Help me choose my next project

[mmcv]

The classics for the Peninsula War are the Charles Oman series A History of the Peninsula War, I managed to pick up the first 4 volumes for £24 at Barter Books in Alnwick a couple of week ago, so you might be lucky and find 2nd hand ones for those kind of prices. Lots of OOB, casualty reports, etc in the appendices.

The campaign is too big to be covered well in one volume, and most sources are Anglo-centric, so it's specialist volumes on individual battles and forces. Be prepared to be overwhelmed!
Check out Helion & Company and Ken Trotman for individual works of quality;
there are several Osprey Campaigns on Peninsula battles. The individual MAA books are sort of okay.

Peruse this website, which for example shows individual British unit strengths at different dates
https://www.napoleon-series.org/military-information/organization-strategy-tactics/

Thank you for all this, will prove very useful.

Be prepared to be overwhelmed!

This has been my main reluctance to get into Napoleonics, there's just so much... 

Available electronically

Thank you kindly.

[fsn]

Also any Peninsular must haves from the oodles written on it?

I'd pick my period first. The forces (particularly the allied forces) of 1808 were very different to the forces of 1814, in looks, numbers and composition.

Oman is very detailed. Wouldn't be my first choice for a first read. There are more modern, readable and shorter treatises to get an overview. Peter Snow's "To War With Wellington" is very approachable.

I'm not sure I understand this concept? I was unaware that was an option! A period you have no interest in. What a strange notion!

Yes. Surely everyone has periods they're not interested in ... until they get interested in them? 

[mmcv]

I'd pick my period first. The forces (particularly the allied forces) of 1808 were very different to the forces of 1814, in looks, numbers and composition.

Oman is very detailed. Wouldn't be my first choice for a first read. There are more modern, readable and shorter treatises to get an overview. Peter Snow's "To War With Wellington" is very approachable.



Yes. Surely everyone has periods they're not interested in ... until they get interested in them? 

Thanks I'll take a look. I suppose at this point overview is what I'm looking to decide which period or battle I want to drill into. Maida looks like an interesting starting point but I do have a bit of a soft spot for the Portuguese for some reason so might find something else of interest.


Ah okay so you just mean a period you're not interested in that much yet? Gotcha 

[mmcv]

Four quid on Kindle, yes please and thank you very much

[kustenjaeger]

My approach has been to pick a British/Allied force.  In my case this has been Hill's command in Estramadura in late 1811-early 1812 taking the action of Arroyomolinos as the centrepiece.  I'm still collecting the figures prior to painting.

This allows the use of 2nd Division of three British brigades (not all present) plus Ashworth's Portuguese brigade plus Long's light cavalry brigade and - in Hill's command area but not present at Arroyomolinos, more Portuguese (infantry and cavalry) and a heavy cavalry brigade.  In addition Spanish infantry and cavalry were also present and engaged.

The British allow Highlanders (92nd Foot), Light infantry (71st Foot), rifles (5/60th as part of skirmish screen), Light dragoons (9th, 13th), KGL Hussars, 9pdr RA and 6pdr RHA.   

If you are interested there is a reasonably new Helion book called 'At the point of the bayonet' by Robert Griffith which covers Arroyomolinos and the bridge at Almaraz.

My French opposition is taken from Drouet's command in Estramadura and includes line and Leger infantry plus Chasseurs a Cheval, Hussars and Dragoons as well as mixed batteries of 4/8pdr guns and howitzers.

Edward

[mmcv]

My approach has been to pick a British/Allied force.  In my case this has been Hill's command in Estramadura in late 1811-early 1812 taking the action of Arroyomolinos as the centrepiece.  I'm still collecting the figures prior to painting.

This allows the use of 2nd Division of three British brigades (not all present) plus Ashworth's Portuguese brigade plus Long's light cavalry brigade and - in Hill's command area but not present at Arroyomolinos, more Portuguese (infantry and cavalry) and a heavy cavalry brigade.  In addition Spanish infantry and cavalry were also present and engaged.

The British allow Highlanders (92nd Foot), Light infantry (71st Foot), rifles (5/60th as part of skirmish screen), Light dragoons (9th, 13th), KGL Hussars, 9pdr RA and 6pdr RHA. 

If you are interested there is a reasonably new Helion book called 'At the point of the bayonet' by Robert Griffith which covers Arroyomolinos and the bridge at Almaraz.

My French opposition is taken from Drouet's command in Estramadura and includes line and Leger infantry plus Chasseurs a Cheval, Hussars and Dragoons as well as mixed batteries of 4/8pdr guns and howitzers.

Edward

Thanks for sharing, thats an action I wasn't previously aware of. Certainly appears to give an interesting mix of units. I was also reading a bit about a few other actions that might be interesting, there's so many battles and actions to choose from. I need to work through a bit of a survey of them until one jumps out at me and grabs my interest.


I've been working through this series, which includes a few peninsular videos: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaBYW76inbX41sSPLjvUyYfRY0B4ihYBN


And for the Prussians in the WAS and SYW this one has been interesting so far: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLazn7eofVtjIhqfq0vv7BudQvdy5A0Mgp

And started on the Fredrick the Great biography.

Was also flipping through a few rule books for inspiration, including the War of the Pacific ones that I still haven't ruled out as a wildcard entry.

Though I think the Prussians and Austrians are currently just edging into the lead.

Once I get a chance to I may do some test games with a few rulesets and proxies to see if one grabs me more than the other. Not sure when that will be, hobby time has been mostly limited to this sort of research stuff lately and very little painting or gaming.

Building a nice little collection up of research material though as I will more than likely do all the projects mentioned at some point or the other, the decision is just which comes first!

[FierceKitty]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47cf07l1N9g

Napoleon never wrote music for his troops. 

[mmcv]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47cf07l1N9g

Napoleon never wrote music for his troops. 

Probably for the best, apparently Napoleon couldn't hold a tune. Plus the French already had the Marseille which is one of the world's catchiest anthems.

[FierceKitty]

Probably for the best, apparently Napoleon couldn't hold a tune. Plus the French already had the Marseille which is one of the world's catchiest anthems.

It is indeed, though it helps if you don't know what the words are saying (even some French politicians have suggested watering their fields with the impure blood of the enemy could benefit from a rewrite).

[mmcv]

It is indeed, though it helps if you don't know what the words are saying (even some French politicians have suggested watering their fields with the impure blood of the enemy could benefit from a rewrite).

Not the only national anthem with a few problematic sentiments to be sure, still a damn good tune. 

[fsn]

Late entry into the field - how about the Texas revolution?


The Mexican army would certainly be easy to proxy 


Texians maybe a little more difficult
Napoleonic Hanoverians in cap?

[John Cook]

It is indeed, though it helps if you don't know what the words are saying (even some French politicians have suggested watering their fields with the impure blood of the enemy could benefit from a rewrite).

What kind of country would have a cock as its emblem?

[FierceKitty]

What kind of country would have a cock as its emblem?

Any dicktatorship.  (to excusing please my Inglish spellinks)

[mmcv]

What kind of country would have a cock as its emblem?

One who enjoys a good Latin pun.

Late entry into the field - how about the Texas revolution?


The Mexican army would certainly be easy to proxy 


Texians maybe a little more difficult
Napoleonic Hanoverians in cap?

Interesting idea. Though if doing that it'll inevitably gravitate toward the Alamo which feels more like a showpiece project whereas at this point I'm probably more inclined towards something with big field battles. Though that does also throw up the idea Mexican war of independence (and indeed all the Latin American independence wars) though as you say would need some heavy proxy use I suspect. Still, interesting as something a little more "obscure" which can always be attractive.

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Any dicktatorship.  (to excusing please my Inglish spellinks)

Alexander youse inglish is normal perfek