Helicopters in Irregular Warfare | Algeria, Vietnam & Afghanistan

Major Beau G. Rollie explains in his master thesis the impact of helicopters on the battlefield in non-conventional wars. Preface: The preponderance of conflicts fought over the last seventy years have included or been centred on irregular warfare and counter-insurgency. Indeed, the helicopter's first significant trials in combat took place during the Algerian War 1954-1962, the Vietnam War 1955-1975, and the Soviet-Afghan War 1979-1989. During these wars, the French, U.S., and Soviet militaries used significant numbers of helicopters to fight insurgents and guerrillas, and each country lost their respective conflict.

Detailed French OOB | The French-Algerian War 1954-1962

The rest of this amazing find (Thanks FZS-Eagle!) can be found here at the forum. More details about how the French organised their forces and why Algeria was the first real helicopter war, check them out at this and that link.

They bled in the bled | Oued Stita 1956

Check out the latest community scenario for Campaign Series Middle East | They bled in the Bled | Algeria 1954-1962. A big thanks to Eagle-FZS! 

The Algerian War | A Model for Counterinsurgency Operations

by Kyoichi Tachikawa. No, this time it's not a 400+ dossier, monograph or thesis. It's a quick and comprehensive read of just 16-pages that summarises, in a very detailed way however, what COIN strategies or tactics the French employed in Algeria. 

Pacification in Algeria 1956–1958 | First hand experience

I felt I had learned enough about insurgencies, and I wanted to test certain theories I had formed on counterinsurgency warfare. For all these reasons I volunteered for duty in Algeria as soon as I reached France. Lt Col David Galula (1919–1967). In this Memorandum, the author has reconstructed and evaluated his unique experience as participant and eyewitness in a critical period of the Algerian war. Another must read to understand the struggle in Algeria between 1954 - 1962.

Tactical success is not enough | The French in Algeria 1954-1962

Yes, I know. Yet another study, thesis, paper about the struggle in Algeria! Mind you though... you'll find quite some interesting insights reading this piece of work by Lt.Cmdr. James R. Rogers, USN. If you want to play out the whole conflict, perhaps give the award winning boardgame Ici c'est la France! a try.

Moden Warfare | Roger Trinquier

A French View of Counterinsurgency.  Apparently quite a controversial piece of work from this former notorious or famous (depending on your point of view), as well as distinguished French officer. Nevertheless, another invaluable read to understand how other armies relied on their COIN operations because of his experience... for the better, or the worse. 

They bled in the Bled | CS Middle East Algerian War

I am trying my best at the moment to create a series of scenarios that cover the intense and bitter fighting during the French-Algerian War. They are supposed to be fast, quick but innovative, e.g. to display how the French were the first to use helicopters for their operations in the Hinterland. 

Campaign Series Middle East | You Tube Fan Channel

A dedicated CSME gamer already released 20 (!!) playthroughs of the lastest release from CS Legion on his YT channel and I highly recommend to visit it. He starts with all the Boot Camps and various interesting scenarios. 

The French Experience in Algeria, 1954-1962

Blueprint for U.S. Operations in Iraq, by Major Gregory Peterson. I bumped into this interesting read while researching material for more Campaign Series | Middle East scenarios. Apparently, there are quite a few unknown encounters during this bitter colonial struggle, like the Battle of Agounennda.

The Tightrope | French Colonial Collapse

... and the Shaping of Cold War Europe, a Master's Thesis by Major Donald J. Thompson, U.S. ARNG. From the introduction of this amazingly interesting read... At the end of World War II, France was much weaker than it had been before the start of the war; however, France still had a role within the U.S.-dominated Western alliance standing against Soviet expansion. Nevertheless, the French leadership chose to engage what remained of their national power in the reestablishment of their overseas colonial empire. France's preoccupation with the reestablishment of its colonial empire was strategically important to the structure of the post-World War II security environment because it amounted to a direct competition to its obligations for the defence of Europe.

The First Helicopter War | Campaign Series Middle East

The First Helicopter War | Logistics and Mobility in Algeria, 1954-1962  is yet another interesting read I literally bumped into! Most of us automatically think about the Ia-Drang Valley in Vietnam, 1st Air Cavalry and lots of 'choppas' dropping GIs at LZs there. But... it was the French who first tried to utilise this new way of transport. At the end, despite of this revolutionary concept, it neither helped the French in Algeria nor the US Americans in Vietnam to win... 

Operation Musketeer

Operation Musketeer - The End of Empire A Study of Organizational Failure in Combined Operations - A Monograph by Major Patrick L. Neky. Another fascinating declassified study about the events (and blunders!) during the Suez Crisis in 1956. In my opinion a fascinating read, highly recommended. It can be downloaded from the DTIC archives. Replay the action at Port Said with the tactical-wargame - Campaign Series Middle East.

Campaign Series: Middle East 1948-1985 - Gameplay Video

I thought it might be a good idea to link to the first promotional video for Campaign Series Middle East. It's quite educational and gives some of you some interesting insights about what's new and what the CS Legion team did to improve the playability and of course the fun!