Cold War Books

Cold War Books

Books marked MH are “must have” books that I consider essential for serious Cold War wargamers. If you want to buy a book, please click on the link. It costs you nothing and returns a tiny pittance to me. If the Amazon page tells you that the book is not available, this just means that I get no commission if you buy the book. Search Amazon for the title and it will usually come up.

Contents
  1. Weapons and Tactics of the Soviet Army by David C. Isby
  2. Armies of NATOs Central Front by David C. Isby
  3. Red Storm Rising by Tom Clancy
  4. The Third World War and The Third World War: The Untold Story by Sir John Hackett, et. al.
  5. Inside the Soviet Army by Viktor Suvorov
  6.  Soviet Air Land Battle Tactics by William P. Baxter
  7. Russian Tanks and Armored Vehicles: 1946-To the Present an Illustrated Reference by Fred Koch (184 pp. 1999)
  8. Team Yankee by Harold Coyle
  9. Chieftains by Bob Forrest-Webb
  10. Red Army by Ralph Peters
  11. First Clash by Kenneth Macksey
  12. Red Thrust by Steven Zaloga
  13. Vortex by Larry Bond
  14. Cauldron by Larry Bond

Weapons and Tactics of the Soviet Army by David C. Isby

MH A detailed treatment of the organization, equipment and doctrine of the Soviet Army. One of my “must have” volumes for Cold War wargamers. 512 pp. 1988.

Armies of NATOs Central Front by David C. Isby

MH The companion volume to Weapons and Tactics of the Soviet Army covers NATO in depth and includes information on organization, equipment and doctrine of the various NATO members.

Soviet/Russian Armor and Artillery Design Practices 1945 to the Present by David R. Markov, Steven J. Zaloga and Andrew W. Hull

MH The definitive resource on Soviet and Russian AFVs, antitank weapons and artillery. Although it’s expensive and hard to find, it’s well worth the effort. 448 pp., 1999.

Red Storm Rising by Tom Clancy

MH The best fictional portrayal of a NATO-Warsaw Pact war in the 1980s.

The Third World War and The Third World War: The Untold Story by Sir John Hackett, et. al.

MH The books that got most of us interested in Cold War wargaming.

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Inside the Soviet Army by Viktor Suvorov

This is an exhaustive study of the 1980s Soviet Army. It contains a lot of crunchy material for Cold War wargamers and is a basic resource for the period.

 Soviet Air Land Battle Tactics by William P. Baxter

A relatively dry analysis of Soviet doctrine, including logistics issues. But a rewarding read if you’re interested in Soviet doctrine. What’s really interesting to me is at the author draws from official Soviet military documents. Most of the diagrams are from those sources (relabeled in English). 1986.

Russian Tanks and Armored Vehicles: 1946-To the Present an Illustrated Reference by Fred Koch (184 pp. 1999)

A useful supplement (or alternative) to Soviet/Russian Armor and Artillery Design Practices 1945 to the Present. 184 pp., 1999.

Team Yankee by Harold Coyle

Chieftains by Bob Forrest-Webb

Red Army by Ralph Peters

First Clash by Kenneth Macksey

Red Thrust by Steven Zaloga

Vortex by Larry Bond

A modern war between the US and South Africa.

Cauldron by Larry Bond

War between the US and France/Germany.