The Second Nagorno-Karabakh war – fought between Armenia and Azerbaijan between September 24 and November 10, 2020 lasted just 44-days war and resulted in a decisive military victory for Azerbaijan. Armenia was outfought, outnumbered, and outspent and lost even though they controlled the high ground in a mountainous region that favored traditional defense.

Azerbaijan’s alliance with Turkey, and close technological support from Israel, strategically isolated Armenia. In addition, Turkey’s posturing influenced the Russians not to intervene to support Armenia.

That Azerbaijan attacked Armenia during the pandemic was an additional factor. The fact that Azerbaijan won the war is not extraordinary, considering the correlation of forces arrayed against Armenia. What is exceptional is that this was the first modern war primarily decided by unmanned weapons. In this war the Turkish-made BAYRAKTAR TB2 Unmanned Air Combat Vehicle (UCAV) and the Israeli-made HAROP Loitering Munition (LM) dominated the fighting and provided Azerbaijan with a war-winning advantage.

Turkish-made BAYRAKTAR TB2 Unmanned Air Combat Vehicle (UCAV)

The Azeris took back much of what they had lost in six years of war last Century in a fast moving “Blitzkrieg” spearheaded not just by their “Spetznaz” Special forces, but especially through the use of Drones, and Loitering Reconnaissance flyers and Munitions. Drones tripped Radars that got destroyed by missiles. Loitering Drones found targets without human help and then fell on the target and exploded. The Armenian forces, so well prepared for regular warfare, were overwhelmed and destroyed in detail by forces they could barely see let alone shoot at or destroy.

The Israeli HAROP loitering missile (LM)

The Author, Colonel John Antal, a soldier, thinker, and writer on technological warfare takes us through the technology they purchased, how they used it and the implications for other battlefields. He takes the time to go over all the different ways human control, AI control and various mixtures of how those can work- as well as how new and potential future technologies can be or might be integrated into present systems and tactical needs

The Armenians, winners of the first war, got complacent. With a much smaller economic base, and patron Russia standing behind them, they assumed that defensive works, their possession of key ridge lines and cities, and strong conventional weaponry (Tanks/Artillery/AA Systems) would be able to handle any and all comers. Azerbijan had massive oil income, NATO’s Turkey as a patron, access to Russian, Turkish and Israeli technologies and a burning desire to get the territory back.

For the Gaming Enthusiast as well as modern battlefield commanders its sort of a whole New World. For any gamer wanting to include these systems in their games this book would be a good place to start.

There are enough photos and line drawings of systems and their vehicular tows to add them to any Team Yankee, Battlegroup Modern, Danger Close, FUBAR Modern, Red Storm Rising, Chain of Command, or any other modern rules for that matter. I have already included small drones to assist with PID insurgent forces in my Modern Skirmish rules still under development.

The Ramifications for the war in Ukraine at the moment are clear. Below are before and after shots of a Ukrainian drone attack on Russian tanks.

Given what has happened to Russian conventional forces in the Ukraine. the only criticism I have of the book would be that Antal has given the Russian hardware and military systems to much credence in his book.

Azerbaijani soldiers celebrate the deal reached to halt fighting

A warning – the book does have some grizzly war themes and does require a limited understanding of A1 technology, but despite these it gives a window into the future possibilities on battlefields and good information on how future concepts might go beyond the now.

Militia supporting Azerbaijan forces

Overall, I found it an engaging book full of interesting recent history, technological insights, and an alarming vision of battlefields to come.

It is a sad indictment on me that I found this photo one of the most disturbing!