A Sailor of Austria

When I had a clear-out of paperback fiction some years ago, the plan was just to retain my Nigel Tranter novels, reread them, and donate. However, I recently discovered that I still had a few more classics to reread, and one of them was A Sailor of Austria by John Biggins.

This is the fictional story of Austro-Czech naval lieutenant Ottokar Prohaska, who is posted to the modest Royal Austro-Hungarian Submarine Service in the Adriatic port of Pola (Pula). He has no experience with submarines, but very few of his fellow officers have either. When war breaks out with Italy in WW1, he is commanding a small coastal U-Boat. The book recounts the various missions he undertakes and his personal life. While the missions are entertaining, the book also offers insight into the crumbling Habsburg monarchy. The best remaining example of Austro-Hungarian fortifications at Pula is Fort Bourguignon.

Most of his missions involved coastal defence from the submarine base at Pola, and raids across the Adriatic against Italian and Entente shipping, operating out of Italian ports. The convoy system wasn't introduced until late in the war, so even small, basic submarines could be effective. When he received a newer submarine, the mission range expanded beyond the Otranto Barrage into the Mediterranean. The best story involved conveying gold to the Senussi tribes in Libya and receiving, in return, a racing camel for the emperor. 

All of this provides valuable insight into the challenges facing submarine commanders. The Austro-Hungarian Navy was not large, which is not surprising for a largely landlocked empire. I would highly recommend Milan Vego's book, Austro-Hungarian Naval Policy 1904-14, for a better understanding. The navy was always the poor relation of the cash-strapped Austro-Hungarian military. The Navy wanted a larger fleet of 16 Dreadnoughts, but others argued that these were unnecessary to defend the Adriatic coast and called for a smaller fleet of inexpensive cruisers and torpedo craft. There were some innovations. For example, Austria was the first to use aircraft for naval purposes in April 1913, as part of the international blockade of Albania during the Balkan Wars.

However, submarines were low on the list of priorities, and the lack of shipbuilding capacity and expertise meant they had to buy from Germany. The 1914 estimates included five 790-ton submarines, and in May 1914, they had six operational submarines, compared to Italy's 20. There is a room in the Croatian Naval Museum dedicated to the use of torpedoes. Whitehead developed his torpedo at Rijeka, and most of the Austrian sailors were Croats.

Later in the war, our hero and his submarine moved to the base at Cattaro (modern-day Kotor). This is a wonderful natural harbour, and you can still see the Austrian fortifications that protect the bay's entrance (see below), and in the mountains overlooking the bay. 

This book is a great read. Highly recommended. I must develop my modest collection of warships of the period for some naval games in the Adriatic.

The Jugurthine War 112-106 BC

 This new Campaign series book by Nic Fields covers Rome's long war in North Africa, against the Numidians. The war is named after King Jugurtha of Numidia.

Numidia had been a client kingdom of Rome since the Second Punic War. Jugurtha had served with Roman forces in Spain, where he learned how Roman politics could be manipulated through bribery. Soon after King Micipsa’s death in 118 BC, Jugurtha murdered his son Hiempsal and forced the other son, Adherbal, into exile. Rome intervened diplomatically, dividing Numidia between Jugurtha and Adherbal, but Jugurtha later attacked Adherbal again. Jugurtha captured Cirta, Adherbal’s capital and executed him. Several Italian merchants were killed during the siege, and Roman public opinion, inflamed by the deaths of Roman allies and blatant senatorial corruption, pushed the Senate to declare war.

The early Roman campaigns were deliberately inconclusive or outright sabotaged (at least according to Sallust), resulting in a humiliating treaty in 110 BC, which allowed Jugurtha to escape punishment. A special commission exposed corruption among Roman nobles. Jugurtha famously remarked that Rome was “a city for sale,” if only a buyer could be found.

Gaius Marius was elected consul and reformed recruitment by enrolling landless citizens, laying the groundwork for long-term changes in the Roman army. Marius conducted a more aggressive and disciplined campaign in Numidia, forcing Jugurtha to fight a guerrilla war. Lucius Sulla negotiated with Bocchus I, King of Mauretania and Jugurtha’s father-in-law, who handed him over to the Romans in 106 BC for execution.

This book follows the usual Campaign format. There is an introduction followed by a detailed breakdown of the commanders and the opposing armies. The Numidians included the aggressive light cavalry, made famous by Hannibal, as well as javelin-armed light infantry. However, by this period, there were also troops raised and paid for on the Roman model. While they couldn't face a Roman army in open battle, they could engage in asymmetric warfare against a largely infantry army. At least during the early campaigns, Roman armies fought in a manner similar to that of the Punic Wars.

The core of the book describes the campaigns, aided by excellent maps and colour plates. This includes the civil war and the Roman interventions. The falling out between Marius and Sulla would have long-term repercussions. The Senate did not annexe Numidia, giving half of its territory instead to Bocchus, as a reward for his treachery, and half to Gauda, the halfwitted half-brother of Jugurtha. Divide and rule is always the choice of empires.

If, like me, you have built up Punic War armies, then this is an alternative use for your Numidians and Romans. The Battle of Muthul, 109 BC, would make a good scenario for a larger battle using Strength and Honour, with the Romans deploying two legions. In 28mm, there are countless small-scale actions. 

Some of my 2mm Numidians for Strength and Honour. Warbases figures.

Some of my 28mm Numidians. Carthage was my first wargames army, so I suspect these are very old from a long-forgotten range. Too dark skinned as well.

The Burgundians

 This weighty volume (500+ pages) by Bart Van Loo caught my eye in our local Oxfam bookshop. My knowledge of the Burgundians (other than their wine😏) is limited chiefly to Charles the Bold, whose army opens George Gush's book on Renaissance armies, which got me into the period. However, the Burgundians existed as a state for 1111 years, and the subtitle A Vanished Empire seems appropriate. 

The Burgundians probably originated in Scandinavia and moved into central Europe in the 2nd to 3rd century. They moved closer to the territory we associate with them in the 4th century, and became Roman foederati. The Romans resettled them in eastern France in the 5th century, and they converted to Arian Christianity. Their new kingdom was based in Geneva, Lyon and Vienna. The early Kings had some wonderful names, starting with the mythical Gebicca, and included my favourite, Gundobad. In the 6th century, they were conquered by the Merovingians, but retained a strong regional identity. 

The high point of the Burgundians came in the Middle Ages. The Valois Dukes of Burgundy created one of Europe’s wealthiest and most influential states. Burgundy became a major centre of art, music, monastic reform (Cluny, Cîteaux), and courtly culture. Much of this was funded by their expansion into Flanders, a region of prosperous towns engaged in manufacturing and trade. This formerly swampy region was drained, allowing cities like Ghent to develop. Their town militias were also feared on the battlefield.

Yes, there is a Balkan link! John of Burgundy was one of the French-Burgundian leaders responsible for the disaster at Nicopolis in 1396. Instead of using the experienced Transylvanian troops in the vanguard, the western knights impetuously charged and crumbled to Ottoman firepower, as they had against the English longbow. Burgundy was an English ally at various points during the Hundred Years' War.

Burgundy, as an independent state, reached its high point and then its crash under Charles the Bold, or Charles the Rash, as he is also known. Charles was a vassal of both the King of France and the Holy Roman Emperor, but he developed a centralised independent state with a standing army. However, he didn't use this force effectively, and it all came crashing down against the Swiss at the battles of Grandson, Murten, and Nancy in 1476-77. Charles was killed at Nancy, leaving no male heir. 

It is a long book to tell a long story. Translations are not always easy reads, but the author has an engaging writing style; his background in theatre probably helped make this readable. 

I don't have a specific Burgundian army, but in the medieval period, they would look like any other knights.

Happy New Year!

A happy New Year to everyone. This is a traditional time to reflect and look forward. 2025 was a busy year on the hobby and history front, with never enough time despite being semi-retired. 

I have maintained a good pace with the blog. Two posts a week on average, 109 posts in total, with a decent mix of book reviews, travel and wargaming. My website, Balkan Military History, gets about 2,000 visits a month and generates interesting conversations with people across the world interested in the region. I would like to read more into the blog and website statistics, but sadly, AI bots and the categories Google uses make it less than helpful.

My Nigel Tranter re-reading project has come to an end, with my bookshelves a little lighter and Oxfam's a little heavier. More than fifty of his historical novels have been covered since I started the project back in 2021. Apart from being a great read, it has reawakened my interest in Scottish history, as it did for so many. My latest DNA analysis, to my surprise, places my Scottish ancestors in the West Highlands and islands, so I must dig a bit deeper in 2026.

My book reviews and reading add up to almost one a week, probably more when you add in research for my books. My main publication, The Struggle for the Pontic Steppe, published in October, has been selling better than I expected for an obscure conflict. I am about a third of the way through my next book, and the Christmas holiday is a good time to make progress. I have also managed several journal and magazine articles this year. I have given more than 20 book talks covering all my publications this year, both in person and online. I really enjoy the questions and the feedback. There are book presentations on my YouTube channel.

On the wargaming front, my main project matched the book: the Russian army of the late 18th century in 28mm and 6mm. This was also reflected in the three participation games at the Scottish wargame shows. I was very pleased to get an award for our game at the Claymore show. Other than that, it has been a year of rebasing and adding to my 18th-century 6-8mm collection, as well as small fill-in projects. Not that there has been much of a dent in the lead pile. Additional Ottoman units, including Niẓām-i Jedīd (New Order) infantry and Tatars, aircraft for Blood Red Skies, Jacobite wars, Balkan irregulars, Swiss WW2 and Carthage in 2mm. 

Potemkin Russians in 28mm

I have been my usual butterfly when it comes to rules. I have been playtesting Lust for Glory, the latest iteration of Simon Miller's To the Strongest game system. These should be published this year. I have also been playtesting an interesting Balkan Warband skirmish game, Faithforged. At the Glasgow club, we have mostly played Black Powder and Bolt Action. Similarly, at the Irvine club, I also play at. Midweek games have covered just about everything, including Midgard, Strength and Honour, Blitzkrieg Commander, Rebels and Patriots, Lion Rampant, and others.

My main project for the coming year will be 18th-century Austrians in 28mm. Less-than-subtle hints for Xmas presents have already started the lead pile. My addiction to Turkish TV historical dramas has already sent me down the rabbit hole of Libya during the Italian-Turkish War, 1911-12. I am currently watching a series on Alp Arslan and the Seljuks, but thankfully, I already have those armies. I also want to return to the Korean War. I have a couple of Turkish books on the reading shelf, which I have been putting off until my Turkish gets better. After 470 days on Duolingo, I am still way short of the language skills I need!

I travelled extensively last year. Three trips to the Balkans - Romania, Moldova and Corfu, plus a great stop-off in Istanbul, my favourite city. There were also several trips down south, often linked to book talks, wargame shows, work, or watching Fulham FC. I almost always manage plenty of museums, castles and battlefields on these trips. Nothing planned for 2026 as yet. My daughter is getting married early in the year, which will take up some time. 

All the best for 2026!

Memoirs of John Lindsay, Earl of Crawford

 This is a reprint of the Memoirs of the Life of the Late Right Honourable John Lindesay, Earl of Craufurd, written by Richard Rolt. The modern spelling is Crawford and Lindsay, but these memoirs cover the life of the 20th Earl (1702-1749), a soldier who fought in the Russian and Austrian wars against the Ottomans between 1736 and 1739.

The title was granted in 1398, although there was a Baron Crawford well before that. Crawford is a short drive from where I live, and most visitors to Scotland driving up the west coast will pass the ruined castle just off the M74 in Lanarkshire. 

The young Earl's father was a soldier in Queen Anne's army, and his mother died when he was in his infancy. He was privately tutored and then studied at the University of Glasgow and the Vaudeuil Military Academy, Paris. History was his favourite subject, and his memoirs include many references to ancient campaigns, even though they add very little to the narrative. A classical education has to be demonstrated! In 1726, he was commissioned into the North British Dragoons and in 1734, he commanded a company of the 3rd Regiment of Foot Guards. His father had died, so he inherited the title and was one of the 16 Scottish peers entitled to sit in the House of Lords under the Treaty of Union. 

18th-century European armies had foreign officers and even commanders. The young Earl got permission to travel to join Prince Eugene's army fighting the French in the War of the Polish Succession. He met the Irish general, Peter Lacy, who was commanding the Russian Corps supporting the Austrians. I assume they avoided politics, as Lacy was a Jacobite! While Crawford was hardly slumming it, with four servants and eleven horses, he wasn't just an observer. He saw action in a couple of skirmishes.

When war broke out between the Russians and the Ottomans in 1736, he travelled to St Petersburg, where he met Admiral Gordon, another Scot in Russian service. He then had a long journey (a month) to join Field Marshal Münnich's army, which was preparing to invade Crimea. He skirmished with the Russian auxiliary Kalmyks against the Tatars. What they made of a Scottish Earl attempting horse archery is not recorded.

After that, he travelled to join the Austrian army commanded by George Wallis, another Irish officer. This ended at the Battle of Grocka on 21 July 1739. The Austrians were defeated by the Ottomans, who then besieged Belgrade before a peace treaty was agreed. The Earl was severely wounded in the thigh, and you may want to skip the details of 18th-century surgery and treatment. The wound never properly healed and probably contributed to his death ten years later. Not that this stopped him from fighting with the British army. He fought at the Battle of Dettingen on 16 June 1743. He gained the rank of Brigadier-General in 1744 and Major-General in 1745. He fought in the Jacobite rising of 1745 (on the government side, of course) and at the Battle of Fontenoy on 30 April 1745.

18th-century memoirs are not easy reads, with their language, repetition, and unnecessary commentary. However, this is a primary English-language source on the wars against the Ottomans, even if the Earl is not exactly an objective observer. Even allowing for the privileges of rank, he was a brave soldier, and the story is fascinating.

Some of my 28mm General officers of the period

The Flockmasters

This is the final novel in my Nigel Tranter project, fifty books re-read. The shelf is now bare, well, not quite, as I have simply filled it with other titles😉. Oxfam is hopefully a few quid better off. This novel is set during the Napoleonic Wars and explores the Highland clearances of that period.

The painting on the cover is Sir John Sinclair by Raeburn and is in the National Galleries of Scotland. While Tranter's tale is not directly about him, he was based in Caithness, while this story is set in the West Highlands, there is a link. Sinclair established, in Edinburgh, a society for the improvement of British wool and was notorious for clearing his tenants' land to make way for sheep. His family was also the owners of enslaved persons in the West Indies. All told, not a good person, even by the standards of the times.

We tend to think of the Highland clearances as being a later 18th-century practice. However, it started in the 1750s. The eviction of tenants went against dùthchas, the principle that clan members had an inalienable right to rent land in the clan territory, although this was never recognised in Scots law. It was gradually abandoned by clan chiefs as they began to think of themselves simply as commercial landlords, rather than as patriarchs of their people.

Tranter's story involves the MacRory clan, which I assume is a nod towards Clann Ruaidhrí, who were based in the West Highlands. The hero is a tacksman of the clan who had been wounded serving in a Highland regiment in the Peninsular War. He came home to discover the clearances in operation with houses being burned and the people being forced to barren land on the coast, before being shipped off to Canada. I won't spoil the story, but he organises some resistance against the factor of the clan chief, who is also the colonel of his regiment.

It is a grim tale, but well told by a master storyteller.

Some of my 28mm Napoleonic Highlanders. 

Armies of Justinian the Great

 This new Osprey MAA by Raffaele D'Amato is an overview of the Byzantine (arguably Late Roman) armies of Justinian the Great, 527-565 AD. He led a Roman recovery, including ambitious reconquests of lost Western territories, with outstanding generals such as Belisarius, Narses and Iohannes Troglita. This is a popular subject at present, with Helion publishing a two-volume study. 

He inherited an army structure that had changed little since the time of Constantine the Great. The Comitatenses was the field army, providing a defence in depth and for expeditionary forces. The Limitanei defended the borders, although Justinian turned it into a semi-regular force of soldier-settlers. The author describes the different troop types. While the heavily armoured cavalry is the iconic picture of his armies, the infantry remained important. Heavy infantry supported by light troops and archers could defeat cavalry charges. The cavalry included horse archers, increasingly hired, and heavy lancers. The elite Imperial Guard was based in Constantinople and organised into nine units. 

The recruitment of individual soldiers, along with their equipment and weapons, is covered in some detail. The types of scale and lamellar armour have been the subject of some debate, and the author takes us through the most recent archaeological evidence, including some remarkably well-preserved examples found in Türkiye. The old oval shield was still used by the infantry. This is all covered in fine colour plates, as you would expect in this series. The variety of troop types makes this a popular tabletop army to paint.

For the wargamer, this MAA has all you need to collect and paint these armies. You will need another book on the campaigns, of which there are several. The main primary source is The Wars of Justinian by Prokopios, and there is a modern translation. It has been many years since I painted my 15mm army of the period, in the days when Ian Heath's book was just about all that was available.

Some of my early Byzantine cavalry in 15mm