Raiders

Raiders are groups or individuals who conduct raids, rapid and targeted incursions intended to seize valuables, gather intelligence, or disrupt an adversary. Raiding is typically episodic, emphasizing surprise, speed, and mobility rather than large-scale, long-term occupation. The term can describe historical raiders as well as modern military or security operations.

Across continents and eras, raiding has been a common tactic. In Europe during the early medieval period, Viking raiders attacked monasteries, towns, and coastal settlements, prompting fortifications and political change. Similar patterns appeared among nomadic or frontier peoples in Asia, Africa, and the Americas, where mobility and the element of surprise allowed incursions into settled societies. Economic motives—loot, tribute, or resources—often underpinned raids, though political, religious, or defensive objectives could also drive them.

In military terms, a raid is a short-duration operation designed to achieve a discrete objective with limited exposure. Typical goals include destroying supplies, disrupting enemy infrastructure, capturing prisoners, or rescuing individuals, followed by a rapid withdrawal to reduce losses and maintain the initiative.

In contemporary usage, "raiders" appears in sports team names and in popular culture. The Las Vegas Raiders, formerly the Oakland Raiders, are a National Football League team. The word also appears in films, books, and games to portray fast, aggressive groups engaged in surprise attacks.