Land combat questions

[Toonces]

Two part question here:

1.  I'm pretty much a n00b at land warfare.  I'd like to learn more about it, specifically modern-ish land combat.  Figure starting today and working backward to about WW2, but I'm more interested in 80s-today than WW2.  I'd like to find a book or two, one similar to Fighter Combat by Shaw that describes how to fight land combat (something that explains, for example, mutually supporting fire, or where to put a minefield, stuff like that); and the second book I'd like is something that describes armored vehicles, like an Encyclopedia of Armored Vehicles or something of that nature.

2.  Once I have part 1 answered, I'd like a reference that gives me some creative ideas for making scenarios in ARMA2, Steel Beasts, Combined Arms, etc.  I'm really weak at what happens on the ground while I'm cruising along at 20k feet.

[GDS_Starfury]

the kind of book your looking for are mostly manuals.  I have run across an armored/combined arms book written like Fighter Combat. I still remember my favorite passage from that book.  use cluster bombs against low flying helicopters.  ;D 
the encyclopedia type book can usually be found in the on sale sections of barnes and noble where they keep the history stuff.

[Al]

I have these two and think they would be good for what you're looking for.  Can be had relatively cheap on Amazon.

Combined Arms Warfare in the 20th Century by Jonathan House

Encyclopedia of Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles by Chris Foss

[GDS_Starfury]

you also might want to google Steve Zaloga and browse his book list.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Zaloga

Modern American Armor: Combat Vehicles of the United States Army Today (1982) ISBN 0-85368-248-8
Modern Soviet Armor: Combat Vehicles of the USSR and Warsaw Pact Today (1980) ISBN 0-13-597856-4
Red Thrust: Attack on the Central Front, Soviet Tactics and Capabilities in the 1990s (1989) ISBN 0-89141-345-6

[Al]

you also might want to google Steve Zaloga and browse his book list.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Zaloga

Modern American Armor: Combat Vehicles of the United States Army Today (1982) ISBN 0-85368-248-8
Modern Soviet Armor: Combat Vehicles of the USSR and Warsaw Pact Today (1980) ISBN 0-13-597856-4
Red Thrust: Attack on the Central Front, Soviet Tactics and Capabilities in the 1990s (1989) ISBN 0-89141-345-6

You can't hardly go wrong with any of Zaloga's book.  I'd also recommend Tank Warfare Central Front - NATO vs Warsaw Pact by him.

[LongBlade]

You can't hardly go wrong with any of Zaloga's book. 

I've only read one of his books, but upon that I will respectfully disagree.

His Panther vs Sherman in the Osprey Duel series I think misses the mark. It's full of interesting information, but his conclusion about the matchup between the two is indecisive and equivocal. Further, I believe his research on the numbers of tanks destroyed is wrong. He appears to be counting absolute numbers of Shermans destroyed as opposed to the number of Shermans destroyed, recovered, and sent in to battle again (to be destroyed, recovered, and resued yet again in many cases).

I like his book, but it isn't a definitive work on the subject IMHO.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/184603292X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=184603292X&linkCode=as2&tag=grogheads-20

[GDS_Starfury]

considering how much hes written I wouldnt make up my mind on one book especially an Osprey book which are never as in depth as you want them to be.

[LongBlade]

considering how much hes written I wouldnt make up my mind on one book especially an Osprey book which are never as in depth as you want them to be.

I can completely agree. My only purpose was to suggest that a blanket endorsement of him might have an exception.

[GDS_Starfury]

true but so do authors like Glantz.  pobodies nerfect.

[Jack Nastyface]

Although they are likely out-of-date and present a decidely US-based viewpoint, but Tom Clancy had a series of books "explaining" modern US combat arms...Marine, Armored Cavalry, Special Forces, Fighter Wing, Airborne, Carrier, etc etc ad infinitum.
These are not deep, strategic books.  Rather, they provide a fairly straight-forward, lay-man's explanation of things like organization, tactics, equipment, recruitment, training, combat doctrine and battle testimony.  Clancy writing / editorial oversight ensures a level of readability along with enough depth to keep you interested in the topic.
What these books lack is a) an overview of OpFor doctrine, etc, and b) any analysis of the kind of asymmetrical warfare that we find ourselves engaged in Afghanistan, etc.
You can usually pick them up cheap and dirty at a used bookstore (sorry...prolly just got Starfury all excited by using "cheap", "dirty" and "used" in the same sentance).  I might even be able to loan my copies of whatever I have to you, if you so desired...PM me if interested.

Jack Nastyface

[Al]

considering how much hes written I wouldnt make up my mind on one book especially an Osprey book which are never as in depth as you want them to be.

I can completely agree. My only purpose was to suggest that a blanket endorsement of him might have an exception.

In this case I was referring to the Zaloga books that GDS has recommended so I didn't mean it as a blanket endorsement - although it may have come across that way.  I have the Duel book LB is talking about but I read it some time ago and don't remember the specifics.

Since we're talking Shermans and Zaloga though I would consider Armored Thunderbolt by him to be the best work on the oeprational aspects of that tank and US WW2 armor doctrine in general.

[LongBlade]

I remember editing a review of Armored Thunderbolt and it had a lot of praise for the book :)

[Jack Nastyface]

also...you wouldn't be so wrong to look at some of the "tactics 101" articles available at Armchairgeneral...available here:  http://www.armchairgeneral.com/category/tactics101

[GDS_Starfury]

the book Thunder Run is pretty damn good.

[bayonetbrant]

Or you could just come hang out with us East Coasters for a week and throw some wargames on the table and let us show you what they look like in "action"