"Can someone recommend a book on the 30 years war?" Topic

100% newb on this topic. Preferable something that is easier to read, and has a good focus on the military actions, and preferably in print.

thanks a lot guys!
~Joe

Oh and one more thing, a book thats a good intro/primer to armies and warfare in the period? nothing too heavy
thanks

The one from the Osprey "Essential Histories" series is probably a good intro that meets your needs.

More in-depth books would be Wilson's "Europe's Tragedy – A New History of the Thirty Years War" and Wedgewood's "The Thirty Years War".

Both are quite thick books that give a lot of detail about the political, social and religious context of the war, with some detail about the major battles.

The book you describe hasn't been written in English.

Second the recommendations for Wilson and Wedgewood.

Bear in the mid that this was a very long, complex and bloody war and we still live the ramifications to this day.

Wedgewood's probably the best, but as stated above, a real comprehensive work doesn't exist in English.

Daniel S has debunked a lot of what Guthrie writes, but it's a great read focusing on the battles and armies. At the time I thought I was reading the definitive book on the subject esp at the steep price I payed for it. If you could find one "cheap" I'd recommend it still bc there's not much else in English.

you could by the gmt games on the thirty years war and read their playbooks. they have brief writing on the battles and the order of battles.

Check out "The devil's plaground" from the Warlord Games. It's a supplement for their "Pike and Shot" system. It focuses on 30YW, gives you history and lots of illustrations. You don't need "Pike and Shot" to enjoy this book for history, tactics and uniforms of that period. Perfect for the beginner, IMHO.

I tried reading Wedgewood, and feel it is not a good introduction to the topic. It presupposes geographic and political knowledge on the part of the reader-- knowledge which a good introduction should provide. I'd go with the Osprey, as they will give you a basic, limited, understanding of the time.

For (ultra) light I second the Osprey and the Warlord book.

Wilson is probably the best English book on the subject, but certainly not an easy read.

I think you should start with the Osprey. It's a good overview. Wilson is awesome. It's not a difficult read, but quite lengthy. It makes you realize how much more could be said. I couldn't get into Wedgewood myself.

I'd also recommend C V Wedgwood. ..really accessible read.

Wow didn't expect so many replies this fast, thanks a million guys. I'll be off to the book store this evening!

Wedgewood was the set book for my A Level History …

Daniel S has debunked a lot of what Guthrie writes

JTipp68 – who is Daniel S and can you shed any more light on this comment. I have read one of the Guthries and loved it. So would like to know more of the counter view.

Thanks

I was just about to ask teh same question – have Guthries volumes on my wish list for years waiting for them to drop to something affordable…

rct75001- "Daniel S" is a frequent contributor here, who is much more familiar with the original German and Swedish sources for the 30 YW than most (any?) of the rest of us.

TMP link is an earlier TMP thread on 30 YW books which gives a flavour of some of his disagreements with what Guthrie has written. There are plenty of others in the Renaissance boards!

I really enjoyed Geoffrey Parker's "The Thirty Years War", by the way, still not completely up to date (almost 20 years old) but more modern than Wedgwood.

The GMT playbooks for the Pike and Shot series are the better place to tactical information. They used more German and Swedish sources so correct many of the problems of Gunthier. The Osprey books is a good light intro.

I would start with the Osprey Essential History on the subject.
It is a fine introduction.

And as a second buy, I would suggest "The Devils Playground" from Warlord Games.

I'm still plowing through Wilsons "Europe's Tragedy – A New History of the Thirty Years War" on my Kindle.

I'm about three weeks down that line.

It is an incredibly complicated story but I don't see much in the book to help a wargamer.

I have just finished Wilson. It was a free Kindle download. From a wargaming perspective its main use would be in providing background for a campaign as it details the religious, social and political drivers of the war. Hard going because it is detailed. It has brief accounts of the major actions and some maps showing the approaches and deployments for those battles. Remember we don't actually know as much as we would like about units and orders of battle.

Although not a TYW book Cromwell's war machine has a good overview of the development of tactics in Western Europe.

you can read Schillers book, but I do not think it has much that a wargamer could use after reading some of it. but a good read on politics of the thirty years war. its free download on some sites i got it free from kindle don't know if it is free anymore