2 old and the rest new, and quite different, stories of kidnapped armies that were pressed into service by alien merchants to enforce their mercantile interests on alien planets. It is well recognized that Roman phalanxes and British organization were among the greatest military forces of their time. And now, in the Galaxy. ( )

All the stories in this anthology are based on Drake's 'Ranks of Bronze' short story, first written for Galaxy while under the editorship of Jim Baen who later went on to form Baen Books and who is credited with the expansion of that universe found between these pages.

'Ranks of Bronze' is included here as well, telling the original story of the Romans sold into an unusual story of unending combat amongst the stars as their new owners used them to steal technologically disadvantaged planets from other Guilds or the original inhabitants as necessary.

David Weber's take on the same theme is 'Sir George and the Dragon' where the stolen soldiers are English knights and their men at arms as they were hit by a storm on their way to France. The English and the guild master's guard make a dangerous alliance against their masters...

'Lambs to the Slaughter' is a second story, involving a different cohort of David Drake's Romans.

'A Clear Signal' is set on more-or-less contemporary Earth, where the alien guilds have contacted Earth more-or-less openly but their high tech nanotech is in danger of getting out into the wild.

SM Stirling's 'The Three Walls - 32nd Campaign' shows us that not all natives are overawed by the Romans, Even if they really should be.

Eric Flint's 'Carthago Delenda Est' takes us to a time where the Romans find their way home to a much more advanced Earth than the had left and teach their descendants how to defeat the Guilds and put Terra on the way to galactic domination.

The best of the stories were both of the Drakes and the Stirling, which ae the ones that focus on the original format of the stories. ( )

Assorted interesting stories, of widely varied types. The original Ranks of Bronze story is here, and another by Drake; the original story with the stolen English, by David Weber; another Roman campaign story, by S.M. Stirling; one set on Earth, with aliens, by Mark L. Van Name; and the one where the Gha turn out to be allies, by Eric Flint. All at least moderately enjoyable, none fascinating (even the Weber). One odd thing - there was at least one story here I didn't remember at all (Van Name's) - not the premise, not the ending, nothing. Yet I know I've read most of these, including the last one. Peculiar. And the strongest overall effect - is that I want to read Ranks of Bronze and The Excalibur Alternative, right NOW! These stories are interwoven with the novels and I want to see the rest of the story, please. Lovely concept nicely executed. ( )

Alien guilds need mercenaries to fight proxy wars on primitive planets. So Roman soldiers--and others--find themselves fighting strange enemies under stranger skies.

Drake's original "Ranks of Bronze" and several other stories in the same universe. Eric Flint's direct sequel is the most satisfying. ( )

Sample Chapters: http://webscriptions.net/chapters/0671319906/0671319906.htm