British/Commonwealth Cruiser vs Italian Cruiser: The Mediterranean 1940–43 (Duel)

About the Author\nAngus Konstam hails from Orkney, off the north of Scotland, and is the author of well over 100 history books, 75 of which are published by Osprey. He has written widely on naval history from The Pirate World to his most recent works, Hunt the Bismarck and Mutiny on the Spanish Main, both published by Osprey. A former naval officer, he has worked as a museum curator in the Royal Armouries, Tower of London and the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West, Florida. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a former Chair of the Society of Authors in Scotland. Now a full-time author and historian, he has returned to live in Orkney.\nIan Palmer is a highly experienced digital artist with two decades of experience in the video games industry, both as a 3D artist and an Art Director. He has a passion for military history, gaming and riding his motorbike. He lives in Warwickshire with his wife, daughter and menagerie of pets.\nThis illustrated history explores the cruiser forces of the Italian and British Royal navies, the jack-of-all trades warships of the Mediterranean Naval War.\nIn 1940, when Italy entered World War II, the Royal Navy was badly overstretched, and its Mediterranean Fleet had to face both the Italian Navy and the German and Italian Air Forces in a battle for supremacy. Although the British and Italian battle fleets squared off against each other, they were both often held in reserve, in case the enemy fleet put to sea. So, it was left to the cruisers to wage their own naval war in the Mediterranean. This involved a range of missions, from escorting convoys and hunting enemy ones, to fighting for control of the sea around key locations such as the waters off Malta and Crete.\nThis superbly illustrated study, written by renowned naval expert Angus Konstam, compares and contrasts the design, weapon technologies and combat performance of the opposing cruiser forces. It also documents several major clashes between British, Commonwealth and Italian cruisers, including spirited actions fought off Cape Spada in 1940, a string of actions in the Gulf of Sirte throughout 1941, battles against Axis convoys in 1941–42, and the Battle of Pantelleria in 1942. Among the subjects of the specially commissioned colour artworks are HMAS Sydney, HMS Naiad, RM Trento and RM Raimondo Montecuccoli.