Osprey Fortress Series SC (2003) comic books 2004

Volume 15 - 1st printing. "Germany's West Wall!" Written by Neil Short. Art by Chris Taylor. The West Wall (or the Siegfried Line as the Allies called it) played a crucial role in the bitter fighting of 1944 and 1945 in North-West Europe. Constructed in the period immediately after the remilitarisation of the Rhineland in 1936, the Wall stretched for 300 miles from Cleve in the north to the Swiss Border and consisted of some 14,000 pillboxes. The Wall initially blunted the US attack, and Hitler used it as a foundation from which to launch the Ardennes Offensive. This title takes a detailed look at the development and form of this key fortification, examining the principles of its defence in visual depth, and discussing its fate in the wake of the Allied onslaught. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $18.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $7.00

Volume 16 - 1st printing. "The Fortifications of Malta 1530-1945!" Written by Charles Stephenson. Art by Steve Noon. The Island of Malta occupies a pivotal position in the Mediterranean, forming an outpost between North Africa and the soft underbelly of Europe. Such has been its strategic importance throughout the years that it has become one of the most fortified places in the world. Following the successful defence of the island during the Great Siege of 1565, the Knights Hospitaller built new walls and fortifications. These defences failed when Napoleon occupied Malta in 1798, and the island was retaken by the British in 1800. From this point onwards, Malta's defences were modernised throughout the 19th century and the island's final test came during World War II. This book examines all these different styles of fortification from the 16th to the 20th century. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $18.95.

Volume 17 - 1st printing. "Troy c. 1700–1250 BC!" Written by Nic Fields. Art by Donato Spedaliere. Hisarlik is a small place, a sandy stone strewn hillock cut up into gullies and hummocks. Yet its historical significance is immense, for this is the site of Troy - the legendary city whose story sprawls across cultures, time and geography. The tale of the siege of Troy is the greatest secular story ever told, and has captured the imagination of the Western World for some 3,000 years. Although there are many difficulties in using Greek myths, oral traditions and the Homeric epics to reconstruct the Trojan War, this title uses the latest archaeological evidence to reconstruct in detail the fortifications of Troy as well as making more general observations about the possible historical events behind the epics of Homer. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $18.95.

Volume 18 - 1st printing. "Norman Stone Castles Part 2!" Written by Christopher Gravett. Art by Adam Hook. Following the creation of the Duchy of Normandy, the Normans were soon introduced to the castle and they built them in large numbers. In the mid-11th century, other Norman adventurers began carving out dominions for themselves in Southern Italy: some crossed to Sicily in 1061 and by 1091 had conquered the whole island. As in Normandy, they were keen to assimilate new ideas, including architectural styles, resulting in some striking buildings. This title, a companion to Fortress 13: Norman Stone Castles (1) The British Isles 1066-1216, provides a detailed guide to the castles built in Normandy, Southern Italy and Sicily, covering defensive principles, daily life, the events of siege warfare, and the fate of the castles. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $18.95.

Volume 19 - 1st printing. "Crusader Castles of the Teutonic Knights Part 2!" Written by Stephen Turnbull. Art by Peter Dennis. The original forced conversion of pagan Livonia, what is now the Baltic states of Latvia and Estonia, was carried out by a military order known as the Brethren of the Sword. In 1236 this order was incorporated into the Teutonic Knights following a catastrophic military defeat. The knights had always consolidated their conquests through networks of castles and fortified places, and the Livonian Chapter of the Teutonic Order built castles of stone. This title covers the developmental and operational history of these fortresses over the length of the Middle Ages. It details how the Baltic fortifications of the Teutonic Knights evolved to reflect the changing nature of siege warfare and the increasing dominance of gunpowder in warfare. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $18.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $7.00

Add to cart Near Mint $7.00

Volume 20 - 1st printing. "British Home Defences 1940-45!" Written by Bernard Lowry. Art by Chris Taylor and Vincent Boulanger. In the summer of 1940, Britain asked itself not 'will Hitler invade?' but 'when?' SEALION, the German invasion plan, provoked the construction of pillboxes, coastal defences, heavy-gun emplacements and anti-aircraft batteries, as well as the formation of the Home Guard and covert groups. Later, new dangers replaced SEALION: radar detection systems were expanded during the Blitz years, as were intelligence-gathering systems and listening posts. From 1944, Britain was again faced with a deadly threat, Hitler's 'Vengeance weapons'. This title provides a concise assessment of Britain's defensive systems, and presents a vivid picture of war on the home front. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $18.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $7.00

Add to cart Near Mint $7.00

Volume 21 - 1st printing. "Crusader Castles in the Holy Land 1097-1192!" Written by David Nicolle. Art by Adam Hook. The Crusaders that landed in the Middle East in the late 11th century brought with them their own traditions of military architecture, but it was not long before their defensive construction began to reflect a broad array of local influences. Most early Crusader structures were relatively small, and tended to increase the existing natural and defensive features of a site. The basic forms comprised freestanding towers, castra, and hilltop and spur-castles, but urban centres, religious sites and rural dwellings were also fortified. From the 1160s, bigger, stronger and more expensive castles began to appear, in response to developments in Islamic siege weaponry. This title examines the early fortifications erected by the Crusaders in modern-day Israel, the Palestinian territories, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and south-eastern Turkey. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $18.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $7.00

Add to cart Near Mint $7.00

Volume 22 - 1st printing. "Mycenaean Citadels 1350-1200 B.C!" Written by Nic Fields. Art by Donato Spedaliere. Mycenaean society was constantly geared for battle and invasion. Their ‘cities' were heavy fortresses with unimaginably thick perimeter walls. Legendary sites such as Mycenae, Tiryns, Argos, Krisa, the Athenian Acropolis and Gla are all representative of their fortified citadels that dominated the Greek countryside for some 300 years until their sudden decline and abandonment around 1100 BC. This title describes the golden age of these fortifications; it details how these formidable structures were constructed and extended, as well as revealing the elaborate palace complexes built by the great Mycenaean warlords immortalised in the verses of Homer's Iliad. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $18.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $7.00

Volume 23 - 1st printing. "German Field Fortifications 1939-45!" Written by Gordon L Rottman. Art by Ian Palmer. The German Army of World War II considered itself an offensive, mobile force. The experiences in the trenches in World War I had done much to shape its concept of field fortification, and its mobile warfare ethos was intended to prevent the previous war's stalemate. This book addresses frontline defensive field fortifications, built by infantrymen using local materials, and includes rifle platoon positions, trenches, crew-served weapon positions, bunkers, dugouts, shelters and more. It also covers anti-tank and anti-personnel obstacles, as well as field camouflage methods and construction methods. The integration of these positions into permanent systems and theatre-specific defences are also discussed. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $18.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $7.00

Add to cart Near Mint $7.00

Volume 24 - 1st printing. "Fortifications of the Western Front 1914–18!" Written by Paddy Griffith. Art by Peter Dennis. Following the early battles of 1914 along the Marne and in the Ypres salient, World War I rapidly changed from a war of movement into one of attrition, with the opposing sides entrenching themselves in a line of fortified positions from the Flanders coastline to the Swiss border. This volume details the different styles of fortification used on the Western Front throughout the course of the war, from the early ditches of 1914 to the complicated systems of 1918. It explains the development of the 'defence in depth' German system and the British reaction to it, as well as illustrating the importance of the pre-war forts, particularly around Verdun. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $18.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $7.00

Add to cart Near Mint $7.00

Volume 25 - 1st printing. "The Walls of Constantinople AD 324-1453!" Written by Stephen Turnbull. Art by Peter Dennis. The walls of Constantinople are the greatest surviving example of European medieval military architecture in the world. They withstood numerous sieges until being finally overcome by the artillery of Mehmet the Conqueror in 1453, and exist today as a time capsule of Byzantine and Medieval history. This book examines the main defensive system protecting the landward side of the city, which consisted of three parallel walls about 5 miles long. The walls defended the city against intruders, including Attila the Hun, before finally being breached by European knights during the Fourth Crusade in 1204 and, ultimately, destroyed by Turkish artillery in 1453. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $18.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $7.00

Volume 26 - 1st printing. "Afghanistan Cave Complexes 1979-2004!" Written by Mir Bahmanyar. Art by Ian Palmer. Following the Soviet invasion in 1979, the Mujahideen defenders of Afghanistan developed and reinforced many natural cave systems to use as supply bases and defensive positions. The Taliban and Al Qaeda further strengthened these positions in the 1990s. Following the events of September 11, 2001, these cave systems have once more come to prominence and sites such as Tora Bora and Zhawar Kili have featured in news headlines around the world. This title provides an analysis of these caves and underground systems, and discusses the U.S.-led Coalition's tactical approach to dislodging the enemy from these fortified positions. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $18.95.

Volume 27 - 1st printing. "French Fortresses in North America 1535-1763!" Written by René Chartrand. Art by Donato Spedaliere. Following the discovery of America by Columbus in 1492, European colonists brought their system of fortification to the New World in an attempt to ensure their safety and consolidate their conquests. French and British explorers came later to North America, and thus the establishment of their sizeable settlements only got under way during the 17th century. The inhabitants of New France built elaborate fortifications to protect their towns and cities. This book provides a detailed examination of the defenses of four of them: Québec, Montréal and Louisbourg in Canada, and New Orleans in Louisiana. Softcover, 64 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $18.95.