By Clemens Niesner

Tankograd Missions & Manoeuvres No 7004.
Soft cover, A4 size, 64 pages

Review by Peter Brown

This book is a record in photographs of several of these exercises annually from 1996 to 2000 the following a gap in 2005. Details of units taking part are included along with a brief history and background, the main emphasis is on the equipment used shown in a series of clearly printed photos. Many appear full or half page allowing for plenty of detail to be seen. Coverage is mostly British AFVs, there are a few shots of Polish T-72M1, supporting armour and trucks but most of the photos show various types from Challenger and Chieftain ARRV in the earlier exercises to Challenger 2 and CRARRV in more recent times, plus Warrior, FV432, Scimitar, AS90 and others. Softskins feature to a lesser extent, with one from another more universal Army in their own colour scheme making a big contrast to the more common green and black plus foliage and mud. Some vehicles are fitted with add-on visual modifications or "vismods" as OPFOR (OPposing FORces) for training purposes such as dummy barrels on Warrior and Scimitar along with some unusual fittings for Challenger 2, plus a range of unit and exercise markings.

Modelling ideas are numerous for single vehicles as they appear in the field - or is that be with the field on them? - including various damage suffered or for dioramas such as engine changes. You may even have taken part in one or more of these exercises and want a small visual reminder.

Whatever your specific area interest, if modern British army vehicles interest you this is a great source of material.

Available from Tankograd Militarfahrzeug distributors. For more details contact the publishers Verlag Jochen Vollert on jochenvollert@tankograd.com My thanks to Justin Gainham at Bookworld for the review copy.

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