Osprey Elite Series SC (1984-2008 OSPREY) comic books 2003-2005
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Issue #6-REP
$9.00
Volume 6 - 2nd and later printings. "French Foreign Legion Paratroops!" Written by Martin Windrow. Art by Kevin Lyles. The decision, in Spring 1948, to form two battalions of Foreign Legion paratroopers was prompted by the requirement for enlarged airborne forces in Indochina, and the healthy recruitment then employed by the Legion. There were some initial doubts. The Legion were known to be magnificent heavy infantry, but were felt by some to lack the flexibility and agility demanded by independent airborne operations. In the Legion itself there were some misgivings over the possible clash between the self-consciously exclusive 'para mentality', and the Legion's own very marked ésprit de corps. Over time, however, all these doubts evaporated with experience. Softcover,64 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $17.95.
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Issue #89-1ST
$6.50
$6.50
Volume 89 - 1st printing. "American Civil War Commanders Part 3!" Written by Philip Katcher. Art by Richard Hook. When the War Between the States broke out in 1861, the US Army had only four line generals - and three of those were over 70 years of age and veterans of the Napoleonic period. About one in three of America's professional officers chose to serve the Confederacy, and the government's urgent need to find commanders for its vastly expanded army put stars on the shoulders of men of very varied backgrounds and talents. The trials of war would soon separate the born leaders from the over-promoted and the political opportunists. This second volume devoted to Union generals examines the careers and personalities of 25 commanders whose service was mainly, or at first, in the Western theater of war. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $18.95.
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Issue #92-1ST
$9.00
Volume 92 - 1st printing. "World War II Medal of Honor Recipients Part 1!" Written by Robert Hargis Starr Sinton. Art by Ramiro Bujeiro. The Medal of Honor is the highest military award that can be bestowed on personnel in the United States' Armed Forces. This book is the first of two titles looking at the recipients of the Medal of Honor during World War II. It covers Navy and Marine Corps awardees in all theaters of war, from the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 to the brutal fighting on Iwo Jima in 1945. Among the inspiring stories told are those of Signalman 1st Class Douglas Munro, the only Coast Guardsman to ever receive the Medal of Honor, and Commander Antrim, who faced almost certain death to save fellow prisoners in a Japanese prisoner of war camp. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $18.95.
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Issue #93-1ST
$5.80
Volume 93 - 1st printing. "American War of Independence Commanders!" Written by René Chartrand. Art by Richard Hook. The commanders who led the opposing armies of the American War of Independence came from remarkably different backgrounds. They included not only men from Britain and America, but from Germany, France and Spain as well. Some were from the great families of the Old World, while others were frontiersmen or farmers in the New World. Despite their differing origins, all were leaders in the events that led to the establishment of the United States of America. This book details the appearance, careers and personalities of the commanders on both sides. It covers such famous figures as George Washington and Lord Cornwallis along with less well-known men such as Admiral Suffren and Bernando de Galvez. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $18.95.
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Issue #94-1ST
$9.00
$6.50
$6.50
Volume 94 - 1st printing. "American Civil War Commanders Part 4!" Written by Philip Katcher. Art by Richard Hook. n the Western theater of war the Confederacy had the misfortune to face, with inferior resources, some of the outstanding Union leaders early in their careers. The Southern commanders who faced Grant, Sherman and Sheridan in these campaigns were of varied backgrounds and talents: some had been sent West in disfavour, others were foolishly quarrelsome, and after A.S.Johnston's death at Shiloh there was no single figure with the authority to dominate them. Some were nevertheless of the highest class: men like Joseph E.Johnston, the cavalry leader Nathan Bedford Forrest, and the little known Patrick Cleburne and Alexander Stewart earned ungrudging respect. This book details the careers, personalities and appearance of 24 generals of the Army of Tennessee and the other Confederate commands in the West. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $18.95.
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Issue #98-1ST
$9.00
$9.00
$5.80
$7.10
Volume 98 - 1st printing. "British Commanders of World War II!" Written by Ian Sumner. Art by Malcolm McGregor. This book examines the key British commanders of World War II across the three branches of service. As well being provided with biographical details for each of the 24 commanders selected, we are given fascinating insights into their personalities and their style of command. Assessments of their combat records and performances under pressure are also supplied. Contemporary images and magnificent colour artworks provide details of their uniforms, dress and appearance during wartime service. The commanders brought to life by this book include Auchinleck, Alan Brooke, Cunnigham, Freyberg, Harris, Montgomery, Ramsay, Slessor, Slim, Tedder and Urquhart. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $17.95.
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Issue #101-1ST
$9.00
$5.80
$7.10
Volume 101 - 1st printing. "Austrian Commanders of the Napoleonic Wars 1792-1815!" Written by David Hollins. Art by Christopher Rothero. Throughout the Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars, France's most consistent enemy on land was the Austrian Empire. Austria's huge armies played a central part in the several coalitions against France, from the 1790s, to the Austerlitz campaign of 1805, the closely-balanced battles of 1809, and the final upsurge of 1813-14. Contrary to the myth of rigid aristocratic conformity, the generals who led those armies were as diverse in origin and character as their regiments - some were princes of the blood, and some ex-rankers promoted for talent and courage. This text gives concise but fact-packed accounts of the careers of more than 30 of these men, illustrated with portraits and meticulous colour plates. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $18.95.
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Issue #103-1ST
$5.80
$5.80
Volume 103 - 1st printing. "Vietnam ANZACs!"By Kevin Lyles. The part played by Australian and New Zealand troops in the Vietnam War is sometimes overlooked; but it is generally accepted that the 'Diggers' and 'Kiwis' were among the most effective and professional troops involved. Drawing upon the ANZACs' long experience in the jungles of South East Asia, the men of the Task Force used their expertise in patrol tactics to great effect to frustrate Viet Cong operations. Meanwhile the ANZACs' small and isolated adviser teams spent ten years passing on their skills all over South Vietnam, and in the process four were awarded the supreme decoration for valour - the Victoria Cross. This book pays tribute to their military prowess, and describes and illustrates their uniforms and equipment in unprecedented detail. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $18.95.
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Issue #104-1ST
$6.50
$6.50
$5.80
$5.80
Volume 104 - 1st printing. "Britain's Air Defences 1939-45!" Written by Alfred Price. Art by Darko Pavlovic. German daylight raids on Britain began in the summer of 1940. They were expected and the country had been preparing for quite some time. Searchlights were in place, Fighter Command had been expanded, and anti-aircraft guns were being manufactured. It was from these first preparations that Britain developed tactics to counter the many air raids over the following years. This book shows how Britain prepared for air raids in the run up to the war and details all the tactics that were developed during the war to counter the many aerial attacks. Among the defence systems covered are anti-aircraft guns, barrage balloons and the RADAR system. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $18.95.
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Issue #106-1ST
$9.00
Volume 106 - 1st printing. "Wehrmacht Combat Helmets 1933-45!" Written by Brian C Bell . Art by Kevin Lyles. The German Stahlhelm is perhaps the most recognizable image of World War II. Manufactured in its millions, it was used or copied by many countries. It is still one of the most collected relics of the war; but despite its relative availability, prices have reached levels that challenge collectors to protect themselves by acquiring in-depth knowledge. This book, by a collector of 30 years' standing, offers a detailed masterclass in the patterns, component parts and finishes of the combat helmets used by the German Army, Navy and Air Force. It is illustrated with a superb selection of rare period photos, colour photos of collected examples, and striking colour paintings Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $18.95.
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Issue #109-1ST
$9.00
$9.00
Volume 109 - 1st printing. "The British Home Front 1939-45!" Written by Martin Brayley. Art by Malcolm McGregor. The population of Britain was mobilized to support the war effort on a scale unseen in any other Western democracy - or in Nazi Germany. They endured long working shifts, shortages of food and all other goods, and complete government control of their daily lives. Most men and women were conscripted or volunteered for additional tasks outside their formal working hours. Under the air raids that destroyed the centres of many towns and made about 2 million homeless, more than 60,000 civilians were killed and 86,000 seriously injured. This fascinating illustrated summary of wartime life, and the organizations that served on the Home front, is a striking record of endurance and sacrifice. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $18.95.
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Issue #111-1ST
$9.00
$9.00
Volume 111 - 1st printing. "Heroes of the Soviet Union 1941-45!" Written by Henry Sakaida. Art by Christa Hook. The Great Patriotic War began on 22 June 1941, when the Germans invaded the Soviet Union. Over 10 million Soviet soldiers took part in the war and of those about 12,600 earned the Soviet Union's highest military award - the Hero of the Soviet Union - for deeds of great daring and self sacrifice. This book covers the male recipients of the Hero of the Soviet Union award during the Great Patriotic War. Snipers, fighter pilots, partisans and spies are all included, together with the famous aces Pokryshkin and Kozhedub, who both gained the award an amazing three times. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $18.95.
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Issue #112-1ST
$9.00
$9.00
Volume 112 - 1st printing. "American Civil War Marines 1861-65!" Written by Ron Field. Art by Richard Hook. The part played in the Civil War by the small Marine Corps of the United and Confederate States is overshadowed by the confrontations of the great armies. Nevertheless, the coastal and riverine campaigns were of real importance, given the strategic significance of the Federal blockade of southern ports, and of the struggle for the Mississippi River. Marines wearing blue and grey fought in many dramatic actions afloat and ashore - ship-to-ship engagements, cutting-out expeditions, and coastal landings. This book offers a comprehensive summary of all such battles, illustrated with rare early photographs, and meticulously researched color plates detailing the often obscure minutiae of Marine uniforms and equipment. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $18.95.
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Issue #114-1ST
$9.00
$9.00
Volume 114 - 1st printing. "Knight's Cross and Oak-Leaves Recipients 1939-40!" Written by Gordon Williamson. Art by Ramiro Bujeiro. In 1939 a new grade in the Iron Cross series was introduced, the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). It was awarded for a variety of reasons, from skilled leadership to a single act of extreme gallantry, and was bestowed across all ranks, grades, and branches of service. As the war progresed, further distinctions were created for bestowal on existing winners, namely Oak-Leaves (Eichenlaub); Oak-Leaves with Swords (Eichenlaub und Schwertern); and Oak-Leaves with Swords and Diamonds (Eichenlaub, Schwerter und Brillanten). This book, the first in a sequence of four, covers winners of the Knights Cross and the Oak-Leaves distinction in the period 1939-40. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $17.95.
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Issue #115-1ST
$9.00
$9.00
Volume 115 - 1st printing. "Napoleon's Imperial Headquarters Part 1!" Written by Ronald Pawly. Art by Patrice Courcelle. The 'military machine' by which Napoleon and his indispensable chief of staff Marshal Berthier commanded and controlled his huge armies on campaign numbered some 1,500 officers and men, organized in the different bureaux of his military and civilian 'households' and the army general headquarters. This essential tool of the Emperor's power was designed to provide him, even in a front-line camp, with all the information, technical support and comfort that he enjoyed in his palaces. This fascinating study details the entourage which enabled Napoleon to move hundreds of thousands of troops right across Europe. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $17.95.
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Issue #116-1ST
$9.00
$9.00
Volume 116 - 1st printing. "Napoleon's Imperial Headquarters Part 2!" Written by Ronald Pawly. Art by Patrice Courcelle. Following Elite 115 - which described the composition of Napoleon's military and civil 'households', and Marshal Berthier's army general headquarters - this title offers an intimate glimpse of the Emperor's entourage in the field. Centred on the Waterloo campaign in 1815, it draws comparisons with his earlier triumphs. From the testimony of his trusted servants, the text draws a vivid picture of his daily routines on the march. Of particular interest are new details of Napoleon's tented camp HQ from 1812; and a further selection of the striking uniforms worn by his closest attendants. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $18.95.
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Issue #120-1ST
$9.00
Volume 120 - 1st printing. "Mounted Archers of the Steppe 600 BC-AD 1300!" Written by Antony Karasulas. Art by Angus McBride. For more than 2,000 years hordes of mounted nomadic archers from the vastness of the steppe and from Central Asia spewed out into China, the Middle East, and Europe. Feared and reviled, they were a formidable threat to the lands they invaded. Their influence on military history is incalculable: the whole foundation of late Classical and Medieval Western and Middle Eastern military thought was based on the reality of a highly mobile, tough and unconventional foe, one which could strike almost anywhere at will and with highly effective long-range weapons. This book details the history, weapons, equipment and tactics of these fascinating warriors. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $18.95.
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Issue #121-1ST
$9.00
Volume 121 - 1st printing. "Ancient Siege Warfare!" Written by Duncan B Campbell. Art by Adam Hook. Sieges played a central role in many conflicts of the ancient world and generals, including Darius, Alexander the Great, Hannibal and Scipio Africanus successfully used siegecraft to gain their objectives. As siege tactics became integral to success in war, generals employed the minds of engineers and scientists to develop tactics which ranged from penetrating the defences or blockading the city through to tricks and deception. This fascinating study tracks developments in siege warfare from Ancient Persia in the 6th century BC through to the Roman sieges of the second century BC, describing the range of equipment and techniques which evolved during this period. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $18.95.
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Issue #124-1ST
$9.00
Volume 124 - 1st printing. "World War II Infantry Anti-Tank Tactics!" Written by Gordon L Rottman. Art by Steve Noon. The battlefield interaction between infantry and tanks was central to combat on most fronts in World War II. The first 'Blitzkrieg' campaigns saw the tank achieve a new dominance. New infantry tactics and weapons - some of them desperately dangerous - had to be adopted, while the armies raced to develop more powerful anti-tank guns and new light weapons. By 1945, a new generation of revolutionary shoulder-fired AT weapons was in widespread use. This book explains in detail the shifting patterns of anti-tank combat, illustrated with photographs, diagrams and colour plates showing how weapons were actually employed on the battlefield. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $18.95.
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Issue #125-1ST
$9.00
$9.00
Volume 125 - 1st printing. "Samurai Commanders Part 1!" Written by Stephen Turnbull. Art by Richard Hook. The samurai were the military elite of medieval and early modern Japan, and the men who led them were hailed as the very greatest, most heroic and most honourable of all samurai warriors. This first of two books examines the lives, equipment, battles and wider roles of the samurai commanders between 940 and 1576, the period from the emergence of the samurai to the triumph of Oda Nobunaga, who set Japan on the road to reunification. The styles of armour and weaponry of the samurai changed considerably during this time and this book visually recreates some of the most famous samurai commanders. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $18.95.
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Issue #130-1ST
$9.00
Volume 130 - 1st printing. "The Mycenaeans c.1650-1100 BC!" Written by Nicolas Grguric . Art by Angus McBride. The timeless appeal of Homer's epic poem of the ancient TrojanWar, The Iliad, has meant an eduring interest in the Mycenaen age. Modern scholarship and new archaeological evidence now allows us to recontruct with reasonable confidence the appearance of this great warrior civilization, which dominated much of the eastern Mediterranean between the 16th and 12th centuries BC. We can also make deductions, from the few surviving pictorial sources, about the tactics of these armies. This absorbing text is illustrated with examples of the archaeological and pictorial evidence, and with striking colour reconstructions of light and heavy infantry and chariot warriors of the Mycenaean age. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $18.95.
