{"title":"Visual Battle Guides","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"fifth-guards-tank-army-at-kursk-book-david-porter-9781907446610","title":"Fifth Guards Tank Army at Kursk","description":"In the early summer of 1943, following the German defeat at Stalingrad, Hitler sought a decisive battle that would turn the struggle on the Eastern Front in the Germans’ favour. On the 5th July 1943, the Wehrmacht launched Operation Citadel. Attacking with a force of 3000 tanks and assault guns, the Germans faced a well dug-in force of more than 3900 Soviet tanks, with another 1500 tanks in reserve. The tanks advanced with as many as 50 vehicles packed together per kilometre of line. What followed was the largest tank battle the world has ever seen, with both sides suffering heavy casualties.  On the 12th July, three SS divisions – Totenkopf, Das Reich and Leibstandarte – attempted to break through the Soviet lines at the village of Prokhorovka, and so force the flank of the Soviet defensive position. Facing them was the newly deployed Soviet Fifth Guards Tanks Army. It was the Germans’ last chance for a potential breakthrough on the Eastern Front. The battle raged all day, with German attack followed by Soviet counterattack. By nightfall the Germans had lost more than 300 tanks and the Fifth Guards Tanks Army 50 percent of their strength. Despite their heavy losses, the Soviet defenders had achieved their aim: the German attack had been halted and all hope of their regaining the initiative lost.  Fifth Guards Tank Army at Prokhorovka has an eight-page gatefold depicting one of the brigades from the Soviet Fifth Guards Tank Army in an innovative and fresh manner. This brigade is shown in battle deployment, with reconnaissance units, advance companies, the main body, the brigade command section, plus all the supporting engineers, signallers, artillery etc to provide a visual guide to exactly how many tanks and other armoured vehicles were advancing on the 12th July. The book itself is broken down by these sections, looking at each component part of the brigade in turn, their structure, equipment and what they did on 12th July. Maps indicate the location of each element on the battlefield. The description of each part includes action reports, organization, equipment, unit commanders and much more.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":49915626225937,"sku":"CIN1907446613G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49925785747729,"sku":"GOR006831539","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1907446613.jpg?v=1751186997"},{"product_id":"i-ss-panzer-corps-at-villers-bocage-book-david-porter-9781908273765","title":"I SS Panzer Corps at Villers-Bocage","description":"In the days following the Allied D-Day landings in Normandy on 6 June 1944, the German forces rapidly established strong defences in front of the city of Caen. On 9 June a two-pronged British attempt to surround and capture the city was defeated, but on the British forces' right flank, neighbouring American units had forced open a wide gap in the German front line. Seizing the opportunity to bypass Caen's defences, a mixed mobile force of tanks, infantry and artillery formed around the 7th Armoured Division's 22nd Armoured Brigade, advanced through the gap in a flanking manoeuvre towards Villers-Bocage.  Under the command of Brigadier William \"Loony\" Hinde, the 22nd Armoured Brigade group reached Villers-Bocage without serious incident, but as its lead elements moved beyond the town on the morning of 13 June they were ambushed by Tiger I tanks of the 101st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion. In less than 15 minutes numerous tanks and AFVs fell victim to the German force, the vast majority being destroyed by SS-Obersturmführer Michael Wittmann's tank. The Germans then launched an assault on the town. Although this was repelled, after six hours, Brigadier Hinde decided to withdraw his force to a more defensible position outside the town. The British successfully defended their position until a controversial decision was taken to pull the Brigade group back from its salient.  I SS Panzer Corps at Villers-Bocage has an eight-page gatefold depicting a Kampfgruppe (battle group) in battle deployment, with reconnaissance units, advance companies and the main body, to provide a visual guide to exactly how many tanks and other armoured vehicles were advancing on 13th June. The book itself provides background on the campaign and the units involved, a detailed breakdown of the battalion, its structure and equipment, its battle service at Villers-Bocage, and its service in the war after that point. Maps will be used to show the location of each element on the battlefield. The description of each part includes action reports, organization, equipment, unit commanders and much more.  With a novel and accessible approach, the book will appeal to both the enthusiast and the general reader interested in World War II.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":50013559914769,"sku":"CIN1908273763G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":50958399209745,"sku":"GOR008433701","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"US \/ VERY_GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":53063234617617,"sku":"CIN1908273763VG","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1908273763.jpg?v=1751187225"},{"product_id":"7th-armoured-division-at-villers-bocage-book-david-porter-9781908273772","title":"7th Armoured Division at Villers-Bocage","description":"On the morning of 13th June, just a week after the D-Day landings, advance elements of the 22nd Armoured Brigade, 7th Armoured Division, were edging their way through the quiet Norman town of Villers-Bocage when a lone SS Tiger tank appeared on the road in the middle of the column. The Tiger quickly created havoc, knocking out at least 10 tanks and another dozen troop carriers, before being immobilised by a 6 pounder anti-tank gun. So began a series of battles for the small French town that pitted the Tigers and Panzer IVs of the I SS Panzer Corps against British Cromwells, Sherman Fireflies and PIAT-armed infantry.  Visual Battle Guide: 7th Armoured Division at Villers-Bocage offers a detailed guide to a representative selection of units deployed that day. Focusing on the 4th County of London Yeomanry and 1st Battalion, the Rifle Brigade, the book explores the structure of every element of a British armoured brigade, including an armoured regiment’s tank squadron, reconnaissance troop and communication troop, as well as a rifle battalion’s motorised company, support company and scout platoon. A special pull-out gatefold features those elements hat led the division’s advance into Villers-Bocage.  Each unit is carefully examined to show the order of battle, number of vehicles and number of personnel. Detailed, full-colour diagrams show every type of vehicle, from the Cromwell IV and M4A4 Sherman Firefly tanks of the armoured squadrons to the Universal Carriers and M5 halftracks of the motorised infantry. With the aid of maps, further chapters provide an operational context by examining the deployment, movements and effectiveness of the 22nd Armoured Brigade during the defence of Villers-Bocage.  Highly illustrated with more than 150 diagrams, maps, artworks and photographs, Visual Battle Guide: 7th Armoured Division at Villers-Bocage offers the military enthusiast and wargamer a valuable resource for one of the key battles of the Normandy campaign.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":50394598965521,"sku":"CIN1908273771G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":50472080310545,"sku":"GOR008859822","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ VERY_GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":51747282780433,"sku":"CIN1908273771VG","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1908273771.jpg?v=1751440424"},{"product_id":"das-reich-at-kursk-book-david-jordan-9781907446627","title":"Das Reich at Kursk","description":"On the 5th July 1943, the Wehrmacht launched Operation Citadel. Attacking with a force of 3,000 tanks and assault guns, the Germans faced a well dug-in force of more than 3,900 Soviet tanks, with another 1,500 tanks in reserve. What followed was the largest tank battle the world has ever seen, with both sides suffering heavy casualties.  On the 11th July, three SS divisions – Totenkopf, Das Reich and Leibstandarte – attempted to break through the Soviet lines at the village of Prokhorovka, and so force the flank of the Soviet defensive position. Facing them were the newly deployed Fifth Guards Tanks Army. The battle raged all day, with German attack followed by Soviet counterattack. By nightfall the Germans had lost more than 300 tanks and the Fifth Guards Tanks Army 50 percent of their strength. Despite their heavy losses, the Soviet defenders had achieved their aim: the German attack had been halted and all hope of their regaining the initiative lost.  Das Reich Division at Kursk has an eight-page gatefold depicting one of the brigades from the Das Reich Division in an innovative and fresh manner. This brigade is shown in battle deployment, with reconnaissance units, advance companies, the main body, the brigade command section, plus all the supporting engineers, signallers, artillery etc to provide a visual guide to exactly how many tanks and other armoured vehicles took part. The book itself is broken down by these sections, looking at each component part of the brigade in turn, their structure, equipment and their role in the battle. 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