Osprey Battle Orders SC (2004-2009) comic books 2004-2006

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Volume 1 - 1st printing. "US Marine Corps Pacific Theater of Operations 1941-43!" By Gordon L Rottman. The outbreak of World War II set in motion a massive expansion of the United States Marine Corps, leading to a 24-fold increase in size by August 1945. This book is the first of several volumes to examine the Corps's meteoric wartime expansion and the evolution of its units. It covers the immediate pre-war period, the rush to deploy defense forces in the war's early months, and the Marines' first combat operations on Guadalcanal, New Georgia, and Bougainville. It focuses on the 1st, 2d, and 3d Marine Divisions (MarDivs) and the provisional 1st, 2d, and 3d Marine Brigades Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $25.95.

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Volume 2 - 1st printing. "Wellington's Army in the Peninsula 1809-14!" By Stuart Reid. This highly detailed study provides a clear account of how the British Army was organised, who commanded it, and how it functioned in the field during the Peninsular War. Focusing principally on infantry, cavalry and artillery, including foreign units in British pay, it provides a detailed and comprehensive order of battle. Doctrine, training, tactics and equipment are discussed in depth, and medical services and engineers are also covered. Concise biographical details of key commanders, over 60 unit tree diagrams, organisational tables, plus numerous illustrations make this an essential reference work for students of this period. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $25.95.

Volume 3 - 1st printing. "US Armored Divisions!" By Steven J Zaloga. The armored divisions were the shock force of the US Army's combat formations during the fighting in Northwest Europe in the final year of the war. Of the 16 such divisions formed during the war, all but one served in the European Theater of Operations. This book examines the organizational structure, operational doctrine and combat mission of these divisions from D-Day onwards, describing how doctrines and tactics were changed as the divisions were forced to adapt to the battlefield realities of combat against an experienced foe. The lessons drawn by the armored divisions from the bitter fighting in Northwest Europe from 1944 to 1945 strongly shaped postwar US Army doctrine. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $25.95.

Volume 4 - 1st printing. "German Airborne Divisions!" By Bruce Quarrie. The German Army of World War II was the first to fully realise the benefits of using airborne troops alongside armoured formations. German Airborne Divisions became an integral part of the blitzkrieg operations that overran much of Western Europe during 1940 and 1941, from the historic raid on the Belgian fortress of Eben-Emael to the pyrrhic victory over British and Commonwealth forces on the island of Crete. This title looks at the creation, evolution, and early operational deployment of the German airborne forces ('Fallschirmtruppe'), through highly detailed orders of battle, TOEs and examinations of crucial aspects such as doctrine, training, command and control, and the concept of vertical envelopment. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $25.95.

Volume 5 - 1st printing. "US Army in the Plains Indian Wars 1865-1891!" By Clayton Chun. The Plains Indian War was one of the most controversial conflicts in American military history, as the US Army faced a tough opponent that challenged it for decades following the end of the Civil War. The Army leadership endured a severe lack of resources, political constraints, an indifferent public, tough environmental conditions, and other problems of the frontier. Army officers and men had to adapt to these constraints, and this period also proved to be a trial of the ability and endurance of the common soldier. This title details the organization, development, training, tactics and command structures of the US Army during its subjugation of the Plains Indian tribes. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $25.95.

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Volume 6 - 1st printing. "The American Expeditionary Forces in World War I!" By John Votaw. Upon the entry of the United States into World War I, the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) were created by the War Department on short notice from existing units, filled up with men from the training camps and deployed with only their personal weapons and equipment. The US Army was not prepared for combat in France, and the remarkable achievement of the AEF's commanding officer, John J Pershing, was the creation of an American field army, built and nurtured from the bottom up. This book details the organizational structure, training and doctrine of the AEF and illustrates how it came to make a significant contribution to Allied victory in World War I. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $25.95.

Volume 7 - 1st printing. "US Marine Corps Pacific Theater of Operations 1943-44!" By Gordon L Rottman. By January 1944 the US Marine Corps had grown to a total of 405,169 personnel, comprising 28,193 officers, 10,723 officer candidates, and 366,353 enlisted men. The Fleet Marine Force now had two amphibious corps, four divisions, a separate infantry regiment, 19 defense battalions, and numerous support and service units. Following on from Battle Orders 1: USMC in the Pacific Theater of Operations 1941-43, this book examines the continuing development of the Corps's organization, its training, tactics, weaponry, and command structure, as well as the battles fought in the Southwest Pacific on New Britain, and in the Central Pacific on Tarawa, Roi-Namur, Eniwetok, Saipan, and Tinian. The organization of the 4th Marine Division (MarDiv) and III and V Amphibious Corps (IIIAC, VAC) is also discussed along with smaller, new units. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $25.95.

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Add to cart Near Mint $8.00

Volume 8 - 1st printing. "US Marine Corps Pacific Theater of Operations 1944-45!" By Gordon L Rottman. In late1944 the US Marine Corps prepared for the toughest battles of the war. It had grown to 35,598 officers, 5,384 officer candidates, and 366,353 enlisted Marines, totaling 431,573 personnel, and now comprised of two amphibious corps, six divisions, 26 non-divisional artillery battalions, and numerous support and service units. Following on from Battle Orders 1 and 7, this book examines the continuing development of the Corps' organization, its training, tactics, weaponry, and command structure. It details the formation of the 5th and 6th Marine Divisions and the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade, and examines the Corps' performance in the brutal battles on Guam, Peleliu, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa, and its deployment as an occupation force. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $25.95.

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Volume 9 - 1st printing. "Japanese Army in World War II!" By Gordon L Rottman. The Japanese conquest of the Pacific comprised of a complex series of widely scattered operations; their intent was to neutralize American, Commonwealth, and Dutch forces, seize regions rich in economic resources, and secure an outer defense line for their empire. Although their conquest was successful, the forces deployed from Japan and China were not always ideally trained, equipped and armed. The South Seas and tropics proved challenging to these soldiers who were used to milder climates, and they were a less lethal enemy on the Chinese mainland. This book examines the overall structure of the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA), the forces in existence at the beginning of World War II and the organization of the forces committed to the conquest of the Pacific. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $25.95.

Volume 10 - 1st printing. "US Tank and Tank Destroyer Battalions in the ETO 1944-45!" By Steven J Zaloga. Overshadowed by the United States Army's armored divisions, the separate tank and tank destroyer battalions had the difficult mission of providing armored support for US infantry divisions in the 1944-45 campaigns. This book details the organizational structures and deployment of these units: the standard tank battalions, tank battalions (light), tank battalions (mine exploder) and tank battalions (special), self-propelled and towed tank destroyer battalions. It also covers the tactics used by these units in their attempts to assist the infantry, as well as providing a listing of all the battalions that took part in the Northwest Europe campaign. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $25.95.

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Add to cart Near Mint $8.00

Volume 11 - 1st printing. "US Army Forces in the Korean War 1950-53!" By Donald Boose. When North Korea attacked the South on June 25, 1950, United States forces in East Asia were under the command of General Douglas MacArthur, whose largest ground force was Eighth US Army. This army fought a tenacious defense of South Korea, counterattacked north to the Yalu River with the separate X Corps, before falling back in the face of massive Chinese intervention, conducted a war of movement, and settled into a bloody two-year long period of static warfare. This title examines the combat mission, organization, and evolution of the Eighth US Army in Korea and its 300,000 US ground forces through highly detailed orders of battle, tables of organization and equipment, and examinations of crucial aspects such as doctrine, training, and tactics. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $25.95.

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Add to cart Near Mint $8.00

Volume 12 - 1st printing. "US Special Warfare Units in the Pacific Theater 1941-45!" By Gordon L Rottman. The bitter fighting in the Pacific Theater required new forms of warfare, and the gathering of detailed intelligence information on the remote and varied islands and their determined defenders. As a result, new scout, raider and reconnaissance units were formed?the pioneers of today's special forces. Some units were small, while others comprised thousands of men. All contributed significantly to the war effort. This book examines a wide range of PTO special-warfare units, including the Alaskan and Alamo scouts, 5217th/1st Recon Battalion, Marine Amphibious Recon and Raider units, Amphibious Scouts, and 6th Ranger Battalion. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $25.95.

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Volume 13 - 1st printing. "The British Army in the Far East 1941-45!" By Alan Jeffreys. Between December 1941 and May 1942, the British Empire suffered a series of humiliating defeats in the Far East. Three years later the Japanese were defeated by British and Commonwealth forces at Kohima and Imphal and in the battles for Burma. This transformation in the fortunes was in large part due to the development of jungle warfare doctrine and the resulting improvements in training, tactics and equipment. This book examines British Army conventional forces that fought in the Far East, showing how the dissemination of doctrine improved training, and helped 14th Army's infantry divisions secure victory. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $25.95.

Volume 14 - 1st printing. "Japanese Army in World War II!" By Gordon L Rottman. The 1941 Japanese Pacific onslaught saw the defeat of Allied forces on all fronts, with the Philippines, Netherlands East Indies, and Commonwealth possessions falling under their control. During 1942-43, the Japanese consolidated their gains and redeployed forces in an attempt to break the Southern Lifeline between America and Australia. These plans were affected by the defeat at Midway, which forced the Japanese onto the defensive. This book examines Japanese forces employed in the follow-on conquests of 1942-43, and describes how unit organization, weaponry, and equipment were found lacking in the harsh environment of the Solomon Islands and on New Guinea. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $25.95.

Volume 15 - 1st printing. "German Airborne Divisions: Mediterranean Theatre 1942-45!" By Bruce Quarrie. Following the battle for Crete in May 1941, Hitler refused to undertake any further large-scale airborne operations due to the high casualty rate. The Fallschirmjäger subsequently took up a new role as elite 'line' infantry, and they served in the Mediterranean from 1942 to 1945, taking part in the conflict in North Africa, Sicily and Italy. Their performance in such hard-fought battles as El Alamein and Monte Cassino reinforced their reputation as some of the toughest troops of World War II. This book explores their changing role in organisation, training and doctrine as the paratroopers developed into Germany's finest frontline soldiers. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $25.95.

Volume 16 - 1st printing. "The British Expeditionary Force 1914-15!" By Bruce Gudmundsson. Over 200 divisions fought on the Western Front during the first year of World War I and those best suited to the challenges of trench warfare were the six infantry divisions of the original British Expeditionary Force (BEF). Their superiority was partially due to the high quality of the divisions' personnel and the first-class equipment provided to them. This book describes the organization and equipment of the BEF at the outbreak of the war in 1914, and relates how its structure changed both to accommodate the waves of Territorial and New Army units that were raised and to adapt to the rigours of conditions on the Western Front. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $25.95.

Volume 17 - 1st printing. "US Army Infantry Divisions 1942-43!" By John Sayen. The US Army infantry division was an intricate system of men and equipment welded together by doctrine and organization into an entity that could fight, maneuver, communicate within itself as well as with outside entities, and regenerate itself through a supply and replacement system. This book examines the organizational development, mobilization, deployment and combat actions of World War II US Army infantry divisions up until the end of 1943. Among the units covered are the separate infantry regiments and battalions of the standard type, showing how the Army's new triangular infantry division (based on three infantry regiments) evolved from the earlier square division (based on four). Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $25.95.

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Volume 18 - 1st printing. "British Commandos 1940-46!" By Tim Moreman. From their establishment in June 1940, the Commando units conducted a succession of daring hit-and-run raids from the sea into North-West Europe, Scandinavia, Italy and the Middle East. Among the highly publicised Commando operations were the raids on Vaagso, Dieppe, and St Nazaire. The Commandos also spawned a range of other Special Forces, including the Special Air Service, Special Boat Service and the Parachute Regiment. This Battle Orders title provides a detailed examination of the Army (and later Royal Marine) Commandos raised in the United Kingdom, from their inception in 1940 through to 1946, when the Army Commandos were disbanded and the role was assigned exclusively to the Royal Marines. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $25.95.

Volume 19 - 1st printing. "The US Marine Corps in the Vietnam War!" By Ed Gilbert. III Marine Amphibious Force was conceived as a division command for a small Marine Corps commitment to Vietnam. Within four years it had grown to a reinforced corps of two divisions, an air wing, and the division-sized Force Logistics Command. This organization was unique in Marine Corps history in that it merged combat and major logistical functions under a single field command. This book examines the origins and constantly changing organizational structure of III MAF, and demonstrates how it conducted its savage struggle against Viet Cong guerrillas and North Vietnamese Army regular forces in the northern provinces of Vietnam. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $25.95.

Volume 20 - 1st printing. "Rommel's Afrika Korps!" By Pier Paolo Battistelli. In 1940 a British offensive in the Western Desert provoked a major Italian military disaster. By early February 1941 the whole of Cyrenaica had been lost, and German help became necessary to avoid the loss of all of Libya. On 14 February 1941 the first echelons of German troops hurriedly arrived at the port of Tripoli, starting the 27-month German engagement in Northern Africa. This book covers the complex and oft-changing organisation and structure of German forces in North Africa from their first deployment through to the conclusion of the battle of El Alamein, an engagement that irrevocably changed the strategic situation in the Western Desert. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $25.95.

Volume 21 - 1st printing. "US Armored Units in the North African and Italian Campaigns 1942-45!" By Steven J Zaloga. The Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) saw the first operational deployment of US armoured divisions in World War II, and the experience proved chastening for the 1st Armored Division when it suffered defeat at the hands of Rommel's Afrika Korps at the battle of Kasserine Pass. This title covers the organization of these early US armored divisions, as well as the independent tank and tank destroyer battalions that accompanied them. It details the evolution of US armoured warfare tactics and doctrine, learned from the difficult experiences of North Africa, and illustrates how they were used elsewhere in the Mediterranean, particularly in the Italian Peninsula. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $25.95.

Volume 22 - 1st printing. "US Airborne Units in the Mediterranean Theater 1942-44!" By Gordon L Rottman. This book is the first of three to examine the genesis, organization and operational deployment of the US airborne divisions in World War II. It discusses early airborne units, detailing how and why they were formed. Task organization for combat, details of attached units, tactics, and weapons and equipment are examined, together with command relationships. The units discussed in this book include the 82nd Airborne Division, 1st Special Service Force, 517th Parachute Regimental Combat Team and 1st Airborne Task Force, and the operations in North Africa, Sicily, the Italian mainland, and in southern France are covered. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $25.95.