Mike D Posted July 3, 1999 Share Posted July 3, 1999 Lot's of great leads here for my future reading. Thanks to everyone. I've read a few of these books, but some of them I've never heard of. I will definately have to check some of them out. Speaking of books I ran across a web site tonight (totally by accident by the way) that has dozens and dozens (literally) of WWII books of all different sorts and topics from German weapons, to battles, etc. Some of them are even auf Deutsch. Many of them appear to be by foreign authors and others that were actually involved in the conflict. Steve and Charles, sounds like you guys have tons of books already, but there might be something hidden here that you have not seen yet as well. Anyway, here is the web address for the book store: http://www.sonic.net/~bstone/aberdeen/ Here are just a couple of examples of what they have in the German Armaments section (there are some 70 titles listed in this section alone): 35. HISTORY OF THE 653 HEAVY TANK HUNTER BATTALION, Karl Heinz, C, O, This book is an absolute marvel , a massive photo album with 500+ photos and 500 pages featuring two of the heaviest tank destroyers of WWII; the Elephant/Ferdinand and the Jagdtiger. Almost all of the photos have never been published, if interested please don't delay as this book is expected to be extremely popular, a first of its kind! finally in stock! $102.00 37. MAUSER BOLT RIFLES, Ludwig Olson, 3rd edition, C, O, Definitely the most complete, detailed. authoritative and comprehensive work ever done on Mauser bolt rifles by one of the world's leading firearms experts, 390 pp. $55 17. TIGER TANKS Michael Green, S, O, Detailed filled text examines the facts, figures, and combat records of the tank while interviews with crews and adversaries recreate what it was really like to fight in and against the Tiger, color and black and white photographs, 128 pp. $20.00 The list goes on and on. Other sections include books on the Eastern Front, Luftwaffe, War in the Pacific, etc. Definately worth checking out what they have here. Finding this site by accident was just my first surprise tonight. What really blew me away is that I have spent a good 15 years or so of my life growing up in Littleton as a kid, and then later living in the area as an adult, and this bookstore is right here and I never even knew! Maybe it has only been around for a little while and I just missed it??? If nothing else it will give me something to do this weekend. Of course if I'm allowed to browse through some of these books I might not ever find my way out of this store since some of the stuff they have sounds extremely interesting. In any event, hope everybody has a great 4th of July holiday here in the U.S. Regards, Mike D aka Mikester Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Beman Posted July 3, 1999 Share Posted July 3, 1999 _Blazing Chariots_ about British tankers in the North African desert, from the beginning of the "Fun With Italians" to the low point of Rommel's "Let's See How Much I Can do With 2 Understrength Divisions." At which point the author was (I believe; been a long time) wounded and went back to Jolly Old. DjB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Oberly Posted July 4, 1999 Share Posted July 4, 1999 Pixman wrote: Mike, thanks for the reference to "The Last Battle". I love Ryan's writing and will definitely pick it up. East Front is fine with me. ------------ Hope you enjoy it.Provides a great portrait of the disintegration of German High Command the last few weeks of the war. I like Beevor's 'Stalingrad',but I still prefer 'Enemy at the Gates' as far as page turners go. Mike ------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kip anderson Posted July 4, 1999 Share Posted July 4, 1999 The books given above are all great accounts of WW2 battles. However the best book I have read on small unit tactics is by Michael D Doubler, Closing with the Enemy, how GIs fought the war in Europe,1944-1945. If it is CM scale tactics that interest you then this is the book.The writing is as good as Stephen Ambrose but the focus is more on tactics. All the best, Kip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moon Posted July 4, 1999 Share Posted July 4, 1999 I agree. Countless ideas for CM scenarios in there as well. Just one thing - Doubler could have made the book half as thick by not constantly repeating himself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Los Posted July 5, 1999 Share Posted July 5, 1999 Re: The Lehman history of the 1ss Division. Yes they are in English. The whole series is five volumes plus at least two map books talking the Liebstandarte from it's inception through the end. While there are pictures, (hundreds) these are not "picture books) there are picture books of the 1s and maybe Lehamn even authors one, but this is detailed unit history comprising several thousand pages total. Hope that helps. (The whole thing will probably cost you $250 US) Los Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Big Time Software Posted July 6, 1999 Share Posted July 6, 1999 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>I agree. Countless ideas for CM scenarios in there as well. Just one thing - Doubler could have made the book half as thick by not constantly repeating himself <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Hmmmm... his name is Doubler you say? Charles [This message has been edited by Big Time Software (edited 07-06-99).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fionn Posted July 6, 1999 Share Posted July 6, 1999 Los, This series of books covering the 1st SS you've mentioned.. I'm interested in how small-scale the maps are? Would they show company and battalion-level maps? 2 km x 2 km with lots of detail or are we talking about the 10km by 10km regimental maps with very little ground data? I'm trying to find some nice sources for CM scenario designing and I think that prepping for a 1st SS campaign might be a nice way to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Los Posted July 6, 1999 Share Posted July 6, 1999 Howdy Fionn, The maps run the gambit from overall (a strategic few), to operational (most of them) which cover division/regt operations, to tactical (a few with bn and lower ops). I don't think the maps have much platoon level stuff though the series itself is chalk full of small unit action accounts. BTW there is another book out which details teh history of just the 7th Panzer Kompanie, LAH in similar detail by the same publisher. (Got that too) Los Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fionn Posted July 7, 1999 Share Posted July 7, 1999 It occurs to me that we should, when CM is released and we figure out what level of battles and info is needed, get together a list of suitable books for scenario designers and rate them for suitability etc so we can all work off the same sheet and recommend good books to eachother. What do you all think of this idea? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moon Posted July 7, 1999 Share Posted July 7, 1999 Great idea IMO. It's really hard to find good descriptions of battalion sized battles. Just to cut on waiting time I already started some research Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TMo Posted July 7, 1999 Share Posted July 7, 1999 COMPANY COMMANDER by Charle McDonald is a pretty good read for Company level combat and the hardships of the grunts in the field. It's in the category of one of those books you start and can't put down - you keep wanting to see what happens to the Company next. T-Mo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KwazyDog Posted July 7, 1999 Share Posted July 7, 1999 Hehe, sounds like you did much the same as I have been Moon. Ive read about every darn post here, so I thought, hmm, I might do some research Info is hard to come by, on the web at least, but what Im finding even harder to find is descent maps (detailed, not just road maps), of areas. I have found a nice arial shot of hill 192 though. I think sharing info is a great idea Fionn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike D Posted July 7, 1999 Share Posted July 7, 1999 I'm also extremely interested in map data. Not even so much the company/battlion level maps showing where certain units were located / moved, but more importantly good topographical maps of the areas so that we can all build good CM 3d maps. Where does one go to get good topographical maps of France, Belgium, Western Germany, etc.??? Especially ones that go down to a map scale where we can actually transfer the data to a CM size map? I'm thinking of maps similar to the ones the US Geological Survey publishes for hikers, etc. here in the states. Do similar maps exist for European countries? I have to assume they do, just a matter of how does one get their hands on them. Even better would be maps from the 1930's / 40's that showed the actual roads, trails, etc., in the area to give us a more accurate picture of what the area really looked like in '44-'45. But I imagine good topographical maps from this period are going to be even harder to come by. Steve / Charles, where are you guys getting your map data from to build the CM scenarios included w/ the game? Mike D aka Mikester Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marko Posted July 7, 1999 Share Posted July 7, 1999 A US War Department publication called "Small-Unit Actions" is something I recommend for scenario designers. It's been reprinted a few times by the Center of Military History, US Army. You can order it form the US Government Printing Office. Anyway, it covers the following four actions: 2nd Ranger Battalion at Pointe du Hoc 27th Division on Tanapag Plain 351st Infantry at Santa Maria Infante 4th Armored Division at Singling Marko Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kip anderson Posted July 7, 1999 Share Posted July 7, 1999 I agree with T-Mo, Company Commander is a great small unit action book. Infact all Charles McDonald's books are good. His account of the Battle of the bulge is the best, in my view. If you enjoyed Bitter Woods you will like the McDonald book.The US Army Center of Military History is another very fine source, they are on the net. Kip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kip anderson Posted July 7, 1999 Share Posted July 7, 1999 Tank! by Ken Tout. The best small unit armoured combat book I have come across.You can smell the inside of the tank and see and hear the battlefield. Ken Tout fought through Normandy and the whole of NW Europe with a British tank regement, so he knows what he is talking about. He tells a story even better than Stephen Ambrose. kip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted July 14, 1999 Share Posted July 14, 1999 I just finished reading Panzer Leader, by Heinz Guderian. Very interesting read on the troubles he faced building the Panzer Divisions, as well as his experiences on the battlefield and his difficulties with Hitler, the OKH and OKW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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