Tactics

Discuss anything here

Moderator: Moderators

Post Reply
User avatar
Kaori
Bellator In Machina
Bellator In Machina
Posts: 4302
Joined: Sun Oct 10, 2010 3:42 am
Location: -Wherever I go, there I am.-

Tactics

Post by Kaori »

Let's face it: most writers and roleplayers who never played any wargaming tabletop are not exactly the world's greatest tactical geniuses, so whenever a war's going on, expect a lot of dumb decisions from tacticians. To pour salt into the wound, these tacticians are sometimes explicitly said to be tactical masterminds. Some of the less-optimal strategies include:

Charging with light cavalry exactly once, in the middle of the enemy lines. Light cavalry are usually used for flanking, since their attacks lack either the power, reach, or the sheer crushing momentum of heavy cavalry to penetrate enemy lines.

Following in the vein of old-style fights, complete and total lack of formation in armies that should have them. If you're dueling enemy soldiers unsupported, something's gone horribly wrong, unless you're part of a Bronze Age-type culture.

Arrows on Fire: not necessarily a bad idea in and of itself, but rarely used for any reason other than Rule of Cool, unless used as a psychological weapon or to light targets on fire.

Assaulting castles as a first resort. This was only done very rarely, and even then they usually just waited outside the castle walls until the enemy starved or surrendered, though this failed as often as it succeeded due to logistical issues on the part of the besieging force.

Open-field, Napoleonic-style infantry battles with modern or futuristic weapons. We tried this in World War I. It didn't work too well.

Modern armies fighting only with small arms, and no aerial or artillery support.

Always using More Dakka for anti-armor or anti-air (or against a single, agile target), rather than guided missiles (in a setting that has them, of course).
Always using missiles or other weapons that take a long time to reload, even when a quick firing weapon would be more useful.

No attempt to flank the enemy or distract them with covering fire.

In space battles (or using aircraft), failing to consider the third dimension.

Despite having the technology to lock and fire on an enemy beyond visual range, holding off doing so until one can See the Whites of Their Eyes. Not to mention simply not having BVR (beyond visual range) technology in a setting that has other high-tech weapons and sensors (Minovsky Physics notwithstanding).

Any use of obsolete weapons, tactics, or styles of warfare alongside the very weapons and technology that rendered them obsolete (e.g. swords alongside guns, mounted cavalry alongside tanks etc.). Unless the story is set during the transition with realistic results, obviously.

No combined arms of any kind, meaning every other branch of the military is made obsolete with one weapon.

Having access to Applied Phlebotinum that is good at concealing your presence, and then either doing something obvious to give away your presence, or making loud noises while sneaking around.

Mook Chivalry, where the bad guys will, for no clearly explained reason, politely attack the hero one at a time instead of taking advantage of their superior numbers.

Waiting until the last second to do a maneuver when not waiting is far more advantageous.

Putting your general in the front lines. At least, so long as him fighting isn't a major part of your strategy or a cultural component of how warfare is waged.

The use of cover that is either totally useless or downright dangerous. As in "You men stack the barrels of gunpowder and torch oil over there as a breastwork".

"Cooking" grenades is generally considered a bad idea, despite what a lot of modern First Person Shooters would tell you. Grenade fuses are NEVER precise, so counting to two or three seconds may simply result in the grenade exploding in your hands in the middle of throwing.

Training programs that actively kill, injure, or psychologically destabilize recruits, by particularly cruel profanity-bombing sergeants and scientists who develops drugs/technology to keep them in line. The training programs used by most modern countries, while harsh and hostile, are designed to break down recruits and turn them into competent, disciplined soldiers. Pushing recruits to the point of death, injury, or becoming headcases does not produce effective soldiers and are generally avoided in Real Life. This doesn't stop authors from portraying The Spartan Way as some form of desirable ideal.
User avatar
TheSorrow
The Legendary Paladin
The Legendary Paladin
Posts: 6587
Joined: Sat Dec 09, 2006 9:47 pm
Location: The Edge of Madness
Contact:

Re: Tactics

Post by TheSorrow »

Well, this was awesome and fun to read...But why you wanted to post this? To discuss about tactics that writers and roleplayers do in their works? Or compare fiction tactics to real walfare situations? Or just to generally complain? XDD

You're right about pretty much everything though. And it also applies to things such like movies and TV shows. "Epic" battles that are actually hugely disorganized, and featuring a couple of "untouchable heroes" that stand in front of everyone and lead the way to victory on their own while in a real war they'd be the first ones to get killed. Though in such cases it helps to show awesome and cool-looking stories that keep you on edge and entertained enough, as real wars are all about patience and 90% strategy 10% action, which wouldn't be that appealing to show in big screens D:
User avatar
zaseo
Posts: 1583
Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2007 12:10 pm

Re: Tactics

Post by zaseo »

Everything Kaori stated is true.

When it comes to strategy and tactics everyone should start off with Sun Tzu's Art of War.

In real life it is extremely rare for someone to be a legit One Man Army. It is not every battle that you have someone like Zhao Yun on your side.
In real life the bad guys are not going to be trained from the Imperial Storm Trooper Marksmanship Academy.
When it comes to shooting guns with suppressors they shall be quieter but still can be hear meaning if someone shot a suppressed gun near bad guys they're position is going to be given away.
Running and gunning looks cool but in real life accuracy would be very low. Now it is possible to be accuracy while running but not how its portrayed in the movies.
Post Reply