IN THE MIDST OF THE KINGDOM

◗ Martyn Bennett ◗ Helion (2021) ◗ £29.95 ◗ 290 pages (softback) ◗ ISBN:9781913118891 ◗ helion.co.uk

As wargamers, I guess our main use of the English Civil War is the battles – from Marston Moor at around 45,000 men to much smaller battles like Roundway Down. However, there is much of interest in the regional conflicts, with their mixture of local garrisons, small field armies, logistical challenges (from finance to food), and the occasional foray by the main field armies: an ideal wargame campaign?

This is another of those Helion titles by an expert author that covers these perspectives, in this case being the North Midlands. The sub-title infers just a Royalist viewpoint, but in fact the author provides a comparative analysis of the Parliamentary effort too. The book is not so much about the battles (although there is useful information on the size and composition of field forces) but more the efforts by both sides to secure their own areas of influence and to disrupt the enemy’s. There is also a strong section on the various method of raising finance and the socioeconomic backgrounds to the leading Commissioners and Committeemen. A good all-round study.