Customer Reviews

Napoleon's Italian Troops (Men at Arms Series, 88)

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This was and is a great starter into looking at Italian and Neapolitan uniforms. The uniform plates are nice, but there are more indepth period plates available. Unit histories are brief and the Neapolitans get little to no treatment and what is said is with a definite bias. Uniform plates at the museum of San Martino can be viewed for the Neapolitan plates. An Italian publication reprint of first hand artist sources from 1850s is available from Sugarco Milano. The Italian General Staff publishes a full color publication (but expensive) on the Cisalpine republic, Lombard legion etc. A cheaper publication is also available. Use the Osprey title as a starter. Osprey will do better to replace the title with a several part treatment.

This excellent book tells you all you need to know about the Italian troops during the Napoleonic wars. The plates are excellent, as are the descriptions. It follows the Cisalpine republic, the Kingdom of Italy, and the Kingdom of Naples. There is also a very informative section that tells us what units fought where and when. A must for Napoleonic buffs and wargamers.

This is nice booklet on the Italian troops. Nevermind their battlefield performances, just admire the uniforms which are very nicely executed by Mike Chappell. That kettledrummer has to be seen to be fully appreciated. Murat had such great sartorial tastes!

I do have the book in my library,even owing to the fact that an ancestor of mine took part in tha capture of Barcelona while serving in Napoleon's Army.After the battle he was promoted one rank as all other surviving Neapolitan officers and NCO's as a tribute to the valour shown in this particular occasion.

The book is outdated and I belive the publisher should replace the cartoon-like features of the soldiers depicted,as they reflect obsolete and silly British stereotypes on the Italians and should find no place in a serious publication.