All the Cool Kids are Doing It - A to Z Blogger Book Survey

If everyone else is doing it, then I'd better join in! (I can hear my mother saying "If Billy jumped off a cliff then would you do it too?") Everyone else? Well Conrad Kinch, Steve the Wargamer and Millsy just to name a few.

How can I not join in? I'm a librarian and so are several other people in my immediate family. Both my kids look like they're well on the way to become librarians, too. You can't get their noses out of books (except if the telly's on or if they've got a new app on the ipad! *sighs*)

So what is this survey, I hear you ask? Well, have a look at what the others have posted and stop asking silly questions! ;-)

Without further ado, on with the survey!

• Author you've read the most books from:

That would probably be George MacDonanld Fraser and his wonderful series starring my favourite anti-hero Flashman the cad. I discovered this series in my early 20's and hoovered up every episode in the Victorian era's arch-bounder. My historical interests up to that period were the ancient era and WW2, with sketchy knowledge of everything in between. Flashman not only entertained me, but educated me in some of the salient points of how the Empire was won, while bedding every willing lady and skewering Victorian hypocrisy (and saving his own skin and reputation!) along the way.

• Best sequel ever:

Richard Holmes' series of social/military history starting with Redcoat  

followed by Sahib, the history of the British soldier in India,

ending with Tommy, the history of the British soldier in the Great War 1914-1918.

• Currently reading:

All in Scarlet Uniform by Adrian Goldsworthy.

Goldsworthy is better known as an academic and author of non-fiction history of the ancient era. His other historical interest, though, is in the Napoleonic era. He has written a series of novels  set during the Peninsular War following the exploits of the junior officers of a fictional regiment, the 106th Foot. 

While not on a par with authors like Mallinson or O'Brien, his novels are definitely much more interesting and engaging than Cornwell's Sharpe series (cue howls of outrage!). Goldsworthy's characters aren't the one-dimensional cardboard cutouts of the Sharpe series, but there is a little too much exposition of the plot in general and grand strategy  in particular in the characters' conversation. One character in particular is turning out to enjoy espionage and through him the grand strategy of the campaign is explained. I find this the weakest element to what is otherwise an enjoyable, but not entirely satisfying series.

This one is based around the first siege of Ciudad Rodrigo and the Combat on the Coa.

Incomparable: Napoleon's 9th Light Infantry Regiment by Terry Crowdy

I bought this to read via my Kindle app on my phone.  It's probably not the best format to read it in as I find it difficult to find the time to read it. It's not the sort of thing you can dip in and out of like you can with a novel.

• Drink of choice whilst reading:

Tea or coffee while at home, water if I'm on the tram.

• E-reader or physical book:

I have the Kindle app on my phone (see above) which I think is great for indulging in my guilty vice; Zombie Literature! Some of it's surprisingly good, others complete dross. The dross usually only costs a couple of bucks, so I don't feel too bad about deleting them if I can't stomach the nauseating prose.

The picks of my Zombie lit on my Kindle app are:

Stretching the term e-reader to include audio books, I've enjoyed listening to the last couple of the Matthew Hervey series by Alan Mallinson while doing mundane and boring tasks like washing the dishes and other household chores. Listening to the fortunes of Hervey's career has made housework a pleasure!

• Fictional character you would probably have dated in high school:

I didn't say boo to a girl until I was about 17, and then it was only as a friend. I was incredibly shy as a boy (Aaaww! Isn't he precious?) and only came out of my shell as an adult.

I remember feeling great empathy towards Tess of the Durbervilles after first reading it for Year 12 English Lit. But after another couple of readings and analysing the text for a term, I was thoroughly sick of her passivity and was glad to be shot of her. A lot like many teenage romances I suspect!

• Glad you gave this book a chance:

The Great Duke by Arthur Bryant

This was one of the books I inherited from my grandfather's library after his death in the mid-nineties and was probably one of the books that switched me on to the Napoleonic period more than any other. It was my first introduction to The Beau's career in India, the Peninsular War and gave me a sense of context for Waterloo which I previously had no knowledge of except that it was Boney's last hurrah. What his first hurrah was I had no clue!

It was one of those books that you read which then sets you off to find more about other important personalities and events, which I am still doing to this day!

• Hidden book gem:

Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond

My in-laws gave this to me for my birthday the first year I was going out with my wife before we were married. I was a bit non-plussed, but gave it a go because I thought I'd better be able to talk about it next time I saw them (I'm a good son-in-law!). I surprised myself by thoroughly enjoying it. He makes a really good argument as to why the West came out on top when there were so many other cultures more advanced a lot earlier. It's just that the West was dealt the winning hand in terms of what Diamond determines as the essentials for success.

• Important moment in your book life:

The Greek Armies by Peter Connolly

I got this book when I was 9. It still holds pride of place in my collection along with Connolly's other books on the Roman Army, Hannibal and the Enemies of Rome, and Pompeii. My sister made me a complete hoplite panoply from cardboard and papier mache for my 10th birthday based on one of the illustrations in the book. It was a total surprise and one of the best birthday presents of my childhood!

Needless to say, this was one of the books that sparked a life long interest in military history!

Other seminal books in my youth were the Eagle of the Ninth and the sequels by Rosemary Sutcliffe, The Viking Trilogy by Henry Treece, including The Road to Miklagard.

• Just finished:

Send Me Safely Back Again by Adrian Goldsworthy

I received the latest two books in the series from my wife for my birthday. This one was set during the Talavera campaign.

• Kind of book you won't read:

Anything that really doesn't interest me. It might be worthy, but if I don't feel like reading it, I really can't be bothered. 

• Longest book you've read:

Technically not a single book, but it has to be the Song of Fire and Ice series by George RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR Martin (see, even his name is long!)

I finished the 3rd book suffering a little burnout and made the mistake of looking up the plotline on the web and saw that it just kept going on and On AND ON! I may come back to it at a later stage, or just wait to watch it on telly.

• Major book hangover because of disappointing endings:

See above. I really find it jarring that after all the effort put in reading about characters and their development over time, Mr. Martin just kills them off like that (*snaps fingers* [Sorry works better visually and audibly]). Investing all that time reading about Ned Stark, Robb Stark, Robert Baratheon, Renly Baratheon etc. etc. and then he just offs them without a by your leave! Although it was highly satisfying when Joffrey got what was coming. Never a character deserved an ending like our Joff!

• Number of bookcases you own:

Just one after moving house a couple of years ago, but it holds all the most important books!

• One book you've read multiple times:

Neuromancer by William Gibson

I loved the whole cyber-punk oeuvre of William Gibson, but this was the one that really grabbed me. His whole dark and morally ambivalent future really struck a chord with me in my early adult years and coming back to it was a strangely comforting experience!

• Preferred place to read:

At the breakfast table, on the tram to and from work, while walking from tram to work (I will probably die one day when a workman neglects to replace a man-hole cover!) and , most favourite, on the toilet (aah, solitude!).

• Quote that inspires you/gives you all the feels from a book you've read:

"But I am concerned with facts, and since many of them are discreditable to me, you can rest assured they are true."

Flashman, MacDonald Fraser, G., The Book Club, London 1969, p.11

• Reading regret:

That I haven't finished the Aubrey/Maturin series by Patrick O'Brien

• Series you started and need to finish:

See above

• Three of your all-time favorite books:

In no particular order:

• Unapologetic fanboy for:

George MacDonald Fraser and his incomparable creation, Flashman. I was bereft when I heard the news the author had died and left the remaining volumes of the Flashman Papers unfinished!

• Very excited for this release:

The Fallen by Charlie Higson

I read the first 4 in this series earlier this year. They are aimed at younger teenagers, but I loved them! In a Britain where everyone over the age of 14 has turned into crazed cannibalistic, lurching monsters, a group of kids try to survive in an apocalyptic London. The murderous adults aren't the only problem though!

This is the latest in the series and I suspect that it is also the last, as things seemed to be coming to a head in the last book.

• Worst bookish habit:

Borrowing a whole stack of books from work, have them sitting on my bedside table and then return them without having read more than the one on the top of the pile!

• X marks the spot - Start at the top left of your bookshelf and pick the 27th book:

• Your latest book purchase:

Does it count as a purchase if you rescued it from the library discard pile?

• Zzz snatcher book (the last book that kept you up waaay too late:)

I reckon it probably was The Enemy series by Charlie Higson of which The Fallen (see above) is latest installment.

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So there you have it, folks; looking back at this list it seems the overriding themes in Rosbif's literary life are military history and the Zombie apocalypse!

Funnily enough, I've started writing a story set in Spain during the Peninsular War which is best described as Goya's Disasters of War with with human-flesh eating monsters!

Confusion in Action - or; How to Give Cossacks a Free Hand!

The Cossacks in question!

I hosted a scenario for at the club last weekend for 5 players set in Deepest Russia. It was loosely based on the previous scenario loosely based (loosely!) on the Battle of Boyaca which I'd run previously. (See here for a reminder).

The premise was that the Russians guarding a strategic river crossing had sent out a reconnaissance in force to find out where the French were. To their consternation, the French were a lot closer than they expected, so a race developed to secure the river crossing and deny it to the other side.

I thought that for an exciting twist that forces would enter the board at random times and locations determined by dice rolls. First each player would roll to get their respective vanguard (up to a third of their total force) on the board. Then two turns after their vanguard enters the board, each player rolls for their main body and where it enters the board. A recipe for hijinks and pratfalls, I'm sure you'll agree!

As it was two French players vs. 3 Russians, Vana and I got to field 1500 points each while the Russians (Darren, Jim and Paul) had 1000 points each. I had made my list up for an even 2000 points on the off chance that another French player would join, but actually forgot to knock off the extra 500 points when deploying my main force, sorry Russians! (not that it actually helped me as you'll soon notice!)

The playing field: all sides of the board across the river, away from the camera were entry points for each player determined randomly by dice roll

Darren was first to successfully roll to enter the board with his hordes of Cossacks on the right side of the board as viewed in the picture above.

Close up of his lovely painting and basing style 

Vana's vanguard (it's got a nice ring, hasn't it?) enters the board from the opposite end from the objective

A couple of turns later, my vanguard enters on the left

Darren's cossacks sweep into the centre of the board to cut off any swift French advance on the river.

Paul's vanguard enters closest to the river crossing on the right hand side of the board. Note; the Opolchenie were promoted to Jaegers for the purposes of this game!

Jim's vanguard enters the board on my right flank which stymied my plans for racing to the river!

I was surprised at how quickly everyone got at least part of their force on the board. I was expecting the momentum to ebb and flow as the upper hand passed from one side to the other, but no-one really established themselves before the others got on the board. It'd be interesting to play this again and see how differently the sequence of events turns out.

With cossacks to the front and left and jaegers and artillery to my right, my vanguard was feeling a little boxed in!

Never fear! Vana's here!

Cossacks charged his flank.
Vana's infantry click their fingers, form square and yell particularly hurtful abuse until the cossacks run away.

My infantry move forward behind their light cavalry screen

The Italian 2nd Chasseurs make their debut!

They screened the limbered artillery and infantry while they moved up and provided a link with Vana's advancing light infantry.

My French chasseurs in echelon screening my infantry form the threat to the right.

Vana's infantry march on while his general keeps a weather eye on the cossacks in the background.

Jim unlimbers his guns...

...while his infantry form closed columns with their backs to the river!

Vana's the first to get his main force on the board! Unfortunately it was in the exactly the same spot his vanguard came on, the furthest away from the objective as possible!

He went for quality over quantity with a 12lb battery, dragoons and hussars as well as his elite and veteran infantry.

In a risky, but ballsy move, Vana deployed the battalion in square back into line, daring the cossacks to charge.

The remaining battalions of the regiment face the cossack threat to the front in closed column formation

The cossacks take the opportunity charge and close in on Vana's brave infantry line, who fire before contact and empty several saddles, sending the cossacks fleeing.

Vana's cavalry move forward to threaten the the flank of the mauled cossacks!

Meanwhile, the remainder of Vana's vanguard (so alliterative!) push on to the objective despite the continuing cossack threat.

Meanwhile, my guns unlimber and fire on the infantry square guarding Jim's artillery's flank

I was hoping to cause them enough damage to throw in the cavalry and sweep away the damaged square and get into the artillery. Probably wishful thinking, though! Dragoons or cuirassiers maybe. Chasseurs? Probably not!

General Ornano got his first Guernsey, too.

Whatever was going to happen, I needed to get my infantry into a position where they could bring weight to bear, so I formed up my regiment

Vana's impetuosity  comes back to haunt him as both Paul's and Jim's infantry form up to threaten his flanks!

The inevitable happened and after Paul charged Vana's flank and broke one battalion, a cascade of failed morale tests sent the rest of the regiment running, too! 

The high water mark: Vana's remaining battalions approaching the objective after the routing of the other battalion.

Then they joined their fellows routing to the rear!

At this stage, Darren rolled for his main body to enter the board; the rest of a whole cavalry division! This appeared next to where Vana's main force entered and threatened the rear of his newly arrived cavalry!

Darren's lancers charge Vana's dragoons. Vana only just managed to about face before the lancers were on top of him, and so met them at a standstill.

Paul's main body enter the board in Vana's flank and my rear!

The state of play: Vana's and my vanguard in the foreground; Vana's main body dispersed between the middle and rear of the picture; Darren's main body in the far right corner; and Paul's in the far left corner!

My vanguard facing Jim's, with Vana's remnants on my left, while Darren and Paul's vanguards hold the village

The complexion of the game changes when my (too large!) vanguard appears right behind Paul's vanguard and the objective!

Vana's dragoons got thumped in the flank after trying to extricate themselves from a 'damned if they do; damned if they don't' situation.

Then his hussars got a surprise from Darren's hussars. A charge up the rear! Ooo-er matron!

Run for your lives!

My Italian chasseurs double back to threaten Paul's flank...

...while my infantry charge Jim's guns. I misjudged the distance and ended up just in front of the battery! D'oh!

One battalion is broken in the ensuing barrage.

Paul pivoted his guns to see off Vana's broken hussars (Paul helpfully takes them off the board for Vana. Such a gent!)

Vana's penny packets of infantry distributed to block cossacks...

...and other cavalry. Note the guns in the background, though!

Vana's main body between a rock and a hard place! Paul's Russian line charges Vana's column just beyond the wods.

On the other flank, Jim's infantry advances boldly in closed column while Darren's dragoons lurk.

I unwisely pivoted the chasseurs, precipitating am opportunity charge by Darren's dragoons...

...with the following results! Chasseurs and guns lost and Velites pushed back on to their supports.

Back with my vanguard in front of the guns, I elected to charge the only battalion not directly facing the guns. I thought it was outside the arc of the guns' fire, but it wasn't! Casualties from the gun and the infantry caused a morale check I failed! If I'd charged the whole regiment, I might have spread the casualties and therefore survived any resulting morale test. Hindsight's wonderful!

On Jim's turn, artillery fire breaks two more battalions...

Run away!

...and the others soon follow!

Suddenly, the pressure's off Jim's vanguard!

After my main body cavalry debacle (see the background) I moved the remaining cavalry regiment (my Bavarians on debut) into Paul's artillery's flank

One of my brigades holding the centre.
One of the best photos of my troops in action IMHO! (you might notice a cropped version of this picture in the blog masthead)

Darren's dragoons charge again! The Velites keep running and the battalion nearest the threat fails to form square in time. Luckily, the next in line did!

The dragoons are brought up by my solid square, blown nad with 2 disorders.
They are isolated amongst a lot of angry infantry! Not a good place to be for cavalry!

In my next turn, I moved an infantry battalion into the dragoons' flank and fired. The cavalry's resulting morale test failed and they melted away like snow in spring!

The Bav Cav lick their lips at the flank target!

Curses! Darren's cossacks trot into MY flank to spoil the fun!

No matter; they unleashed carbine fire into the artillery's flanks causing them to flee the guns for the village. How very un-Russian of them! Meanwhile, the infantry in closed column in support block the enemy cavalry.

The rest of Darren's cossacks cause merry hell in the centre. Vana's infantry think they have the upper hand on the flank of one cossack unit, little realising they're about to be taken from the rear (ooo-er, matron! #2)

What I'd been gearing up for all this time was for an attack on the BUA occupied by Paul's vanguard. The pre-melee was completely flubbed as I rolled a 1 while Paul didn't! Good night Irene! Any chance of gaining the objective now was gone.

My vanguard was still active, though. Combined arms managed to get one of Paul's battalions running

Run away!

Back with the main body, the cossacks charged my Bavarians in the flank.
They fled before contact was made!

The cossacks continued on into the infantry who stood firm and repulsed their weak attack, while the artillery crews return to their guns

With Vana's commands either being crushed in a vice form all sides, or being picked off piecemeal, and my failed attack on the village, it was clearly a Russian victory.

All Vana and I had to look forward to now was the Emperor's displeasure and a command in Spain!