Some years ago, I came across a very interesting concept: a complete 3D map of the Balkans that fitted onto a tabletop and that one could fight the Balkan Wars on using 15mm figures. I cannot find out who developed this idea ... but as the following images indicate, it is brilliant!
If anyone has any information about this, please can they share it?
That looks fantastic Bob, but sadly I cannot help with information. Bob, do you have any suggestions for sources on the battles of the Balkan Wars? Not general history, but specifics on the battles? I looked a while ago when written Dominion of the Trenches but struggled to find maps of the actual battles etc.
ReplyDeleteSteve,
DeleteI agree; it looks fantastic and is obviously something that the builder took great pride and time to build.
Funnily enough, it seems easier to find maps of battlefields from the earlier Balkan Wars than those of the twentieth century. I'm sure that they must be out there somewhere ... but I have yet to find a reliable sources.
All the best,
Bob
Hi Bob,
ReplyDeleteWhat an extraordinary concept—a 3D map like that turns the entire theatre into an operational board game while keeping the tactical charm of miniature play. Fingers crossed someone in the blogosphere recognizes the layout and fills us in!
All the best, Andy
Andrew Bruce (Andy),
DeleteI must admit that I was very taken with this concept and have given serious thought to copying it If only I had the room and more time ...
All the best,
Bob
Haha, you and me both! Space and time are always in short supply when inspiration strikes like that.
DeleteAll the best, Andy
Andrew Bruce (Andy),
DeleteToo many ideas ... and never enough time!
All the best,
Bob
Mark has recommended Prelude to the First World War The Balkan Wars 1912-1913 by E. R. Hooton. Have you seen this book?
ReplyDeleteSteve,
DeleteI have a copy on my bookshelves and my kindle. I wasn't sure if this was the sort of resource that you were asking about, otherwise I would have recommended it myself.
All the best,
Bob
@Steve (as I believe the youngsters are styling it) the Hooton book and the very similarly titled The Balkan Wars 1912-1913 by Chris Hall are the standard military histories in English. Both are very servicible and easy enough to read. Your Balkan place names and locations recognition needs to be up to snuff, though. Neither has massive wargamer level detail of individual battles. Bloody Big Balkan Battles by Dr Konstantinos Travlos is a supplement for Chris Pringle's Bloody Big Battles rules. The supplement has some background and some biographical notes on generals (quite dry and academic) but is mainly 15 scenarios from the first and second wars. There are scales and force IDs so should be convertible. Covers about 80% of the main actions at a high level - several multi stand units representing brigades or divisions in each scenario.
ReplyDeleteCheers
Andrew
Rumblestrip (Andrew),
DeleteThanks for the suggestions. I have read both Hooton and Hall's books and they are - as you comment - very serviceable histories of the conflicts. I just wasn't sure how much detail Steve needed to help him write his next 'Dominion of ...' book.
I have not read Dr Konstantinos Travlos's book ... but it sounds as if I ought to! Another book to add to my 'must read; pile!
All the best,
Bob
On the Balkan wars, there's also e.g. a massive book of essays, M Hakan Yavuz & Isa Blumi, ed.s, "War and nationalism: the Balkan Wars, 1912-1913, and their socio-political implications" (Univ. of Utah Press, 2013), and Dominik Geppert, William Mulligan & Andreas Rose, ed.s, "The wars before the Great War: conflict and
Deleteinternational politics before the outbreak of the First World War" (CUP, 2016). Specifically on military aspects, Edward Erickson, "Defeat in detail: the Ottoman Army in the Balkans, 1912-1913" (Praeger, 2003). Colonel Erickson was once US defence attache in Ankara and knows the Turkish official histories; he's published a lot about the Ottoman military in the early 20th century. On naval aspects, Bernd Langensiepen & Ahmet Guleryuz, "The Ottoman steam navy 1828-1923" (Conway, 1995; has technical details of Ottoman ships, plus chronologies of their wars) and "‘Moudros 92’—‘Pavlos Melas 92’: for the 80 years since the First Balkan War of 1912" (International Commission of Military History, Greece, 1992) and Zisis Fotakis, "Greek naval strategy and policy, 1910-1919" (Routledge, 2005). Also, only just before the Balkan Wars but involving the same Ottoman players, Charles Stephenson, "A box of sand: the Italo-Ottoman war 1911-1912: the first land, sea and air war" (Tattered Flag, 2014). There's also a substantial literature on the Ottoman Empire's final decline, e.g. Sean McMeekin's "The Berlin-Baghdad Express: the Ottoman Empire and Germany’s bid for world power" (Harvard UP, 2010) and "The Ottoman endgame: war, revolution and the making of the modern Middle East, 1908-1923" (Allen Lane, 2015) and Michael Reynolds "Shattering empires: the clash and collapse of the Ottoman and Russian Empires 1908-1918" (CUP, 2011). Dr Reynolds' biography of Enver Pasha is due in a few months.
Toby E,
DeleteWow! That is an incredibly useful list of resources!
I have a copy of Bernd Langensiepen and Ahmet Guleryuz, THE OTTOMAN STEAM NAVY1828-1923 but none of the other books. I am sure that Steve - who is doing research for a new book of wargames set during the Balkan Wars - will find the sources you mention extremely helpful.
All the best,
Bob