For as long as armies have clashed on fiery fields of battle, professional soldiers of fortune have fought, bled, and died. They are the ultimate warriors, sharing skills few men possess, a pride few men can merit, and an unassailable courage in the face of overwhelming numbers and superior weaponry. These are the men who take the risks that others would never dare; the men who change history and keep the enemy at bay; the men who change history and keep the enemy at bay. And, if need be, they are willing to die in prusuit of their objective: total victory on the field of war. MERCS is a collection of remarkable true accounts of mercenaries in action -- from the ancient Greeks against the Persians in 400 B.C. to the blood-curdling siege at Vietnam's Dein Bein Phu and the modern-day drug wars of Central and South America. Here are stories of incredible battleground stands, of daring raids and revolutionary operations, of astonishing bravery in desperate situations -- and of the rare breed of fighting men who made war their vocation...and honor their guide.