"Why no Osprey Friedland or Eylau?" Topic

I wonder why they have not covered these two epic battles in their Campaign Series? Any fellow Napoleonic fans out there? Please use Osprey's Suggest a Title option and let's get these published in 2018! Thanks

Why not just pickup Arnolds, "Napoleon's Triumph" or Hourtoulle's "From Eylau to Friedland," or Petre's "Napoleon's Campaign in Poland?"

I have them all. I would just like to see Osprey finish off the big Napoleonic battles.

Did either battle take place in WWII?

Does seem like a couple of big omissions.

Was either battle won by Wellington??

Yes, I have wondered about that. Fortunately, I got the ones I really wanted, so it is not a huge loss for me.

And no Wurttemburgers either ..

Presumably no one has approached them with a pitch. Like most publishers they only publish what people write – I don't think they sit there and look at the gaps in their range and say 'hmm we should get Mr X to write that …'So all they need is a military historian with a couple of years free time who is prepared to do all their own picture research and earn almost nothing for their efforts…

JasonAfrika

I think if you have Arnold's Crisis in the Snows and Napoleon's Triumph, you don't really need an Osprey version, other than for the colour uniforms plates, prints and maps. And as much as I love the Osprey books and own all the Napoleonic ones, other than the artwork. I doubt they would have given you much more, concerning Eylau and Friedland. Also, you can get the colour uniform plates and action prints in Hourtoulle's Histoire & Collections volume on Eylau and Friedland.

However, saying that, I think if Osprey considered producing some titles written by Arnold, covering those two titles, then that would be really great and sure to sell. They would compliment his own books on the actions. But, besides not knowing if Arnold would even consider writing them for Osprey, I think Osprey would have to be convinced they would sell. As Napoleonic enthusiasts we know that probably any Osprey title covering a Napoleonic battle or campaign would sell, well, at least to us anyway.

So I can well understand your disappointment with the lack of Ospreys covering certain actions. But we have to remember that their customers are not all Napoleonic Wars enthusiasts. And I was disappointed they did not consider separate titles covering the 1813 actions, such as Napoleon's brilliant victory at Dresden. Instead, that amazing action is placed, along with some smaller actions, within the Leipzig 1813 book.

Unfortunately, other than our purchasing power, we have no real say in what they publish or plan to publish and I am sure there are many battles members would like to see and could suggest to them. We can but live in hope.

I think if you have Arnold's Crisis in the Snows and Napoleon's Triumph, you don't really need an Osprey version, other than for the colour uniforms plates, prints and maps.

That is correct, they are both superior efforts and I can't wait until James finishes the 1806 book in order to complete the trilogy!

No Brits or Americans involved?

So all they need is a military historian with a couple of years free time who is prepared to do all their own picture research and earn almost nothing for their efforts…

And who is happy to practically hold the brush for an artist / all but draw the maps for the map-makers, both of whom will earn far more for the colour plates / maps than he will for writing the actual book.

If you want to write Napoleonic military history and expect to get paid substantial sums, then you are greatly mistaken.

Money isn't the object, or it shouldn't be because it isn't there to begin with.

I can think of other reasons to research and write and getting rich isn't one of them.

It is a good thing that historians want to write and publish on different subjects or we would all be in a hurt locker for reading material, etc.

In terms of being paid for all the work and effort authors put into their publications, the initial payment may well not be as high as one would expect, especially for all the work they undertake. However, if the same authors are members of the Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society or other such organisations, I believe they would receive a payment every year for each title published, which may, or may not, be quite a substantial sum.

But as others have pointed out, anyone considering researching, writing and publishing a historical title, should not be thinking of how much money they will make. And I an sure most of them don't do that but do it because that is what they want to do and they are dedicated to their project. They want to publish a book. And I think Osprey titles are a particular brand of publishing that is attractive and not expensive and might well be considered as an interesting challenge for the author.

All we have to do is convince Arnold (or another author) how great it would be if they wrote some Osprey titles. LOL