"FIW resource suggestions please! " Topic

Hello TMPers,

I am in the beginning of my FIW project for Muskets and Tomahawks. Like many people, i get more interested in the history as the project goes on (in this case i found the rules first).

So I would like some suggestions to learn about the FIW. all i really know is that it was between the british and french, with the Indians in the middle, all started by George Washington. I'm looking for general history and good fiction (for period flavor) versus really specific and intricate stuff.

I'm looking for movies and books. i have so far:
"Last of the Mohicans" (of course), movie and read the novel.
"the war that made America" a mini series done by PBS that i got from the library this week. I start that this weekend. There's a book by the same title that I'll probably get as well.

Other than that I would love some suggestions. this will fuel me and keep my interest up as i plow through 400 points of Bristish and French, plus civilians, and plus some terrain.

Thanks for your suggestions!

Started by George Washington???

Watch the movie "Black Robe."

Read "Crucible of War" by Fred Anderson and "The Scratch of a Pen" by Calloway.

Empires Collide by Osprey (HB ISBN: 1-84603-089-7. Lots of beautiful color pictures of maps, battlefields and combatants. The history in the book is also well written and easy to follow. IMHO, the best "one book" starter I could find.

v/r
Tom

What 79thPA said. I can't do better.

Started by George Washington???

Well he didn't exactly start it, but he was in command of the British force that ambushed the French at the Battle of Jumonville Glen in 1754. Since Britain and France were not then at war, the event had international repercussions, and was a contributing factor in the start of the Seven Years' War.

I'll second Tom Dye's recommendation of Empires Collide. Very comprehensive.

Jim

Osprey's Wolfe's Army isn't bad for a short history.

I have about 50+ links and several free ebooks if thats any help?
Dunno how to get them to you, can list the ebooks and maybe you can find them on amazon or other sites like I did?

Read some of Allan Eckert's books books like the Frontiersman or Wilderness Empire which covers the FIW. Great stuff!.

I heartily endorse "Crucible of War."

I enthusiastically third "Crucible of War" and Fred Anderson's condensed book you already mentioned, "The War That Made America".

I would love to see Robert Leckie's book "A Few Acres of Snow" on the nook; it covers earlier conflicts in N. America, not just FIW.

For additional media, look for Canadian history videos.

Thanks everyone!

the bit about GW starting the FIW was supposed to be tongue in cheek.

watch List:
the PBS series i mentioned
"the Black robe."

books ordered (some as audio books to "read" in the car)
Crucible of war
The scratch of the pen

on wait list:
Empires collide.

@Truscott Trotter; YES! if you dont'mind listing the ebooks (or just the good ones) and I will do the rest if that is not too much work for you. Then the rest of the forum can benefit.

Also TT, i think you and I are on all the same forums, as I see that profile name most places I go on the internet while I am goofing off at work. We must have the same great taste.

-Stew

Hi Stew
I can email you the list of links – I cannot do pm here but can do on the M&T forum
I tried to copy the ebooks but cannot do so so here is a short list of some of the ones I likes (BTW I have read all the Eckhart series too good fun)
The Amazon ones are
The French and Indian War: Seven Years of Conflict – Henry Roberts
The French and Indian War – Colonel Red Reeder
Tomahawk and Musket French and Indian Raids in the Ohio Valley 1758 – Rene Chartrand
Free ebooks (most from Uni of California)
THE FALL OF NEW FRANCE 1755-1760 GERALD E. HART
Bouquet's Expedition Against the Ohio Indians, IN 17 64.
THE HISTORY OF ROGERS RANGERS VOLUME I
THE BEGINNINGS JAN 1755'APRIL 6, 1758 By BURT GARFIELD LOESCHER
+ about 10 more

If you haven't locked on figures yet, absolutely look into Blue Moon Manufacturing's French and Indian War figures in 15/18 mm. Affordable and pretty much all you'll need for all sides plus buildings, native habitats, and canoes.

You have a pretty good list above of what is available. Sad that it is such a short list. I've found that once you've read four or five books on the period, there isn't much else to know. If you can find it, get a copy of Highlanders And Habitants – not just a set of rules, many scenarios and other information (flags and uniform painting guides).

If you can find the first few episodes of the podcast Wartime with Brady Crytzer, it is definitely worth listening to. More modern histories of the are starting to really view the indian nations as separate entities, which makes the whole period a lot more intriguing. It becomes more than France vs England, but a more complicated political game, with the indians playing some tricks of their own, which end up triggering a world war. The series The War That Made America touches on this to, and you can watch it on youtube: YouTube link

I've got a list of links to some public domain FIW books:

link

Goodness knows whether they still work. Haven't updated that blog in yonks.

Thanks Adam – they were the ebooks I was referring to covers most of the ones I have

thanks again everyone. i appreciate the extra effort from TT and Adam. i bookmarked the link.

i am enjoying the PBS series. i always get a kick when the actors break the fourth wall and talk to the camera. : )
i like seeing the uniforms / dress as a sort of painting guide.

i also picked up the audio book version of the series, as i can 'read' it more quickly on my commute.

i've already started now on my miniatures because of the resources.

I started with a box of Conquest French and Indians then a few months later had finished painting 70 Redoubt & Perry figures, absolute joy to paint