last stand

A battle that is considered the final defense of what is left of a military group, against an overwhelming opposition (example: 500 defenders vs. 2000 attackers). Here, the defending force will unleash all of their strength, motivated by a fighting spirit.

Usually this results in either the annihilation of the defending force, or in rare cases, the retreat of the attacking force, depending on the circumstances (example: Out of supplies, or have received heavy casualties).

Whilst in a last stand, the defending force has an opportunity to surrender, but that could also lead to their deaths. This however is really a moral question on if they should surrender or not, because the defending force really has nowhere else to retreat to should they be defeated. Mostly, the concept of a last stand is to ultimately 'go down fighting'.

A lose military term used to describe a situation in which a group of people holds a defensive position in spite of almost certain defeat. examples include the battle of thermopylae, the battle of moscow and the battle of hill 776. contrary to popular belief the battle of little big horn aka. custer's last stand is not strictly speaking a last stand as custer was attacking and was over run due to his own faulty strategies.

Military term for when you know you're fucked and have no chance of winning, but you fight anyway to keep it going as long as possible.

When you know your fucked, outnumbered,outgunned,outflanked and out of time but you hold your ground and go for inflicting as much pain and misery and you knoeing you will pay dearly.

Song by the Sweedish Heavy Metal band Sabaton from their album of the same name.
The song is very commonly used for For Honor and Crusade memes

The song is commonly mistaken to describe the Crusades but instead depicts the Sack of Rome in 1527 during which combined forces of around 5,200 soldiers including 189 swiss guard defended Rome from mainly Spainish troops.

The song focuses on the last stand of the Swiss guard and their "service to heaven" in which they defended the Pope and
"gave their lives on the steps of heaven"

These steps being the steps of St. Peter's Basilica from where the Pope planned to escape from via his (not so secret) secret passageway known as the Passeto Di Borgo to his Impregnable fortress called Castel Sant Angelo. The Pope was accompanied and defened by the remaining 42 Swiss Guard that was left. The escape to the fortress is referenced in the verse
"Under guard of 42
Along a secret avenue
Castle saint Angelo is waiting"

147 of the 189 Swiss guard were killed during The Sack of Rome along with 500 millita and around 45,000 civillians who were killed, exiled or taken prisoner.

The perk in COD 4 when you are shot and lay on the ground with your pistol to have a last stand at killing someone.

A last stand is a military situation in which a body of troops holds a defensive position in the face of overwhelming odds. The defensive force usually takes very heavy casualties or is completely destroyed, as happened at the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC, the Battle of the Persian Gate in 330 BC, the Battle of Karbara in 680, the Fall of Constantinople in 1453, the Georgian Three Hundred Aragvians in 1795, the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, the Battle of Shiroyama in 1877, the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876, the Battle of Pavan Khind in 1660, and Battle of Saragarhi in 1897 and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in 1943.