Brian Delf – illustratör

The development of the city-state in the Classical period of Greek history ensured a shift in the nature of fortifications in the region.No longer were fortresses designed to defend a ruler and his entourage, rather the whole of the citizen body had to be protected against any outside threats. The enceintes of these Greek city-states did not have to be very high or strong as city-state conflict was still decided by spear and shield, though some thought was still given to the science of fortification.This book details the construction and ongoing development of the defences that protected some of the most illustrious sites in Greece during the most famous period of her history.

During the Old and Middle Kingdoms, Ancient Egypt led the world in the construction of fortifications.The oldest was discovered on Elephantine Island and dates to c.2900 BC. This book investigates over 2,000 years of Egyptian fortification, including both fortified cities and military installations. It covers the most famous sites including the fortified town of Ayn Asil and the fortress of Buhen.The text also examines the specific defensive structures within the fortifications, including gates, walls, and towers, and looks at both the operation and social history of these ancient military strongholds.

Commonly mistaken for the locally raised Viet Cong, the NVA was an entirely different force, conducting large-scale operations in a conventional war.Despite limited armour, artillery and air support, the NVA were an extremely politicized and professional force with strict control measures and leadership concepts. Gordon Rottman follows the fascinating life of the highly motivated infantryman from conscription and induction through training to real combat experiences.Covering the evolution of the forces from 1958 onwards, this book takes an in-depth look at the civilian and military lives of the soldiers, whilst accompanying artwork details the uniforms, weapons and equipment used by the NVA in their clash against America and her allies.

In 1964 Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, activated a joint unconventional task force known as the Studies and Observation Group—MACV-SOG.As a cover its mission was to conduct analysis of lessons learned in combat by all branches of service. SOG's real mission was to conduct covert strategic reconnaissance missions into Laos, Cambodia and South Vietnam as well as sabotage and 'Black' psychological operations. Ground, air and naval assets were employed to insert, collect, extract, and otherwise support these operations.This book tells the complete story of these covert agents, from their recruitment and training, through to their deadly black-ops in the jungles of Vietnam.

Discover where events in the Old and New Testaments took place and see how people lived in Biblical times in this illustrated guide.Take a trip around the Holy Land with this collection of beautifully drawn maps, which show where events from the Bible took place.Introducing The Bible Atlas – a beautifully illustrated guide to the geography, events and people of the Old and New Testaments for children aged 9-12. In illustrated guide, follow the journeys of the patriarchs, view inside Solomon's Temple, witness Jesus' miracles, and see exactly where Paul travelled while spreading the message of Christianity.Dive straight into this pictorial Bible guide for kids, offering: - An illustrated guide to key events of the Old and New Testaments for children.- A variety of maps showing in detail where events from the Bible took place.- An original and retro-feel illustration style combined with modern fonts, which creates a different approach compared to photographic or CGI-based books.As well as recapping many of the stories from both the Old and New Testaments, each page in this Bible guide provides additional information, illustrations, and photos explaining how people lived, who ruled the lands, and what places look like today. The information is presented in a visual and accessible way for children to grasp, immersing themselves in each map as they follow the stories and read summaries from the Bible.At DK, we believe in the power of discovery. So why stop there? If you like The Bible Atlas, then why not complete the collection? Take a peek inside the beautiful and absorbing world of birds with The Bird Atlas, explore the complex animal kingdom with The Animal Atlas, reveal the inner workings of the human body with The Body Atlas, take a trip around the globe with The Earth Atlas, and dive deep below the sea with The Oceans Atlas.

Discover where events in the Old and New Testaments took place and see how people lived in Biblical times in this illustrated guide.Take a trip around the Holy Land with this collection of beautifully drawn maps, which show where events from the Bible took place.Introducing The Bible Atlas – a beautifully illustrated guide to the geography, events and people of the Old and New Testaments for children aged 9-12. In illustrated guide, follow the journeys of the patriarchs, view inside Solomon's Temple, witness Jesus' miracles, and see exactly where Paul travelled while spreading the message of Christianity.Dive straight into this pictorial Bible guide for kids, offering: - An illustrated guide to key events of the Old and New Testaments for children.- A variety of maps showing in detail where events from the Bible took place.- An original and retro-feel illustration style combined with modern fonts, which creates a different approach compared to photographic or CGI-based books.As well as recapping many of the stories from both the Old and New Testaments, each page in this Bible guide provides additional information, illustrations, and photos explaining how people lived, who ruled the lands, and what places look like today. The information is presented in a visual and accessible way for children to grasp, immersing themselves in each map as they follow the stories and read summaries from the Bible.At DK, we believe in the power of discovery. So why stop there? If you like The Bible Atlas, then why not complete the collection? Take a peek inside the beautiful and absorbing world of birds with The Bird Atlas, explore the complex animal kingdom with The Animal Atlas, reveal the inner workings of the human body with The Body Atlas, take a trip around the globe with The Earth Atlas, and dive deep below the sea with The Oceans Atlas.

The design development and combat history of some of the most technologically advanced fortress networks in Germany and France.Following the defeat of France in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71, the German Army began to construct a fortress line from Strasbourg to Luxembourg to protect their new territory, the centrepiece of which was the great Moselstellung (Moselle Position) of Metz / Thionville.Illustrated with rare photographs and full-colour cutaway artwork, this book examines the design and development of the fortress and analyses its use in combat, focusing particularly on the part it played in holding up General Patton''s Third Army''s advance across France in 1944.

Panzer warfare is synonymous with the Wehrmacht of World War II.Germany was very slow to develop armored vehicles compared to Britain and France. Efforts to catch-up proved difficult, and only a few dozen German A7V tanks were completed in time to take part in the final campaigns of 1918. As a result, the majority of German panzer units actually used captured British tanks, the Beutepanzer.This book will trace the development of German panzers of the World War One, including the A7V and its intended but unfinished stablemates.

Panzer warfare is synonymous with the Wehrmacht of World War II.Germany was very slow to develop armored vehicles compared to Britain and France. Efforts to catch-up proved difficult, and only a few dozen German A7V tanks were completed in time to take part in the final campaigns of 1918. As a result, the majority of German panzer units actually used captured British tanks, the Beutepanzer.This book will trace the development of German panzers of the World War One, including the A7V and its intended but unfinished stablemates.

This book takes a look at the lengthy chain of forts built by the French to guard the frontier in the American northeast, including Sorel, Chambly, St Jean, Carillon (Ticonderoga), Duquesne (Pittsburgh, PA), and Vincennes.These forts were of two types: the major stone forts, and other forts made of wood and earth, all of which varied widely in style from Vauban-type elements to cabins surrounded by a stockade. Some forts, such as Chambly, looked more like medieval castles in their earliest incarnations.René Chartrand examines the different types of forts built by the French, describing the strategic vision that led to their construction, their impact upon the British colonies and the Native American nations of the interior, and the French military technology that went into their construction.

A fascinating study of some of the most famous fortifications of the 20th century and of how their military and political implications shaped the face of northern Europe.In the wake of the bloody civil war that followed Finland''s independence from Russia in 1917, the border between the two countries was established across the Karelian Isthmus, an area long fought over by Russia, Finland and Sweden in their attempts to dominate the northern tip of Europe.As the Winter War broke out in November 1939, the complex and heavily defended Mannerheim Line suffered intense bombardment. The armistice of 1940 saw Finland cede control of the entire Karelian Isthmus to the USSR, and a propaganda war ensued.Through an analysis of the background, and operational history of the Mannerheim Line, Bair Irincheev attempts to dispel such myths and provide an accurate assessment of its huge historical importance.

In the last years of his reign Henry VIII needed a radically modern system of defence to protect England and its new Church. Anticipating a foreign onslaught from Catholic Europe after his split from Rome, Henry energetically began construction of more than 20 stone forts to protect England''s major ports and estuaries. Aided by excellent illustrations, Peter Harrington explores the departure from artillery-vulnerable medieval castle designs, to the low, sturdy stone fortresses inspired by European ideas. He explains the scientific care taken to select sites for these castles, and the transition from medieval to modern in this last surge of English castle construction.

Despite all technological advances, final mastery of any battlefield depends upon the tight-knit group of footsoldiers trained to manoeuvre, shoot and dig in. This first of a two-part study examines the methods by which the Western infantry of World War II - the German, British and US armies - actually brought their firepower to bear. Drawing upon period training manuals for the evolving theory, and on personal memoirs for the individual practice, this first book covers the organization and tactics of the squad of ten or a dozen men, and the platoon of three or four squads. The text is illustrated with contemporary photographs and diagrams, and with colour plates bringing to life the movement of soldiers on the battlefield.

Despite all technological advances, final mastery of any battlefield depends upon the tight-knit group of footsoldiers trained to manoeuvre, shoot and dig in. This first of a two-part study examines the methods by which the Western infantry of World War II - the German, British and US armies - actually brought their firepower to bear. Drawing upon period training manuals for the evolving theory, and on personal memoirs for the individual practice, this first book covers the organization and tactics of the squad of ten or a dozen men, and the platoon of three or four squads. The text is illustrated with contemporary photographs and diagrams, and with colour plates bringing to life the movement of soldiers on the battlefield.

The German Tiger I and Tiger II (known to the Allies as the 'King Tiger' or 'Royal Tiger') were the most famous and formidable heavy tanks of the Second World War. In their day their awesome reputation inspired such apprehension among Allied soldiers that the weaknesses of these brilliant but flawed designs tended to be overlooked. Anthony Tucker-Jones, in this illustrated history, tells the story of their conception and development and reconsiders their operational history, and he dispels the legends and misunderstandings that have grown up around them.

The Tigers were over-engineered, required raw materials that were in short supply, were time-consuming to manufacture and difficult to recover from the battlefield. Only around 1,300 of the Tiger I and fewer than 500 of the Tiger II were produced, so they were never going to make anything more than a local impact on the outcome of the fighting. Yet the myth of the Tigers, with their 88mm guns, thick armour and brutal profiles, has grown over time to the extent that they are regarded as the deadliest tanks of the Second World War.

Anthony Tucker-Jones's expert account of these remarkable fighting vehicles is accompanied by a series of colour plates showing the main variants of the designs and the common ancillary equipment and unit markings.

Anthony Tucker-Jones is a prolific writer on the history of fighting vehicles and armoured warfare. He has also written extensively on military affairs and terrorism. After a career in the intelligence community, he became a freelance defence writer and military historian. His most recent books are Armoured Warfare on the Eastern Front, Armoured Warfare in the North African Campaign, Armoured Warfare in the Battle for Normandy, The Kalashnikov in Combat and The Soviet-Afghan War.

The M4 Medium Tank - the Sherman – was one of the most famous tanks of the Second World War. It was produced in greater numbers than any other Allied tank, it fought on every front – in Western Europe, on the Eastern Front, in North Africa, Burma, the Pacific – and it continued to serve effectively as a front-line fighting vehicle in the Korean War, the Arab-Israeli wars, the Indo-Pakistani wars. Pat Ware's new history of this remarkable tank covers in detail its design and development, its technical specifications and the many variants that were produced, and he reviews its operational role in conflicts across the world. 

While the Sherman outclassed the older German tanks it encountered when it was first put into combat in 1942, it was vulnerable to the later German medium and heavy tanks, the Panther and the Tiger I and Tiger II. Yet, as Pat Ware shows, the Sherman was more effective than these superior German tanks because it was cheaper to build, reliable, easy to maintain and produced in such large numbers. It was also adaptable - it was converted into a tank-destroyer, an amphibious tank, a recovery vehicle, a mine-flail, a personnel carrier – and, after the Second World War, the soundness of its original design was proved as it was developed to confront more modern tanks in combat.

Pat Ware's expert account of this remarkable fighting vehicle is accompanied by a series of colour plates showing the main variants of the design and the common ancillary equipment and unit markings. His book is an essential work of reference for enthusiasts.

This pictorial history of the legendary American tank combines color photographs, commissioned illustrations and authoritative information.The M4 Sherman was one of the most famous tanks of the Second World War. Produced in greater numbers than any other Allied tank, it fought on every front, and continued to serve as a front-line fighting vehicle in the Korean War, the Arab-Israeli wars, and the Indo-Pakistani wars. This detailed history of the Sherman covers its design and development, its technical specifications, the many variants that were produced, and its operational role in conflicts across the world.While the Sherman outclassed the older German tanks it encountered when it first went into combat in 1942, it was vulnerable to the later German medium and heavy tanks such as the Panther, Tiger I, and Tiger II. Yet the Sherman was ultimately more effective than these superior German tanks because it was reliable, durable, cheaper to build, and extremely adaptable. The Sherman was converted into a tank-destroyer, an amphibious tank, a recovery vehicle, a mine-flail, a personnel carrier—and, after the Second World War, it was developed to confront more modern tanks in combat.Pat Ware''s expert account of this remarkable fighting vehicle is accompanied by a series of color plates showing the main variants of the design as well as common ancillary equipment and unit markings. This is an essential reference work for World War II buffs and armored warfare enthusiasts.

In 1965, soon after the first US combat troops had arrived in Vietnam, it was realized that in some areas the Viet Cong had developed vast tunnel complexes in which to hide from the enemy. It was long known that such complexes existed, but it was not realized just how extensive they were in some areas, how important they were to the Viet Cong, and how difficult it was to detect and neutralize them. At first infantrymen volunteered to enter the tunnels armed with only pistols and flashlights – the ''tunnel runners'' were born, known to the Australians as ''tunnel ferrets''. Starting as an ad hoc force of infantrymen, combat engineers and chemical troops, it was not long before units were ''formalized'' as ''tunnel exploration personnel'' and 4–6-man ''tunnel exploitation and denial teams'' were created. They came to be known simply as ''tunnel rats'' with the unofficial motto Non Gratum Anus Rodentum – ''Not Worth a Rat''s Ass''. This title will be based on the personal accounts of those who served in this unique role and will describe the specialist training and equipment, not to mention the tactics and combat experiences, of those who fought an underground war against the Viet Cong in Vietnam.

Two major Army units operated in the Pacific – the 11th Airborne Division and the 503rd Parachute Regimental Combat Team (PRCT).They launched small-scale operations on extremely difficult, if not, outright dangerous, terrain, while also conducting amphibious assaults, fighting on jungled hills, swamps and mud. The two units were very different, with the 503rd PRCT being reserved for special purpose missions and the 11th Airborne Division occupying a more traditional role.This title examines the background to these two units and their training, before detailing the specific equipment used in the theatre and, finally and most importantly, the combat experience at a personal level of the US Army Paratrooper in the Pacific.

The two major Army units that operated in the Pacific – the 11th Airborne Division and the 503rd Parachute Regimental Combat Team (PRCT) launched small-scale operations on extremely difficult, if not, outright dangerous, terrain, while also conducting amphibious assaults, fighting on jungled hills, swamps and mud. The two units were very different, with the 503rd PRCT being reserved for special purpose missions and the 11th Airborne Division occupying a more traditional role. This title will deal with the background to these two units and their training, before detailing the specific equipment used in the theatre and, finally and most importantly, the combat experience at a personal level of the US Army Paratrooper in the Pacific.

The two major Army units that operated in the Pacific – the 11th Airborne Division and the 503rd Parachute Regimental Combat Team (PRCT) launched small-scale operations on extremely difficult, if not, outright dangerous, terrain, while also conducting amphibious assaults, fighting on jungled hills, swamps and mud. The two units were very different, with the 503rd PRCT being reserved for special purpose missions and the 11th Airborne Division occupying a more traditional role. This title will deal with the background to these two units and their training, before detailing the specific equipment used in the theatre and, finally and most importantly, the combat experience at a personal level of the US Army Paratrooper in the Pacific.

Determined to learn from the lessons of World War I, the US Army developed a new generation of field artillery weapons and tactics during the 1930s.Consequently, in World War II it was the clear leader in field artillery. This compact, illustrated guide provides a thorough examination of the US'' many critical innovations and doctrines, and the impact they had on performance, including the motorization of artillery, Fire Direction Centers, aerial observation, and radio communications.Exploring, in their entirety, the weapons that formed the backbone of the US artillery arsenal in World War II, this book reveals a wealth of detail not readily available elsewhere.

In 1585, the English launched a pre-emptive strike against Spain, by attacking her New World colonies. Led by Sir Francis Drake, in command of 21 ships and 1,800 soldiers, the expedition struck first at the Canary Islands, then attacked the city of Santo Domingo and the treasure port of Cartagena. Frequently outnumbered, Drake''s soldiers won an series of spectacular victories and, laden with treasure, sailed home to a hero''s welcome.

The task of Germany''s new Große Kreuzer at the beginning of the 20th century was to form an independent reconnaissance division that was able to perform special tasks.With a speed superiority of at least 3 knots, they should also be capable of fighting in the line, and would thus require heavy armour and good defensive qualities. The battlecruisers that were built did indeed have a remarkable ability to withstand battle damage, as demonstrated by the Goeben, which suffered five mine hits on one occasion.This illustrated book details all the classes of German battlecruiser, with particular emphasis on each individual ship''s battle experience and deployment in conflict.

The task of Germany''s new Große Kreuzer at the beginning of the 20th century was to form an independent reconnaissance division that was able to perform special tasks.With a speed superiority of at least 3 knots, they should also be capable of fighting in the line, and would thus require heavy armour and good defensive qualities. The battlecruisers that were built did indeed have a remarkable ability to withstand battle damage, as demonstrated by the Goeben, which suffered five mine hits on one occasion.This illustrated book details all the classes of German battlecruiser, with particular emphasis on each individual ship''s battle experience and deployment in conflict.

In May 1943 a specially established RAF squadron made its permanent imprint on military aviation history by flying a high-risk, low level, nighttime attack against German hydro-electric dams vital to the Nazi armaments industry in the Ruhr Valley. A comparatively tiny part of Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Harris'' four-month-long “Battle of the Ruhr” this one raid had an impact totally out of proportion to the small number of aircraft involved. It highlights the synergy of science and technology, weapons development and production, mission planning and practice, and the unflinching courage in the execution of a highly dangerous bombing raid. Furthermore, it established a legend that still resonates today.

World War I is often deemed to have been ''a war of artillery''.British heavy artillery played a vital part in destroying the German trenches and providing invaluable cover for advancing troops on the Western Front. This book details the huge guns of the Royal Garrison Artillery, including the 6-in. siege gun and howitzer, the 8-in. howitzer, the 12-in. railway and siege howitzer and the infamous 9.2-in breech-loading siege howitzer.Camouflage and enemy battery locations and transport are covered, as well as tactics used and how the guns were developed and manned.

World War I is often deemed to have been ''a war of artillery''.British heavy artillery played a vital part in destroying the German trenches and providing invaluable cover for advancing troops on the Western Front. This book details the huge guns of the Royal Garrison Artillery, including the 6-in. siege gun and howitzer, the 8-in. howitzer, the 12-in. railway and siege howitzer and the infamous 9.2-in breech-loading siege howitzer.Camouflage and enemy battery locations and transport are covered, as well as tactics used and how the guns were developed and manned.