by Simon Marsh. Softcover (7.2×9.7 inches). 314 pages. 2026.
Subtitle: Ordnance and Associated Capabilities of English Armies During the First Civil War
This comprehensive examination of artillery trains during the English Civil War offers a detailed look at the composition of a number of trains: Essex, Eastern Association, Waller, Royalist Oxford, New Model Army, and a few others. Of all the trains, the Essex train has the most information as it has the most extensive period sources.
Just to be clear, a “trayne” is an assembly of artillery cannons of various types and sizes, specialist personnel, and equipment assigned to an army. It also includes pioneers who were the manual labor to clear roads, build bastions, and otherwise follow orders from the specialists who would site, service, and fire the cannons.
This in-depth analysis includes composition of each train down to the last gun, logistics of supplying and maintaining the train, roles filled by each type of personnel, and the combat records of the trains during various sieges and open-field battles. The research is quite extensive, supported by lots of period illustrations highlighting marching, emplacement, and equipment.
The light 3-pounder field guns had an effective range of about 100m to 200m and the gun team could reload in about four to five minutes. Thus, a gun would usually get one shot at advancing infantry and might often be able to withdraw to a supporting second line of infantry for the actual reload (p74). Parliament had more guns at the start of the war and decreed that two light guns would be assigned to each infantry regiment (p78).
Other common tactics included placing the larger guns on the flanks, mask the guns behind a screen of cavalry that would withdraw to unveil the guns for firing, site guns on higher terrain to fire over friendly troops, and advance the light guns along with the troops (p78).
The book contains 59 black and white illustrations, 19 black and white photos, and five black and white maps.
Sometimes, the data in the workmanlike prose might be better off in tabular format, but otherwise, it churns right along. The more you’re interested in ECW artillery, the more notes you’ll be taking for your tabletop wargame.
Enjoyed it.
— Reviewed by Russ Lockwood
