Wars are not won by armies alone, but often are decided by the actions of elite military units engaged in rescuing hostages, high stakes reconnaissance missions, or the assassination of enemy leaders. A veteran of special ops and one of the most respected explorers in the world, Ranulph Fiennes considers the skills, weapons, and tactics employed by these highly specialized warriors. Spanning 2500 years, individual chapters include profiles of such units as the Roman Praetorian Guards, the Knights Templar, the Persian Order of Assassins, the Ninja, Cromwell's New Model Army, the SAS, Hitler's Brandenburgers, the Green Berets, and the Navy SEALS.