Like so many aspects of battle, 'reconnaissance' is a familiar term, but few civilians have any idea how it is actually done or what it involves. In human terms, 'combat reconnaissance' means the first soldiers to go forward ahead of the main body of forces - either creeping through the landscape or, for larger units, actually driving forward into the unknown in fast, light armoured vehicles and jeeps festooned with machine-guns - until they run into the enemy. When they do they have to try to report his strength and ...
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Like so many aspects of battle, 'reconnaissance' is a familiar term, but few civilians have any idea how it is actually done or what it involves. In human terms, 'combat reconnaissance' means the first soldiers to go forward ahead of the main body of forces - either creeping through the landscape or, for larger units, actually driving forward into the unknown in fast, light armoured vehicles and jeeps festooned with machine-guns - until they run into the enemy. When they do they have to try to report his strength and position, without getting killed by the first burst of fire. Somebody has to do this at the start of every single action of any war - whether it's a handful of men crawling, or a column of armoured cars racing. This book explains how the major armies did it in World War II, with what equipment used and in which ways.
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Although the author knows his subject, this book lacks the specific historical details which Osprey is famous for. It is written as a general historical survey and is therefore most suitable as an introduction to the subject for someone who is new to the field. I think it is fair to say that the subject is far too ambitious for one of Osprey's slim volumes. It would have been better to focus on a narrower subject, e.g., Russian Combat Reconnaissance, and provide greater detail. Osprey is, after all, publishing for a specialized audience. At least, I hope so.
