All four of the Combat titles scheduled for 2025 publication are strong subjects that I’ve planned to cover for some time, but I think the one that intrigues me most is Robbie MacNiven’s take on the crucial battles between Hessian and Continental troops in the closing months of 1776, scheduled for November publication.
In the book, Robbie examines the two sides’ origins, doctrine, organization and motivations before assessing their effectiveness in the battles of White Plains, Fort Washington and Trenton. These three clashes reveal the rapidly evolving nature of the fighting in late 1776, as both sides had to cope not only with the dangers of combat and the rigours of campaign life, but also with the added hardships of winter.
I’m keen to see how Marco Capparoni interprets these actions for the artwork plates, which will be the Combat Series’ customary mix of figure views and battlescenes. This will be the third time that Robbie and Marco have worked together for Osprey, and I am looking forward to seeing the results.
CBT 80 Roman Soldier vs Dacian Warrior: Dacian Wars AD 85–106
By Murray Dahm
27/02/2025
Fully illustrated, this book assesses the Roman and Dacian fighting men who clashed in three bloody encounters during the Dacian Wars of AD 85–106.
While the Roman emperor Trajan’s two campaigns against the Dacian people (AD 101–02 and 105–06) are widely known, the earlier conflicts between the Dacians and their Roman neighbours are also important. Drawing upon the latest research and findings, this fully illustrated study investigates the emperor Domitian’s Dacian war (AD 86–88) as well as Trajan’s campaigns.
Inhabiting an area of Europe from the Tisza River to the Black Sea, the Dacians mounted raids into Roman territory throughout the 1st century AD. In 85 Dacian forces invaded Roman territory; after defeating the invaders, the Roman Army moved into Dacia. Distracted by other crises, Domitian made peace and Dacia became a client kingdom of Rome.
In AD 101, the emperor Trajan launched a pre-emptive strike on Dacia, prompting the Dacians to sue for peace in 102. In 105, Trajan’s troops commenced a new campaign; the Romans besieged the Dacian capital, Sarmizegetusa. After the Dacian king committed suicide, a new Roman province of Dacia was established.
Featuring specially commissioned full-colour artwork and mapping, this study pits the might of the Roman Army against the formidable Dacians, showing how the fighting men of both sides adapted their tactics and technologies as the fighting progressed.
CBT 82 Caesarian Legionary vs Pompeian Legionary: Rome’s Civil War 49–45 BC
By William Horsted
17/07/2025
This absorbing book assesses the troops fighting for Caesar and Pompey in the context of three major battles of the Roman Civil War.
Triggered by the tensions surrounding Julius Caesar’s return to Rome from Gaul, the civil war that broke out in 49 BC convulsed the Roman world. Commanders and troops loyal to Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, known as Pompey, confronted those following Caesar in a series of brutal battles across the Mediterranean, from Hispania to Greece.
In this fully illustrated study, William Horsted assesses the similarities and differences between the evolving Caesarian and Pompeian armies, which included not only Roman legions but also auxiliaries from Gaul, Numidia and elsewhere. Even after Pompey’s defeat at Pharsalus (48 BC) and his subsequent death in Egypt, the conflict continued, with Pompey’s relatives and followers continuing the fight until 45 BC. The two armies are examined in the context of three major clashes of the conflict: Dyrrachium (48 BC) in present-day Albania; Thapsus (46 BC) in modern Tunisia; and Munda (45 BC) in Spain.
CBT 81 Fallschirmjäger vs US Soldier: Saint-Lô 1944
By Frank Baldwin
28/08/2025
Written by an authority on the Normandy battle, this book examines the battles between German airborne troops and US Army forces in July 1944.
For six weeks in the summer of 1944, US forces tasked with capturing the vital road hub of Saint-Lô in Normandy struggled to make progress amid the bocage – hedgerow country interspersed with marshland, where infantry would have to do most of the fighting. The Germans deployed some of their toughest infantrymen, the renowned Fallschirmjäger – highly motivated, well-equipped Luftwaffe volunteers formed around cadres of veterans – to defend this sector. Despite the American superiority in terms of armour, aircraft and materiel, the US infantrymen would need to evict the Germans in an exhausting series of close-quarter battles.
Featuring expert analysis, carefully chosen photographs and newly commissioned artwork, this book compares the combatants’ ethos, doctrine and training and assesses their performance during three key engagements: the German raid on Mont Castre (July 6/7); the brutal struggle for Hill 192 (July 11–13); and the climactic battles for Saint-Lô (July 11–21).
Continental Soldier vs Hessian Soldier: American Revolution 1775–83
By Robbie MacNiven
20/11/2025
This study reveals the important roles played by German troops and commanders fighting on both sides during the American Revolution.
During the American Revolutionary War, the British Crown deployed hired German troops alongside British regulars, Loyalist units, and First Nations allies in its efforts to defeat the Patriots. Facing a steep learning curve, the newly established Continental Army – some of the soldiers in its ranks also German-speakers, notably those from Pennsylvania – faced these stolid professionals hailing from Hessen-Cassel, Braunschweig, and other German principalities in a host of battles, first in the North and latterly in the South. Featuring all-new artwork and mapping, archive illustrations, and insightful analysis, this study assesses both sides’ combat effectiveness during three critical months of fighting in late 1776.
At White Plains, New York (October 28, 1776), Hessian troops spearheaded a Crown Forces attack on Continental forces; slow-moving but determined, the disciplined Germans turned the Patriot flank and forced the Continentals to withdraw in good order. At Fort Washington, New York (November 16, 1776), the Crown Forces inflicted a demoralizing defeat on their opponents, with the Hessians taking the surrender of the Continental garrison. At Trenton, New Jersey (December 26, 1776), the Continentals at bay, exhibiting daring and aggressive tactics, crossed the Delaware and surprised and defeated a complacent Hessian garrison consisting of three regiments. These three actions reveal the gruelling impact of the American Revolutionary War on both sides, as Patriots fighting to secure an independent future for their land faced the Crown’s hired professionals.
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