Osprey's Big Reveal: General Military (1)

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The end is in sight, as we bring you the penultimate post of our Big Reveal. With so many General Military titles being published in 2018, we thought we'd break it down for you, with part 2 coming your way tomorrow.

Atlas of the European Campaign: 1944–45

In June 1944 the Allies opened the long-awaited second front against Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, and this was to be the start of a long struggle throughout Western Europe for the Allied forces in the face of stiff German resistance.

The European Theatre was where the bulk of the Allied forces were committed in the struggle against Nazi Germany. It saw some of the most famous battles and operations of the war – Normandy, Market Garden, the Battle of the Bulge – as the Allies sought to liberate Western Europe in the face of bitter and hard-fought German resistance.

On a Knife's Edge: The Ukraine, November 1942–March 1943

Late 1942 saw the strategic situation on the Eastern Front change completely. The encirclement of Paulus’ Sixth Army in Stalingrad trapped a significant portion of the Wehrmacht’s combat forces in the ruins of the devastated city, where they would ultimately die or be taken prisoner, but at the same time the entire German position was left in a catastrophic state. The year’s campaign had seen the Germans advance first east, but then increasingly to the south and southeast; the Soviet counter-offensive not only isolated Sixth Army, it also raised the possibility of the collapse of the entire front. The ultimate failure of the Red Army to achieve this – partly due to its own failings and partly due to the virtuosity of the Wehrmacht – ensured that there would be no swift end to the war. If the Red Army had succeeded in exploiting fully its initial success, a German recovery would have been impossible. Most accounts of the fighting in this phase of the war understandably concentrate on Stalingrad and the failed attempts to relieve the siege. But the story of how Erich von Manstein rebuilt the German front line is a fascinating history of an overlooked military campaign that irrevocably changed the course of the war. Manstein’s mobile campaign, in which all the strengths of the German forces, and all the weaknesses of their Soviet opponents, were revealed, makes for absorbing reading. Written by one of the world’s leading experts on the Eastern Front, On a Knife Edge, is a story of brilliant generalship, lost opportunities and survival in the harshest theatre of war.

The History of the Panzerjäger: Volume 1: Origins and Evolution 1939–42

The German Panzerjäger, or Panzerjägertruppe, was one of the most innovative fighting arms of World War II and its story has never properly been told. Many books have focused on an element of the story – the Hetzer, Jagdpanzer, Jagdpanther – but this is the first time that the whole story of the development and organization of Nazi Germany's anti-tank force will have been covered, from its earliest origins in World War I, through its development in the interwar period, and its baptism of fire in the early days of World War II. This is the first of two volumes that will trace the story through the glory years of Blitzkrieg and the improvements that were made when Soviet tanks were first encountered, leading to new weapons, tactics and organization.

1918: Winning the War, Losing the War

In 2018, the world will be commemorating the centenary of the end of the First World War. In many ways, 1918 was the most dramatic year of the conflict. After the defeat of Russia in 1917, the Germans were able to concentrate their forces on the Western Front for the first time in the war, and the German offensives launched from March 1918 onward brought the Western Allies close to defeat. Having stopped the German offensives, the Entente started its counter-attacks on all fronts with the assistance of fresh US troops, driving the Germans back and, by November 1918, the Central Powers had been defeated.

Day of the Ranger: The Battle of Mogadishu 25 Years On

Published to mark the battle’s 25th anniversary in October 2018, this new book is the definitive history of Operation Gothic Serpent. Focusing on the stories of the soldiers on the ground, and in the air, who fought during the infamous ‘Day of the Ranger’, as the Somalis referred to the battle, this book reveals the experiences and recollections of the Special Forces units who were involved including the Rangers, Delta operatives and Nightstalker crews.

Legion versus Phalanx

From the time of ancient Sumeria, the heavy infantry Phalanx dominated the battlefield. Armed with spears or pikes, standing shoulder-to-shoulder and with overlapping shields, they presented an impenetrable wall of metal to the enemy until the Roman legion eclipsed the phalanx as the masters of infantry battle.

Covering the period in which the legion and phalanx clashed (280-168 BC), this book looks at each formation in detail - delving into their tactics, arms and equipment, organization and deployment. It then examines six documented battles in which the legion fought the phalanx: Heraclea (280 BC), Asculum (279 BC), Beneventum (275 BC), Cynoscephalae (197 BC), Magnesia (190 BC), and Pydna (168 BC).

You can read about Myke Cole’s adventures in writing and researching Legion versus Phalanx here.

Otto Skorzeny: The Most Dangerous Man in Europe

SS-Obersturmbannführer Otto Skorzeny became a legend in his own time. ‘Hitler’s favourite commando’ acquired a reputation as a man of daring, renowned for his audacious 1943 mission to extricate Mussolini from a mountain-top prison. Skorzeny’s influence on special operations doctrine was far-reaching and long-lasting – in 2011, when US Navy SEALs infiltrated Pakistan to eliminate Osama Bin Laden, the operational planning was influenced by Skorzeny’s legacy. Yet he was also a fame-hungry egoist who stole other men’s credit (including for the seminal rescue of Mussolini); brave and resourceful but also an unrepentant Nazi and a self-aggrandising hogger of the limelight.

From his background as a student radical in Vienna, to his bloody service with the Waffen-SS on the Eastern Front, his surprise rebirth as a commando, and his intriguing post-war career and mysterious fortune, this book tells Otto Skorzeny’s story in full – warts and all – for the first time.

Rome at War

The Roman Empire was the greatest the world has ever seen, and its legendary military might was the foundation of this success.

This compact volume tells the fascinating story of the major conflicts that shaped the empire, from Julius Caesar's bloody Gallic Wars and the Civil War against Pompey that left the victorious Caesar Dictator of Rome, through the wars of expansion to its decline and fragmentation.

Run to the Sound of the Guns: The True Story of an American Ranger at War in Afghanistan and Iraq

Nicholas Moore served as part of an elite special operations unit at the fighting edge of the global war on terrorism. He served over a decade with the US Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment on the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq.

In Iraq, Nicholas participated in the rescue of Private Jessica Lynch, hunted Iraq’s Most Wanted and experienced brutal street combat, including 160 night-time missions over one 90-day deployment in the insurgent stronghold of Mosul. While serving in Afghanistan, he was also part of the search and rescue operation for Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell (author of Lone Survivor), and was on the ground again when a Chinook helicopter was shot down resulting in the death of 38 men and one military working dog. It was the single greatest loss of special operations personnel to date.

That's all for now, but remember to keep your eyes peeled tomorrow as we reveal the rest of our General Military titles. In the meantime, let us know your thoughts on these titles in the comment section below!