Conventional infantry is likened to a "wrench" or "screwdriver"—essential for holding ground and mass combat—whereas commandos are like a "laser level," used for high-precision, high-risk surgical strikes. Combat Effectiveness
Commandos are trained for high-risk tasks that regular infantry are not equipped to handle, such as hostage rescue, sabotage, or surgical strikes behind enemy lines. In these specific scenarios, a small team of commandos can achieve what a larger conventional force cannot. Lack of "Mass": 1 commando is equal to how many soldiers
In military strategy, "one commando" (the individual soldier) is often viewed as a rather than a 1:1 equivalent to a regular soldier. Conventional infantry is likened to a "wrench" or
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. Lack of "Mass": In military strategy, "one commando"
If you are measuring by , the consensus is that one commando is equal to 10–15 regular soldiers.
Here is the solid, clear breakdown: