The first official German stormtroop unit was authorized on 2 March 1915 when the Supreme Command of the field army ordered the VIII Corps to form a detachment for the testing of experimental weapons and the development of approximate tactics that could break the deadlock on the Western Front. By the summer of 1915, stormtroop units were springing up throughout the German armies in the west, and by the end of 1916 official stormtroop battalions were established throughout the western armies, providing a deadly new threat for the Allies. This book examines the uniform, equipment and tactics of Germany's feared elites.

Historical Background · Creating an Elite · Uniforms · Weapons · Recruitment · Training · Organisation · Fighting Spirit · Logistics · Medical Services · Combat Tactics

an Drury, an experienced editor and military writer, has published a number of books and articles on aspects of military history as varied as the Russo-Turkish War, the Confederate infantry, Germany in World War I and World War II on the Russian Front. He has made a particular study of the battle of Verdun over a number of years, one result of which has been his now legendary Verdun wargame Hommes Soupes.
Gerry Embleton has been a leading historical illustrator since the early 1970s specialising in the 18th and 19th centuries. An illustrator, and author, of a number of Osprey titles he has lived in Switzerland since the early 1980s.