Well, it has taken a while, but my book on the mitrailleuse in 1870 is finally back from the printers. There are 100 shiny new copies (less those already sold) ready to ship, so if you are interested, please drop me a line at steveshann@blueyonder.co.uk
Cost, including 1st Class postage is £20.00 in the UK, £24.00 in Europe and £25.00 in the rest of the world. Paypal on my email address would be fine. Cheers. Steve.
Hi All.
Just a quick post to apologise for the delay in the getting the Mitrailleuse book out of the starting gate. It is essentially finished, apart from some final proof reading and would have been out by now. Unfortunately I went for a walk in my local park on 15 July and got run down by a group of idiots on scramble bikes, who didn't see me until it was too late. Result was a broken elbow, pelvis (ouch!!) and 6 ribs. Only just back home following a couple of weeks in hospital and another couple in rehab. A poor excuse I know, but there we are. Am starting to recover and should be able to get it finished and off to the printers shortly.
Anyway, that's it really, thought I had better explain the delay. Although it will be a while, I think, before I am fully fighting fit again, I realised just how bloody wonderful wargaming is. It has kept me completely positive throughout this whole saga and I can't wait to get back to it again!
Regular readers of this blog will know that I can take my own sweet time in updating it with new material. Compared to the 15 years+ it has taken to get this project over the line, that seems pretty efficient.
I must have started this at least 15 years ago and got it 90% finished. It then lay on the shelf whilst other things got in the way. I have finally managed to get it done and I must admit I am quite pleased with it. This is the first in what will hopefully be a series of short monographs on aspects of the Franco-Prussian War that interest me.
The mitrailleuse is one of those subjects that is often talked about in relation to the battles of 1870, but in truth is little understood. Michael Howard's dismissive comments on its role and usefulness have been uncritically echoed by most subsequent English language writers and I am pleased to make a start in adding a little balance to the debate.
The book traces the development of the weapon before moving on to examine its technical characteristics and its tactical use on the battlefield. It will I hope, convince people that it was not a largely useless curiosity, but an imaginative and, for the time, remarkably well engineered piece of military technology. It had its shortcomings to be sure, but is deserving of a long-overdue reappraisal.
It is currently receiving its final proof reading before heading off to the printers. As it is a fairly specialised subject, I will probably only have a hundred copies printed initially, so if you would like to reserve one, please contact me at steveshann@blueyonder.co.uk Price will be around £18.00 plus postage.
Like many wargamers I am sure, concentrating on one or two projects at a time and bringing them successfully to conclusion is easier said than done. Having several periods competing for painting time and a load of terrain boards and drop on features to make, the last thing I needed was another "bright idea" to complicate my wargaming life even further. Unfortunately I made my usual (and indispensable) visit to the Partizan wargames show, held on 21 May.
As usual, it was a great day out, packed full of excellent games and a chance to chat with lots of people I don't see at any other time. The high point was a superb ACW game put on by Dave Andrews, David Imrie and friends (the bayonets) and that is where the trouble began. I spent much of the day coming back to watch the game unfold and had a great chat with the guys putting it on. One of them gave me a copy of their handout, which included a link to a free set of ACW rules, written by a chap in the US
Jay's Wargaming Madness (jayswargamingmadness.blogspot.com)
If you are not familiar with this guys blog, it is well worth a look.
Anyway as a Yorkshireman anything that is free gets my attention and when I got home I ran off a copy of the rules - big mistake! I had watched them in use during the game and they looked to be a lot of fun and quite fast moving. When I read them through I couldn't resist doing the one thing I really shouldn't have - I ordered a couple of boxes of Perry Plastic Confederates and two metal command packs (enough figures for a brigade of 4 regiments) and set to work on yet another fairly large project.
I am trying to get AWI, Napoleonic and WW2 on the move and already have longer term plans for the Italian and Seven Years Wars and the prospect of buying and painting another 800+ figures for something entirely different is just too silly - what can I say!
In my defence, here are a few photos of the game that started it all - hopefully it offers some mitigation. If I can also get my arse in gear and start posting on my own blog a bit more regularly, that would also be a good step forward. Anyway, here they are - enjoy:
When I get a unit or two done, I will post a few pics. I hope this isn't another stillborn project that seemed a good idea at the time!
I have recently found a very thorough (and very kind!) review of my latest publication: "Let's Fight Leipzig!" and I thought you might be interesting in seeing it.
Let’s Fight Leipzig - A Look through the scenario book - YouTube
It comes from Boots on the Table with Dom, a wargaming Youtube Channel I hadn't come across before. There are literally hundreds of reviews as well as videos of his own work, across a wide spectrum of wargaming history. Well worth a visit. He has a fantastic bespoke wargames room too!!
Hi All.
Well it has finally arrived - a few days late, but considering all the postage troubles at the moment, not too bad. Firstly a quick apology: I have sent out all the inland copies but the chap behind the counter at the Post Office clearly didn't have English as his first language because despite asking for 1st Class postage "for everything" after the first 7 had been processed he said - "you did say 2nd Class didn't you?" Being English I said no, I wanted 1st Class, but not to worry (that wasn't what I was really thinking!). So a few of you will be getting your copies a day or two late - sorry about that!
Here are a few photos that you might enjoy, whilst waiting for it to arrive - these are my pre-production shots, but you get the general idea.
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If you would like to order a copy for immediate despatch PAYPAL is probably the best way to go. The book costs £23.50 within the UK including 1st Class postage (!!) £27.00 in Europe and £29.00 for the rest of the world.
You can contact me at steveshann@blueyonder.co.uk if you have any questions.
The book has come out rather well with some lovely photos and maps. I hope you will enjoy it.
Thanks very much once again for your support - if you like it, please tell your friends, as getting the word out there is the biggest problem for one man bands such as I
Last but not least, I hope you all have a pleasant Christmas and New Year and a great wargaming 2023.
Cheers
Steve
Hi All
Finished at last and here is the front cover:
I am really pleased with the way it has turned out. There are a dozen scenarios from the great battle, each with some background information, specially commissioned maps and orders of battle as well as special rules where appropriate for each scenario.
There is also a little historical background to put the battle into context, but unlike in my Seelow Heights book, where much of the information I included was less widely known, Leipzig is a very well documented battle, so I have kept it to a minimum.
Here is the map from the Lindenau scenario. All are full page and, (I think), have come out particularly well.
The book costs £19.50 + £4.00 postage and packing in the UK (£23.50 in total). To Europe the total is £27.00 and £29.00 to the rest of the world.
Payment via PAYPAL to my email address: steveshann@blueyonder.co.uk
Those of you in North America should be able to obtain a copy from "On Military Matters" in due course. I am also pleased to report that Elite Miniatures Australia have agreed to carry it for me Down Under. Please contact them if you would like to reserve/order a copy.
I hope you like it!
As a one man band it is rather difficult to get the word out about what I am doing, so if you know anyone who might be interested or, if having bought it, you feel able to give it a review or mention on any blogs, forums or Facebook pages you visit, I would really apprecate it.
Many thanks.
