Hammer's Slammers

Hammer's Slammers is a 1979 collection of military science fiction short stories about an interstellar mercenary tank regiment. The stories span from the unit's formation by Colonel Alois Hammer to its operations across various planets and conflicts. The regiment uses advanced technology including hover tanks and energy weapons, but operates with brutal effectiveness grounded in military realism. Each story focuses on different members of the unit - from raw recruits to veteran officers - as they navigate combat missions and the harsh realities of being soldiers for hire. Drake wrote these stories drawing directly from his experience serving in the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment during the Vietnam War. The collection retains technical accuracy about armored warfare while transplanting those dynamics into a far-future setting. The stories explore themes of loyalty, the impact of war on soldiers, and the complex relationship between military units and the governments that employ them. Through its military focus, the book examines how people maintain their humanity while dealing with the pressures and violence of continuous combat.

Readers value the gritty, realistic portrayal of future warfare and the detailed military tactics, drawing from Drake's Vietnam experiences. Reviews note the tight pacing and matter-of-fact writing style that conveys the brutality of combat without glorification. Readers liked: - Technical accuracy of tank warfare and military operations - Complex moral choices faced by soldiers - Self-contained stories that build a larger universe - Character development of Colonel Hammer Common criticisms: - Limited character depth beyond military roles - Some stories feel repetitive in structure - Violence can be overwhelming for some readers - Minimal exploration of civilian perspectives Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (2,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (300+ ratings) LibraryThing: 3.8/5 (400+ ratings) "Pulls no punches about the cost of war" - common review theme "Like Vietnam with tanks in space" - Amazon reviewer "More focused on tactics than characters" - Goodreads reviewer

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All You Need Is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka A soldier in mechanized combat armor relives the same battle against alien invaders through repeated death and resurrection.

🔹 Drake served as an interrogator and tank crewman in the Blackhorse Regiment during the Vietnam War, directly influencing the realistic military details in the series 🔹 The series' hovertanks were partially inspired by the M551 Sheridan light tanks Drake worked with in Vietnam, but reimagined with fusion power and advanced weapons 🔹 The book pioneered the "military science fiction" subgenre in the 1970s, influencing countless later works including Warhammer 40,000 and Battletech 🔹 Several real-world military units have adopted symbology and mottos from Hammer's Slammers, including armored cavalry regiments and mercenary groups 🔹 The distinctive "powergun" weapons in the series operate by converting copper into plasma - Drake developed this concept to create weapons that were both futuristic and had realistic logistics concerns