"The Peninsular War Atlas" Topic

I've just recieved my copy of Col. Nick Lipscombe's The Peninsular War Atlas, published by Osprey,delivered from the UK through the Book Depository, for $79 USD Aus post free.

Money well spent is my first assessment. The production quality is outstanding. It comes in a tough slip case, and all beautifully bound. Introductions by the Duke of Wellington and reknowned historian of Spain Prof Charles Esdaile are at pains to point out that the atlas does not simply track the campaigns and battles of the British and French Armies, but also attempts to redress the lack of coverage of the Spanish and Portuguese efforts in some British coverage.

The format is very much of the quality and format of the West Point Napoleonic Atlas, by Esposito and Elting, with the explanation on the left of the landscape format tome, and the map on the left. With Nick Lipscombe's 30 years service in the British Army, some of it spent attached to the Spanish Forces, I am confident that the detail and accuracy will also be of the same standard. The West Point atlas didn't cover this campaign in great detail because it was focussed on Napoleon's generalship, so only covers his brief intervention against Moore.

This publication also boasts several Appendix which are ORBATS and gun allocations for various snapshots of the campaign.

To give you some idea of the level of detail, whilst covering the whole campaign in its entirety, Bussaco is treated to 3 maps, one giving the overall operational picture at 1 inch to the mile, followed by two maps covering Reynier's and Ney's attacks at half that scale.

As a former sailor I'm thrilled to see the inclusion of the various naval commands included in the strategic level maps.

Given that this comes out of the Osprey stable, its perhaps not surprising that there is also one of their characteristic visuals part map part 3d imagery, but overall the format is very traditional and, to my mind, classy.

can only say the same wonderful book well worth the money!!!

Thanks for the review. This is something I'm now interested in.

Ted

Thanks, Sparker. I've had my eye on this book since its inception. Sounds like the next addition to my collection!

FYI to others -- AmazonUS is selling it for $47.25 USD with free shipping.

I appreciate the reccomendation. This is now on my must get list.

Rick

I ordered my copy from the Military Book Club; glad to here it was a good choice!

Regards,

J. P. Kelly

Oh, my. I think my credit card just got whiplash from clearing my wallet so quickly!

My napoleonics collection thanks you, sparker, though my wallet does not!

Excellent book, well presented, looks and feels like a quality product.

Mine was £27.50 GBP from Amazon UK

Unfortunately, I've only had chance for a quick scan through my mates copy that shipped to me at the same time, as the wife has hidden my one, "because its for Christmas"!

I shall be pointing this out when I'm being "anti-social" by reading it over the Festive period!

There was mention of a second atlas of the peninsular war published just now as well, Has anyone stumped up for both to make a copmparison?

I had just ordered it today based on Amazon.com's description and was hoping for the best. Good to hear it gets high marks here.

There was mention of a second atlas of the peninsular war published just now as well, Has anyone stumped up for both to make a copmparison?

An Atlas of the Peninsular War by Ian Robertson?

Haven't seen it but Lipscombe's book was a must buy as soon as I clapped eyes on it.

From what I know Robertson's is a more modest publication (size wise) but he's no fool on Peninsular matters.

£22.49 GBP at Amason UK if you want to find out. As that's pretty much what they knock off the price of Lipscombe's I'm not sure if I want to.

The Robertson Atlas is very clear and concise so is not as detailed as Lipscombe Atlas. It acts as an overview over the campaigns.

Stephen

Got my copy of Lipscombe's Atlas in the mail Tuesday… It's a beast. Heavy paper, decent OOBs, but very good tactical maps. Usually 25m contour lines, and he shows troop movements, siege battery positions, location of wall-breaches, etc…

The Spanish Ministry of Defense has published an Atlas:

Cartografia de la Guerra de la Independencia
A large volume with hundreds of contemporary battle-map and siege-map thumbnails and their bibliographical sources, and a DVD with all of them scanned
70 Euros = 17 Euros for postage.
Available at link

-Ned

Nice selection of maps but the resolution of the maps very disappointing.
Stephen

@summerfield: The Spanish ones, or the Lipscombe ones?

Now that I think about it, 25m is ~80 feet, which is a contour scale I'm used to on US topographical maps.

I would not recommend the Spanish map book. The resolution of the maps is about as poor as those that you get on the internet. As a historic catalogue it works but nothing really more.

Stephen

A lot depends on what you are looking for in an Atlas. As an historic catalogue with, say Library of Congress equivalent internet resolution it can have a lot of value for the price since it may contain material not found elsewhere. Its DVD has hundreds of map scans.
For example, a friend of mine purchased the rare Wyld's Atlas ten years ago for $3,000. USD It is physically a very large book (and thus difficult to scan). At least one map in Wyld is about 5 feet across, I think, and it appears that most if not all of the Wyld maps are on the DVD.No one is going to ever republish Wyld, so this Spanish book/DVD may be the next best thing.
-Ned

Dear Ned
The resolution of many of the maps is so poor that you cannot read the names. So much more could have been done to make this wonderful resource available.

Stephen

Stephen,
Reminds me of Google Books and the great number of great historical books they provide, only to fail to fold out and scan the maps! A lot of good, that should/could have been better. ;^)
– Ned

Dear Ned
Yes I agree. At least the maps are shown in full unlike Google books. Fine that is what we have to put up with as it is a free resource at present. However there are a number of print on demand producers that print straight from google with all the imperfections. Alas I have a number of their appalling products and have cost me quite dear.

I have nothing against the Spanish Map book other than why have so poor a resolution on maps. The book is arranged as a thumbnail catalogue form. This is understandable as to the number of maps.

Stephen

Stephen,
I realize the book itself has "thumbnails pictures", and one would then use the DVD to examine the maps of interest. To clarify, am I correct to assume that you are saying that it is the map resolutions on the included DVD you find inadequate, or are you only saying that the thumbnail photos in the book itself are too poor to use without going to the DVD?
Thanks,
Ned

Dear Ned
It is the resolution of the maps on the DVD that are inadequate. They are only marginally better than the thumbnails in the book.

Stephen

>>@summerfield: The Spanish ones, or the Lipscombe ones?<<

Yes, I fear the original focus of this thread (Lipscombe's "The Peninsular War Atlas") has been somewhat muddied by the accidental (unintentional, I believe) redirecting of the thread towards a different title altogether.

Nearly put me off pursuing the purchase of Lipscombe's work for a few moments. I've been wondering since my purchase, in the late 60s, of the "West Point Atlas of the Napoleonic Wars", why someone has never done equal justice to the Peninsular.

Looks like Mr Lipscombe has done so…

Dear Cheriton
Lipscombe Atlas does not come with a DVD and it is to that we are dicussing. It is not a criticsm of the Lipscome Atlas. I fail to understand the confusion.

Stephen

>>I fail to understand the confusion.<<

Mine alone, I'm afraid…

Cheers

Dear Cheriton
Not a problem. All three books are Atlas of the Peninsular War. Each have their merits.

Stephen

@Cheriton: now I may need to go look up the West Point Atlas… have to see if the University library has one in stock.

I'd been confused by summerfield's comment about the map resolution, since the Lipscombe Atlas maps are about as detailed as the USGS maps I plan vacations and hunting trips with. That's why I asked for clarification.

Now, back to the painting of minis for the battle of Fuentes de Onoro, 5 May 1811!

Lion in the Stars, summerfield et al:

Received my copy of Lipscombe yesterday (2 days from Amazon at free postage no less). All I can say is it nearly brought tears to my eyes.

I can't remember a similar sense of exhilaration since such as Chandler's Napoleon, the West Point Atlases, etc., began arriving on my shelves decades ago.

Quite definitely the most rewarding book purchase in recent memory.

Dear Cheriton
I am very pleased that you are happy. It was a much needed addition. This made up for the disappointment over the Spanish Atlas produced by the Spanish Ministry of Defence that has a DVD in the back. I have not criticised the Lipscombe Atlas which is a breath of fresh air to the complexicities of the Peninsular War.
Stephen

I received my copy 2 days ago and I think it is a great book and the value for such a book is outstanding.

I really hope they do something like the invasion of Russia or the 1809 Campaign

I'm not into the Peninsular war, but will order the Lipscombe atlas as it sounds like I would regret not owning it in the future, maybe it will be one of those books like the Bowden books or Savory's Britannic book or Chandler's Campagnes.

>>will order the Lipscombe atlas as it sounds like I would regret not owning it in the future<<

Very good thinking, IMHO.

I too have the book, and I absolutely endorse all the praise it's receiving – but I do have one minor issue. The French and Spanish are depicted by markers thinly outlined in blue and black. That's fine, but the colors are remarkably close to one another, and it can be a little confusing to distinguish whether it's a French or a Spanish command on some of the maps. But I hate to sound critical of such an otherwise outstanding and exceptional work.

npm

I've now had chance to view An Atlas of the Peninsular War by Ian Robertson.

As I thought, not a fair comparison with Lipscombe's work and obviously not intended to be. Less than half the physical size and around a quarter of the thickness.

Never the less very well produced with clear text and full page maps that are very similar in style and appearance to the ones in Lipscombe. I personally found the text font a bit on the small side but they are trying to get a lot in!

All in all an excellent little book but there in lies the problem. Its a little book and Lipscombe is a door stop (in size.

As Amason have seen fit to price them within £3.00 GBP of each other I can't see a case for buying both and if its an 'either/or' Roberston goes down in the first!

A shame really, the irony is Lipscombe is thanked in the 'Acknowledgments' !

I've received my copy of Lipscombe.

I'm pleased but I do agree that color choices for the French & Spanish should have been more contrasting.

I may have tor treat myself for Chrimbo….

Dear Sparker

It sounds a must have title. You mentioned the Spanish side of the Peninsular War. Does it contains maps of the 1811 French vs Spanish battles of Gebora or Sanguntum (not the sieges)?

It has 2 maps on Battle of Saguntum – 'Opening Engagement' and 'Spanish Collapse' and 1 map of the Battle of Gevora.

Wonderful book, beautifully produced!

Hi Beersheba

Thanks for that. Much appreciated. Now I really am tempted. Now I just need to sort out which bill I can ignore.