Napoleonic Wargame Club (NWC)

Hi All,

I'm looking for an <b>English </b>or <b>American </b>book dealing with Napoleonic battles and campaigns. I know there are hundred of them [|)], but could you advice me on one that could be a kind of a reference in the matter?

Thanks [:D]

Lt. Olivier Paviot
Armée du Nord - II Corps,
5ième Division, 2ième Brigade,
25ième Régiment de Ligne

Anything by David G Chandler is excellent.

also

Scott Bowden is quite good to

<center>
[img]</center>
<center>Monsieur le Marechal Baron John Corbin
Duc de Paive
Commanding the Division de Cavalerie de la Jeune Garde
NWC President</center>

The first book that everyone interested in the Napoleonic wars should read is David Chandler's Campaigns of Napoleon. Its by far the best treatment on the wars BUT doesnt cover any campaign which Napoleon was not involved in (hence the Peninsular Wars are not covered).

For the Peninsular a great little primer is Julian Pagets book Wellington's Peninsular War. His book is in two parts. One is an overview and then the second half goes into detail on each campaign. I really liked the format.

Osprey has put out a good series on the major campaigns of the wars (dont think that 1812 has been covered yet).

For 1815 I really believe that Peter Hofschröer has done a superlative job on this campaign.

All of Petre's books are good. His 1809 and 1815 books are my favorites.

Bowden covers 1805 on a level unparalled with writers. I also have several other works on this campaign:

Austerlitz: Napoleon and the Eagles of Europe by Ian Castle
Napoleon's Conquest of Europe by Frederick Schneid
1805: Austerlitz by Robert Goetz

All good works on this subject as well as Austerlitz by Christopher Duffy. The OB debates continue for this campaign as Goetz brings to light some fresh material that Bowden must have missed or chosen to disregard.

For 1807 there is NOT alot of good material out there. Same for 1806. Petre is the standard. After that there are a handful of works but not much in the way of the depth that Bowden covers a campaign.

The books by Hourtoulle are interesting but of course available in French. Short on history and long on pictures! Great for someone that likes the uniforms of the period.

I have picked up Robert Asprey's books on Napoloen. Two volumes. Good works.

Other books:

1813:
Nafziger - 3 volume set on the campaign. VERY detailed. Good OB info.
Bowden - Napoleon's Grand Armee of Germany
Michaele Leggiere - Napoleon and Berlin - all about Ney's failed attempt to take the Prussian capital.

1799:
Eagles over the Alps - Christopher Duffy
Good account of the Russian/Austrian campaign. The bio info on Suvarov is of great interest to Western readers. We read much of Kutusov but not as much of this ecentric commander.

1796-97:
The Road to Rivoli - Martin Boycott-Brown
(havent read through this one yet but its a good read so far)

I have a whole section of books on the 1809 campaign that I recommend which can be found in the Notes section of the Eckmuhl Campaign game. If you need I can send you the list by email.

Bill Peters
HPS Napoleonic Scenario Designer (Eckmuhl, Wagram and ... more to come)

[url="http://www.fireandmelee.net"]Fire and Melee Wargame site[/url]

Lt. Paviot,

Bill has given you an excellent bibliography for the various battles and campaigns. If you are interested in books which focus on the tactics and organization of the armies of the period, I would suggest:

<u>With Musket, Sword and Cannon: Battle Tactics of Napoleon and His Enemies</u>, by Brent Nosworthy - A magisterial work, but, alas, out of print and hard to find used.

<u>Tactics and the Experience of Battle in the Age of Napoleon</u> by Rory Muir (Yale University Press 1998) - A great, accessible summary of the tactics used by all arms that is generally available.

<u>The Bayonets of the Republic: Motivation and Tactics in the Army of Revolutionary France</u> by John A. Lynn (University of Illinois Press 1984; Westview Press 1996) - This a seminal work which explodes many of the myths about the tactics of the Revolutionary Armies (Yes, Virginia, the French did fight in line formation) and their evolution into the later, "Napoleonic" tactics.

<u>The Art of War of Revolutionary France: 1789-1802</u> by Paddy Griffith (Greenhill Books 1998) A comprehensive overview ranging from how the French learned to "make war pay for war" through their pillage, the composition and development of the French officer corps to the organization and tactics.

Although the latter two cover the Revolutionary rather than the Napoleonic period, you should bear in mind that both the tactics and units Napoleon used so effectively as Emperor were forged in the crucible of the Revolutionary Wars.

Happy reading[8D]!

Paco


<i>Maréchal</i> M. Francisco Palomo
<i>Prince d'Essling, Grande Duc d'Abrantes et
Comte de Marseille
Commandant - Division de Cavalerie de la Vieille Garde </i>

Olivier,

Check out some of these. Some have already been mentioned.

Allen, R., Threshold of Terror: The Last Hours of the Monarchy in the French Revolution, Sutton Publishing, 1999
Bowden, S. & Tarbox, C. Armies on the Danube 1809, Empire Games Press, 1980
Bryant, A., Years of Victory: 1802-1812 The Reprint Society, London, 1944
Chandler, D., The Campaigns of Napoleon Weidenfeld, London, 1993 (reprint)
Creswell, J., British Admirals of the Eighteenth Century: Tactics in Battle, George Allen & Unwin, London, 1972
Delderfield, R. F., Napoleon's Marshals, Stein and Day, 1962
Duffy, C., Borodino: Napoleon against Russia, 1812, Seeley, Service & Co., 1972
Duffy, C., Eagles Over the Alps: Suvorov in Italy and Switzerland, 1799, The Emperor's Press, Chicago, 1999
Fremont-Barnes, G., Essential Histories: The French Revolutionary Wars, Osprey Publishing, 2001
Glover, M., The Napoleonic Wars: an illustrated history 1792 - 1815, B. T. Batsford, London, 1979
Glover, M., The Peninsular War 1807 - 1814, David & Charles, Newton & Abbot, 1974
Guedalla, Philip, The Duke, Wordsworth Editions, 1997
Haythornthwaite, P. J. Napoleonic Weapons and Warfare: Napoleonic Cavalry Cassell & Co., London, 2001
Haythornthwaite, P. J. Napoleonic Weapons and Warfare: Napoleonic Infantry, Cassell & Co., London, B 2001
Haythornthwaite, P. J. The Napoleonic Source Book, Arms and Armour Press, 1990
Howarth, D., Waterloo: A Near Run Thing, Fontana Books, 1972
Howarth, D., Waterloo: The Official Guide of the Waterloo Committee, Pitkin Pictorials, Andover, 1988
Luvaas, J. (ed.), Napoleon on the Art of War, Simon & Schuster, London B, 1999
Nicolson, N., Napoleon 1812, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, 1985
Palmer, A., An Encyclopedia of Napoleon's Europe, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, 1984
Weller, J., Wellington in the Peninsula, Greenhill Books, London, 1999

OIner I forgot

Napoleon : A History of the Art of War. By Theodore A Dodge. A 4 volume set and he is quite detailed in his maps and Diagrams.

The book is well worth the cost but it is a very dry type of reading.

<center>
[img]</center>
<center>Monsieur le Marechal Baron John Corbin
Duc de Paive
Commanding the Division de Cavalerie de la Jeune Garde
NWC President</center>

OIner I forgot

Napoleon : A History of the Art of War. By Theodore A Dodge. A 4 volume set and he is quite detailed in his maps and Diagrams. Contains much info on army structure and tactics

The book is well worth the cost but it is a very dry type of reading.

<center>
[img]</center>
<center>Monsieur le Marechal Baron John Corbin
Duc de Paive
Commanding the Division de Cavalerie de la Jeune Garde
NWC President</center>

Hello all,

thanks a lot for your answers. It's far more than what I've initially expected. I now have to choose the good one among all you mentionned.

have a good day to all,[:)]

br,

Lt. Olivier Paviot
Armée du Nord - II Corps,
5ième Division, 2ième Brigade,
25ième Régiment de Ligne

Hi again, After spending some time reading the posts in detail, I'm going to follow Bill Peters and John Corbin advices about "The Campaigns of Napoleon" from David Chandler. Then, when I'm done with this first one (next year perhaps as 1000 pages and I'm not reading English as quick as French) I'll see for a more specific one about tactic or battle or ...

Thanks again.

[:)]