For our first artwork reveal of the year, we're looking ahead into April, in which we're publishing three series books. Take a look below and let us know your favourite! 

Elite 227: Armies of the Baltic Independence Wars 1918–20 by Nigel Thomas, Toomas Boltowsky 

Illustrated by Johnny Shumate

Armies of the Baltic Independence Wars 1918–20 artwork

Our first plate is from Armies of the Baltic Independece Wars 1918–20 and depicts soldiers of the Estonian People's Army, 1918–1919. From left to right, the first is a Noorem allovitser, 1st Cavalry Regiment; Paide, northern Estonia, January 1919. He wears a Russian M1907 khaki NCO’s cap with a chinstrap (infantry had no chinstraps) with an M1918 Estonian pentangular cockade. Next to him is a Juunior, Independent Student Company; Tallinn, January 1919. These were usually high-school students from 16, who were mobilized into independent companies as student-soldiers. The third figure is a Reamees, No. 2 Armoured Train; Petseri, March 1919. His equipment comprises the same pair of bandoliers as B1, a leather ammunition pouch, two German M1917 stick‑grenades, and a water bottle. The final figure is a Kapteeni, Finnish Northern Sons Regiment; Narva, January 1919. This captain wears the field‑grey Finnish uniform introduced on 15 July 1918, with a Swedish M1910 lambswool cap (much used by Finnish officers, who called them ‘Mannerheim caps’); it bears the Estonian M1918 pentangular cockade instead of a red‑and‑yellow Finnish cockade.

ACE 137: A6M Zero-sen Aces 1940-42 by Nicholas Millman
Illustrated by Ronnie Olsthoorn

A6M Zero-sen Aces 1940-42 artwork

The second piece of artwork is from A6M Zero-sen Aces 1940-42, and depicts a A6M2 Model 21 BII-121 of Lt Yasuhiro Shigematsu, Hiryu, Pacific, December 1941.

NVG 269: European Ironclads 1860–75 by Angus Konstam
Illustrated by Paul Wright

European Ironclads 1860–75 artwork

Our final image from European Ironclads 1860–75 is of Rolf Krake of the Danish navy in action near Dybbøl, 18 February 1864. When the Prussians built a pontoon bridge between Alnor and Egersund to improve their lines of communication, Captain Rothe commanding the Rolf Krake was ordered to sortie from nearby Sønderborg and destroy the bridge. Owing to the shallow water of the Flensburg fjord the Rolf Krake was unable to approach her objective. Instead at 9.30am she was drawn into a duel with an emplaced battery of Prussian 12-pounders at Alnor.