The hundred-year period ending in 1025, from the reign of the Emperor Constantine VII to that of Basil II 'the Bulgar-Slayer', encompassed the last great era of Byzantine aggression and dominance in the Near East and Balkans. During that time, a succession of soldier-emperors hallenged and defeated an array of opponents on land and at sea and reconquered vast swathes of territory. At the heart of the Emperors' forces were the professional, highly mobile Tagmata or Imperial Guard regiments, originally formed to guard the Emperor1s person in the capital but invariably deployed as elite combat troops. Joining these heavy cavalry units, were a variety of exotic mercenary units recruited from foreigners, notably the legendary Varangians. Featuring specially commissioned full-colour artwork, this lively study sheds new light on the colourful regiments of the Byzantine Imperial Guard, the formidable warriors who provided the Byzantine emperors with an insurance policy in the capital, and the elite of their field armies when on campaign.

Reproduction of the original: The Guardsman by Homer Greene

Pocket book of the Imperial Guard styled in the form of an artefact of the 41st millennium. Contained within is a wealth of information describing tactics, combat, enemies, prayers and much more all couched in a tongue-in-cheek, pseudo-propagandist rhetoric. The book is filled with numerous sketches and diagrams to accompany the text. This second edition has additional sections on fighting in space and combating the alien Tau.

With rising crime rates and frequent terrorist attacks, the government abolishes states' rights and creates a national police force. Without the bureaucratic red tape of the now eliminated state and local law enforcement agencies, and under the iron hand of a corrupt federal police force, the crime rate drops dramatically. At first, the citizens are pleased with the changes in spite of losing some of their civil liberties. Eventually, dissention and unrest develops among the more liberal minded, but the dissenters are singled out and banished from government in an effort to stop the rebellion. Jack and Nolan Treece must now try to save what's left of American freedom. Thus begins a struggle between two factions that draws the Treece brothers deeper into the realm of THE GUARD.

The story of a critical but relatively unknown branch of the navy involving some 144,000 men who served in the US Naval Armed Guard. There are 150 first-hand accounts from former guardsmen, as well as historical data telling how the US Naval Armed Guard's 6000 merchant ships transported supplies.

Heck Thomas, Chris Masden and Bill Tilghman, the Three Guardsmen and E. D. Nix have been considered some of the best lawmen of the Old West. Heck Thomas came closest to the legend but he had a reputation of shooting first and serving papers on the corpse. Chris Masden's reputation as a "Trigger Marshal" is largely undeserved and Chris spent considerable time in prison himself. Bill Tilghman ran saloons and bawdy houses and did as much to break the law as he ever did to enforce it. The true story of Tilghman's death is completely at odds with what previous biographers have said. E. D. Nix billed himself as the "Fighting Marshal" and took a lot of credit for wiping out several gangs of outlaws in Oklahoma. What Nix did really best was cook the books. When his expenses for the U. S. Marshal's office rose from $25,000 to $218,000 per quarter federal inspectors were sent to examine the books. Nix was soon relieved for the public good. Samuelson tears away the veils of myth, legend and outright lies that have surrounded these four early Oklahoma lawmen. The truth is far more interesting than the legends. A must have book for anyone interested in outlaw-lawmen history. Shooting Star Press, 8962 Canberra Dr., Sacramento, CA. 95826. Phone: 916-363-9175.