, or anything like that. The bibliography is rather sparse, there are no acknowledgments, no footnotes or other sourcing. The book literally starts on the first page discussing infantry tactics, and on the last page concludes its discussion of Naval warfare on the Great Lakes during the War of 1812. One serious annoyance involves the maps: there are a lot of them, and there should be a standardized key for them. There isn't, for some reason, and somebody should be shot: in some of the maps, the French forces are represented by blue arrows and icons, in others they're red. This makes things extremely confusing, especially if you're not an expert on the era, and can't just glance at a map and tell which side is which. If you *can* do that, you probably don't need this book that much anyway. Those misgivings aside, this is an interesting book, full of information that's not available elsewhere, and I would recommend it.
good entry level read 
I have recently bought this book along with a couple of Osprey on British and French infantry tactics during Napoleonic wars. Put it very briefly, get this book instead of the Ospreys. It covers not only infantry, cavalry, artillery but also naval warfare. The book gives numerous lively examples and accounts about the different achievements of each arm. One can find numerous battles explained with maps, each detailing the successes of a particular use of cavalry, artillery or infantry. This little book does extremely well in its own modest and pedagogical way what others more convoluted writings fail to achieve: inspire! As a conclusion: a well written and engaging entry level book. Happy with it and will read it again with pleasure.
I have recently bought this book along with a couple of Osprey on British and French infantry tactics during Napoleonic wars. Put it very briefly, get this book instead of the Ospreys. It covers not only infantry, cavalry, artillery but also naval warfare. The book gives numerous lively examples and accounts about the different achievements of each arm. One can find numerous battles explained with maps, each detailing the successes of a particular use of cavalry, artillery or infantry. This little book does extremely well in its own modest and pedagogical way what others more convoluted writings fail to achieve: inspire! As a conclusion: a well written and engaging entry level book. Happy with it and will read it again with pleasure.
Good read, little lacking in detail 
I sought this book as an introduction to the fighting techniques of the Napoleonic era, and was reasonably satisfied. For serious study, however, it is lacking. I am left with quite a few more questions than answers after reading this book. There are several excellent anecdotes concerning the historic personages of the era, but unfortunately the real »meat« of the subject is sadly missing. The battle descriptions are average and the maps downright confusing (they mix colors from battle to battle). The battles are meant as illustrations of the techniques described in the chapters, but they come off as loosely related and do not adequately convey the intended lesson. Perhaps I was searching for something a bit more scholarly.
I sought this book as an introduction to the fighting techniques of the Napoleonic era, and was reasonably satisfied. For serious study, however, it is lacking. I am left with quite a few more questions than answers after reading this book. There are several excellent anecdotes concerning the historic personages of the era, but unfortunately the real »meat« of the subject is sadly missing. The battle descriptions are average and the maps downright confusing (they mix colors from battle to battle). The battles are meant as illustrations of the techniques described in the chapters, but they come off as loosely related and do not adequately convey the intended lesson. Perhaps I was searching for something a bit more scholarly.
Fighting Techniques of the Napoleonic Age 1792 – 1815: Equipment, Combat Skills, and Tactics
The previous reviews rated this book with 5 stars, but I would rather rate it with 4. For their rating the previews reviews were based on comparison of this book with the Ospreys Nap French Inf. Tactics finding the latter too schematic. However I would say that both books have some flaws – the main one for the Osprey's is that the book mainly is dealing with inf. Tactics, but otherwise the books gives the reader very good detail allowing him to visualize how actually the maneuvers were carried out technically on the field (just for example there is a picture of inf. squad changing direction pivoting on the NCO and showing one of the men in the front tumbling down barring the way of the one following behind and how meanwhile the men on the farthest end of the squad are speeding up to catch with the one closest to the NCO). The reader could easily imagine how difficult actually it should have been to exercise this maneuver on company or battalion level even more under fire. On the other hand the present book covers all arms and gives more complex picture. The book is not so vivid regarding the technical details of the maneuvers but rather allows the reader to realize how the different maneuvers were applied in actual battles of the Napoleonic era. So I can conclude that both books are useful and mutually complementing giving the reader different perspective.
The previous reviews rated this book with 5 stars, but I would rather rate it with 4. For their rating the previews reviews were based on comparison of this book with the Ospreys Nap French Inf. Tactics finding the latter too schematic. However I would say that both books have some flaws – the main one for the Osprey's is that the book mainly is dealing with inf. Tactics, but otherwise the books gives the reader very good detail allowing him to visualize how actually the maneuvers were carried out technically on the field (just for example there is a picture of inf. squad changing direction pivoting on the NCO and showing one of the men in the front tumbling down barring the way of the one following behind and how meanwhile the men on the farthest end of the squad are speeding up to catch with the one closest to the NCO). The reader could easily imagine how difficult actually it should have been to exercise this maneuver on company or battalion level even more under fire. On the other hand the present book covers all arms and gives more complex picture. The book is not so vivid regarding the technical details of the maneuvers but rather allows the reader to realize how the different maneuvers were applied in actual battles of the Napoleonic era. So I can conclude that both books are useful and mutually complementing giving the reader different perspective.
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last update: 3/20/2010
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