In 1941, British Combined Operations assessed that one trained commando was worth roughly 20 regular German soldiers during a raid. How? During Operation Archery (the raid on Vågsøy, Norway), 570 commandos inflicted over 150 German casualties, destroyed factories, and captured documents—while losing only 17 men. That's a tactical exchange rate of nearly 9:1. But strategic planners argued that the disruption caused (diverting 20,000 German troops to guard the Norwegian coast) made each commando worth 20 to 30 conventional soldiers.
Commandos rewrite the geometry of battle. Regular soldiers contest territory; commandos contest will and vulnerability. Consider:
Here, the commando’s value is infinite relative to the mission because the mission is otherwise impossible. 1 commando is equal to how many soldiers
The confusion comes from the verb "equals." Commandos do not replace soldiers. They perform different roles. A more accurate phrasing would be:
"For a specific mission, one commando can achieve the objective that would otherwise require X number of conventional soldiers." In 1941, British Combined Operations assessed that one
In hostage rescue, X = 20 (because commandos breach and clear while regulars are still forming a perimeter).
In holding a checkpoint, X = 1 (a regular soldier is just as effective).
In training a rebel army, X = 50 (one commando advisor can improve an entire battalion's effectiveness).
Commandos operate in small teams, not as individual substitutes for regular troops. A typical commando unit (e.g., British SAS, U.S. Navy SEALs, Indian MARCOS) has: Here, the commando’s value is infinite relative to
So in a direct firefight, 1 commando is still 1 person — they can be overwhelmed by numbers.
Regular soldiers are trained to follow orders and hold a line. Commandos are trained to improvise, survive, and hunt.