This article was originally posted on Woehammer back on 22nd October 2021.
This is a throwback to the first time Declan used Ironjawz at a GT with their new battletome in 3rd edition. Soon after this Declan went on a stunning run of GTs which saw him eventually compete at the HWG UK top 16 the following summer.
Star Trek Adventures by Modiphius Entertainment
A Guide for a GM looking to expand their stories in the Star Trek Adventures Galaxy.
Our friends at Modiphius have recently released a new book for their Star Trek: Adventures RPG. It’s their Exploration Guide, and they were kind enough to send us a copy for a read and a review. Thanks to them for supporting Woehammer!
Regular readers may be better acquainted with the wargames that Modiphius sell (and they’ve got more than a few including Fallout and Five Leagues from the Borderlands). But they also have an extensive range of RPGs (role playing games) including the Star Trek Adventures series – now going into it’s second edition.
Star Trek Adventures RPG provides the players and their GM with all the tools needed to play through Star Trek episodes (or ones of their own imagining). It uses the 2D20 system from Modiphius and it is great fun! I’ve loved Star Trek since The Next Generation, and my credentials go all the way back to joining and Star Trek society at university, so I’ve been a fan for a long time.
The Exploration Guide is a full colour, hardback book of 144 pages with a full colour double side map of the Alpha and Beta quadrants. It includes everything a GM needs to create their own missions on the strange new worlds which are present in the Star Trek galaxy.
As with most expansions there are some new character options, but where this book really shines is the creation of sectors, solar systems, planets and biomes. And if that sounds like a lot of potential you would be right.
Each section is beautifully illustrated (with artists credited… /cough), and with many, many tables for generating the next away mission.
And did I mention the tables… I love the tables. My RPG playing goes back to the days of Traveller, and I sometimes struggle with story telling when being a GM, so a table is great to prod me into action. Just remember to bring the D20s… no D6s here!
The majority of the book covers nine different Biomes from cave systems (complete with 60s polystyrene if you want), to deserts and everything in between. In each section there is a description of what our intrepid explorers might meet, the sub-types of biomes and potential threats and advantages of being there.
Of particular note here is that each section is crammed full of mission ideas and story hooks. For when you are struggling for inspiration.
So grab your GM, D20s and an exploration party and soon you may find yourselves in a Temperate Flower Forest, in the middle of a recent Burn Scar that has torn through a Glade. But remember the mission: There’s a distress call from deeper in the Forest.
And if I can do that in a few D20 rolls, imagine where it can take you!
The book costs £35, and as always, buy where you play; so check your local FLGS to see if they have a copy or can order in.
Alternatively check out Modiphius Entertainment’s own website.
If you are in the UK, you can find them at Dragonmeet at the end of November on stall D22.
This is a great book and a brilliant edition to a franchise I love… so it was always going to go down well. But the production quality, artist credits on the superb pictures and tables, tables, tables… have all combined to definitely convinced me it’s worth recommending.
So we give it 5 Woehammers!
And just in case you run other sci-fi RPGs or skirmish wargaming, and you’re looking for inspiration the solar system generation, and the biomes sections of this book are mostly rule agnostic and you could easily use this in another setting as an aide for idea generation.
Thanks again to Modiphius for providing us a copy to review.
— Declan and Eeyore
Battleforce boxes are back after their successes since 2020. These are a fantastic way to get into a new army or even add to an existing one, but what’s inside them and what is the saving?
Well Warhammer Community have announced that they are coming back for 2025!
(If you’re looking for the 2025 – Warhammer 40k – it is here!)
Prices in 2024 were around £150 each so with the October price rise, I expect these to be £160 each (update! £155 each). In the meantime I thought our readers would like to know the value of the toys… so see below against each box:
| Battleforce Boxset | Cost | RRP |
| Skaven – Skryre Warpswarm | £231.00 | £160.00 (Est) |
| Soulblight Gravelords – Lances of the Crimson Keep | £245.00 | £160.00 (Est) |
| Gloomspite Gitz – Dankhold Rampage | £229.50 | £160.00 (Est) |
| Slyvaneth – Outcast Spitegrove | £231.50 | £160.00 (Est) |
There’s good consistent value in each box, with Vordhai pusing the Soulblight Gravelords to the top of the pack. In fact Age of Sigmar is consistently better value than the 40k Battleforces based on RRP.
There’s a lot of big characters in here (except the Skaven), suggesting the boxes are aimed more at the ‘new army’ crowd… that said the Skaven one looks like a great expansion for Skaventide released last year.
It is a surprise to see no Stormcast here either, given they were in the box in 2024, but they have done one box per Grand Alliance so I guess that’s fair!
These are best ordered from your FLGS especially if they can get them in, and make a few pounds, dollars, euros from them in the expensive Christmas period.
Alternatively, if you regularly use Element Games, you can pick them up there… using our affiliate link (for which we receive a small contribution to the site)
So what do you get inside and how much would it cost you normally?
| Unit | Cost |
| Arch Warlock | £25.00 |
| 20 Stormvermin | £71.00 |
| Ratling Warpblaster | £35.50 |
| 3 Warplock Jezzails | £32.50 |
| 5 Acolyte Globardiers | £35.50 |
| Warpspark Weapon Battery | £31.50 |
| Total | £231.00 |
| RRP | £160.00(Est) |
| Saving | £71.00(Est) |
| Unit | Cost |
| Prince Vhordrai | £118.00 |
| 10 Blood Knights | £89.00 |
| 3 Fellbats | £38.00 |
| Total | £245.00 |
| RRP | £160.00(Est) |
| Saving | £85.00(Est) |
| Unit | Cost |
| Trugg, Troggoth King | £64.50 |
| Dankhold Troggboss | £49.50 |
| 6 Rockgut Troggoths | £80.00 |
| 3 Fellwater Troggoths | £35.50 |
| Total | £229.50 |
| RRP | £160.00(Est) |
| Saving | £69.50(Est) |
| Unit | Cost |
| Drycha Hamdreth | £40.00 |
| Spirit of Durthu | £49.50 |
| 15 Spite Revenants | £106.50 |
| 20 Dryads | £35.50 |
| Total | £231.50 |
| RRP | £160.00(Est) |
| Saving | £71.50(Est) |
— Declan & Eeyore
Battleforce boxes are back after their successes since 2020. These are a fantastic way to get into a new army or even add to an existing one, but what’s inside them and what is the saving?
Well Warhammer Community have announced that they are coming back for 2025!
(If you’re looking for the 2025 – Age of Sigmar – it is here!)
Prices in 2024 were around £150 each so with the October price rise, I expect these to be £160 each (Updare, they are £155 each). In the meantime I thought our readers would like to know the value of the toys… so see below against each box:
| Battleforce Boxset | Cost | RRP |
| Emperor’s Children – Blissbound Warband | £224.00 | £160.00 (Est) |
| Voltann – Cthonian Prospect | £227.50 | £160.00 (Est) |
| Tyranids – Crusher Stampede | £219.00 | £160.00 (Est) |
| T’au – Farsight Cadre | £211.00 | £160.00 (Est) |
| Space Marines – Iron Halo Strike Force | £223.50 | £160.00 (Est) |
| Chaos Space Marines Hellforged Warband | £217.50 | £160.00 (Est) |
| Astra Militarum – Krieg Siege Platoon | £204.00 | £160.00 (Est) |
There’s a range of value in each box with Krieg having the lowest value; which considering the Space Marines includes a half-set in theirs is a little disappointing.
Meanwhile the latest Daemon Primarch gets to bring along some of his mates, and the Tyranids leave all their little guys behind.
I may pick up the Astra Militarum, but it will definitely hurt my Woepoints pledge, and a lot depends on that final RRP which we will update when we know.
These are best ordered from your FLGS especially if they can get them in, and make a few pounds, dollars, euros from them in the expensive Christmas period.
Alternatively, if you regularly use Element Games, you can pick them up there… using our affiliate link (for which we receive a small contribution to the site)
So what do you get inside and how much would it cost you normally?
| Unit | Cost |
| Fulgrim, Deamon Primarch | £105.50 |
| 6 Flawless Blades | £76.00 |
| 6 Noise Marines | £42.50 |
| Total | £224.00 |
| RRP | £160.00(Est) |
| Saving | £64.00(Est) |
| Unit | Cost |
| Brokhyr Iron-master | £35.50 |
| Ironkin Assistant & 3 E-COGs | inc above |
| 3 Brokhyr Thunderkin | £38.00 |
| 2 Cthonian Earthshakers | £35.50 |
| 10 Cthonian Berserks | £80.00 |
| Kapricus Defender | £38.50 |
| Total | £227.50 |
| RRP | £160.00(Est) |
| Saving | £67.50(Est) |
| Unit | Cost |
| Neurotyrant & 2 Neuroloids | £69.50 |
| Screamer-Killer | inc above |
| Tyrannofex | £42.50 |
| Haruspex | £54.50 |
| Maleceptor | £52.50 |
| Total | £219.00 |
| RRP | £160.00(Est) |
| Saving | £59.00(Est) |
| Unit | Cost |
| Commander Farsight | £42.50 |
| Riptide Battlesuit | £74.00 |
| Broadside Battlesuit | £40.00 |
| 3 Crisis Battlesuits | £54.50 |
| 8 Drones | inc above |
| Total | £211.00 |
| RRP | £160.00(Est) |
| Saving | £51.00(Est) |
| Unit | Cost |
| Space Marine Captain | £27.00 |
| Company Heroes | £42.50 |
| 5 Sternguard Veterans | £40.00 |
| 5 Hellblasters | £20.00 |
| Ballistus Dreadnought | £44.50 |
| Redemptor Dreadnought | £49.50 |
| Total | £223.50 |
| RRP | £160.00(Est) |
| Saving | £63.50(Est) |
| Unit | Cost |
| Lord Discordant on Hellstalker | £49.50 |
| Venomcrawler | £49.50 |
| 2 Obliterators | inc above |
| 5 Havocs | £40.00 |
| 10 Legionaries | £42.50 |
| Chaos Rhino | £36.00 |
| Total | £217.50 |
| RRP | £160.00(Est) |
| Saving | £57.50(Est) |
| Unit | Cost |
| Lord Commissar | £29.50 |
| Krieg Command Squad | inc above |
| 20 Death Korps of Krieg | £65.00 |
| Combat Engineers (Team) | £29.50 |
| 2 Artillery Teams | £80.00 |
| Total | £204.00 |
| RRP | £160.00(Est) |
| Saving | £44.00(Est) |
— Declan & Eeyore
Woehammer Take ‘Tale of Four Gamers’ into the world of Legion Imperialis with a special guest star!
Legion Imperialis is a small scale (ie tiny models) where you can: “Play out huge, cinematic games set in the Horus Heresy, where the full might of the Space Marine Legions clashed in world-shattering internecine conflict.”
it is the spiritual successor to Titan Legions, Space Marine and Epic 40k.
In last month’s Tales of Four Gamers, I decided to grow the Solar Auxilia for Legions Imperialis. As these are small models the key for me was getting them on the table and strictly following the 3 foot rule (that is, the models need to look okay at 3 feet away!)
I wanted something that was easy and repeatable, and so I decided to keep a very limited painting pallet for my Solar Auxilia. So everything is undercoated in black, a very heavy drybrush of Leadbelcher, Mephiston Red, White (Game Color by AV), Talassar Blue, & Balthasar Gold.
And I followed the same logic for bases – Balthasar Gold, Mechanicus Standard Grey, Administratum Grey and Nuln Oil, with Abbadon Black base rims
The Solar Auxilia have lots of great tanks, which can often out-fight the tanks of the Space Marine legions… but I am going to stick with the infantry for a while. The infantry take time to paint, and – because of their size – I find them more difficult also.
So I will be painting a Solar Auxilia Infantry box (RRP £31.50) in August to keep going with the painting.
I also have a second deadline to work towards – I am joining a group of friends at Warhammer World in October, and have arra
nged a game of Legions Imperialis… so I’d best have some models ready. I work much better with deadlines, so I hope this will help.
— Declan and Eeyore
So my starting force is all painted up. It also includes a converted Sigismund at 10mm scale made by the awesome Mattie of LItbashing.
I recommend painting the minis on the sprue and then glueing them to the bases. Its far easier than building up a bade of models and then attempting to get a brush between them.
Based them all in chaos black spray and then gave them all a base coat of Averlund. I then drybrushed a little Yriel yellow and shaded with Agrax Earthshade before picking out details in Mephiston Red and Abaddon Black.
What’s Next?
I’ve some flyers I’ve got my eye on to provide some tasty air support for the next update. I also need to get my first game in with the starter set. So that’ll be on the agenda between now and next month’s update.
Dave is still deciding on which Legion to go with and his colour scheme. Helpfully we’ll hear from him next month.
When 10th edition Warhammer 40k was released, Peter told us what he would do with Orks in the new edition. Despite being a primarily Age of Sigmar site, this has proven to be a popular article and so (eventually) I am expanding the series.
We did do a Blood Angel 1,000 point army for 9th Edition, but this is a different opinion based on the changes in models and rules in 10th edition.
As with all these articles, there are some affiliate links for Element Games (UK) and Amazon (US) if you want to buy them. But Bricks and Mortar first! You’ll miss your FLGS if it shuts down.
Like the other boxes the Combat Patrol box is filled with goodies and makes for fantastic savings when you’re starting out in collecting an army for 40k. They are RRP of £100 (US/UK), but most FLGSs provide a discount on this.
Inside the box you get:
Blood Angel Captain (£26)
10 x Assault Intercessors (£40)
6 x Sanguinary Guard (£74)
Blood Angel Upgrade Sprue
That’s a total of £140 if you were buying these kits separately, meaning you get a saving of £40.00. Plus the upgrade sprue.
This is 490 points towards our target of 1,000 points.
To get the Blood Angels Starter Army to 1,000 points we’re going to add a few extra units that’ll give you something different to paint and increase your speed towards the enemy.
This gets us to 975 points, and if you are worried about Tactical Squads disappearing in a future edition just swap them out for an Intercessor Squad.
As everyone who buys from Games Workshop knows, once you’ve got the models you’ll need the Codex. For Space Marines that normally means two are required. And Blood Angels are no exception, so you’ll need Codex: Space Marines (UK/US), and Codex Supplement: Blood Angels (UK/US). Total £57.50 (Ouch!)
Total so far at RRP: £318.50 (not cheap, but remember this is Space Marines, and the second-hand market is worth looking at either locally or on Ebay)
This is the list I’ve come up with
HQ
Blood Angel Captain – 80 points
Troops
10 Tactical Marines – 140 points
10 Assault Intercessors – 150 points
Dedicated Transport
Rhino – 75 points
Other Datasheets
Baal Predator – 135 points
Dreadnought – 135 points
6 Sanguinary Guard – 260 points
975 points
An HQ choice is mandatory, included in the Combat Patrol, and gives you a nice model to lavish your new painting scheme on. Paint the Tactical Squad or Intercessors first to get a scheme you like though. Don’t expect miracles from him, but he’ll be able to attack smaller units and hold up larger ones.
Tactical squads are great for holding objectives, and their bolters can kill many opponents with low or limited saves. If you are concerned about the old armour disappearing in the near future, you can use Intercessor Squads for these instead.
Iconic Blood Angels (and included in the Combat Patrol box) these guys are great at assaulting the enemy and throwing out a volume of attacks. They can force the enemy to react by getting near them, but they are slow… so…
The Intercessors get a Dedicated transport to get them to the enemy quicker, and get killing sooner. Don’t expect it to survive a direct hit from Lascannons, but the speed here is essential to get the most out of the Intercessors.
Iconic! A close assault predator which will rip through enemy troops. Don’t expect it to hurt other tanks though so you need to be a little careful with deployment and moving. Keep it near the Rhino and you’ll be able to break through a lot of what will stand against you at 1,000 points.
Whilst I have chosen the ranged Dreadnought here to provide some anti-tank firepower, any Dreadnought can be used in this force. Ebay (UK/US) is a great place to pick up Dreadnoughts as they are often in starter sets. This is also a way to save some money.
6 Sanguinary Guard form your hammer. With their Jump Packs they will get to the enemy quickly alongside your Rhino and Baal Predator and their or spears can rip into the enemy on the charge.
Another iconic unit and another painting scheme to learn as well.
If expanding the Blood Angels Starter Army to 2,000 points I would definitely pick up another Combat Patrol box set, and augment the Sanguinary Guard with Jump Pack Assault Intercessors.
Another Iconic unit is the Death Company, and they are great if you want to try painting and highlighting black.
Alternatively, if you like the way the tanks play pick up a Land Raider Crusader as another transport vehicles and put the second unit of Assault Intercessors in it.
I hope you enjoyed this Blood Angels Starter Army article. How would you build a 1,000 point list from the Combat Patrol Box? There may well be aspects of the codex or units that I have not included that you think should be, so why not let us know in the comments below.
— Declan and Eeyore
Woehammer Take ‘Tale of Four Gamers’ into the world of Legion Imperialis with a special guest star!
We’re joined by Mattie from LItbashing for our new series of Tale of Four Gamers. Mattie is an incredibly talented hobbyist and I urge you to check out and subscribe to their YouTube channel, especially if you’re a fan of Legions Imperialis.
The rules of this ‘Tale’ are fairly simple, we all start with half of the starter set and build it up by 250pts every couple of months.
Legion Imperialis is a small scale (ie tiny models) where you can: “Play out huge, cinematic games set in the Horus Heresy, where the full might of the Space Marine Legions clashed in world-shattering internecine conflict.”
it is the spiritual successor to Titan Legions, Space Marine and Epic 40k.
When Peter told us he wanted to do a Tale of Four Gamers for Woehammer, I was happy to jump on board but the first decision was what to play. I love tiny models played over vast terrain (hence Warmaster), and so I suggested something under 10mm. Peter was kind enough to oblige and noted that he, Dave & I have unpainted starter sets for Legions Imperialis … which perfectly fit the bill. And when Mattie agreed to join us as our fourth gamer we were ready to go.
But what to paint. The starter set gave 2 options: Legions (Space Marines) or Solar Auxilia. I know Peter was going to do Space Marines, and I had already painted up mine as Blood Angels… but I needed something to spur me to start the Solar Auxilia. So here was that opportunity, and I volunteered to take the Solar Auxilia and paint them up.
The Legions Imperialis Starter Set comes crammed full of lots of toys.
And having decided to paint the Solar Auxilia I needed to decide on what colours to use.
With small models, I knew I wanted something simple, so I plan to use a very limited pallate for the models. The bases will be painted in the same way as my Blood Angels (Mechanicus Standard Grey, Balthasar Gold, Administratum Grey)… but how to paint the models?
The soldiers need to be painted on sprue to make it easier, so undercoat black (to hide any errors), and then heavy drybrush of Leadbelcher (to get the silver down). Colours would be provided by Balthasar Gold, Mephiston Red, and Game Colour White (because the Games Workshop whites are very chalky).
White and Red would be a challenge, but I want the army to stand out and be clearly visible when playing amongst terrain and so this fitted the bill perfectly.
Solar Auxilia Sub-Cohort (580 Pts)
Formation Strength: 33
Break Point: 17
HQ: Legate Commander – 1 Base (16 Pts)
Core: Auxilia Lasrifle Tercio – 4 Bases (30 Pts)
– 4 Auxilia with Flamers (24 Pts)
Core: Auxilia Lasrifle Tercio – 6 Bases (65 Pts)
– 4 Ogryn Charonites (30 Pts)
Support: Veletaris Storm Section – 4 Bases (40 Pts)
Vanguard: Aethon Heavy Sentinels – 4 Bases (35 Pts)
Battle Tank: Leman Russ Strike Squadron – 4 Tanks (175 Pts)
Battle Tank: Malcador Tank Squadron – 2 Tanks (165 Pts)
Unlike the Space Marines, the Solar Auxilia portion of the box can fit into 1 Sub Cohort – with a Command model spare.
This is a permanent fixture in the Games Workshop catalogue now, but it can be a bit difficult to get at FLGS. But do ask at your local FLGS or buy the models you want with our affiliate link with Element Games.
Army chosen, colour scheme ready, army list written, and box set bought – a good first month for Tale of Four Gamers. Next month I aim to have all this painted and be planning my next addition to the army.
— Declan and Eeyore
It took me quite a while to settle on an army I was happy with (as the others will attest to!) as I wanted an army that was aesthetically pleasing to me. I thought about a number of options, a homebrew Solar Auxilia group, Mechanicum, Alpha Legion, Iron Warriors… but eventually plumped for the Imperial Fists. I wanted something to stand out on the tabletop and painting yellow really appealed to me at this scale (yeah, I’m weird I know!).
It wouldn’t be the standard Imperial Fist scheme as I decided to have a little more black in there to break the scheme up a little more. So each marine would have a black backpack and their left pauldron in black as well. I’ve not decided on a battalion or company number yet, but I’m sure that’ll come to me in time.
Imperial Fists Demi-Company (337 Pts)
Formation Strength: 24
Break Point: 12
HQ: Legion Command – 1 Base (25 Pts)
Core: Legion Tactical Detachment – 4 Bases (62 Pts)
– Assault Marines (12 Pts)
– Legion Terminators (15 Pts)
Core: Legion Tactical Detachment – 6 Bases (65 Pts)
– Plasma Gun Squads (15 Pts)
– Missile Launcher Squads (15 Pts)
Support: Legion Dreadnought Talon – 4 Bases (70 Pts)
Light Armour: Predator Tanks – 3 Tanks (115 Pts)
Battle Tank Detachment
Legion Sicaran Squadron – 2 Tanks (105 Pts)
This is the Space Marine half of the Legions Imperialis Starter Set. It’s great value for money when you’re starting out, especially if you can split the box with a friend as there’s two roughly equal sized forces in the box. Ask at your local FLGS or our affiliate links with Element Games (£106.25), or Frontline Gaming ($178.50 USA). This is £125.00 RRP.
I’m a complete noob to Imperialis, though I did play Epic Space Marine, long, long ago. Back in those days, I had a Salamanders army, not because I had some great love for them. It was just the spray paint we had in the garage! Later, I expanded into Chaos, and they were all red for similar reasons.
Starting out in LI seems a bit daunting to me. The miniatures are very tiny for my ancient eyes, and I am pretty unfamiliar with the rules, too. I decided to start with Space Marines because I thought they had quite a fun looking range and just seemed quite cool.
I sold off the Solar Auxilia half to help fund more marines for later in the project, I realise I could have allies, but I fancy focusing on the Space Marines to start with.
What I have really struggled with is deciding which Space Marine faction to go for. Pete has chosen loyalists, so I decided I would go traitors to have some fun themed games in the future. Initially, I liked the idea of Alpha Legion, but it seemed that they might be a bit strong, and I wasn’t sure that they fit the way I wanted to play. I painted up some test models for Night Lords…… but found it hard to tell what they were at the small scale. I then thought about Iron Warriors, great adversaries for Pete’s Imperial Fists, but I baulked at the idea of painting teeny tiny hazard stripes.
So, looking back into the dim and distant past…. in third edition Warhammer 40000, I had a Word Bearer army (some pictured here rebased for Kill Team), and I have decided to recreate them in their Horus Heresy glory in LI scale.
Say what you like but the Word Bearers have some great character and great characters, and they are fantastic bad guys! All of my Word Bearers from that army were painted in the red associated with the Gal Vorbak in Horus Heresy, this recreation would be in the charcoal(ish?) grey but I intend to paint up some assault units in red and potentially do some minor conversions if I am feeling brave.
I have a lot to do for next month, I have ummed and aahed for quite some time, but now I have settled on a faction. I am feeling quite fired up for them !.
So, look out Pete, my Word Bearers are coming to save your soul!
Book 2 in Daniel Rawson series by Edward Marston
I am always on the lookout for my next ‘Sharpe’ series. And in my attempt to find one I have decided to go to the War of Spanish Succession. (Duke Marlborough, Blenheim, and battles against the French.) Our hero in this case is Daniel Rawson.
So onto a Book Review Drums of War by Edward Marston.
We come across our hero, Captain Rawson, deep inside the war-ravaged borders of Europe, as he fights alongside the brave and resolute Earl of Marlborough in defeating the, self-proclaimed, ‘invincible’ French army. Yet victory is short lived, blunted by the dissenting voices of the Dutch, who secretly seek to wrestle the power and life from Rawson’s compatriot, Marlborough. In these hostile and insecure times, Captain Rawson is called on to succeed in his biggest, most daring mission to the rescue of a celebrated tapestry-maker turned spy from inside the fortified Bastille – the pride of a despotic France.
Now alone behind enemy-lines, the undaunted Rawson must apply all his guile and wit in his rescuing of the renowned prisoner and his beautiful daughter, Amalia – a delicate girl to whom Rawson’s friendship soon blossoms into something more. However, unbeknownst to Rawson the French and Dutch have already combined to plot both the assassination of Marlborough and the reclaiming of his power. This time Europe is beginning to close in on him, and it will take all of his self-sacrifice, skill and sincerity to once again rescue the war and the army’s pride from out of the clutches of the betrayers.
Daniel Rawson is a Captain in the 24th Foot in the army of Duke Marlborough. Having been promoted from the ranks, Daniel’s ability to speak English, Dutch and French is invaluable. So he is sent to Paris to find the whereabouts of a Dutch spy.
He sneaks into Paris via the front door, finds the daughter of his target and moves her to a safe house… whilst falling in love with her – and vice-versa. He finds out her father is in the Bastille, and having determined there is nothing he can do, returns to the camp, attempts to rescue him.
If this is starting to feel unlikely, fear not. There is a second story throughout the book to keep our attention on the 24th Foot. A newly arrived drummer boy is being victimised by a Major. And he turns to Daniel to help him. This could be a perfect opportunity to bring the book down to earth. But because Daniel is sent to Paris he can’t do anything to save the drummer.
Upon escaping Paris, Daniel and his party and captured, promptly escape and return to the army. All in time to fight the Battle of Ramillies.
Daniel join’s the Duke’s closest advisors, is involved with a cavalry charge, and saves the Duke.
Oh dear… Daniel Rawson is there nothing you can’t do? And herein lies the problem. At no point in the book did he fail to do something he attempted. Sure he was ambushed… but escaped. That was the greatest bit of peril in the book. And that’s without the whole Bastille debacle.
The secondary story is also weak with a very unsatisfactory ending. I will try book three, but I don’t hold out a lot of hope given this book.
Check out the full list of Book Reviews we’ve done on Woehammer here
We always encourage people to shop at local bricks and mortar stores, but if your friendly local book store doesn’t have this available, we have a UK Amazon affiliate link & a USA Amazon affiliate link for which Woehammer receives a small commission.
— Declan & Eeyore
A non-fiction history of the middle east by James Barr
I often read non-fiction books on the commute to work (audio books), and until this year rarely reviewed them on Woehammer. But this year I’ve decided to include more non-Warhammer books on the basis that if I find a topic interesting, our readers may do so as well.
So onto a Book Review A Line in the Sand by James Barr.
Through a stellar cast of politicians, diplomats, spies and soldiers – including T.E. Lawrence, Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle – ‘A Line in the Sand’ tells the story of the short but crucial era when Britain and France ruled the Middle East.
During the first and second world war and the times immediately around those events France & Britain were still keen to maintain and expand their empires. And the Middle East offered them both something they wanted – control of land… and oil.
And so it was, that they agreed to divide the territory of the declining Ottoman Empire between them – by drawing straight lines on the maps and through desert. As most readers will guess & know… this did not go well.
James Barr guides us through this slice of history. He explains the tension between Britain and France between the wars. And guides the reader through the impact of the second world war and the change from rivals to allies. The strained relationship of De Gaulle and Churchill and the actions of TE Lawrence (of Arabia).
This is a tale that many in Britain and France will have heard before. But told here with first hand accounts, superb detail, and with a cadence and detail that keeps the reader interested and reading on.
Knowing where things are now politically in this region, adds a sense of poignancy to it and the reader can’t help but think ‘what if…?’
James Barr does a fantastic job here. He tells the stories and actions of all parties in the Middle East and none of the major countries come out of this well. From France & Britain and their arguments over the land and self-governance for the Arab locals, to the USA forcing the end of empire whilst building their own and financing Xionists in the region.
Great book, that answers some of the ‘whys’ behind the current political situations in the Middle East.
Check out the full list of Book Reviews we’ve done on Woehammer here
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— Declan & Eeyore
Book 22 in the Richard Bolitho series by Alexander Kent
I love Sharpe-esque novels (including Sharpe, Hornblower, Aubrey & Maturin et al), and I’m always on the lookout for new characters I can follow through similar adventures.
I came across this Alexander Kent book featuring his naval commander – Richard Bolitho. So Hornblower / Aubrey type character. Perhaps unfairly, I am starting with book 22, because it was the one I picked up. But I think these stories should stand alone, and a reader should be encouraged into the series from any of the books.
So onto a Book Review The Darkening Sea by Alexander Kent.
Soon after taking part in the dramatic capture of Martinique in the Caribbean, Vice-Admiral Sir Richard Bolitho is next despatched to the African coast to gather a flotilla and stop French attacks on British trade routes. But Bolitho must contend with more than Britain’s old enemy. He must also face the hatred of his flag captain and betrayal by a man he once counted on as his friend.
Richard Bolitho is now an Admiral in the Royal Navy and waiting for a ship and orders from the Admiralty. This allows him to spend some time on land with his mistress – Lady Catherine Somervell. (That is mistress in the technical sense of the time, not today). Lady Somervell is widowed and so can’t marry Bolitho, but they are in love.
Eventually he is given a new mission – in the deep Indian Ocean – and he must travel there with a small fleet. A political appointee as his flag lieutenant. A despot as the Captain of his ship. He has to navigate the difficult political issues that arise from him being in command of the fleet. But not his own flagship.
There is the expected climatic battle, but it is difficult to follow the action, as the author tries to include too many ships. It would have been better if there had been a map of this bit of the action.
Will Bolitho survive to return home to Lady Catherine? Or will be die as so many of his predecessors and contemporaries are?
Unfortunately, the book had a lot of prior knowledge required and expected and was difficult to get into. The first half of the book seemed to be just ‘fallout’ for the characters on the outcome of Book 21. Which seemed to be a shipwreck and/or a mutiny – I couldn’t really work it out. This meant also that the book spent a lot of time on land. I was hoping for more action at sea.
I may try a second entry in the series in the future. But for now I won’t be binge-reading the rest of the series.
Check out the full list of Book Reviews we’ve done on Woehammer here
We always encourage people to shop at local bricks and mortar stores, but if your friendly local book store doesn’t have this available, we have a UK Amazon affiliate link & a USA Amazon affiliate link for which Woehammer receives a small commission.
— Declan & Eeyore
