Desert Tracks
Desert Tracks is a reference book by William E. Platz about British armour markings and camouflage in North Africa during World War II, published by Baron Publishing in 1978.
Contents
Desert Tracks is a 92-page reference book in 8.25" x 5.25" format by William E. Platz, with illustrations by Steven R. Cobb.[1] Platz, who took over ten years to research this book,[1] provides details about British armor camouflage and markings in North Africa during the Second World War.[2]
The book includes chapters on:
- the organization of the desert armour forces in detail.
- generalized marking scheme and guidelines for British armour, down to individualized markings for each vehicle, including regimental markings, and identification and recognition markings.
- flags, formation signs and camouflage patterns. (A plate with four color paint chips is included to give some reference to Steven Cobb's black & white line drawings of camouflage markings.)
- the problems of using and maintaining armoured units in the desert
- vehicle plans and technical data
- the order of battle for some significant encounters, including Erwin Rommel's Operation Compass and Operation Crusader, the Battle of Gazala and the Battle of El Alamein.[1]
The appendices list armour division and infantry division unit serial numbers.[1]
Reception
In the September 1980 edition of Dragon (Issue #29), Tim Kask reviewed the book for wargamers looking to either paint accurate models, or to set up accurate orders of battle during combat simulations. Kask called it "probably the most comprehensive compilation data on the British in North Africa that is currently available." Kask liked the setup of the book, which he called "well organized and orderly" and he complimented the extensive bibliography, saying it was worth the price of the book alone as "one of the more extensive and detailed that I have seen." He concluded, "Recommended for the serious armor buff interested in British Armour in North Africa. An excellent book."[1]
