Most deadly fighting force in the world today?

[xXGeckoXx]

I am going with an air force. Any will do. Even in small numbers. Say it's ten on ten 2 people manning any sufficiently armed aircraft. The rest as support crew (air control, maintenance, all on the ground kilometers away). With the exclusion of the navy there is basically no group of infantry units set to handle that right?

 

[Garen Truscott]

How about the Spartans (the real ones from Sparta) if you are going to get historical.

 

[Shocksplicer]

Mossad. How can you fight when YOU'RE ALREADY DEAD?

 

[Lethos]

Guy Kazama is at super hero rank, so it's probably him.

 

[Richardplex]

From what I've gathered the Canadian special forces are pretty hardcore. If there's a top 10 list of special forces and the Canadians are in it at all, they're at the top. Otherwise SAS and the Israeli special forces generally win.

 

[Tiger Sora]

It's the stories we've never heard of. Shadow men who leave no trace. We've no idea really who is the best, and if you do find out. You won't be alive for long.

 

[Dirzzit]

The shit eaters rank high, but FORECON has the toughest training on the planet. Plus their not as insane.

Check it:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-06i6wRwEk[/youtube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-06i6wRwEk

 

[octafish]

While I would feel bad if the SASR didn't get a mention, special forces are pansies. Gurkha FTW. Big guy with a scowl and a small knife vs small guy with a smile and a fucking huge knife. Put your money on the Gurkha every time.

 

[Easton Dark]

Fictional wise, I'd say the Spartans from Halo are the greatest soldiers

Fictional wise, Spartans can't hold a candle, because fiction covers a lot of stuff. Stuff filled with better equipped, trained, and bred soldiers. Like... Spaes Mureenz (yep).

Relevant to Earth, I'd say the SAS. They train many other special forces. That says something.

 

[Zipa]

Well if we're doing the Space marines than the Spartans from Halo are the greatest. They're pretty much the definition if ass-kicking soldiers.

I blame the fact that I don't like the look or the concept of warhammer 40k. War isn't glorious, it must have an end. Halo has an end.

A couple things... the first bit, yeah, they are the definition of 'ass-kicking soldiers' while Spehss Muhreens look rather cumbersome and look more like the definition of 'ass-dragging soldiers'. However, their fluff makes them ridiculous, power-level-wise (and I'm not a Halo fan, so I'm in no position to judge whether or not they're better). 'sides, I'm an Eldar player, so I go with 'Quins any day, despite the fact they're not soldiers.

And hey, GW can't have its cash-cow dying out can it?! -_- The war must go on! *grrr*

Wow, agreement with someone about that.

I think thats the one thing that also pulls me wrong about Warhammer 40k, the power armor is just too over the top. The helmets can look cool at times but outside of that, its supposed to be armor, not a fucking car.

Even with Gears of war, it looks like their armor is used to protect them rather than make them look tougher.

Fictional wise, I'd say the Spartans from Halo are the greatest soldiers

But real world, I'll go with the Marines. The SEALS, Spetsnaz, SAS, are all tough but from what I can gather, the Marines go all the way and then some.

The space marine armour is kind of necessary though when people are shooting either explosive rocket rounds or plasma at you. The imperial guard troopers would agree being as their armour is basically tissue paper. Plus space marines really are that big, they are genetically modified to be walking tanks even without the armour.

On topic: SAS since they seem to train half the special forces out there.

 

[Black Arrow Officer]

U.S Marines. One of the main reasons is that the Marines emphasize teamwork and leadership over being a soulless killing machine, like other military units do. When everyone's got each others back, a squad of Marines becomes a platoon. I'm in the Navy, and in there you also always have your trust in a leader and your buddies.

 

[Kuhkren]

While SAS, Delta Force, Navy Seals, and Spetsnaz are all worth a strong mention, I think Red Cell is probably the most effective.

 

[Paragon Fury]

US Air and Naval forces.

There is literally not a single air or naval force on the planet that poses a threat to the US Air Force(s) and Navy. Not even our allies. And when you can't control the sky or the water, your ground forces don't mean squat.

Though, when it comes to ground forces, its a monkey shit fight really.

 

[OctoH]

Mossad. Maybe SAS too.

 

[Freechoice]

I'd say the Marines, their practically bred for war.

Well, Space Marines are bred (after a fashion) for war...

And in case you didn't get the joke: whose Marines are you talking about? Virtually every major national armed forces has a Marine branch. I'ma say Royal Marines on your behalf.

Well if we're doing the Space marines than the Spartans from Halo are the greatest. They're pretty much the definition if ass-kicking soldiers.

I blame the fact that I don't like the look or the concept of warhammer 40k. War isn't glorious, it must have an end. Halo has an end.

Where the fuck have you been? Halo 4 is coming out this year. That shit'll never end as long as fanboys will buy the adventures of Master Chief and his aesthetically schizophrenic sidetits.

a shitton [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcmuPc8_SWQ] of money [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaAF_3WMJGM] for warfare. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7Wt4XlXUrc]

It's all modernized too. That'd be a pretty cool game about warfare in the modern era.

 

[Krion_Vark]

Based on what you know and have heard, who do you think is the most deadly fighting force in the world today? I'm talking any military Unit, Regiment, Corps or Service, from any country.

Judge it based on teams of equal numbers facing off against each other, not, say, 22 SAS Regt. vs the entire USMC.

In my opinion, it would be the SAS, and not because I'm British, but mainly because they train about 24 other Special Forces over the world, and I've read a lot about their training process and it seems superior to that of many other special forces. Feel free to contradict me though.

P.S. Let's not let this turn into a flame war, please be polite, and back up your arguments with proper evidence.

I think the History channel did some countdown type thing to this and I dont think SAS or USMC were even in the top 5
I have to go with the Israeli fighting elite. I cannot remember what they are called.

 

[Zhukov]

I don't know why everyone is defaulting to marines and special forces.

That's small fry.

I choose whichever branch is in charge of the nuclear missiles.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

In my opinion, it would be the SAS, and not because I'm British, but mainly because they train about 24 other Special Forces over the world, and I've read a lot about their training process and it seems superior to that of many other special forces. Feel free to contradict me though.

But, if we're talking about soldier to soldier conflict, I am undecided between the British SAS and Shayetet 13 (the israli counterpart to the SAS) for first place, with an honorable mention for the US Navy Seals and Russian Spetznaz occupying third and fourth place respectively.

Geeze... if you're going to mention the SAS in a sentence concerning how badass a unit is and not mention the SBS, they'll be mighty pissed! SAS selection trials are hard enough as it is, but SBS training adds another month to the base UKSF selection course, the opportunities to drown are endless.

The SBS seem to kinda suck lately though. I know it's hard to tell because the missions all these units are sent on are usually as low profile as it gets, but there have been a few stories of the SBS screwing the pooch fairly recently.

I'd be inclined after the events of last year to say SEAL Team 6, but seem as most of the exercises that Team 6 use for training (such as the Killing House) were founded by the SAS and then exported to the SEALs, I have to go with the SAS, for basically being the Godfather of all the other badass special forces units out there.

 

[Corte7]

Well if we're doing the Space marines than the Spartans from Halo are the greatest. They're pretty much the definition if ass-kicking soldiers.

I blame the fact that I don't like the look or the concept of warhammer 40k. War isn't glorious, it must have an end. Halo has an end.

A couple things... the first bit, yeah, they are the definition of 'ass-kicking soldiers' while Spehss Muhreens look rather cumbersome and look more like the definition of 'ass-dragging soldiers'. However, their fluff makes them ridiculous, power-level-wise (and I'm not a Halo fan, so I'm in no position to judge whether or not they're better). 'sides, I'm an Eldar player, so I go with 'Quins any day, despite the fact they're not soldiers.

And hey, GW can't have its cash-cow dying out can it?! -_- The war must go on! *grrr*

Wow, agreement with someone about that.

I think thats the one thing that also pulls me wrong about Warhammer 40k, the power armor is just too over the top. The helmets can look cool at times but outside of that, its supposed to be armor, not a fucking car.

Even with Gears of war, it looks like their armor is used to protect them rather than make them look tougher.

Fictional wise, I'd say the Spartans from Halo are the greatest soldiers

But real world, I'll go with the Marines. The SEALS, Spetsnaz, SAS, are all tough but from what I can gather, the Marines go all the way and then some.

That bit about it supposed to be armour and not a car, the point of terminator armour (the heavy version of power armour) was that it turns infantry into walking tanks, so the armour is used in effect like an armoured vehicle

 

[Gekford]

Australia or Israel have the best small armies in the world man for man they are significantly better then say the US or China. America how ever easily has the best tech in the world which gives them a huge advatage. As for individual units the Australian SAS are the best by far closely followed buy the brits. SEALS get a good rap but have the huge technical backing of the US behind them so they tend not to be as good as either SAS for individual skills