
On Tactics
A Theory of Victory in Battle
Brett A. Friedman(Author)
Naval Institute Press
Will be published approx. on 29. June 2017
Book
Hardback
256 pages
978-1-68247-163-0 (ISBN)
Description
On Tactics is intended to be the remedy to the chaotic and thus far unformed realm of tactical theory and to answer questions like the one above. Part One of the book will establish a tactical system meant to replace the Principles of War checklist. First, the contextual role of tactics with regards to strategy and war will be established. This will necessarily lean on major strategic theories in order to illuminate the role of tactics. This section will be formed around the Physical, Mental, and Moral planes of battlefield interaction used by theorists such as J.F.C Fuller and John Boyd. Each plane will then be examined in turn, and many of the classic Principles of War will be discussed along with some new ones. It will present some standard methods that tacticians can use to gain an advantage on the battlefield using historical examples that illustrate each concept. These "tactical tenants" include maneuver, mass, firepower, tempo, surprise, deception, confusion, shock, and the role of the moral aspects of combat. Finally, Part One will circle back around by discussing the role of tactical victory- once achieved- in contributed to a strategy. Part One is short by design. It is intended to be both compelling and easily mastered for junior non-commissioned officers and company grade officers, while still rich enough to be interesting to both specialist and non-specialist academics. It is a book meant not just for bookshelves but also for ruck sacks and cargo pockets.
Part Two will build on Part One by exploring concepts with which the tactician must be familiar with such as the culminating point of victory, mission tactics and decentralized command and control, offensive and defensive operations, and the initiative. Part Three will conclude the book examining implications of the presented tactical systems to a variety of other issues in strategic studies.
Part Two will build on Part One by exploring concepts with which the tactician must be familiar with such as the culminating point of victory, mission tactics and decentralized command and control, offensive and defensive operations, and the initiative. Part Three will conclude the book examining implications of the presented tactical systems to a variety of other issues in strategic studies.
Reviews / Votes
"A brilliant and highly relevant work, On Tactics is a masterful brush-clearing exercise that strips away the tangled and overgrown thicket of assumptions and beliefs that have taken over the theory of tactics to reveal an elegant and easy-to-grasp cognitive framework to guide thinking about how to achieve victory in battle. In a period of conceptual confusion about the changing character of war, this book should be essential reading for battlefield leaders, particularly junior officers and noncommissioned officers, as well as those responsible for devising strategy." - Peter Haynes, author of Toward a New Maritime Strategy: American Naval Thinking in the Post-Cold War Era"This work is an interesting salvo into an area that does deserve review. His position is certainly understandable.... This work suggests some interesting proposals." - The Military Reviewer
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Annopolis
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
Illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 211 mm
Width: 133 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
Weight
412 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-68247-163-0 (9781682471630)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
05/2017
Naval Institute Press
€23.49
Available for download
Person
B. A. Friedman grew up in Cleveland, Ohio and entered the Marine Corps after graduating high school in 2000. He attended The Ohio State University and gained a B.A. in History as well as the Naval War College where he gained a M.A. in National Security and Strategic Studies. He transitioned to the Marine Corps Reserve in 2016 as a Captain.