Osprey Campaign Series SC (1990-2011 OSPREY) comic books 1990-1992

Volume 1 - 1st printing. "Normandy 1944!" By Stephen Badsey. D-Day, 6 June 1944, saw the largest amphibious landing operation in history. From ports and harbours on the southern coast of England, an armada of troopships and landing craft launched the Allied return to mainland Europe. Stephen Badsey provides a concise account of the Normandy campaign, from the fiercely contested landings, to the struggle to capture Caen, the 'Cobra' offensive and the dramatic pursuit of the Germans to the River Seine. This was the crucial campaign of the Western theatre: after the Battle of Normandy the only question was how soon the war would end, not who would win it. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $19.95.

Volume 2 - 1st printing. "Austerlitz 1805!" By David Chandler. Austerlitz was the battle that established Napoleon's reputation: a classic example of the general's masterly use of deception to lure his enemy into a carefully devised trap. Beginning with the bold and crushing advance of the French Army from the Rhine to the Danube, David Chandler describes the envelopment of Mack's army at Ulm, the manoeuvres to Austerlitz and the counter-attack that resulted in the decisive defeat for the Austro-Russian Army. Excellent overview illustrations of the battlefield at Austerlitz supplement the text by clearly showing the movements of the opposing armies. A comprehensive guide to one of the most important battles of the Napoleonic Wars. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $18.95.

Volume 3 - 1st printing. "France 1940!" By Alan Shepperd. The German victory of 1940 stunned the world. France, major European power and owner of the world's largest armies had fallen in less than seven weeks to the might of the German Wehrmacht. The secret of the Wehrmacht's success lay in its carefully thought out organization and the tactics of blitzkrieg. Fast moving tank divisions supported by armoured, mobile infantry swept over opposition, helped by both conventional bombers and deadly Stuka dive-bombers. Alan Shepperd's highly detailed text examines the tactics, organization and equipment of the Allied and German forces, and provides a daily account of the most crucial period of the battle. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $18.95.

Volume 4 - 1st printing. "Tet Offensive 1968!" By James Arnold. The 1968 Tet Offensive was the decisive battle for Vietnam. Masterminded by the brilliant North Vietnamese General, Vo Nguyen Giap, it was intended to trigger a general uprising in South Vietnam. However, the bloody fighting for Saigon, Hue and other cities actually resulted in a catastrophic defeat for the North. In this excellent assessment of the key battle of the Vietnam conflict, James Arnold details the plans and forces involved and explains how, despite the outcome of the battle, the American people and their leaders came to perceive the war for Vietnam as lost. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $19.95.

Volume 5 - 1st printing. "Ardennes 1944!" By James Arnold. The 'Battle of the Bulge' was the last major German offensive in the West. Three armies attacked through the Ardennes, the weakest point in the American lines - and almost broke through. This title describes the planning of the attack and the course of events, including the defence of Bastogne and the heroic delaying actions fought by GIs supposed to be in a 'quiet' sector of the front. In spite of serious American disadvantages Hitler's offensive was stopped. James Arnold explains exactly how this was achieved, and how Germany's last hopes of victory were finally put to rest. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $19.95.

Volume 6 - 1st printing. "Balaclava 1854!" By John Sweetman. The port of Balaclava was crucial in maintaining the supply lines for the Allied siege of Sevastapol. The Russian attack in October 1854 therefore posed a major threat to the survival of the Allied cause. This book examines in detail the crucial battle of Balaclava, including: the attack on the redoubts; the action of the thin red line in which an assortment of about 700 British troops, some invalids, were abandoned by their Turkish allies; the subsequent charge of the Heavy Brigade; and the most famous part of the battle: the infamous charge of the Light Brigade. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $19.95.

Volume 7 - 1st printing. "Alexander 334-323 BC!" By John Warry. Alexander of Macedonia was undoubtedly one of the greatest generals of all time. This book, by John Warry, an expert on the warfare of the Classical world, examines the principle battles of Alexander's campaigns in detail. The battles of the Granicus, Issus, Gaugamela, Hydaspes and the difficult siege of Tyre are all discussed at length. These careful studies shed light on Macedonian tactics: in particular the combination of armoured infantry phalanx with fast-moving cavalry. The men and equipment of both Alexander and his Persian enemies are also examined, providing a comprehensive insight into Alexander's life and military actions. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $19.95.

Volume 8 - 1st printing. "Gallipoli 1915!" By Philip Haythornthwaite. The Gallipoli expedition of 1915, the brainchild of Winston Churchill, was designed to knock the Turkish Empire out of the First World War and open a supply route to Russia. The campaign is characterised by the military incompetence of the higher commands, particularly the Allies. However, in spite of this, Gallipoli deserves to be, and is, also remembered for the heroism and resourcefulness of both the British army and the men of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. This book details the battles, hardships and eventual evacuation that these men had to go through, in this comprehensive guide to the Gallipoli landings. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $19.95.

Volume 9 - 1st printing. "Agincourt 1415!" By Matthew Bennett. Agincourt is one of the most evocative names in English military history. Henry V's forces were tired, hungry, and faced a French army three to six times more numerous. However, they possessed several advantages, and English success resulted from the combination of heavily armoured men-at-arms with troops armed with the infamous longbow - the havoc this weapon wreaked was crucial. Using original fifteenth century evidence, including the surviving French battle plan and the accounts of men present in both armies, this title discusses the lead-up to the battle, the tactical dispositions of the two forces and the reasons for the ultimate English success. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $19.95.

Volume 10 - 1st printing. "First Bull Run 1861!" By Alan Hankinson. At Bull Run, two inexperienced, ill-trained and poorly led armies clashed in the opening engagement of the American Civil War. Culminating in a stalwart defensive fight by Thomas 'Stonewall' Jackson's Virginia Brigade, this is the story of the Confederacy's first victory. The author investigates the personalities of the principal commanders and examines the opposing armies, showing how the widely varying uniforms of different units caused mistakes of identity which affected the battle at crucial points. Weapons, intelligence and the almost universal inexperience of troops on both sides are all discussed, helping to explain the events of the battle itself. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $19.95.

Volume 11 - 1st printing. "Kaiserschlacht 1918!" By Randal Gray. The entry of the USA into World War I spelt disaster for Imperial Germany. The massive superiority in men and materials which the Americans could provide meant that if Germany had any chance of winning the war she must do so quickly. Randal Gray describes how, using special 'Stormtrooper' units and high-mobility tactics, the Germans came within a hair's breadth of winning the war, providing a blow by blow account of the daily events of the battle. Although at first glance the Kaiserschlacht was Germany's greatest success of the First World War, in fact its ultimate failure consigned Germany to inevitable defeat. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $19.95.

Volume 12 - 1st printing. "Culloden 1746!" By Peter Harrington. Culloden marked the end of the last and greatest of the Jacobite adventures - the '45 Rebellion - in which the Highland clans challenged the power of the Hanoverian King of England. It was at Culloden that Charles Edward Stuart's army was finally defeated. His tired Highlanders had little chance against the steady infantry and heavy artillery fire of the English. Peter Harrington examines all aspects of the battle, including its background, the earlier Highlander victories, the men and commanders of both sides, and the massacre that took place in its aftermath. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $19.95.

Regular Edition - Volume 13 - 1st printing. "Hastings 1066!" By Christopher Gravett. Very few battles of the medieval period can be regarded as decisive but Hastings was certainly one of them. Fought on 14th October 1066 between Duke William of Normandy and Harold Godwinson, king of England, the outcome irrevocably changed the course of English history. William's victory was largely due to the tactical superiority of his forces: not only did he possess infantry and cavalry, but also a significant number of archers or crossbowmen, to whose withering fire the English could make little reply. The eventual death of King Harold prompted an English collapse - the successful outcome ensuring William's accession to the English throne. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $19.95.

Volume 14 - 1st printing. "Zulu War 1879!" By Ian Castle, and Ian Knight. In the late 1870s the British Imperial administration in the Cape colony in southern Africa began to view the Zulu kingdom as a challenge to its authority.To contain this perceived threat, the British engineered a war. The early campaigns went terribly wrong, with the decisive Zulu victory at Isandlwana. Ultimately however, the British won the war. The Zulus, primarily reliant on their skill with the stabbing spear, had no real defence or retaliation against the massed firepower of professional British soldiers. Ian Castle examines the British-Zulu war and its two key battles, Isandlwana and Khambula, with excellent black and white photographs accompanying the clear and detailed text. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $19.95.

Volume 15 - 1st printing. " Waterloo 1815!" By Geoffrey Wootten. Waterloo holds a special place among the great battles of history. The climax of more than twenty years of war, it was indeed a close-run affair, matching two of the world's greatest generals - Napoleon and Wellington. This volume covers the entire campaign including the battles of Quatre Bras, Ligny and Wavre, with five full-colour maps and three highly detailed bird's eye views showing decisive moments in the action. An excellent sense of the closeness of the battle is communicated - Wellington himself claimed it was the nearest thing you ever saw in your life - and this gripping account shows the full justice of that statement. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $19.95.

Volume 16 - 1st printing. " Kursk 1943!" By Mark Healy. In the summer of 1943 the German army stood poised for a major offensive. The attack was aimed at the Kursk salient, which the Germans intended to isolate, trapping large numbers of Russian troops and paving the way for the decisive campaign to knock the Soviet Union out of the war. By the time of the attack, the Russians had turned the salient into a mass of defensive positions. In the following decisive clash, the Soviets bled Germany's vital Panzer forces white and finally took the initiative. The counter-offensive which followed began an advance that would end in the ruins of Berlin. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $19.95.

Volume 17 - 1st printing. "Chickamauga 1863!" By James Arnold. By the Autumn of 1863 the Confederacy was in dire straits. In a colossal gamble, Confederate President Jefferson Davis stripped forces from all the major Confederate armies to reinforce the Army of Tennessee in a last ditch attempt to crush the Union. On 19th September the Confederates attacked the Union army along Chickamauga creek south of Chattanooga. On the second day of bloody fighting the entire Union right collapsed and the army retreated headlong for Chattanooga, all except General George H. Thomas' Corps who fought on doggedly until nightfall delaying the confederate advance, saving the Union and earning his fame as the Rock of Chickamauga. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $19.95.

Volume 18 - 1st printing. "Guadalcanal 1942!" By Joseph Mueller. On what was a virtually unheard of Pacific island, the United States shattered the myth of Japanese invincibility. In the first American amphibious assault of the Second World War, the US Marines and Army halted the apparently irresistible Japanese advance in its tracks. Over 30,000 American and Japanese casualties were suffered in five months of bitter fighting. From the ranks of the units that contested this campaign a seasoned fighting force of US veterans was created that would, island by island, sweep the Japanese back across the Pacific. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $19.95.