Most pathetic military unit ever?

[Bosh]

Will set up a poll if I can get a few other nominations.

My own pick is the Irish Brigade that "fought" for Franco in the Spanish Civil War. It spent six months in Spain under the vastly less than competant command of the Irish fascist Eoin O'Duffy (although you've got to admire a commander of hundreds of Irishmen with the balls to say "I am proud to say that I did not observe one member of the Brigade under the influence of drink at any time, and I was in close touch with all ranks.") which they spent drinking vast amounts of cheap wine, cheering for bulls at matador thingies (while very very drunk), shooting several soldiers on their own side, and not coming anywhere close to wounding any of the enemey.

And no, the French do NOT count

[loinburger]

Militia are pretty bad, but they can still take out a tank (especially if they're behind city walls).

[SlowwHand]

Militia have motivation.
I'll say the Redcoats, walking in formation.
Nothing against Brits, or the Redcoats, but that was pretty dumb.

[notyoueither]

A strong contender would have to be the Russian Para units that jumped into an action in the winter 41-42. Only they had no parachutes...

They figured they could get away with jumping onto a frozen lake from planes flying at stall speed (about 40 MPH).

Result. 95% casualties before they picked themselves out of the snow banks. (I may be exagerating the 95%, I am not checking a source, just going on recollection).

[Tuberski]

If I can't say France, I'm not playing....

[Pekka]

I'd have to say Chuay Gahn. Oh wait.. they're not military unit.. well they suck anyway.

[Giancarlo]

Gotta say the Mexican Army in the war in the 1800s... Performed very poorly...

The second worse was the Russian Army during WWII. Crappy equipiment, no training... and bad morale.

[Jon Miller]

yet kicked the German's asses

Jon Miller

[Ned]

The Persian army who couldn't beat a lousy 300 Spartans.

Runner up: The Roman army at Cannae.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I'll say the Redcoats, walking in formation.
Nothing against Brits, or the Redcoats, but that was pretty dumb.

Kidding right? The flintlock rifles were highly unreliable. The only way to really deal any damage was to stand in line towards the other line.

And it wasn't just the Brits, but just about every European and American force as well.

[Dr Strangelove]

Well, how about the British army in the 1850s. "Half a league, half a league, half a league onward into the valley of death rode the six hundred."

[KrazyHorse]

They won the war. Who cares if it was a gross display of incompetence on the part of the British and French? The Russians were worse.

[Tuberski]

Well, how about the American army in the War of 1812?

They lost to Canadians!

[KrazyHorse]

Wutang!!

Unlike the US, Canada has never lost a war.

[Cyclotron]

Originally posted by Ned
The Persian army who couldn't beat a lousy 300 Spartans.

Yep. Losses of 20,000 just aren't as tolerable when you are only fighting 300. Darn spartans...