Louis XV's Army (5) : Colonial and Naval Troops (Men-At-Arms Series, 313) (Paperback)

by Rene Chartrand (Author), Eugene Leliepvre (Illustrator) "In 1715, when the infant Louis XV became king, France had a sizeable overseas empire in America, Africa and Asia..." (more)
Key Phrases: blue coat with red cuffs, gold hat lace, buff waistbelt, West Indies, French East India Company, New France (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
In 1715 France had a sizeable overseas empire in America, Africa and Asia. These colonies were garrisoned by thousands of regular officers and soldiers who belonged to the Navy's colonial establishment or by the French East India Company's troops. These troops are not usually covered in histories of the French forces. Yet, since the end of the 17th century, they saw considerable action against the enemy overseas. Much of the information presented by René Chartrand in this last volume in a series of five [Men-at-Arms 296, 302, 304, 308 & 313], is entirely new and abstracted from considerable historical data.

From the Publisher
Packed with specially commissioned artwork, maps and diagrams, the Men-at-Arms series is an unrivalled illustrated reference on the history, organisation, uniforms and equipment of the world's military forces, past and present.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing; illustrated edition edition (March 9, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1855327090
• ISBN-13: 978-1855327092
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.1 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,020,285 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating Series, October 24, 2006

By	James - See all my reviews

This review is from: Louis XV's Army (1) : Cavalry & Dragoons (Men-At-Arms Series, 296) (Paperback)

All five books in this series are magnificent. What makes them great is that they are not in the usual Osprey fashion. Their is no chronology of dates at the begging taking up space; Chartrand jumps right in with organization details, tactics, equipment, armament, and each regiments uniform distinction as it changed through Louis XV reign. The plates are outstanding. Usually for Osprey their only three figures per plate. Not here, 5 and more a plate. With that number it's not cluttered and doesn't detract from the detail. On a last note, I will never have to buy anything else to help me paint my Seven Year War French figures.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very informative, November 9, 2006

By	David M. Ely (Perry, MI USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book provides a lot of information about French Colonial and Naval troops that would be very hard to find anywhere else. A must read for any French and Indain War New France reenactors.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A La Hussard!, July 21, 2000

By	Kevin F. Kiley - See all my reviews

This review is from: Louis XV's Army (4) Light Troops & Specialists (Men-At-Arms Series, 308) (Paperback)

This is an interesting, highly accurate work, as are all of Rene Chartrand's books, which covers a period not usually well-covered, or covered at all. The addition of Maitre Eugene Leliepvre's lively, accurate, and colorful artwork only adds to the value and accuracy.

The early history of French light troops is one of trial and error, fits and starts, that tried to catch up to the excellent light troops of the Austrian army that so troubled the French throughout the early and mid eighteenth century. Here in all their Gallic splendor are the regiments of foreign born hussars, dragoons, uhlans, and whatever else the imaginative, energetic, and not always efficient soldiers thought up to raise and send into the fire in central Europe.

Told in a descriptive and accurate fashion, the book is a must for every afficionado of the period. It is also a very good introduction for the later Revolutionary and Napoleonic periods where the French light troops came into their own and began to dominate battlefields.

The addition of Eugene Leliepvre's superb artwork is a definite plus for the book, and ensures it will be used for years to come. This book belongs on the shelf of every enthusiast of this period and the later Napoleonic and revolutionary periods.