"WRG Armies of the Dark Ages - any good?" Topic

I'm thinking of picking this up as I have next to no knowledge of this period. However it's nearly thirty years old now and I was wondering if it's still considered accurate.
Cheers

Still the best single source for wargamers IMHO.Can't say much in it is out of date really, only (perhaps) different views on the Anglo-Saxon use of cavalry but Heath's views are still considered mainstream.

Pics stillg good………….wouldn't sell my copy!

You got me thinking… Armies and Enemies of Rome was the only book I am lacking (and only because it was loaned out!) so I called and ordered it right now! They're all so handy that it's good to have them on hand for basic reading.

Why is the Feudal book so rare, not printed or whatever?

Lots of useful stuff in there despite it's age, however, some of the Byzantine and Arab stuff is a bit ropey these days IMO.

As useful a basic reference for a lot of history as you are likely to find.

The Dark Ages book is good – it has aged very well, so to speak. Definitely worth picking up.

mashrewba: The Feudal book has been OOP for quite awhile now. I just saw one go for about $75 USD on eBay a few days ago. I've got both editions (different info. in them). Paid $70 USD for one, got the other for only $20 USD at a yard sale (woo hoo!). And no, they're not for sale. They're too precioussssss.

Nearly thirty years!!!

God – where has the time gone? I bought this when it first came out. You'fe making me feel really old now!

A definate must have reference.

Despite it's age, this is still a really good purchase in my opinion. If there's one specific army you're interested in researching, you can probably find more recently published research elsewhere, but Ian Heath's book presents a good overview of lots of different armies in this period -and that sounds like what you're after?

If you're not sure which Dark ages armies you wish to collect before reading this book, chances are you'll have decided by the time you've finished reading.

Thanks very much everybody. Looks like a must have so I'll be picking it up.

Paid $70 USD USD for one, got the other for only $20 USD USD at a yard sale (woo hoo!).

Yeah, I have most of the WRG books. With some patience you can get most of the OOP ones for around $20. USD Heck, I even saw a copy of the extremely-hard-to-find Armies of the Ancient Near East (AANE) go for around $30 USD recently. Didn't bid on it because I didn't think had a chance, but when I checked on it again that night the final sale price had not budged from that morning. Weird are the ways of eBay.

It's useful, but the problem becomes how to determine what's accurate and what's now in question. IMO ADA is at its most useful these days when you already have lots of other references.

But that said, for casual reference, or for European armies (as opposed to steppe nomads and near eastern forces) it's still quite good, probably the best single source for the wargamer; Heath is still hard to beat even after 30+ years.

IIRC, there were two versions of Armies of the Dark Ages. One had a green top and bottom and the other later had the traditional cover. I had both but sold the earlier version. I have had mine since 1979 era. So if you can get it, it would be great to get and keep.

Its good, but dated.

Don't forget their was a limited Hardcover copy of this book.
Correct me if im wrong for this thread the series of books were as follows:
Armies and Enemies of the Near East
Armies and Enemies of Ancient China (lost 4x bids in 5 years for this hard to get book!)
Armies and Enemies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars ( I need to get this one again)
Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome
Armies and Enemies of the Dark Ages
Armies and Enemies of Feudal Europe (I need to find A COPY OF THIS OOP)
Armies and Enemies of the Crusades
Armies and Enemies of the Middle Ages 2 Volumes.

Does anyone know of any others?

This book is great for some reference history for some.
IF you can find this book you should get it.

Your list is missing Armies of the Greek and Persian Wars by Richard Nelson.

The Greer Chinese book is wildly inaccurate – one for book collectors only.

If by the "series of books" you mean to include army studies by WRG, there's also "From Pike to Shot," a book about the late 17th to early 18th Century. Sort of oddly laid-out, or at least quite different from the other WRG books, the plurality of which were written by Ian Heath, although the two Nigels and Duncan Head used the same layout.

The Greer book actually has some useful stuff in it, but it's true that it's largely fanciful.

I am surprised that the Feudal Europe book is so rare, and irritated with myself because I got a copy for free when the library here threw theirs away (though ex-library it was in fairly good condition with plastic covers etc.), but I think, because I was running out of space, I put my copy in an oxfam book bin…

sauron808,

I have two old fashioned ones (I think I still have them…) that are not on your list. Phil Barker wrote one on Armies of the Macedonian Wars, inferior in content to the later Duncan Head one, and their was a similar older version of the Ancient Armies of the Near East by Alan Buttery, also not as good as the later one.

Your list also misses "Warefleets of Antiquity" by Richard Neslon – on of the main influenses on the Avlon Hill Game Trireme.

For some strange reason I seem to have the hard backed edition of Armies of the Dark Ages.