The Wargamer

Cry Havoc And Unleash The Elephants Of War!

Konstantin Nossov is rapidly becoming my favorite author on ancient military history.  His book Ancient and Medieval Siege Weapons is a great read on the subject.  War Elephants is the second book I’ve read that was written by him, and from a purely subjective viewpoint, his writing style matches my reading style perfectly.  Hitting the sweet spot of being both informative and readable, I’ve reached the conclusion that I’ll probably enjoy reading anything he writes.  The corollary to that is that I’ll gladly recommend this War Elephants on that basis alone.

However, wargamers are a peculiar lot, with some of us taking great pride in becoming virtually subject matter experts in some of the most arcane aspects of history.  For the guy who loves ancient history, takes great pride in his ability to field 1,000 hand-painted Roman miniatures – this is one of those books you’re not going to want to miss.

My knowledge of ancient military history is limited but budding.  Virtually every word in War Elephants was a revelation to me, and though I cannot say with certainty whether it was the author’s fine writing or the riveting subject matter, I found War Elephants to be a page-turner.  Elephants have been used by humans in some capacity for at least four millennia.  They are also the only animal which has been used as a combatant.  That’s right: combatants, not supplements.  Unlike horses, which were effectively transportation, elephants fight, and were used as combatants from ancient times until the 19^th Century.

As part of the New Vanguard series published by Osprey, War Elephants focuses on the development and usage of elephants over time.  It begins by introducing readers to elephants themselves, as there are three distinct types of elephants, each with unique attributes and behavior.  The next several chapters discuss how elephants were used by various empires, starting with India through Roman usage, and closing with their use in Southeast Asia, where they were used until the late 19^th Century.  The reader is treated to contemporary accounts of their usage, the stratagems designed to counter them, and their effectiveness on the battlefield. 

As I stated previously, the entire subject was new to me, but after reading War Elephants I have a new appreciation for their use, why some armies refused to fight against them, and why their use was often as much of a risk to the user as to the opposing army.  Well written and informative, War Elephants is a must have for ancient warfare buffs looking for specific knowledge on the use of elephants.  Wargamers who are playing games and enjoy crafting house rules will find War Elephants solid source material from which to tailor new flavors in their games.  Lastly, fans of military history in general shouldn’t miss out on Nossov’s excellent prose.  I enjoy few things more than a good romp through military history, and War Elephants is just that.