The Lion of the North

 A long train trip to Everton on Saturday for the football required some light reading. Not just because watching Fulham away at the moment is pretty grim! My choice was the third and latest in Griff Hosker's English Mercenary series. I enjoyed the first two, so this purchase was a no-brainer.

As the title implies, we have now reached the main 1632 campaign of the Swedish King, Gustavus Adolphus. In the last book, his victory at Breitenfeld in September 1631 gave Gustavus control over much of northern and central Germany. The 1632 campaign began well, with the trapping and defeat of Tilly at Rain in April. However, Imperial general Albrecht von Wallenstein established himself at Fürth, threatening to cut his lines of communication to the north. On 3 September, an assault on the Imperial camp outside the town was bloodily repulsed, and the Protestant army withdrew. Wallenstein moved north to Leipzig with the intention of spending the winter there. 

The Swedes learned that Pappenheim's corps of 5,800 men had been sent to Halle, which gave Gustavus a numerical superiority. He decided to attack, and the armies met at Lutzen. In a confused battle, the Swedish forces suffered heavier casualties, but Wallenstein was forced to withdraw. However, the Lion of the North was killed when he was separated from his battle line. 

Our hero is Colonel James Bretherton, who commands a regiment and later a brigade of light horse. A good choice by the author, as this means he is involved in all the main actions, but many more minor skirmishes as well. The book begins with our hero on leave back home in Teeside, embarking on a few adventures that I suspect may serve as a warm-up for his involvement in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms in later books. I had the pleasure of meeting the author at the Battleground wargames show in Teeside a couple of years ago, so I assume his hero's home base is no coincidence.

There are plenty of subplots involving dastardly treachery, but I won't spoil the story. All you really need to know is that this is a quick and pacy read from a very good storyteller. Recommended reading. 

In one of the skirmishes, they clash with Imperial Croats. You just knew I would find a Balkan connection!

My Croats of the period in 28mm.