Can anyone recommend this book (Or not)?

wrongway149

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Yo my dudes!

I am considering some scenarios on this campaign, and there isn't a whole lot of research material on it.

Sadly I no longer buy war books (or any books, really) just to have books so if anyone has read this and thinks it will be good scenario research material -- gimme a thumbs up or thumbs down.

When the Odds Were Even: The Vosges... book by Keith Bonn (thriftbooks.com)

Thanks!

Pete
 

M Faulkner

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Yo my dudes!

I am considering some scenarios on this campaign, and there isn't a whole lot of research material on it.

Sadly I no longer buy war books (or any books, really) just to have books so if anyone has read this and thinks it will be good scenario research material -- gimme a thumbs up or thumbs down.

When the Odds Were Even: The Vosges... book by Keith Bonn (thriftbooks.com)

Thanks!

Pete
I have that book and read it many years ago. At the time, I thought it was good.
 

Eagle4ty

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An oldie and goodie. When I was an instructor for OCS and NCO education in the state here, we used to use the book (and Company Commander by MacDonald) to help teach leadership and tactical principals. As Jwil2020 said, get the paperback, it's worth the money by far.
 

Alan Hume

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I know I have a copy somewhere but I've never read it, maybe I should dig it out now
 

Tesgora

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Yo my dudes!

I am considering some scenarios on this campaign, and there isn't a whole lot of research material on it.

Sadly I no longer buy war books (or any books, really) just to have books so if anyone has read this and thinks it will be good scenario research material -- gimme a thumbs up or thumbs down.

When the Odds Were Even: The Vosges... book by Keith Bonn (thriftbooks.com)

Thanks!

Pete
Hello Pete,

Definitely, a good military history book. Part of a trend at the time (1994) to rectify the view that considered the US Army performance against the German Army as poor. From an ASL scenario perspective, you will get the general context and the identification of the main units fighting on both sides. However, not much tactical accounts or detail, you would need to complement this book with possibly the US divisional histories to further flesh out scenarios.
 

Jwil2020

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Part of a trend at the time (1994) to rectify the view that considered the US Army performance against the German Army as poor.
This assessment, prevalent in the first few decades after the war, was the reason John Hill decided to give American 1st line infantry a 6ML in his original SL ca. 1977. A perspective that now has, IMO, been seriously challenged, if not outright refuted, by recent scholarship.

I ordered a copy (still waiting) out of curiosity to see how the author addresses this issue.
 

chris_olden

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Pete, it's a good/interesting read. My hardback copy is ancient now.
Definitely recommend it.
 

Faded 8-1

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I have When The Odds Weren't Even: How Faded Lost His Money in Vegas.

I don't recommend it.
 

wrongway149

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Pete, it's a good/interesting read. My hardback copy is ancient now.
Definitely recommend it.

So far I like it . It gives all the important info to start a scenario without too much extra. Lotta punch for a small book.

You will definitely see some scenarios.

Are there even any scenarios involving the US 103rd Infantry Division yet?
 

stuh42asl

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People at the rate they are switching books to electronic form. I would buy the history books..Electronics constantly change, books if taken care of can last for generations.
 

Alan Hume

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People at the rate they are switching books to electronic form. I would buy the history books..Electronics constantly change, books if taken care of can last for generations.
I have to admit that I have pretty much no choice these days but to opt for the Kindle version of a book as I have totally ran out of space for buying any new books. It's a case of one book in, one book out
 

von Marwitz

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People at the rate they are switching books to electronic form. I would buy the history books..Electronics constantly change, books if taken care of can last for generations.
I have to admit that I have pretty much no choice these days but to opt for the Kindle version of a book as I have totally ran out of space for buying any new books. It's a case of one book in, one book out
For me, electronic "books" are not an option. They are not books.

Besides, the 'marginal cost' for the file is zero. Yet, electronic "books" are only insignificantly less expensive than the printed matter. In other words - smells like rip-off.

I like the haptic of real books. It is scientifically proven, that you learn better while reading from books compared to reading from screens.

I need real books around me for what Germans call "Gemütlichkeit" and I read every day.

But I feel the pain that @Alan Hume points out - space is an issue, and it ain't getting better in this regard.

von Marwitz
 

Alan Hume

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For me, electronic "books" are not an option. They are not books.

Besides, the 'marginal cost' for the file is zero. Yet, electronic "books" are only insignificantly less expensive than the printed matter. In other words - smells like rip-off.

I like the haptic of real books. It is scientifically proven, that you learn better while reading from books compared to reading from screens.

I need real books around me for what Germans call "Gemütlichkeit" and I read every day.

But I feel the pain that @Alan Hume points out - space is an issue, and it ain't getting better in this regard.

von Marwitz
Oh I totally agree with all your points, especially the cost... Kindle books I view as a serious rip off, you're not actually getting a physical profit so it isn't really costing them anything save paying the author/editors etc. They really ought to cost less than a phsyical copy but often they don't.

As I say though, yep, I have no choice but to opt for Kindle books now as my little flat is totally full up
I really ought to get rid of stuff but who wants to do that?
 

stuh42asl

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For me, electronic "books" are not an option. They are not books.

Besides, the 'marginal cost' for the file is zero. Yet, electronic "books" are only insignificantly less expensive than the printed matter. In other words - smells like rip-off.

I like the haptic of real books. It is scientifically proven, that you learn better while reading from books compared to reading from screens.

I need real books around me for what Germans call "Gemütlichkeit" and I read every day.

But I feel the pain that @Alan Hume points out - space is an issue, and it ain't getting better in this regard.

von Marwitz
Books nowadays will become the new gold, when the electronic formats take over completely, I have books that are almost 50 years old and still in pristine shape.. like to see how many kindles etc you would need to read the same book for that time duration. :p
 

PresterJohn

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There's a lot to be said for listening to e-books while commuting, and I want to pay the authors (and narrators) for their work.
 

Faded 8-1

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Books nowadays will become the new gold, when the electronic formats take over completely, I have books that are almost 50 years old and still in pristine shape.. like to see how many kindles etc you would need to read the same book for that time duration. :p
When I upgraded to a new ipad, I still had all my digital books and audiobooks on those accounts. Just have to download them from the cloud.
 
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