Osprey New Vanguard Series

American Light & Med Frigates by OspreyItem Number: OSPNVG147New Vanguard 147Author: Mark LardasIllustrators: Tony Bryan Giuseppe RavaAbout this bookThe 'Original Six' frigates were commissioned by the new-born US Navy at a staggering cost of nearly $700,000. Designed to be light and fast, these warships enabled America to project its power across the globe. Among the ships Mark Lardas examines is USS Constellation: the first ship to be commissioned by the United States Navy. Alongside...

Formidable and sophisticated, triremes were the deadliest battleships of the ancient world and at the height of their success the Athenians were the dominant exponents of their devastating power. Primarily galleys designed to fight under oar power, their main weapon was a bronze-plated ram situated at the prow. This book offers a complete analysis of the most potent battleship of its time; the weapon by which Athens achieved, maintained and ultimately lost its power and prosperity.

Austrian Napoleonic Artillery by OspreyItem Number: OSPNVG72New Vanguard 72Author: David HollinsIllustrator: Brian DelfAbout this bookThe Austrian artillery of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars was a creation of the renowned Lichtenstein system of the early 1750s. This weight system produced a series of weapons of 3-, 6- and 12-pdr. calibre along with 7- and 10-pdr. howitzers. In the 1780s they were joined by Cavalry artillery guns with their Wurst seats. In 1811 Austria also began the...

About this Osprey Publishing BookAt the outbreak of World War I Austria-Hungary had four modern light cruisers and twenty modern destroyers at their disposal, constructed in the early 20th century to defend their growing overseas interests. It was these fast light vessels, not the fleet's prized battleships, which saw most action during the war; from the bombardment of enemy batteries during the Montenegrin Campaign to their victory over the Allied fleet at the Battle of the Strait of Otranto...

About this Osprey Publishing BookDuring World War II, Germany, Japan, and Italy built approximately 2,000 small, inherently stealthy, naval craft to perform special operations and conventional naval missions. Much more numerous and more technically advanced than their Allied counterparts, they saw service worldwide, operating in the Pacific, Mediterranean, Black Sea, Indian Ocean, North Sea, and the English channel. Manned by courageous crews, these vessels made daring attacks on Allied ships...

In 1906, the Germans began building their own dreadnought fleet armed with larger guns, word of which soon reached the British Admiralty. This raised the spectre that the British dreadnought fleet would be outgunned, and prompted the Admiralty to order the building of their own "super dreadnoughts-. The first of these new dreadnoughts were laid down in 1909, and entered service three years later. The British public supported this programme, and the slogan "we want eight and cannot wait- became...

British Aircraft Carriers 1939-45 by Osprey PublishingItem Number: OSPNVG168New Vanguard 168Author: Angus KonstamIllustrator: Tony BryanAbout this bookWith war against Germany looming, Britain pushed forward its carrier program in the late 1930s. In 1938, the Royal Navy launched the HMS Ark Royal, its first-ever purpose-built aircraft carrier. This was quickly followed by others, including the highly-successful Illustrious class. Smaller and tougher than their American cousins, the British...

British Anti-Tank Artillery by OspreyItem Number: OSPNVG98New Vanguard 98Author: Chris HenryIllustrator: Brian DelfAbout this bookThe rapid development of the tank as an offensive weapon following its introduction in World War I gave artillery theorists cause for concern during the 1920s and 1930s. By the beginning of World War II anti-tank guns had been developed, initially at around 37mm and 2 pounds in weight of shot. By the end of the war, monster anti-tank weapons were being developed,...

World War I is often deemed to have been ? a war of artillery', and British heavy artillery played a vital part in destroying the German trenches and providing invaluable cover for advancing troops on the Western Front. This book details the huge guns of the Royal Garrison Artillery, including the 6-in. siege gun and howitzer, the 8-in. howitzer, the 12-in. railway and siege howitzer and the infamous 9.2-in breech-loading siege howitzer. Camouflage and enemy battery locations and transport are...

The Royal Navy entered World War II with a large but eclectic fleet of destroyers. Some of these were veterans of World War I, fit only for escort duties. Most though, had been built during the inter-war period, and were regarded as both reliable and versatile. Danger though lurked across the seas as new destroyers being built in Germany, Italy and Japan were larger and better armoured. So, until the new, larger ? Tribal-class destroyers could enter service, these vessels would have to hold...

This book recounts the history of the first destroyers of the Royal Navy, which revolutionized the way war was fought at sea with new armaments and a great improvement on earlier designs. Moreover, between 1892, when the first destroyers were laid down, and 1918, destroyers evolved radically from 27-knot, 250-ton ships into 35-knot, 1,530-ton ships. All these ships were involved in some form during World War I; the smaller, original destroyers in an auxiliary support role and the newer, larger...

This book investigates the design, development and operation of the machines deployed by the British Guards Armoured Division during World War 2, including the Stuart Light Tank, the Sherman Medium Tank and the Crusader Cruiser Tank . The division's experiences in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany are all covered.

"In the years after World War II, new guided missile technology offered surface ships the chance to destroy airborne threats from afar, thereby preserving their role in naval warfare. This book examines the technology and combat performance of Britain's guided missile destroyers over half a century. Uniquely among modern destroyers, three of these classes have been tested in battle against the aircraft and missiles of another modern navy - in the Falklands War - as well as being deployed...

Author: Angus KonstamIllustrator: Paul WrightAbout this bookThe light cruiser was a natural development of the sailing frigate a fast multi-purpose warship that could patrol the sea lanes, protect convoys and scout for enemy battle fleets. By the inter-war period the need for this type of ship was even more important, given the increasing need for protection from aircraft, and the need to screen the fleet from submarines or destroyers. Wartime experience had shown that the British light...

This is the definitive study of British light tanks of the Second World War. The author draws upon a vast and comprehensive body of archival information and research to explore their technical characteristics and combat performance. The title focuses largely on the very widely used Mark VI, but also covers all the variants that preceded it. The type was truly ubiquitous, equipping the British Army in France, the Western Desert regions, Norway, Sumatra, Persia and India. This book chronicles...

Author: Angus KonstamIllustrator: Tony BryanAbout this bookThe French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars encompassed a period when rival European fleets vied for naval supremacy, and naval tactics were evolving. The British Royal Navy emerged triumphant as the leading world sea power, and the epitome of Britannic naval strength was the Ship-of-the-Line. These 'wooden walls' were more than merely floating gun batteries: they contained a crew of up to 800 men, and often had to remain at sea for...

British Submarines 1939-45 by Osprey PublishingItem Number: OSPNVG129New Vanguard 129Author: Innes McCartneyIllustrator: Tony BryanAbout this bookThe submarine was the invisible but formidable weapon of the Royal Navy during World War II. This book examines the three major classes - 'S', 'T' and 'U' - detailing their design, development and modification. The major submarine engagements of the war are recounted, including the Norwegian campaign, the battle of Malta in March 1942, Operation...

British Subs Of Ww-I by OspreyItem Number: OSPNVG145New Vanguard 145Author: Innes McCartneyIllustrator: Tony BryanAbout this bookAs the major powers engaged in an arms race in the early years of the 20th century, the Admiralty was tasked with developing that deadly stalker of the high seas - the submarine. In 1905, briefed with creating a vessel that could be employed on an enemy's coastline, the Admiralty took several technological leaps forward to match Germany's own revolutionary vessels....

Bronze Age War Chariots by OspreyItem Number: OSPNVG119New Vanguard 119Author: Nic FieldsIllustrator: Brian DelfAbout this bookChariots, the first mobile fighting vehicle, seem to have originated in Mesopotamia in the third millennium BC. The highly mobile two-wheeled war chariot, carrying a driver and an archer armed with a short composite bow, revolutionized military tactics after 1700 BC. This expensive weapon spread throughout the Middle East and is thought to have reached Egypt with the...

When the Red Army needed to mechanize its cavalry branch in the 1930s, the BT fast tank was its solution. Based on the American Christie high-speed tank, the Red Army began a program to adapt the design to its own needs. Early versions were mechanically unreliable and poorly armed but by the mid-1930s, the BT-5 emerged, armed with an excellent dual-purpose 45mm gun. It saw its combat debut in the Spanish Civil War in 1937 and was later used in the border battles with the Japanese Kwangtung...

Cadillac Gage V100 Commando by OspreyItem Number: OSPNVG52New Vanguard 52Authors: Richard Lathrop John McDonaldIllustrator: Jim LaurierAbout this bookDestined to become one of the most influential postwar armored cars, the V-100 Commando was developed by the Cadillac Gage Company in 1962 as a private venture, and the first prototype was completed in the same year. It was designed as a multi-purpose vehicle and could function as an 11-man personnel carrier, reconnaissance vehicle, convoy...

Challenger Ii Mbt 1987-05 by OspreyItem Number: OSPNVG112New Vanguard 112Author: Simon DunstanIllustrator: Tony BryanAbout this bookThe Challenger 2 is the current Main Battle Tank of the British Army and represents the culmination of 80 years of tank design. In 1987, its design was presented to the Ministry of Defence in response to a requirement to replace the Chieftain MBT that had been partially superseded by the Challenger 1 MBT. Production began in 1993, and the tank finally entered...

Churchill Croc Flamethrower by OspreyItem Number: OSPNVG136New Vanguard 136Author: David FletcherIllustrator: Tony BryanAbout this bookA fire-breathing monster on the battlefield, the Churchill Crocodile was one of the most awe-inspiring weapons of World War II. Tank expert David Fletcher chronicles the development of the flamethrower tank, examining the dramatic effect of these tanks in battle from use in France to the terrifying attack on the Senio River in Italy, as well as investigating...

Commonwealth Cruisers 1939-45 from Osprey Publishing Item Number:OSPNVG226 Osprey New Vanguard Series: Books in Osprey’s New Vanguard series deal with World War II tanks, AFVs and ships, as well as covering the vessels of World War I, World War II and the Napoleonic period, and the artillery and naval innovations of the American Civil War and medieval periods. Featuring specially commissioned full colour artworks, including exploded and cutaway diagrams, books in Osprey’s New...

Confederate Blockade Runner by OspreyItem Number: OSPNVG92New Vanguard 92Author: Angus KonstamIllustrator: Tony BryanAbout this bookThe lifeblood of the Confederacy, the blockade runners of the Civil War usually began life as regular fast steam-powered merchant ships. They were adapted for the high-speed dashes through the Union blockade which closed off all the major Southern ports, and for much of the war they brought much-needed food, clothing and weaponry to the Confederacy. This book...

Crusader Cruiser Tank 1939-45 by Osprey PublishingItem Number: OSPNVG14 New Vanguard 14Author: David FletcherIllustrator: Peter SarsonAbout this bookThe Covenanter (which never saw active service) and Crusader Cruiser tanks were developed between 1939 and 1940. The Crusader first saw action in the North African desert in June 1941: its speed and sleek design made it a hard target to hit, and the tank was well-respected by the Afrikakorps for its velocity in combat. But its hurried development...

When the "Gloire" slid down the Toulon slipway in 1859, it changed sea power forever. With this ship, the world's first oceangoing ironclad, France had a warship that could sink any other, and which was proof against the guns of any wooden ship afloat. Instantly, an arms race began between the great navies of Europe - first to build their own ironclads, and then to surpass each other's technology and designs.

Fighting Ships Far East 202bc- by OspreyItem Number: OSPNVG61New Vanguard 61Author: Stephen TurnbullIllustrator: Wayne ReynoldsAbout this bookFighting Ships of the Far East (1) adds enormously to the hitherto small corpus of knowledge about a fascinating and little known subject. Using detailed descriptions, accurate cutaway plates and reliable historical examples, this book covers the history of Chinese ship design and naval warfare from the beginning of the Han dynasty to the first few years...

Fighting Ships Of The Far East by Osprey PublishingItem Number: OSPNVG63 New Vanguard 63Author: Stephen TurnbullIllustrator: Wayne ReynoldsAbout this bookOver the centuries, naval relations between Japan and Korea appear to have alternated between peaceful trade and outright hostility. However, this impression can be misleading, as much of what passed for mercantile activity was in fact conducted by Japanese pirate fleets, who pillaged the coasts of Korea and China in a long-lasting tradition...

French experience with armour in Indo-China dated back to 1919, when it sent FT-17s to the colony, followed by a variety of armoured cars. After World War II, French troops were equipped with a motley collection of American and cast-off British equipment until the outbreak of war in Korea saw an increase in military aid. This included large numbers of the M24 Chaffee light tank, along with amphibious vehicles such as the M29C Weasel and LVT4 Buffalo, to conduct operations in coastal and inland...

On September 1, 1910, France became the last great naval power to lay down a dreadnought battleship, the ? Courbet. The ensuing Courbet and Bretagne-class dreadnoughts had a relatively quiet World War I, spending most of it at anchor off the entrance to the Adriatic, keeping watch over the Austro-Hungarian fleet. The constraints of the Washington Naval Treaty prevented new battleships being built until the 1930s, with the innovative Dunkerque-class and excellent Richelieu-class of battleships...

The sequel to French Tanks of World War II (1), this title focuses primarily on France's cavalry armored vehicles, including the light reconnaissance tanks such as the AMR and AMC families, the famous Somua S.35 cavalry tanks and the extensive array of armored half-track and armored cars used by the French cavalry. Specific attention is also paid to tanks considered important from a numerical standpoint such as the Hotchkiss H-35/H-39 series. Featuring specially commissioned profile artwork,...

German Commerce Raiders 1914-18 from Osprey Publishing Item Number:OSPNVG228 Osprey New Vanguard Series: Books in Osprey’s New Vanguard series deal with World War II tanks, AFVs and ships, as well as covering the vessels of World War I, World War II and the Napoleonic period, and the artillery and naval innovations of the American Civil War and medieval periods. Featuring specially commissioned full colour artworks, including exploded and cutaway diagrams, books in Osprey’s New...

German Destroyers 1939-45 by Osprey PublishingItem Number: OSPNVG91Author: Gordon WilliamsonIllustrator: Ian PalmerAbout this bookThe German destroyer fleet of World War II consisted of nine classes: the Diether Von Roeder Class, the Leberecht Maas Class and the wartime classes Z23, Z35, Z37, Z40, Z43, Z46 and Z52. These vessels, though fewer in number than the British destroyer fleet, tended to be much bigger and more powerful than their allied counterparts. They served their country well in...

German Light Panzers Rev by OspreyItem Number: OSPNVG26New Vanguard 26Author: Bryan PerrettIllustrator: Terry HadlerAbout this bookThe light tanks of the Panzerwaffe make a fascinating subject for technical and historical study. Operation Barbarossa was the light tanks' swan song: thoroughly experienced and at the peak of self-confidence, the Panzergruppen brought Moscow to almost within Hitler's grasp. However, the effectiveness and popularity of the light panzers was only proven because...

Greek & Roman Siege Machinery by OspreyItem Number: OSPNVG78New Vanguard 78Author: Duncan B CampbellIllustrator: Brian DelfAbout this bookSiege machinery first appeared in the West during the Carthaginian invasion of Sicily in the late-5th century BC, in the form of siege towers and battering rams. After a 50-year hiatus these weapons of war re-appeared in the Macedonian armies of Philip II and Alexander the Great, a period that saw the height of their development in the Ancient World. The...

Greek & Roman Artillery 399bc by OspreyItem Number: OSPNVG89New Vanguard 89Author: Duncan B CampbellIllustrator: Brian DelfAbout this bookThe catapult (katapeltikon) was invented under the patronage of Dionysius I, tyrant of Syracuse, in the 4th century bc. At first only the arrow-firing variant was used, and it was not until the reign of Alexander the Great that stone-projecting catapults were introduced. The Romans adopted these weapons during the Punic Wars and further developed them,...

This volume will detail the history, weapons and tactics of the Japanese destroyers built before the war. This includes the famous Fubuki class (called "Special Type- by the Japanese, which were, when completed in the late 1920's, the most powerful class of destroyers in the world. This design forced all other major navies to follow suite and provided the basic design for the next many classes of Imperial Navy destroyers. This book will also cover the three classes built before the Special...

Author: Mark StilleIllustrator: Paul WrightAbout this bookThe Imperial Japanese Navy went to war with 17 light cruisers and another three cruiser-sized training ships. Of these, most were 5,500-ton ships designed to act as destroyer squadron flagships. This made them much different in capabilities and mission from their American counterparts. During the war, the Japanese built another five light cruisers, all but one of which maintained the design premise of being able to serve as destroyer...

With research from newly discovered shipwrecks and archaeological finds as well as the rich contemporary source material, this study examines the equipment and tactics used by the navy and the battles they fought in this tumultuous period, which includes the fall of Rome and the resurgence of the Eastern Empire under Justinian the Great. Using spectacular illustrations, carefully researched ship profiles, and maps, this third volume in Osprey's Roman Warships miniseries charts the ultimate...

Imperial Roman Warships 27 BC-193 AD from Osprey Publishing Item Number:OSPNVG230 Author: Raffaele D-Amato Illustrator: Giuseppe Rava Short code: NVG 230 Publication Date: 20 Jan 2016 Number of Pages: 48History:The Roman Empire was not only built by the strength of the legions but also by a navy that was the most powerful maritime force ever to have existed. It was the presence of this fleet that secured the trade routes and maintained the communications within the huge Empire. The superior...

Is-2 Heavy Tank 1944-73 by Osprey PublishingItem Number: OSPNVG7 New Vanguard 7Author: Steven J ZalogaIllustrator: Peter SarsonAbout this bookThe Iosef Stalin tanks were the ultimate heavy tanks developed by the Soviet Union and were popularly called 'Victory tanks' due to their close association with the defeat of Germany in 1945. Yet in spite of their reputation, the Stalin tanks emerged from a troubled design, had a brief moment of glory in 1944 and 1945, and disappeared in ignominy after...

The Italian Royal Navy (Regia Marina) operated one of largest cruiser forces of World War II. As a signatory to the 1922 Washington Naval Treaty, the ? Regia Marina ? immediately attempted to reinforce its treaty-limited battleship force by building seven large 10,000-ton heavy cruisers. Italian light cruisers also possessed an interesting design history and were involved in every major fleet engagement in the Mediterranean, as well as several smaller encounters with units of the British Royal...

Author: Pier Paolo BattistelliIllustrator: Richard ChasemoreAbout this bookThe Italian army, unlike those of the British and French, did not use tanks in combat during World War I and, by November 1918, only one training unit equipped with French Schneider and Renault tanks had been formed. Consequently, during the 1920s the Italian army had just one single tank type in its armoured inventory _ the Fiat 3000. Only in 1927 was the first tank unit formed as a branch of the infantry and not as an...

Jagdpanzer 38 Hetzer 1944-45 by Osprey PublishingItem Number: OSPNVG36The Jagdpanzer 38 is one of the best known German armoured fighting vehicles from World War II. Rushed into series production in the record time of less than four months, it was instantly recognisable by the sleek appearance created by its well-sloped armour. Many experts in post-war armour hold the opinion that this tank destroyer was just the answer to Germany's problem of dealing with the numerically superior American M4...

Jeeps 1941-45 by OspreyItem Number: OSPNVG117New Vanguard 117Author: Steven J ZalogaIllustrator: Hugh JohnsonAbout this bookThe jeep was the most famous military vehicle of World War II, and its name has become synonymous with a whole class of military and civilian all-terrain vehicles. The jeep originated in a prewar US Army requirement for a simple, inexpensive, and robust vehicle for basic utility chores. Its simple design proved to be adaptable to a host of military tasks including use as...

About this Osprey Publishing BookAlthough military rockets have been used since the Middle Ages, it was not until the Soviet Union pioneered the concept of Multiple Rocket Launchers (MRLs) in the late 1930s that they emerged as a decisive weapon. In the modern era, these Soviet/Russian Katyushas have served in combat in Afghanistan, Chechnya, and Georgia.Developed to fill the operational need for massed artillery fire support, the MRL possesses enormous destructive power and a devastating...

King Tiger Heavy Tank by Osprey PublishingItem Number: OSPNVG1As World War II entered its later stages and Germany was forced increasingly onto the defensive, the need for fast-moving mobile forces lessened and the Wehrmacht required better protected and more powerfully armed tanks. After debacles against the T-34, Hitler and the Panzerwaffe were determined not to be unprepared again. The result of this determination was the production of the heaviest and largest tank to see combat during...