New books from Pen & Sword

Allied Armoured Fighting Vehicles of the Second World War is first up, costing £16.99 with 250 photos in its 200 pages. Expert author Michael Green has compiled a full inventory of the armoured fighting vehicles developed and deployed by the Allied armies.

These include  the US Army’s M18 Hellcat and M36 Jackson, the British Archer and Achilles and the Soviets SU-85, SU-100 and SU-122 tank destroyers. There were self-propelled artillery vehicles provide indirect fire support. Examples of these were the British Bishop and Sexton, the US M7 Army Priest and The Red Army’s SU-152 Beast Slayer. For reconnaissance the Allies fielded armoured cars and scout cars such as the Daimler Dingo, the US M8 Greyhound and T17 Staghound, and the Russian BA-10, BA-20 and BA-64. AFVs such as the British full tracked Universal Carrier and US M3 halftracks were fitted with a range of weapon systems, such as mortars or machine guns. All these and many more AFVs are expertly described in words and captioned images in this comprehensive work which is the companion volume to the authors Allied Tanks of the Second World War.

Next, there’s Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (LSSAH) at War 1939–1945, which is £14.99 for 144 pages with 250 photos. SS Liebstandarte Adolf Hitler Div was one of the most effective and ruthless fighting formations of WW2. This elite division fought in all the major battles of the Eastern Front. With extensive text and many unpublished photographs with in-depth captions - the successful Images of War format - this book describes the Divisions fighting tactics, weapons and uniforms. It traces how the Division became an elite fighting unit both in offensive and defensive battles.

The Division is shown as it battled its way through Poland, the Low Countries, the Balkans and then on the Eastern Front, where it fought tenaciously for Kharkov and in the 1943 battle of Kursk. In 1944 it was deployed to Normandy before the carnage of the Falaise Pocket. Soon after it was back in action during the bitter winter fighting in the Ardennes, before returning to the Eastern Front where it was shifted from one disintegrating part of the front to another.

Take to the skies over Spain with the Condor Legion. At the start of the Spanish Civil War the nationalists sought help for their cause from Germany, following which volunteers from the German Air Force and Army formed what was called the Condor Legion. This force made a significant contribution to General Franco’s eventual victory and this included two experimental air units, known as VJ/88 and VB/88. The formers mission was to combat test the new monoplane fighters; the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and the Heinkel He112. The latter groups task was to test the new twin-engine, retractable undercarriage bombers; the Heinkel He 111, the fast Dornier Do 17 and the Junkers Ju 86.

The Heinkels made their combat debut on 9 March 1937, when they attacked Republican-held airfields in support of the Battle of Guadalajara. The Heinkel proved superior to the two other German medium bombers, being both faster and carrying a heavier bomb load. Likewise, the Messerschmitt Bf 109 was quickly found to be the better of the two fighters. Read all about it in The Experiment Units of Hitler’s Condor Legion, which costs £14.99.

Finally, there’s A Wargamer's Guide to The Anglo-Zulu War, which costs £12.99 in a 128-page paperback format. This is the first of an new series of guides for wargamers and covers one of the most famous campaigns in British military history, immortalized in the movie Zulu. It has an overview of events and advice on recreating them on the tabletop. There’s a simple analysis of forces involved, army organisation, tactics etc plus up-to-date advice on available rules as well as figures and terrain/buildings. Scenarios, both historical and generic, are included.

Go to www.pen-and-sword.co.uk for more information.