Gunka No Baltzar Nineteenth Century Warfare Manga Discussion

Right, so, I found out that this fine manga lacked a discussion topic in here. Here it is now.

This manga... I will say, for as niche as it is, it's also astoundingly addictive. As in, I scarfed my way through it in April in just a little over a week, then hungered for more. It's well-written, and well-researched, plus it covers a period of warfare seldom seen in fiction. As for our protagonist... he is a highly entertaining jackal of a man. Seriously, what's up with all that smiling when he's not supposed to?

I first heard of it thanks to my younger cousin, of all people, who's a newcomer fan to anime, but has a fondness for historical warfare (like myself). I forgot for a while, and then a fellow troper and friend gave me a proper introduction. One of the best manga recommendations I've ever gotten.

edited 29th May '15 1:25:20 PM by Colonial1.1

Oh hey, a Balzer discussion.

It's kind of interesting to plot how things go, technology-wise, in Balzer. At the start of the manga things were technologically at the point somewhere during the Napoleonic era, but in the more recent chapters we're seeing trenches, barbed wire, and machine guns. Suffice to say things are moving REALLY quickly towards World War 1 norms.

Oh yes. That's really one of the most intriguing things about this manga, showing you the kind of warfare that had to develop between Napoleon's day and the Twentieth century. Further, how that sort of warfare still holds true in some ways. Squad-based tactics out of the 19th century, hah!

I do like how some of the dyed-in-the-wool old-time soldiers reacted to these new developments — the trap with the barbed wire and the machine gun was devastating, for example.

Still waiting for someone to recommend wearing helmets this time...

No, we must keep wearing these fabulous tricorns!

At least Balzer and the kids don't seem to have that problem. Dem Prussian Weissen helmets be swank.

It was also nice to see Ryner's development over time, from callous nobility brute to someone (somewhat) worth ruling a nation.

Well. Latest chapter was a real nail-biter. And what a cliffhanger!

Is it just me, or is the ship tease over Helmut getting obvious?

Wait, there's a new chapter? I could have sworn that the last one was Balzer getting into the darned carriage. :P

Hoy, that one was news to me. : P

I must've been looking at the wrong site.

There's quite a bit of updates here, but some revelations as well — for one the meeting was actually reasonable, and about an unexpected topic, at least as far as Baltzer was concerned. A political marriage? Between the royalties of the neighboring nations? My word, the Empress is apparently playing everyone like a fiddle here. Then there's the fact that the two princes might not actually BE royalty at all.

All in all, pretty packed chapters for the manga.

These chapters. ^^; Seriously though, who could have predicted Baltzer resigning his post at the academy and literally packing up and leaving the trainees?

Another new chapter~!

Welp, we've now got a coup AND what looks like a setup for a civil war. Looks like Baltzer's resignation was for nought, as the kids at the Academy are now in for a siege.