Lai
Member
+186|6581

pl33sk3n wrote:

The frightful old thirds of Spanish infantry, during the XVII century, when Felipe IV governed the Spanish Empire where never hid the sun, I think it was the most powerful army for its resistance and formed the elite of spanish kings of the time, in addition they formed the thirds of sea, which was the first marines of the world.
Didn't thought of that one yet, but it at least deserves a nomination. The Spanish being mentioned, I think we should not forget the Aztecs, even though their "greatness" was limited to the New World.

I think it's good to think outside of the conventional box of candidates (like the in my opinion overrated Roman Legion). Personally I think that the fact that the USMC or any other US force is mentioned so often is ridicilous. No offense to the USMC, but the only reason they're being mentioned so often is because it's close to home. Though rather in time than in space; the USMC is fine, one of the world's finest today, but that's why it's still fresh in our memory. Innovative-wise and looking at their accomplishments, and how they accomplished these things under which situation against what odds, they don't stand out as much as others have done.

Supprisingly I have either missed it or no one has yet mentioned the Moros or the Ottomans.
LaidBackNinja
Pony Slaystation
+343|7139|Charlie One Alpha
Seriously, don't mess with the Swiss. Those guys can shoot you in the face while sliding down a mountain on ski's. I can't even ski at all, let alone fire my gun accurately while doing that.
"If you want a vision of the future, imagine SecuROM slapping your face with its dick -- forever." -George Orwell
xXCortoMalteseXx
Member
+11|6581|Some Pub in Valletta
-Superiority                                           Roman Legions (at the time approx 50 BC-190 ad)
-Response time and Mobilization              Israeli Army  (1967 six day war,
                                                            within few hours the Egyptian air force was crushed) Today?
-Morale                                                 Spartans
-Equipment                                            Roman Legions
-Numbers                                              Persians (499-448 BC)
-Supply Lines                                         Roman Legions (simple, Roads)
-Recruitment Methods                             Spartans (again simple, you were born to be a boy)
-Public Image                                         -
-Training                                               Spartans (lifetime of training)
-Global Impact                                       Greeks including Spartans (without the battles of Thermopylae 480 BC,
                                                            salamis 480BC and Plataea 479BC the modern world as we know it would not exists
                                                            -> democracy and so on....

Didn't give the questions any further consideration, went for the first that came into mind... "In my opinion you can't really say which one army is the all-time best coz some of these guys would bring a knife into a gun fight"

Last edited by xXCortoMalteseXx (2007-07-06 06:35:24)

RAIMIUS
You with the face!
+244|7145|US

PHILIPS wrote:

LOL thats just another GREAT proof of how stupid most yanks are, the american army is fucking useless, only good thing about it, is the air superiorty
The US Special forces is only good, because the media makes them look good (american media) i just watched this thing about navy seals, LMAO what a bunch of useless dickheads, i would consider myself more Spec Ops than them, and i only bin in the army for 8 months.
You, sir, may want to do some more research before making absurd claims.

1. The US Army does not establish or keep air superiority.  That job goes to the USAF, USN, or USMC (although the Marines usually use their airpower to protect themselves, since theirs not a large force).

2. The american media makes our SF look good, we also make the SAS, and the South African Swat team (forgot the name) look good...because they ARE good!

3.SEALS..."useless dickheads" YOU are talking out of your ass.

I don't know why you seem to hate the US military so much, but your comments come off as rude and ignorant.
Parker
isteal
+1,452|6824|The Gem Saloon

RAIMIUS wrote:

PHILIPS wrote:

LOL thats just another GREAT proof of how stupid most yanks are, the american army is fucking useless, only good thing about it, is the air superiorty
The US Special forces is only good, because the media makes them look good (american media) i just watched this thing about navy seals, LMAO what a bunch of useless dickheads, i would consider myself more Spec Ops than them, and i only bin in the army for 8 months.
You, sir, may want to do some more research before making absurd claims.

1. The US Army does not establish or keep air superiority.  That job goes to the USAF, USN, or USMC (although the Marines usually use their airpower to protect themselves, since theirs not a large force).

2. The american media makes our SF look good, we also make the SAS, and the South African Swat team (forgot the name) look good...because they ARE good!

3.SEALS..."useless dickheads" YOU are talking out of your ass.

I don't know why you seem to hate the US military so much, but your comments come off as rude and ignorant.
dont take him seriously man.
just look at all of his comments.
they are all so wrong, you can tell that his contempt for the US has blinded him to reality.


its ok buddy, we know you dont like the US, but dont make yourself look like an idiot.
The_Mac
Member
+96|6655

RAIMIUS wrote:

USMC (although the Marines usually use their airpower to protect themselves, since theirs not a large force).
The guy you're quoting is a dipshit, but the Marines have developed a close air support doctrine, wherein every single weapon, infantry, airpower, and armor is welded into one weapon, where air support like F/A-18s and the soon to be F-35s pound the enemy from above, while rotor wings like Cobras and Hueys get the enemy up close and personal. Armor provides ground support to the infantry, and the infantry obviously storm the weaken defense.
In Vietnam, the US Army called in an Airstrike that hit the enemy target 120miles away from Army positions, in contrast, the USMC called their USMC Aviators to hit a strike 12 miles from marine positions.
This scenario is intended to show the corps' dedication to supporting the grunts.

And for the idiot aka Philips, Delta Force > USMC > Rangers.

And even then, Delta Force and USMC have a hard time with each other.

dc_involved wrote:

Off the top of my head iraq springs to mind. Special forces are usually responsible for identifying key targets in a conflict. I can't think of another country that flattened as many marketplaces and homes whilst managing not to eliminate targets.

I've been trying to locate it to no avail at the mo, but i remember seeing a programme where the FFL, SAS and American equivalent all competed on an assault course and america lost bigtime. FFL whipped arse, SAS close behind and america hours behind
1. Sounds like a rigged program
2. Sounds like said program got ripped from someone's arse
3. I'm saying you're a liar who has no idea what he's talking about.
I really wouldn't call the Ottomans that great of a power in terms of military organization. They were able to advance like parasites because the Byzantine Empire was dying, and they were sucking life out of it. When the Ottomans met a highly organized army and with good morale, they got crushed. (Army was that of the Timurids).
Similarly, when 120,000 Turks landed at Malta and faced 500 knights and 1,300 Men at arms, they were repulsed with startling casualties (the knights didn't have it so easy either, but whatever).

The Ottoman army was also pretty crap, they had an elite corps of cavalry and infantry (Janissaries) but it was inflated a conscripted group of Arabs, Armenians, and Persians, all with their native gear, which at this point was degenerate, all for the sake of gaining strength in numbers, but it merely gave Ottoman commanders false confidence. If the Byzantines had been in their prime, the Ottomans would have been crushed.

And btw, if you think Otto is related to the Ottoman empire, you're mistaken. Otto I was the founder of the Holy Roman Empire and Otto Von Bismark owned the French seven or eight hundred years later.

Osman was the founder of the Ottoman Empire. FYI.

Last edited by The_Mac (2007-07-06 12:24:22)

-101-InvaderZim
Member
+42|7274|Waikato, Aotearoa
Just for Military Prowess and a willingness to fight, you cant beat the Spartans (just ask the Persians - they would agree with me).
specops10-4
Member
+108|7173|In the hills

EVieira wrote:

elite.mafia wrote:

Modern day US military, nothing can beat it...
Except for a bunch of starving gooks from vietnam with AKs and bamboo traps...
Wait, that was 30 years ago...
dill13
Member
+67|6623

The longest-ever confirmed sniper kill was made by Master Cpl. Arron Perry of the Canadian Armed Forces in Afghanistan during combat in 2003. Using a .50-caliber MacMillan TAC-50 rifle, Perry shot and killed an Afghan soldier from a distance of 2,430 metres. Canadian snipers own although we dont have much of an army they are some of the best trained in the world still, even if they would lose to most other first world nations. The reason we would lose is are size and technologies not are lack of skill.
-101-InvaderZim
Member
+42|7274|Waikato, Aotearoa
Thats a FUCKLOAD of a long way to reach out and touch someone
The_Mac
Member
+96|6655

EVieira wrote:

elite.mafia wrote:

Modern day US military, nothing can beat it...
Except for a bunch of starving gooks from vietnam with AKs and bamboo traps...
You sir, are the definition of misinformed.
Lai
Member
+186|6581

dill13 wrote:

The longest-ever confirmed sniper kill was made by Master Cpl. Arron Perry of the Canadian Armed Forces in Afghanistan during combat in 2003. Using a .50-caliber MacMillan TAC-50 rifle, Perry shot and killed an Afghan soldier from a distance of 2,430 metres. Canadian snipers own although we dont have much of an army they are some of the best trained in the world still, even if they would lose to most other first world nations. The reason we would lose is are size and technologies not are lack of skill.
Heard of it before. Bullet drop of tens of meters (don't know about horizontal windage); generally anti material rifles have about a 10x scope right,.. how then did he? Just a brilliant shot.

However it must be noted it was the longest ever sniper kill on the record. Outside of the record (which includes basically all Soviet sniper kills etc.), who knows what the longest ever kill is?

Still,.. Canadians do own.
Braddock
Agitator
+916|6720|Éire
Russians ...tough, scary bastards!
FlemishHCmaniac
Member
+147|6842|Belgium

Braddock wrote:

Russians ...tough, scary bastards!
Yeah, considering their training...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3756866.stm
RAIMIUS
You with the face!
+244|7145|US
To quote a Maj. Gen. Schofield:
"The discipline which makes the soldiers of a free nation reliable in battle is not to be gained by harsh or tyrannical treatment.  On the contrary, such treatment is far more likely to destroy than to make an army."

Too bad the Russians (at least for them) haven't realized the truth behind a quote from 1879!
Hallvard
Member
+263|6952|North Norway

Best military of all time? I would have to say the Roman Army after the Marian reforms or the Mongols under Djenghis Khan, A superb military genius gives a very big bonus to any military force...
sydroost
Member
+1|6670
Knights Templar were an awesome army. They could go pretty much anywhere in europe and get a bed which means mobilization wasnt a problem.
dark110
Member
+37|7052|Chicagoland
The US is strong not only becaus of tecnology, but becaus it has the best Non Comisioned officers in the world.
imortal
Member
+240|7095|Austin, TX

PHILIPS wrote:

LOL thats just another GREAT proof of how stupid most yanks are, the american army is fucking useless, only good thing about it, is the air superiorty
The US Special forces is only good, because the media makes them look good (american media) i just watched this thing about navy seals, LMAO what a bunch of useless dickheads, i would consider myself more Spec Ops than them, and i only bin in the army for 8 months.

Jægerkorpset the reason why theres only 146, is because its insanely hard to get in, these guys will own any us sf anyday, anytime, anywhere.
Their training takes about 4 years and after that, when they are not send out they get new kinds of training all the time.
Yet another person who knows of what they speak only by secondhand information.  You watched a TV show about Navy SEALs, so you think you are better than them.  That is a laugh.  You are, of course, welcome to your opinion.  But get your head out of your 4th point of contact and try to have a more objective assesment of both your skills and those of others.  BUDS is not the cakewalk you like to think it is.  Easy to sit in front of your TV and say you can do that shit.  I was in the Army for 8 years and I am not stupid enough to even want to try a tenth of that crap. 

I can confidently say that 99% of the people posting on this thread HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT.  Give it up.  You saw a TV show.  You read a book.  You saw on a website.  You look up stats and you compare units you have never actually seen side by side and pretend that you have a clue what you are talking about.

I went to school for a while in Dahlonega, GA (USA), not 10 miles from where the mountain phase of Ranger school is held.  Some of my friends are rangers.  Two of my teachers in high school (I went to a military acadamy) were Speical Forces; one transfered in from the Infantry when it was created and the other was one of the first officers to get a SF commision. I know some of these men.  Spend 3 weeks on short rations while going through mountain climing excercises and road marches.  By short rations, I mean a single MRE a day. Go on a 20 mile road march in a blizzard with no cold weather gear.  These are just a couple of items I know about. These men are tough.

Note I am talking about the men.  Not the training, not the equipment, not nationalistic pride.  The sort of people that make it through that training, not to mention spend much time out in the real world, have not got an ounce of quit in them.  They are are dedicated professionals, highly skilled in their respective trades.  None of you (or me, for that matters) see 1/10 of the crap they do and put up with.

I am not going to bellittle groups from any of the other nations Special Forces or anti-terrorist groups.  FFL, SAS, SBS, GS9... most of these guys from Europe and the US have worked and trained together.

Now that I said all of that tripe and crap, my vote for the toughest dogfuckers around (currently) would be the FFL.  Toughest of all time goes, hands down, to the Spartans.  Not for Thermopolae, but for how they lived and trained.

But the thread was about the best military.  The best military of ALL time. Personally, I think it would be the army of Alexander the Great.  NO proof, no quoting battles.  That is just my opinion.
Hallvard
Member
+263|6952|North Norway

The only good things with Alexander's army (as I see it) was that it had superior cavalry and also a superior commander... the infantry, being hoplites, was good to pin down the enemy, but they were not really that great soldiers imo. The Companion cavalry on the other hand were top trained elite soldiers and it was the cavalry that gave Alexander's army victory in most of the battles they fought. But of course, without the infantry to pin down the enemy, the cavalry couldn't have flanked as efficiently.
imortal
Member
+240|7095|Austin, TX
They conquered more of the world (as a percentage of area known at teh time) than any other army in the world of any age.  They were never beaten; they just wore themselves to death before they gave up and turned around.  And they were going strong for 20 some odd years, if I recall.
Hallvard
Member
+263|6952|North Norway

Yea, you are correct. But imo the infantry was just mediocre. But as I said, their cavalery was supreme.
imortal
Member
+240|7095|Austin, TX

Hallvard wrote:

Yea, you are correct. But imo the infantry was just mediocre. But as I said, their cavalery was supreme.
No argument.  But the thread was about the best military.  It is easy to pull apart a military and look at the strengths and weaknesses of each, and discuss how the cavalry of this era would be defeated by the infantry of another (not blaming you, just a general comment).  But you have to look at them as a combined force, all together.  That is how I based my opinion.
unnamednewbie13
Moderator
+2,072|7202|PNW

Poseidon wrote:

US Military: Even when they were just a militia of farmers and countrymen, they still outpowered the British using Snipers and Guerilla Warfare. They currently have arguably the best and most advanced Air Force, and their Marines are pretty much the best trained in the world.
Helps that Britain had problems elsewhere at the time. Otherwise, we'd have had our asses handed to us at the lift of an autocratic finger.

Last edited by unnamednewbie13 (2007-07-07 22:35:06)

Drakef
Cheeseburger Logicist
+117|6792|Vancouver
I groaned when I saw this thread, thinking of the typical responses.

I winced when I saw it was true.

It really lacks intelligent answers, instead finding typical nonsense such as nationalistic claims that have little bearing or truth. Yeah, a Canadian soldier broke a record for long-distance kill. Really irrelevant. But it's not the only claim based of nationalism. Particularly, the armies of the States are raised more often than not, also partly due to a lack of imagination to take into consideration the history of the entire world. But, lone ridiculous claims are also made, such as that of the Ottoman Empire.

This lack of imagination was expected through the usual thoughts of Sparta. Typically, we find the most romanticized (albeit that I feel tremendously guilty using that word in this context) nations as examples, led by that Greek city. Of course, the States also lead that group of nations who find themselves overrepresented here.

Finally, the idea of special forces is raised too often. Again, they are popularized by films, television, and the Internet, and their importance is overblown accordingly. I find the idea of special forces' importance rather insignificant when compared to the legions of Rome or the armies of Alexander or Cyrus, to name but a few examples.

I'd really like to see some educated and intelligent answers.

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