Just for fun......The Ultimate Soldier

[Centurion Dan]

Yep, that fits in with what I've heard about them

[fitterpete]

Ghurkas

[Stuart]

Jean Claude Van Damme - Universal soldier!

[Invisible officer]

Small special forces are not realy in my top ten. A few chosen from thousands that volunteer, getting a special training, no wonder that they perform well.

The German forces profited from the mission type tactic and mostly good training. In fact I would rate many Wehrmacht Divisions better than the average SS. Bravery, fanatism and will to fight to the death is not the best way to win. Or I would have to rate suicide bombers or the medieval assasin high. (I don't)

The British regular army of 1914 was among the best ever fielded. Combined with the Imperial German officer's training they would have been invincible.

Gurkhas? Only the peacetime regulars. Not the inflated world war units.

[Biggus Dickus]

I've just thought of one other unit worthy of consideration........The French Foriegn Legion...I saw a documentary about them a few years ago.....they aren't to be messed with. They have this training course somewhere in a jungle....i think it was haiti...but I might be wrong about that......well The FFL do this assault course in very short time something like 22 minutes.....a visiting US Marine unit took a hideous amount of time to complete it.......something like 12 hours + but it may have been longer, i wish i had a link to the documentary.
The only time i think they surrendered was in Indo china in the 50's......a large number of them were ex S.S. but they had no ammo and no food....not much you can do under those circumstances!

anway..well done guys all very interesting reading lots of good suggestions..........Grant seems to be in the top 3 at the moment.......Spam is a serious enemy with virtually limitless logistics......

....................Oh and another one....Knights Templars!

[fitterpete]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12854492

OK this Ghurka then

[Biggus Dickus]

Small special forces are not realy in my top ten. A few chosen from thousands that volunteer, getting a special training, no wonder that they perform well.

The German forces profited from the mission type tactic and mostly good training. In fact I would rate many Wehrmacht Divisions better than the average SS. Bravery, fanatism and will to fight to the death is not the best way to win. Or I would have to rate suicide bombers or the medieval assasin high. (I don't)

The British regular army of 1914 was among the best ever fielded. Combined with the Imperial German officer's training they would have been invincible.

Gurkhas? Only the peacetime regulars. Not the inflated world war units.

Good suggestions...........but it isn't about winning in this particular case! it's about proper members of the tufty club fanatically driven soldiers who take as many of the enemy with them as they can before they go.......if it was about winning.......I think it would be a toss up between Julius caesar at alesia...and Alexander against the Persians...since they were so heavily out numbered...and maybe those welshman in 1415....or the other welshman with Michael Caine

[Suetonius Paullinus]

Thomas Atkins.
In a red coat, khaki, DPM or MTP.

Cheers

SP

[Stuart]

Actually B.D. mentioning Templars made me remember The Order of St Lazarus I think their Knights were all Lepers, that's got to be pretty scary facing a bunch of lepers Don't know how well they fought though, they probably went to pieces at the first sign of trouble......no, I'll get me coat

[Biggus Dickus]

Yes Gurkha's have got to be up there too........I once had the priviledge of working alongside a lot of ex gurkha riflemen....fantastic guys, very humble, quiet and small they never complained about anything.......perfect gentleman too.........but thank the Lord they are on our side......because you really wouldn't want to be facing them in battle....if they run out of ammo they get out their little kukri and get up close and personal with the enemy.


as for the leper knights Stuart, not heard of those before....obviously nothing to loose, as death on the battlefield may well have been preferred to the agonising death they faced from their affliction.

................Whoops i forgot the Vikings.........this could go on a bit