Choose a favourite book...

[Sean Clark]

Choose your favourite book that ties into any of the RFCM rule books...one that inspires you to get the figures out and play.

Here are some of mine...

Longships = The latest Uhtred novel from B. Cornwell.
Washingtons Army = Almost a Miracle
Bloody Barons = The Hollow Crown by Dan Jones
Square Bashing = First Day of the Somme by Martin Middlebrook
Western = Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown
PBI = A Bridge Too Far by Cornelius Ryan
Civil War Battles = the Shelby Foote trilogy
Bayonets and Idealology = The Spanish Civil War by A. Beevor
Regiment of Foote = Gods Fury, England's Fire by Michael Braddick

[martin goddard]

That latest Uthred book got me to get the vikings out today and play a game . Luckily I won.
The Beevor book encourages me to slap the legs of the whole republican cause for their lack of co operation, guile, political sense and planning.
Shelby Foote is not very funny though. Remember him on the Ken Burns series.
I will try to get the other books you mention. Hope they are on audio book.

[John Watson]

Couldn't agree more Sean on A Bridge Too Far (the best war non fiction book ever written in my opinion) and Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee (I read most of it with a lump in my throat). I don't know the others though.
I would say for Vikings "Blood Feud" by Richard Fletcher.
For ECW Austin Woolrych's book from the British Battles paperback series - "Battles of the English Civil War."
For AWI Mark Urban's "Fusilier."
For Samurai James Clavell's "Shogun" (but more so the film "Kagemucha")
For SB Russian Civil War "Dr Zhivago" Boris Pasternak

[martin goddard]

Dr Zhivago.  Great film too.

[Sean Clark]

The Kuresawa films, Kagemusha and Ran are brilliant inspiration for some Saurai gaming.

[Colonel Kilgore]

I would second the Kurosawa films and Shogun for Samurai; Blood Feud and Uhtred for Vikings, and Beevor for the Spanish Civil War.

I'd add both "Band of Brothers" (the book and the TV series) and Crete (by Beevor) for PBI. And, if we're including films, The Longest Day too.

For Vietnam, the Six Silent Men series is very good.

[Sean Clark]

Oooh...not heard of the Six Silent Men. I'll check it out.

[Colonel Kilgore]

Oooh...not heard of the Six Silent Men. I'll check it out.

They're actually about the  LRP Rangers of the 101st Airborne (from different perspectives) and not strictly the same level of action as covered by the RFCM rules, but great for atmosphere. And, within the normal limits of an autobiography, it's all true.

[Leman (Andy)]

The Confederacy's Last Hurrah by Wiley Sword and the novel Shiloh (can't remember author) got me into the western theatre of the ACW. Generally, though, it isn't books that get me into a wargames period.

[Colonel Kilgore]

Generally, though, it isn't books that get me into a wargames period.

Andy - this obviously begs the question of "so what does?". For me, it can be a nice range of models or a fun set of rules.

Answers on a postcard, please!

[Leman (Andy)]

Rules and films generally. The FPW which is one of my favourite periods was actually inspired by Kannik's Military Uniforms. In most cases I am drawn to a period that 'looks' interesting and then buy books on it to gain more depth.

[Smiley Miley 66]

Red Storm Rising by Tom Clancy (and Larry Bond)
The best Cold War novel ever written.
Great book based on a simple idea:
If Russia had to get most of their fuel from other sources how would they archive it ?
What happens if you take Iceland out of the War ?
That would make a great wargaming scenario?
That's how the book is written.
Miles

[Colonel Kilgore]

That is indeed a great book, Miles.

Scarily believable too, the way things slid into madness...

[Leman (Andy)]

No, I am not going to mention this country's current trajectory.

[Colonel Kilgore]

No, I am not going to mention this country's current trajectory.

... which would probably be deemed too far-fetched for fiction.

I am tempted by John Le Carre's latest, which is apparently very topical.