Product Description

From 1940 to 1943 North Africa saw the first major desert campaign by modern mechanised armies. The British, Italians, German Afrika Korps and US Army all addressed and learned from the special problems - human, logistical, mechanical and tactical - of the desert environment, most significantly fighting in a terrain empty of resources and offering little chance of concealment. Paddy Griffith traces the fast-learned development in armour, artillery and infantry tactics in this exceptional arena and illustrates them with references to the major engagements in the North African theatre, which involved some of the greatest tacticians of World War II in one of the pivotal theatres.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #33947 in Books
• Published on: 2008-04-10
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 64 pages

About the Author
Paddy Griffith is a freelance military historian based in Manchester. His groundbreaking books on low-level tactics include Forward Into Battle (1981 and 1990), Battle Tactics of the Civil War (1986) and Battle Tactics of the Western Front (1994). He has also written extensively on wargames, and is currently active in the South Manchester Tactical Society and in the Battlefields Trust.

Customer Reviews

British WW2 desert tactics
Unlike some of Osprey's other output this a very readable book thanks to style of the author who doesn't hold back on his opinions. This made the book a pleasure to read. In fact, the problem is that there isn't more as the Osprey format dictates few pages and lots of illustrations so it's easy to get through the whole book in a couple of hours. This space contraint means that this is more of a look at how British and Commonwealth tactics evolved between 1940 and 1943 in response to an already tactically fully-competent Africa Korps rather than a rounded look at all the armies in that theatre. After an excellent start to the book you get the impression of a hurried finish to fit in with the space left. Which is a shame as the author's style does leave you wanting more. Let's hope that Osprey commission a few more from Paddy in future.

Worth The cover Price
An all too brief treatment of the subject which provides a very concise, well written over-view for the hobbyist. It is further enlivened by some hilariously bitchy digs at the British tank experts Fuller and Liddell Hart.