Biographical note

Leroy Thompson has trained and advised military and police special-operations units around the world, focusing especially on the tactical use of firearms. He has previously had more than 45 books published, and appeared as a weapons expert on documentaries for Discovery, National Geographic and the BBC.

Adam Hook studied graphic design, and began his work as an illustrator in 1983. He specializes in detailed historical reconstructions, and has illustrated Osprey titles on subjects as diverse as the Aztecs, the Ancient Greeks, Roman battle tactics, several 19th-century American subjects, the modern Chinese Army, and a number of books in the Fortress series. Born in Malaya in 1949, Alan Gilliland studied photography/film and architecture, and has worked as a photojournalist and cartoonist. He also spent 18 years as the graphics editor of The Daily Telegraph, winning 19 awards, including numerous UK Press Awards. He now writes, illustrates and publishes fiction as well as illustrating for a variety of publishers.