Toys for Big kids

I saw this at the weekend. Is it wrong to want one? And for more figures including the SS Major and the US Marine Sergeant click here.

Osprey’s Royal Seal of Approval

One of the nicest parts of working at Osprey is reading the positive reviews of the books upon which you have worked – it’s a really nice feeling to know that the effort you put into a project was really...

Getting the right cover

There was a bit of online controversy about the initial cover for Duel 10 M3 Medium Tank vs Panzer III. As many Osprey fans pointed out the artwork wasn’t quite accurate. Well actually it wasn’t accurate at all - but...

For Goat-lovers everywhere

For those of you concerned about Goats being mistreated by the Royal Navy in the UK I can confirm that they are now safe. The Ministry of Defence has announced they will no longer be using them aboard submarines. For...

Lego turns 50

This week was the 50th anniversary of Lego, the building blocks which kept many of us occupied for hours on end while we were growing up. I know Lego is not the most obvious subject for a post on a...

The Polish Bear Attacks (Literally)

Something lighter for the weekend - the story of a bear who served in the Second World War. A possible title for Osprey... Warrior 197: Killer Bears of the Polish Army 1939-45? Or would it be better suited to the...

Alcohol, Violence and America

There is a story in my family that when my great-great-great grandfather marched off to join the ranks of the Confederate Army, his wife set up a still on the farm and sent her husband regular shipments of liquid courage....

Russia and Japan still at War!

One of the facets of military history that I personally find fascinating are the numerous small conflicts that occur from time to time around the globe. One of these small conflicts barely crept onto newspaper pages recently – that over...

Rapid Fire Weapons for Children

Every morning, the kids get to watch a bit of TV and for the last week, one advert keeps catching my eye. It is for the Rapid Fire mobile assault vehicle, which is suitable for eight-year-olds apparently. This kid's toy...

Weird War: Legend of the Tarheels

During the American Civil War, many Confederate units were poorly equipped, and one of the items they commonly lacked was shoes. Although there is no historical evidence, there is a legend that some of the North Carolina troops coated the...

Weird War: Death on the Privy

On a recent holiday to Slovenia, I got the chance to visit Predjama Castle near the town of Postonja. Constructed inside a shallow cave halfway up a sheer cliff-face, the castle is one of the most impressive defensive structures I...

Weird War: Shaka made the Zulus dance

There are many stories of the brutality and ruthlessness of the Zulu warrior-king Shaka, and a few of them might even be true. During his rise to power in the first quarter of the nineteenth century, Shaka introduced a new...

Weird War: Island of Open Graves

When the 78 Marines of the US V Amphibious Scout Company landed on the Apamama islands, they discovered their enemy lying dead in the bottom of open graves. Apamama is a group of six tiny islands lying some 75 miles...