Quotes About Tactics

War is the tao of deception. Therefore, when planning an attack, feign inactivity. When near, appear as if you are far away. When far away, create the illusion that you are near. If the enemy is efficient, prepare for him. If he is strong, evade him. If he is angry, agitate him. If he is arrogant, behave timidly so as to encourage his arrogance. If he is rested, cause him to exert himself. Advance when he does not expect you. Attack him when he is unprepared. —Sun-Tzu, The Art of War

forces in Batjan on June 11.61

But he did not lack the ruthlessness required of all military commanders in wartime.

They must have skill in handling the ships, skill in tactics, skill in strategy . . . the dogged ability to bear punishment, the power and desire to inflict it, the daring, the resolution, the willingness to take risks and incur responsibilities which have been possessed by the great captains of all ages, and without which no man can ever hope to stand in the front rank of fighting men.

Freewheeling intuition was respected, but so was the plodding line of attack they called "siege tactics.

Operation hotfoot

Possessing foreknowledge of Japanese intentions, Nimitz had been dealt a very strong hand. It is also true that he played that hand skillfully, indeed flawlessly. In arranging his forces, Nimitz had concentrated on one overriding objective to the exclusion of all others: to ambush and destroy the Japanese carriers. Whereas Yamamoto's plan was vast and fatally complex, Nimitz's was straightforward, and aimed at the enemy's most vulnerable point.

Though he knew the Japanese would attack the Aleutians, he had refused to divert the bulk of his forces from the main event north of Midway. He had been content to concede the loss of the westernmost islands in the Aleutians archipelago, knowing they offered little value as military assets and could be recaptured in good time.

That attitude was consistent with the teachings of Miyamoto Musashi, the renowned samurai swordsman of the sixteenth century. "As far as attacks made on you are concerned," Musashi had advised, "let opponents go ahead and do anything useless, while stopping them from doing anything useful. This is essential to the art of war.

All that I can claim credit for, myself, is a very keen sense of the urgent need for surprise and a strong desire to hit the enemy carriers with our full strength as early as we could reach them.

Does Curran not involve you in his strategic sessions?" Ghastek asked. "Nope, I'm just here to look pretty.

Football is a wargame of land acquisition.

Breaking into the house in the middle of the night just wasn't his style. He did his best work in plain view, and, usually, his tongue was doing most of it. Now that was an interesting thought. Heh.

Yes, young men, Italy owes to you an undertaking which has merited the applause of the universe. You have conquered and you will conquer still, because you are prepared for the tactics that decide the fate of battles.

Like any young person who gets into a political campaign, I joined out of a highfalutin' desire to change the world. But you start to see the sort of tactics people use. You start to see politics not only in the macro but in the micro of the campaign itself. Some people get turned off by this side of it. Other people are drawn to it.

I think the person I learnt the most from as a coach was Cruyff because he was always talking about tactics - how to play, where to play and when to play. I think that helps a lot of young players, which is good. He was the most important trainer for me.

As a youngster in South America, there is more chance to express your talent, without thinking too much about formations and tactics. Football over here is much more tactical, so when you come to Europe, you have to learn a lot about these aspects.

Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.

Don't underestimate your opponent, but don't overestimate them, either.

If your opponent is of choleric temper, irritate him.

I'm not the strongest, I'm not the fastest, I can't jump the highest, so for me, it's doing it in other ways: changing paces, using your body to get open, knowing your defender. A lot goes into it. You have to study the game.

Know your enemy and know yourself and you can fight a hundred battles without disaster.

Hence the saying: If you know the enemy and you know yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt; if you know Heaven and you know Earth, you may make your victory complete.

I snuck an hour to watch Bielsa on YouTube, I love that guy. I watched a video of him talking about tactics and formations against Brazil and I absolutely loved it.