Helion & Company - Victory or Death: A Wargamers Guide to the American Revolution 1775-1782 review Helion’s latest release in their Wargames series is written by David C Bonk and focuses on the American Revolution. The first chapter provides a Strategic Overview that begins with the causes of the war, before moving on to provide a detailed year-by-year account of the campaign. This section is clear and well-written, and the full-colour maps included are very useful in keeping track of the evolving situation. The next chapter covers the oft-neglected campaign in the West Indies. The bulk of the book details the armies that fought in the conflict. It begins with the American militia before moving on to the Continental regulars. There is a huge amount of information provided here, with a year-by-year breakdown of all the units involved, their strengths, and their locations. The tactical doctrine practised by the Continental Army is also discussed, as are the reforms carried out by Baron Von Steuben. There is also insight provided into the use of light infantry and artillery. The same level of detail is then provided for the forces fighting on behalf of the British, with American Provincial regiments and German mercenaries bolstering the British regulars. Again, a huge amount of information is provided about organisation and unit strengths during the various campaigns. An exploration of the French and Spanish forces involved in the conflict leads into a section detailing the often-overlooked contributions of Native American forces. Any wargamer looking to start collecting this period will want uniform detail, and this book provides it in spades. Tables list the coats, collars, cuffs, turnbacks, waistcoats, breeches, and hats of all the regiments in the war, along with detailed notes regarding if, for example, hunting shirts were worn, or if hats had brims down. For the Continentals, the tables show uniforms for 1776 and 1778, with any other changes noted in the text. Similar tables are provided for the British regulars, provincial regiments, German units, French, and Spanish. Finally, the weapons used by the armies are also discussed. There is a short chapter on naval warfare, followed by a further chapter on strategic choices not taken. This chapter is again broken down year by year and provides a fascinating number of suggestions for ‘what if?’-style campaigns. The final section on wargaming begins with an overview of available miniatures in various scales, and the terrain that players may need. The author then provides five rules-agnostic wargames scenarios, which list the forces available to both sides, suggested deployment, and objectives. Again, coloured maps are provided, and the scenarios are illustrated with photos of wargame battles in action. As a primer for anyone collecting the American
