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Creature Warfare
Elf Warfare
Although few in number, elves produce the most skillful and deadly warriors of all the races. Renowned for their archery and agility, they are mostly associated with hit-and-run tactics; however, they should not be underestimated in open battle. This book compiles all of the information known about these elegant warriors and how they practise war. From an initial examination of the fighting methods of the individual elf warrior, it goes on to reveal how they do battle in small companies and vast armies. It covers all of their troop types--from their famed bowmen and swordmasters to their lightning-fast cavalry--making special note of regional variations and highly specialized fighters such as war mages.
Accompanied by numerous illustrations in both color and black and white, this book examines specific battles in great detail in order to fully demonstrate the elf way of war.
Accompanied by numerous illustrations in both color and black and white, this book examines specific battles in great detail in order to fully demonstrate the elf way of war.
64 pages, Paperback
First published February 16, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 5, 2017
Many thanks to Chris Pramas, Osprey Publising, and Netgalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
Loved this book!!! What a gem
Read it in a couple of hours and closed it with a deeper appreciation for eleven folklore. I understand this is actually a series with various creatures as the subject matter and I want them all. These would be great for D&D kids I think.
My only complaint is that the gorgeous illustrations didn't translate in the electronic version of this book.
Loved this book!!! What a gem
Read it in a couple of hours and closed it with a deeper appreciation for eleven folklore. I understand this is actually a series with various creatures as the subject matter and I want them all. These would be great for D&D kids I think.
My only complaint is that the gorgeous illustrations didn't translate in the electronic version of this book.
May 22, 2017
Disclaimer: ARC via Netgalley
My love of elves dates back to the first time I read Lord of the Rings. It was because they were ageless, spoke funny, or seemed so wise. It was because they used bows and arrows. This is because one of the first movies I ever saw was Robin Hood. Honesty, if the orcs had been as skilled with bows as Robin was, I would be constantly wondering why everyone painted those poor, misunderstand orcs as evil.
It’s true.
Osprey’s book about Elf Warfare written by Chris Pramas taps into the fascination that many people have with elves, whether or not said people only like them because of the Robin Hood collection. The book is ideal for any gamer or writer. Osprey presents the various fighter types as well as various battle formats. It is in one part source book and one part history, with a sprinkling of storytelling thrown in.
Highlights include a nice bit about how elves work with allies- be they human or animal and a detailed discussion about how elven armies and how they are designed. There is at least one illustration that looks like it was Bloom’s Legolas inspired, and one does wonder a bit about some of the Elven women’s battle dress. But those are quibbles.
It is a quick fun read that can spark creativity.
My love of elves dates back to the first time I read Lord of the Rings. It was because they were ageless, spoke funny, or seemed so wise. It was because they used bows and arrows. This is because one of the first movies I ever saw was Robin Hood. Honesty, if the orcs had been as skilled with bows as Robin was, I would be constantly wondering why everyone painted those poor, misunderstand orcs as evil.
It’s true.
Osprey’s book about Elf Warfare written by Chris Pramas taps into the fascination that many people have with elves, whether or not said people only like them because of the Robin Hood collection. The book is ideal for any gamer or writer. Osprey presents the various fighter types as well as various battle formats. It is in one part source book and one part history, with a sprinkling of storytelling thrown in.
Highlights include a nice bit about how elves work with allies- be they human or animal and a detailed discussion about how elven armies and how they are designed. There is at least one illustration that looks like it was Bloom’s Legolas inspired, and one does wonder a bit about some of the Elven women’s battle dress. But those are quibbles.
It is a quick fun read that can spark creativity.
April 29, 2018
* * *
3 / 5
This book is intended, I believe, as a sort of supplement to various tabletop and roleplaying games, to add a bit of flavour to their interpretation of Elves. As I don't play these sorts of games, I was mostly interested in Elf Warfare because it promised lovely illustrations and I was not disappointed.
Elf Warfare is split into four sections: The Elves, a fictional historical account of elves discussing their origins, gods, and magic; Elf Troop Types, from basic unit types like archers to some creative kinds like moon elf infiltrators, as well as some information about elven allies like human tribes; Elf Strategies and Tactics, an interesting look at how elves might lay siege, fight on land or at sea; Elf Victories, an account of five great elvish battle victories illustrating how these tactics might be used.
This is a very short book, barely sixty pages but it has densely packed but easy to read text. There's also small in-text sketches and diagrams as well as full-page artistic pieces, all of which are very nicely done. The writing is perhaps aimed at a slightly younger age than I was expecting - I had pictured a college/university aged audience - as it often says something like "the earth elves got into squabbles". I also think that the pages could have been formatted better, for example by setting each topic out on a new page, as there are occasionally massive, blocky chunks of text. I would also have appreciated diagrams in the strategy section.
I do envision that this book would be great for roleplaying purposes. It divides elves into six different groups and explain the qualities and attributes of each group. I was also pleased to see that the book deviated from the Tolkien-type elf, which has become the most common depiction of the fantasy elf and in this book is referred to as the "wood" or "green" elf, by creating types like the "Gold elves" which have qualities one might classically attribute to dwarves. I particularly like the idea of nomadic sea elves!
I would recommend this little book to a roleplaying group looking for elvish inspiration.
My thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC of this book
Read this review and more on my blog: https://atlasrisingbooks.wordpress.co...
3 / 5
This book is intended, I believe, as a sort of supplement to various tabletop and roleplaying games, to add a bit of flavour to their interpretation of Elves. As I don't play these sorts of games, I was mostly interested in Elf Warfare because it promised lovely illustrations and I was not disappointed.
Elf Warfare is split into four sections: The Elves, a fictional historical account of elves discussing their origins, gods, and magic; Elf Troop Types, from basic unit types like archers to some creative kinds like moon elf infiltrators, as well as some information about elven allies like human tribes; Elf Strategies and Tactics, an interesting look at how elves might lay siege, fight on land or at sea; Elf Victories, an account of five great elvish battle victories illustrating how these tactics might be used.
This is a very short book, barely sixty pages but it has densely packed but easy to read text. There's also small in-text sketches and diagrams as well as full-page artistic pieces, all of which are very nicely done. The writing is perhaps aimed at a slightly younger age than I was expecting - I had pictured a college/university aged audience - as it often says something like "the earth elves got into squabbles". I also think that the pages could have been formatted better, for example by setting each topic out on a new page, as there are occasionally massive, blocky chunks of text. I would also have appreciated diagrams in the strategy section.
I do envision that this book would be great for roleplaying purposes. It divides elves into six different groups and explain the qualities and attributes of each group. I was also pleased to see that the book deviated from the Tolkien-type elf, which has become the most common depiction of the fantasy elf and in this book is referred to as the "wood" or "green" elf, by creating types like the "Gold elves" which have qualities one might classically attribute to dwarves. I particularly like the idea of nomadic sea elves!
I would recommend this little book to a roleplaying group looking for elvish inspiration.
My thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC of this book
Read this review and more on my blog: https://atlasrisingbooks.wordpress.co...
May 30, 2018
Kind of a documentary about the Elf. It cover the basic (class, weapons, magics, great wars, and more...). Being a fan of fantasy for years,I didn't learn much from it, but if you're knew into it and want to learn what are the Elf, it can be a decent choice, but I would recommend reading great fantasy novel, it will take more time, but you'll learn more and have way more fun doing it. The best part of it were the illustrations that are truly beautiful!
November 4, 2017
'Elf Warfare' by Chris Pramas is another book in the Osprey line of fantasy warfare. Previously I read 'Orc Warfare' and liked it about as much as this on.
It's a short book, but has enough information to fuel a fantasy wargaming campaign. The 4 chapters talk about 5 of the types of elves (gold, green, high, moon, and sea), what units comprise an elf army, what tactics elf armies might use, and finally a major victory from each of the 5 types of elves.
I learned that elves don't like to make risky death-defying moves because they are so long-lived. I also learned not to tangle with the elves at sea when they have their sea turtle and sea dragon ships nearby.
The book also includes some nice illustrations of different elves and armor and such.
I received a review copy of this ebook from Osprey Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.
It's a short book, but has enough information to fuel a fantasy wargaming campaign. The 4 chapters talk about 5 of the types of elves (gold, green, high, moon, and sea), what units comprise an elf army, what tactics elf armies might use, and finally a major victory from each of the 5 types of elves.
I learned that elves don't like to make risky death-defying moves because they are so long-lived. I also learned not to tangle with the elves at sea when they have their sea turtle and sea dragon ships nearby.
The book also includes some nice illustrations of different elves and armor and such.
I received a review copy of this ebook from Osprey Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.
May 17, 2017
This book is for anyone who likes epic fantasy and elves. There was a lot of information about the different kind of elves, their weapons and their battle strategies. I liked the short stories about the different sections and I wish they were longer and more a part of the layout. The epic battle at the end was my favorite part, it brought together all information that was just learned and painted a wonderful picture. I gave this book four stars because I could tell that a lot of research went into each chapter and they were well written. This is definitely a niche book and might not be interesting to readers who don't read enjoy epic fantasy or fantasy world building.
May 31, 2017
This book contains knowledge about elves. Mostly about their war tactics, armies and their origins. After reading this book, I Felt much more enlightened about elves.
The interesting history was combined with great narration that made you want to learn more about them without getting bored. The pictures included in the book and little snippets from books were also a bonus and helped the reader picture it quite nicely. The stories at the end gave us an even deeper understanding of what would happen if this tactics were used.
Overall, I think writers, gamers or people looking for a little knowledge about elves would enjoy this little book full of interesting snippets, great artwork, vast knowledge and great narration.
I received an ARC from the publisher from Net galley. I thank them and the publisher for sending this wonderful book to me.
November 7, 2017
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
I liked this book, I wanted to love it but the images didn't translate well in the ecopy. I think if you're going to buy this book, you'd do better seeing if there's a print copy available.
The information and fictional overview of elves is fantastic though, so I'll definitely be looking for print copies of this series of books for my library, as I tend to love to write about elves. :)
I liked this book, I wanted to love it but the images didn't translate well in the ecopy. I think if you're going to buy this book, you'd do better seeing if there's a print copy available.
The information and fictional overview of elves is fantastic though, so I'll definitely be looking for print copies of this series of books for my library, as I tend to love to write about elves. :)
May 26, 2019
The title says it all. This book is about elf warfare. The elves presented are generic D&D elves that have been divided into good dark elves (Drizzt Do'Urden) , wood elves (Mirkwood), sea elves , high elves (Rivendell), and gold elves (Gondolin). The describes the composition of elf armies and different tactics used by each type of elf.. The art is great and the book is a good resource for wargamers and role-players. It could have used some maps in the chapter on famous battles.
October 23, 2017
3.5 Stars
3.25 - Text
4 - Artwork
A history of Elven warfare, their different groups, and each group's battle tactics and weapons. A fun and informative book for anyone interested in the subject, especially Sci-fi/fantasy fans and gamers. It's organized well and the illustrations are beautiful.
Net Galley Feedback
3.25 - Text
4 - Artwork
A history of Elven warfare, their different groups, and each group's battle tactics and weapons. A fun and informative book for anyone interested in the subject, especially Sci-fi/fantasy fans and gamers. It's organized well and the illustrations are beautiful.
Net Galley Feedback
August 24, 2017
Disclosure: The reviewer received a review copy of this book via Netgalley.
I've always liked Osprey Publishing's military history books. They consistently catch my attention at hobby shops due to the wonderfully illustrated covers and adventurous topics. This goes double for Elf Warfare, which gives the Osprey treatment to fantasy fiction.
Elf Warfare is the third installment of the Osprey Adventures series, which also includes Orc Warfare and Dwarf Warfare . The books present an overview of the cultures, societies, and militaries of these fantasy races. Though presented as a nonfiction volume, Elf Warfare is a work of original fiction, not just a roll-up or comparison of elves from other stories. It is essentially a gaming manual to provide reference or ideas for gaming campaigns or fantasy writers.
The book begins with a short history of the elves and their main divisions. These include Green Elves, Sea Elves, Gold Elves, High Elves, Moon Elves, and Dark Elves. It continues with description of troop types, those common to all elf armies and those unique to each elf kind. Next, the volume presents the strategies and tactics employed by elf armies and navies. Finally, we get to see some vignettes of fictional elf battles where the different troops and tactics are employed.
Elf Warfare is an expository manual, not a narrative novel. However, it still fired my imagination and immersed me into its world. The descriptions provide plenty of detail without getting dry. As with most Osprey books, it has beautiful full-color and grayscale illustrations throughout the volume that complement the text and inspire the reader.
This is a wonderful overview of a fantasy race and its possible ways of warfare.
View the complete review here at Epic Grit.
I've always liked Osprey Publishing's military history books. They consistently catch my attention at hobby shops due to the wonderfully illustrated covers and adventurous topics. This goes double for Elf Warfare, which gives the Osprey treatment to fantasy fiction.
Elf Warfare is the third installment of the Osprey Adventures series, which also includes Orc Warfare and Dwarf Warfare . The books present an overview of the cultures, societies, and militaries of these fantasy races. Though presented as a nonfiction volume, Elf Warfare is a work of original fiction, not just a roll-up or comparison of elves from other stories. It is essentially a gaming manual to provide reference or ideas for gaming campaigns or fantasy writers.
The book begins with a short history of the elves and their main divisions. These include Green Elves, Sea Elves, Gold Elves, High Elves, Moon Elves, and Dark Elves. It continues with description of troop types, those common to all elf armies and those unique to each elf kind. Next, the volume presents the strategies and tactics employed by elf armies and navies. Finally, we get to see some vignettes of fictional elf battles where the different troops and tactics are employed.
Elf Warfare is an expository manual, not a narrative novel. However, it still fired my imagination and immersed me into its world. The descriptions provide plenty of detail without getting dry. As with most Osprey books, it has beautiful full-color and grayscale illustrations throughout the volume that complement the text and inspire the reader.
This is a wonderful overview of a fantasy race and its possible ways of warfare.
View the complete review here at Epic Grit.
July 28, 2017
***Note: I received a copy curtesy of Netgalley and Osprey Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
I think the elves are my favourite race from the ones you usually find in fantasy: not just their physical beauty, but their majesty, the elegance they fight with, their intelligence and wonderful organizational skills.
The book is a fictional history and representation of elves, structured in four parts: first a general presentation of the race; the second about elf troops; the third about strategies and tactics; the fourth and last with case studies of battles. The facts are presented in an interesting manner and a realistic mode, so that it was easy to forget that this was just fiction and not the actual history of a long gone race.
What bothered me: (1) the very abrupt ending, the book just stops, with no conclusion; (2) not sure how it was for other readers, but in my kindle format the pictures were separated in many pieces and thus rendered useless and disrupting even the reading.
I think the elves are my favourite race from the ones you usually find in fantasy: not just their physical beauty, but their majesty, the elegance they fight with, their intelligence and wonderful organizational skills.
The book is a fictional history and representation of elves, structured in four parts: first a general presentation of the race; the second about elf troops; the third about strategies and tactics; the fourth and last with case studies of battles. The facts are presented in an interesting manner and a realistic mode, so that it was easy to forget that this was just fiction and not the actual history of a long gone race.
What bothered me: (1) the very abrupt ending, the book just stops, with no conclusion; (2) not sure how it was for other readers, but in my kindle format the pictures were separated in many pieces and thus rendered useless and disrupting even the reading.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews