To coincide with the 2015 bicentennial of the Battle of Waterloo, Osprey publishes "Waterloo 1815," a definitive three volume history of the historic battle. Based on new research drawn from unpublished first-hand accounts and illustrations, "Waterloo 1815" provides a detailed resource for all aspects of the famous battle.
This first volume of the trilogy, "Quatre Bras," focuses on the lead-up to Waterloo itself. Two days before the main battle, an initial 8,000 Allied troops faced the 48,000 men of the French Armee du Nord under Marshal Ney at the strategically vital crossroads of Quatre Bras. Having been tricked by Napolean who was trying to drive a wedge between the Prussians and the Anglo-allied army, Wellington concentrated his troops at Quatre Bras, hoping to link up with the Prussians. There Wellington just managed to hold off Ney's attacks. The battle ended in a tactical stalemate but, because he was unable to join with Blucher's Prussians, Wellington retreated back along the road to Brussels to new positions at a small Belgian village called Waterloo, and thus set the stage for one of the greatest battles of all time.
With detailed maps, illustrations and battlefield dispositions, "Quatre Bras" will lay the groundwork for any student of the Battle of Waterloo.

The Hanseatic League was a commercial and defensive federation of merchant guilds based in harbour towns along the North Sea and Baltic coasts of what are now Germany and her neighbours, which eventually dominated maritime trade in Northern Europe and spread its influence much further afield. The League was formed to protect the economic and political interests of member cities throughout a vast and complex trading network. The League continued to operate well into the 17th century, but its golden age was between c.1200 and c.1500; thereafter it failed to take full advantage of the wave of maritime exploration to the west, south and east of Europe. During its 300 years of dominance the League's large ships - called 'cogs' - were at the forefront of maritime technology, were early users of cannon, and were manned by strong fighting crews to defend them from pirates in both open-sea and river warfare. The home cities raised their own armies for mutual defence, and their riches both allowed them, and required them, to invest in fortifications and gunpowder weapons, since as very attractive targets they were subjected to sieges at various times.

Waterloo is one of the defining campaigns of European history. The name conjures up images of the terrible scale and grandeur of the Napoleonic Wars and the incredible combined effort that finally ended Napoleon's aspirations of power in Europe. Drawn from unpublished first-hand accounts, and using detailed illustrations, this comprehensive volume is the ideal resource for studying the intense fighting at the battles of Waterloo and Wavre, the final, decisive engagements of the Waterloo campaign. Those two battles are at the heart of this study, which explores the action at Mont St Jean where Wellington managed to hold the French at bay until the arrival of the Prussians under Blucher saw the Allies secure a hard-fought victory at the dramatic climax of the 'Hundred days'.

A mixed infantry formation made up of about 3,000 men armed with pikes, swords and handguns, the innovative and influential tercio or 'Spanish square' was the basic combat unit of the armies of Spain throughout much of the 16th and 17th centuries. Arguably the first permanent tactical formation seen in Europe since the Roman cohort, the tercio was the forerunner of modern formations such as the battalion and regiment. The variety of different weapons fielded in the tercio meant the Spanish infantry could resist opposing cavalry forces while overcoming every kind of enemy infantry deployed against them. Featuring full-colour artwork and photographs of rare items held at the Spanish Army Museum, this study covers the whole period during which the tercios were active, opening with the third Italian war between the forces of France and the Holy Roman Emperor and concluding with the final transformation of the Spanish tercios into regiments in 1704.

Much myth and fantasy surrounds the events of the Wars of the Roses (1455-1485): a bloody and prolonged dynastic struggle between the houses of York and Lancaster. Terence Wise's fascinating text lays bare the real story, and examines the armies, liveries and badges of the conflict. The author's readable account provides a comprehensive guide as to who fought whom, where, when, why and for what, from the origins of the Wars to such famous battles as Tewkesbury and Bosworth. The accompanying photographs, illustrations and colour plates by Gerry Embleton clearly detail the arms, armor and standards of the time.

This title represents the second instalment of the captivating study of the Waterloo campaign, one of the defining events in European history. In particular it focuses on the desperate struggle for Ligny, which saw the Prussians pushed back by the French Army after heavy fighting in what was to be Napoleon's last battlefield victory. With Wellington unable to assist his Prussian allies in time, the Prussian centre was overwhelmed as night began to fall, although the flanks were able to retreat in some semblance of order. Stunning illustrations augment the drama of the fighting in this area while considerable new research drawn from unpublished first-hand accounts provide a detailed and engaging resource for all aspects of the battle.

In the early 14th century, a new weapon entered the arsenals of European armies. This first generation of black powder weapons put fear into the heart of the enemy and in 1453 Ottoman cannon succeeded in pummelling the once-impregnable walls of Constantinople. But cannons, which are both slow and cumbersome, were difficult to use and often proved inaccurate. The first handgonnes were the answer. Easily dismissed by later historians as nothing more than crude tubes that shot wildly inaccurate lead balls, more recent research has revealed the true accuracy of the medieval handgonne together with its penetrative power. This volume, complete with detailed illustrations and colour photographs of reconstructed handgonnes, reveals the true history of what could easily have been the most revolutionary weapon in history. This book will be a must for medieval enthusiasts and re-enactors.

If there is one thing we can be sure of concerning the Saxons, Vikings and Normans who inhabited the medieval world, it is that they were a good deal more advanced than some writings would have us believe. This fascinating book by Terence Wise explores the history, organization, clothing, equipment and weapons of Saxon, Viking and Norman peoples, covering wide-ranging topics such as Anglo-Saxon shields, Viking raiding ships and the organization of Norman armies.The absorbing and readable text is enriched by numerous illustrations and museum photographs with commentaries, plus eight superbly drawn full page colour plates by renowned military artist Gerry Embleton.

The English military ascendancy which lasted from the mid-14th to the early 16th century was founded upon defensive tactics based on the use of the longbow. This weapon, distinctive in that it was used by English forces alone, was probably the most effective missile weapon of the Late Middle Ages: its arrow had the same penetrative ability as a modern day bullet and the bow's rate of fire was not equalled by any weapon used by English forces until the adoption of the Lee Enfield rifle at the beginning of the 20th century. The English longbowmen's involvement in wars such as the War of the Roses (1455-1485) and One Hundred Years' War (1337-1453) is discussed.

The final demise of the Jacobite cause on Culloden Moor in April 1746 concluded one of the most famous battles in British military history. In this detailed modern account the author combines a thorough knowledge of 18th century tactics, an intimate knowledge of the battlefield itself and a scandalously underused archive of contemporary material to provide a balanced and accurate account of this controversial encounter. This book demonstrates that the British, and the Duke of Cumberland in particular, had a very pro-active role in the battle - not merely staving off defeat, but seizing victory with a series of well-timed and well-coordinated counterattacks.

This volume details the uniforms, organisation and equipment of all the Canadian and British units that defended British North America during the tense years in the run up to war with the United States. The colourful Fencible and Provincial Regiments are featured along with the Glengarry Light Infantry and Canadian Voltigeurs.

In the early crusades men of all ranks from all over Europe took the cross and went to fight Islam as volunteers. Some went out of religious fervour, others to escape the plagues and famine which were rife at the time, still others in search of land or a fortune in loot. Fighting alongside all of these were the armies raised in Outremer, the Holy Land itself. Together they waged a bloody religious war, the participants of which included such forces as the Knights Templar, the Teutonic Knights, and the Byzantine Army.

On April 24th, 1855, Colonel Carmichael Smyth held a parade of the ninety skirmishers of the 3rd Light Cavalry of the Bengal Army at Meerut, some 30 miles from Delhi. The disastrous events that followed sparked an almost wholesale mutiny of the Honourable East India Company's Bengal Native Army. Had the ensuing uprising succeeded, it would have threatened the validity of the entire British Empire. As it was, the Mutiny witnessed several tragic and bloody events, from the original incident in Meerut to the horrifying siege of Cawnpore. Christopher Wilikinson-Latham details the history of the conflict, from its beginnings to ultimate resolution.

Throughout the 16th Century, the Spanish had an aura of invincibility. They controlled a vast colonial empire that stretched across the Americas and the Pacific, and held considerable territories in Europe, centring on the so-called 'Spanish Road'. The Dutch War of Independence (also known as the 80 Years' War) was a major challenge to their dominance. The Dutch army created by Maurice of Nassau used innovative new tactics and training to take the fight to Spain and in so doing created a model that would be followed by European armies for generations to come. The second in a two-part series on the Dutch armies of the 80 Years' War, focuses on the cavalry, artillery and engineers of the evolving armies created by Maurice of Nassau. Using specially commissioned artwork and photographs of historical artefacts, it shows how the Dutch cavalry arm, artillery, and conduct of siege warfare contributed to the long struggle against the might of the Spanish Empire.

For those interested in the actual appearance of the Prussian soldiers who fought at Ligny, Wavre and Waterloo in 1815, this colorful study combines the latest findings and expert analysis to cast new light on the fateful Waterloo campaign.
The Prussian Army of the Lower Rhine, led by Generalfeldmarschall Gebhard Leberecht von Blucher in 1815, played a - possibly the - vital part in the Allied victory at Waterloo, forcing Napoleon to divide his forces when Blucher's leading elements arrived to offer Wellington crucial support at a time when his Anglo-Netherlands army was doing no more than holding its own on the defensive. During this campaign Blucher's army presented an enormously diverse appearance, since its units had been issued clothing and equipment from many sources, and many of them were still wearing the distinctly hard-worn kit they had been issued over two years before at the start of the 1813 Wars of Liberation.
Written by a leading authority, this book delves deeply into original sources - including eyewitness accounts, and regimental histories known only to German scholars - to recreate the actual appearance of specific units, rather than simply copying generic uniform regulations. The text details who the men that served in these units were, how they were organised and drilled, and their previous service; what specific elements of the army looked like in 1815; their march to the battlefield; and what they did when they got there.

An in-depth analysis of the Chinese Armies that fought a series of increasingly fractious wars over nearly a century. Beginning with a run through of the Chinese forces that combated the British and French during the two Opium Wars, this history goes on to trace the forces who were drawn into internal wars and rebellions in the 1850s and 60s, the open warfare in North Vietnam, the string of defeats suffered during the First Sino-Japanese war and the Boxer Rebellion. Providing an unparalleled insight into the dizzying array of troop types and unique uniforms, this is a history of the sometimes-painful modernization of China's military forces during one of her most turbulent periods of history.

When Norwegian Vikings first raided the European coast in the 8th century AD, their leaders were from the middle ranks of warriors known as hersirs. At this time the hersir was typically an independent landowner or local chieftain with equipment superior to that of his followers. By the end of the 10th century, the independence of the hersir was gone, and he was now a regional servant of the Norwegian king. This book investigates these brutal, mobile warriors, and examines their tactics and psychology in war, dispelling the idea of the Viking raider as simply a killing machine.

The history of Poland is a fascinating study of a people struggling to achieve nationhood in the face of internal and external enemies. Poland became a unified Christian state in AD 966 and by the 12th century a knightly class had emerged - a force that was integral to the defense of Poland against increasingly frequent foreign invasions. Intent on crushing rival Christian states, the Templars, Hospitallers and Teutonic Knights all mounted attacks but were beaten back by the Poles, as were invading Mongols and Turks. This book reveals the organization, equipment and battle histories of the medieval Polish armies as they developed and modernized to emerge as one of the dominant powers of Eastern Europe.

'What a scene!' wrote Horace Walpole. 'An army in the night dragging itself up a precipice by stumps of trees to assault a town and attack an enemy strongly entrenched and double in numbers!' It was indeed a drama, as Major-General James Wolfe's army scaled the cliffs above St. Lawrence to stand with the French Canadian capital before them; and in one short sharp exchange of fire, tumble the Marquis de Montcalm's French army into bloody ruin. Sir John Fortescue famously described it as the 'most perfect volley ever fired on a battlefield', and this book explores how in just a few hectic minutes, one of the British Army's most consummate professionals decided the fate of a continent.

The Sarmatians - one of the many nomadic groups to emerge from the great Eurasian Steppe - crossed the Don in about the 3rd century BC to displace their western neighbours, the Scythians, in the lands north of the Black Sea. Later they burst into Asia Minor and Rome's Danube provinces, becoming famous for the prowess of their lance-armed cavalry - first as enemies, and later as allies of Rome. They influenced Rome's adoption of heavy armoured cavalry, and in Roman service they were even posted to Britain. Drawing upon a wide reading of Classical authors and of Russian archaeological publications, this fascinating study is the first major English language attempt to reconstruct their armour, equipment and tactics.

King John the Good of France was captured by the English at the Battle of Poitiers in 1356; his 14-year-old son Philip fought valiantly by his side until the bitter end, and as soon as he was in a position to do so, King John rewarded his son's courage and devotion by designating him Duke of Burgundy, a title that by chance had just become extinct. Philip was the first of the Valois Dukes of Burgundy and this fascinating text by Nicholas Michael examines the functioning and organization of the Burgundian armies from the beginning of his reign until the time of the last of the Valois Dukes: Charles the Bold.

Mercenaries were a common feature throughout most of Europe in the 14th and 15th centuries, and had been known far earlier. But nowhere did such a sophisticated system of hiring, payment and organisation of mercenaries develop as it did in Italy. The condottiere - whose name came from the condotta or contract between himself and his employer - was the result. Whether commander or humble trooper, the condottiere was a complete professional. His skill has never been doubted, but his loyalty and dedication to a particular cause often has. David Nicolle provides a fascinating exploration of the condottiere; his roles, arms and equipment.

Between the first Jacobite rising in 1689 and the final collapse of the cause in 1746, the hopes of the House of Stuart were centred chiefly on Scotland. It is often wrongly assumed that the Jacobite rebellions were a contest between England and Scotland. In fact many Lowland Scots share the feelings of the English, and had cause to hate and fear their fellow countrymen in the Highlands. Thus it was to the Highland clans that the Jacobites looked to for their most reliable manpower. In this book Michael Barthorp details the events of the Jacobite rebellions, and the organisation and uniforms of the forces of both sides.

Between 1869 and 1874, Edward Cardwell, Gladstone's Secretary for War, undertook major reforms to modernise the British Army. The Crimean War and campaigns in India had revealed serious administrative and command shortcomings. Cardwell's legislation was aimed at curing these faults and served as the foundation of a new-style army. His successors put into practice further improvements in tactics, training and command structure, and by the outbreak of war in 1914, the British Army had developed into one of the best professional fighting forces in Europe. This book details the development, composition and uniforms of this "new" army.