Military history magazine survey

[Praefectusclassis]

Know how to go bankrupt? Take decisions based on the wishes of a small, vocal sample on an internet forum... :wink: :wink:

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Gee thanks.... :roll:

[Jona Lendering]

Yes, I am also much more interested in non-military ancient history, too. But there are already a host of academic publications focused on this.

Yes, but there's hardly anything - as far as I know - for the larger audience. Over here in Holland, we have a journal by classicists called Hermeneus, and although I really like it, it always manages to remain on the safe side, and is never tought provoking. I think a journal that does not reduce Antiquity to Greece and Rome, and is written by historians/archaeologists/social scientists (and not by classicists plus some ancient historians), might be quite refreshing.

[jvrjenivs]

Of course, this is my personal interest, but I suspect I am not the only one.

But are we the only two?! :wink:

No, certainly not. That's four

[Praefectusclassis]

We may need an extra survey...

[Robert Vermaat]

there are several general military history magazines (Military History, Military Heritage, Military Times (= now Military History Monthly, a title change within 18 months of starting...), Armchair general, etc), but that's not what I'm after.

Maybe you should buy one of these, instead of launching yet another one? Sounds like there are already many fishes in that pond..

Any magazines about fortifications?

[Vindex]

Have you considered a non-military magazine? A magazine called "Ancient History", dealing with ancient society in general, would be nice. Of course, this is my personal interest, but I suspect I am not the only one.

Me three : )

[john m roberts]

A general ancient history magazine would be welcome. Let's face it, the big reason most of us subscribe to AW and MW is for the wonderful illustrations. The articles are good but the illustrations are outstanding and worth keeping. I think an ancient history magazine with illistrations of the same quality would be successful.

[Olaf]

Though I also like the idea of a general ancient history mag, I doubt it would appeal to as many people as the warfare focus does. AW and MW are clearly targeted not only at general histoy enthusiasts but also at Reenactors and very importantly also at miniature wargamers and figure painters. Especially the last two but also the Reenactment crowd show a clear focus on warfare.

I am sure the books Greek and Roman Warfare by the late Peter Connolly have had much higher sales and are a lot better known then his just as beautifully painted and well researched books and Greek and Roman civil live and architecture or his book about the Holly land during Roman times.

That said and having taken the survey I want to argue for the next periodical to be a logical progression of the previous two.
Since you already have the Bronze age to late Antiquity covered in Ancient Warfare and also the early to late medieval age in Medieval Warfare I think it makes perfect sense to have the next magazine cover warfare starting with the Renaissance up to the Victorian era.
As the conflicts of these centuries start to be dominated by Gunpowder weapons "Gunpowder Warfare" might be a good title )and would also correspond to the naming convention used in the english WIKI categories
Also since these conflicts tend to also spread into the Colonies, and with the establishment of the United States a mayor non European power starts to be of importance, it makes sense to open the the geographical boundaries outwards somewhat.
This also makes sense due to the adoption of the "European" way of war of most non European countries.
Just like the medieval and ancient eras, the era of Gunpowder warfare still has a lot variety in contemporary costume and armament as well as regional and national peculiarities.
Also the tactics employed to combine the different arms of Infantry, Cavalry and Artillery, as well as the new way of building ideal fortifications and employing siegecraft are still more restricted to a smaller geographical area of operations in contrast to Industrial warfare starting with WW1.
This era also still sees the employment of bladed weapons and close combat on a grand scale, with mounted bayonetts and cavalry swords and sabres still used decisevly on the battlefield.
With the 30 years war, the 7 years war, and the Napoleonic wars it encompasses three major European wars, a lot of smaller civil wars, as well as the wars in the Amerikas, the wars of Prussia leading up to the German unification, the Crimean war and Colonial wars all over the world from the Conquistadors up to the Boxer Rebellion.
I think this broad range of warfare is of interest to many Reenactors as well as a lot of wargamers.
With Leipzig 2013 and of course Waterloo 2015 coming up, it would also be just in time for many of the biggest commemorations of the Napoleonic wars.

[Medusa Gladiatrix]

A general ancient history magazine would be welcome. Let's face it, the big reason most of us subscribe to AW and MW is for the wonderful illustrations. The articles are good but the illustrations are outstanding and worth keeping. I think an ancient history magazine with illistrations of the same quality would be successful.

I agree. That would be a nice addition to AW.

[Narukami]

You can make that 6 or 7 in the "me too" for General Ancient History, though I agree with Jasper, I think such a stand alone magazine would be a heavy lift in the survival game. Though, perhaps AW and MW might have articles that take a closer look at some of these more "civilian" topics as it is clear that the military did not operate in a vacuum and wars could have a deep impact on the wider society.

As to the next logical step in the progression of this magazine series from Ancient to Medieval to ....

I still think you are missing a bet by leaving out Asia, and in particular Japan.

Is there enough to support an entire magazine on its own? Perhaps not, and of course pre-modern Japanese military history, for example, covers a wide swarth of time making it difficult to fit it conveniently into Medieval Warfare or perhaps any single magazine.

I do realize that one of the options on the survey is for a new magazine devoted to Asia, but I think that when all the votes are tallied the clear favorite will be the 'logical progression' to Musket Warfare Magazine as outlined above by Olaf.

That being the case, then an attempt should be made to 'fold in' Asian topics, as interest warrants, into both Medieval and Musket as seems appropriate.

The Japanese, to take one example, have a rich history that I think readers of these magazines would find of interest, be it Battle Reports, Armor Studies, Personality Bios, War & Religion or Zen and the Samurai, the Samurai in Art, etc. etc. etc.

I know I've made this suggestion before and that this is one of the survey options, but I think this area works better as part of the existing structure rather than on its own.

Just my random thoughts. :roll:



:wink:

Narukami

[Jona Lendering]

I still think you are missing a bet by leaving out Asia, and in particular Japan.

... a proposal you illustrated with a beautiful painting. I can see the man is fighting against arrows and cuts them with a weapon that I do not know by name. What kind of Japanese fighter is this?

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Starts with an 'N' if my memory serves me just a little....

[Nathan Ross]

Naginata?

(presumably a samurai, with the two swords - although I seem to remember the weapon was popular with monks... that might be one of those popular misconceptions though :wink: )

[Narukami]

That print is of a samurai armed not only with his daisho (or pair of swords) but also with a naginata.

There is the story of Tajima, a warrior monk (yammabushi) from Mii-dera, who earned the nickname "The Arrow Cutter" for his skill at deflecting arrows with his naginata. This was at the Battle of the Uji River in 1180, one of the opening engagements to the Gempei Wars (1180-85) fought between the Taira and the Minamoto clans for control of Japan. It is one of the seminal events in Japanese history.

"At this point the more intrepid elements of the monk army began to clamber across the beams of the bridge to engage the Taira in individual combat. The first across was Tajima, who threw the sheath of his naginata into the river and strode out alone on to the bridge. This made him an instant target for all the arrows the Taira could fire at him, which he took on his armor, ducked to avoid, or knocked to one side with his whirling naginata. This earned him the nickname of Tajima the arrow cutter." -- from The Samurai A Military History by S.R. Turnbull c1977, pp44-45.





Today the naginata is thought of as the weapon of choice for samurai women, but in the early feudal period it was favored by many warriors, as was the bow.

:wink:

Narukami