Books & Websites

Read from the best

Nestled deep in a library or in the recesses of the internet, here are the writings that will allow you to walk in the footsteps of the most illustrious captains or help you build new scenarios or new rules.

English version of the books is displayed here (except if only non English version is available).

Classics

On War
(C. Clausewitz)

A book on war and military strategy, written mostly after the Napoleonic wars between 1816 and 1830. It is one of the most important treatises on political-military analysis and strategy ever written, and remains both controversial and influential on strategic thinking. [From Wikipedia]

The Art of War
(Sun Tzu)

An ancient Chinese military treatise dating from roughly 5th century BC. Each chapter is devoted to a different set of skills or art related to warfare and how it applies to military strategy and tactics. The Art of War remains the most influential strategy text in East Asian warfare and has influenced both Far Eastern and Western military thinking, business tactics, legal strategy, lifestyles and beyond. [From Wikipedia]

Game Design

Map Maneuvers and Tactical Rides
(F. Sayre)

Provides an excellent overview of the development of Kriegsspiel throughout the 19th century and the thoughts behind them. The later half of the book is dedicated to things that umpires of map maneuvers should consider as they execute an exercise.

Sprawling Wargames
(P. Griffith)

Explores large-scale multiplayer wargames, with examples including games run at the Imperial War Museum and at Sandhurst.

Greenhill Napoleon Wars Data Book
(D. Smith)

Based on over twenty years of research, this massively detailed and outstanding reference work provides comprehensive coverage of every action in every campaign in Europe and the Middle East of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. 

Simulating War
(P. Sabin)

Theory and practice of conflict simulation. Explains in detail the analytical and modelling techniques involved, and it teaches you how to design your own simulations of conflicts of your choice.

Strategy & Tactics

Battle Tactics of Napoleon and his Enemies
(B. Nosworthy)

This book provides a wealth of detailed analysis of the various tactical doctrines employed by the main armies of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic period.

The Face of Battle
(J. Keagan)


Three battles are examined: Azincourt, Waterloo and the Somme. They allow us to understand how war is experienced by the troops. Thanks to this pioneering book, no historian would think of war solely from a strategic point of view and not primarily as a human phenomenon.

US marine Corp Gazette’s “Mastering tactics” is a modern approach in the veins of Moltke’s “Taktische Aufgaben”, presenting the reader with tactical scenarios meant to be discussed and solutions developed. The book then offers options to tackle the scenario and explains potential outcomes.

History, Memories & Biographies

The Campaigns of Napoleon
(D. Chandler)

Analysis and insightful critique of Napoleon’s art of war as he himself developed and perfected it in the major military campaigns of his career.

Napoleon at Leipzig
(G. Nafziger)

A research into the 1813 campaign showing how the finest general of all time was bought to bay. The greatest battle of the Napoleonic Wars, and the campaign that led up to it, is thoroughly studied.

Battle Cry of Freedom
(J. McPherson)

One volume history of the Civil War, this narrative fully integrates the political, social, and military events that crowded the two decades from the outbreak of one war in Mexico to the ending of another at Appomattox. 

The Civil War: A Narrative
(S. Foote)

A military narrative describing the key participants in the war, their manoeuvres and materiel, and the occasions on which they met in battle.

Johnny Reb and Billy Yank
(A. Hunter)

A novel by a Confederate soldier who served from 1861 to 1865. The novel is noted for encapsulating most of the major events of the American Civil War.

Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant
(U. S. Grant)

Highly regarded by the general public, military historians and literary critics, this autobiography is focused on his military career in Mexican-American War and the American Civil War.

Websites

Another site on Kriegsspiel by a group  of enthusiasts Kriegsspieler based in UK. 

Articles, links, resources and events all related to our favorite pastime.

An exceptional collection of orders of battle and documents from 1600 to the Vietnam War.

A wealth of information on armies, battles, tactics and commanders of the napoleonic era.

Blog about “obscure” battles : nice maps (copyrighted) and orders of battle. Sometimes a little bit disrespectful with revered icons which is refreshing. 

A great source for logistics related topics. 

Index of articles is here at the bottom of the page.

A group of researchers and practitioners at the University of Würzburg, Germany, running wargames and Kriegsspiel. They have a series of articles of the inner circle around Reisswitz that influenced the development of the originial Kriegsspiel.

An extensive database of ships by nationalitiy, size, commission and decommission date and so on.

A french manual of infantry tactics used during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.

 A book written by Helmuth von Moltke, a German Field Marshal who served as the Chief of the General Staff of the Prussian Army from 1857 to 1888. The book is a collection of tactical problems and exercises that Moltke used to train his officers and troops.

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