TIGERS IN COMBAT VOL II

◗ Wolfgang Schneider ◗ Stackpole Books (2021) ◗ £22.95 ◗ 380 pages (softback) ◗ ISBN:9780811739276 ◗ rowman.com

This is a unit-by-unit appraisal of those Wehrmacht Tiger formations not covered in Volume I, plus the Waffen-SS and the late-war ad hoc formations. Each has an organisational chart; diary of main events (deployments, brief descriptions of combat operations); unit insignia, markings and camouflage; and listings of tanks issued and losses, many of the latter being breakdowns.

Around half the book comprises black and white photos, but the quality is variable: I assume this arises from the conversion into softback from the original 1998 hardback version. Nevertheless they provide much material for modellers and wargamers, including some photos shot by Wittmann himself (one of the Tiger aces), and with several photos of the last Tigers in the last days in the heart of Berlin. The text is well written, and the April 1945 scratch mixed formations should appeal to many gamers.

Obviously a specialised topic, but with plenty of options for recreating combats and even a sort of solo campaign using a scaled-down Tiger battalion plus supporting units, facing random situations and reinforcements.