Like a scientist at a sci-fi movie, mostly they enjoy it, but blatant errors result in grumbling
Isaac Send a noteboard - 16/01/2010 03:26:24 AM
What would professional tactician types make of the strategies supposed generals etc use in books?
Very few books give enough details to criticize or applaud, when they do they usually just rewording a classic battle like agincourt or gettysburg, I think I've read a small horde of books where the exciting battle was just agincourt 2.0 with orcs or something. I'd say the default bone to pick would be a tendency of 'brilliant' characters to ignore amazingly simple solutions to problems, but that's not just tactics obviously, I remember one series where they were full of experts and not one thought of using handwriting analysis to find out who the bad guy was, evne though they had samples of his writing, samples of the culprits writing, and even suspected the guy. From a strategic POV, they tend to just overlook obvious stuff, just to give a quick familiar example, on hearing that the Shaido were marching towards CArhein, Rand didn't set his own force marching and proceed to take a hundred or so Aiel skimming ahead to ambush and harass, then skim back, grab more and repeat. That's an obvious tactic since he does transport troops that way at the end of the book, but it doesn't get used, and RJ even repeatedly talks about the advantages of small forces for harrassing and elaying the enemy, so it was surprising it wasn't done. RJ's way better at writing such things than most too, but ironically he's easier to pick on because he actually does give details and fairly solid details in most occassions. Sort of like in Sci-fi, nobody complains about the bizarre piece of supertech until they try to explain it scientifically and suddenly it's not a miracle plot piece but something specific and specifically wrong at that.
The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.
- Albert Einstein
King of Cairhien 20-7-2
Chancellor of the Landsraad, Archduke of Is'Mod
- Albert Einstein
King of Cairhien 20-7-2
Chancellor of the Landsraad, Archduke of Is'Mod
Sci-Fi / Fantasy 's greatest strategist / tacticians
12/01/2010 08:33:14 PM
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Miles Vorkosigan *NM*
13/01/2010 05:43:12 PM
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OK. Those look like good books. I must remember to find them. *NM*
14/01/2010 07:41:53 AM
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I'd go with Benedict of Amber, his backstory makes more sense for the claim
15/01/2010 08:34:57 PM
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Aye, that's something I wonder.
15/01/2010 08:45:33 PM
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Like a scientist at a sci-fi movie, mostly they enjoy it, but blatant errors result in grumbling
16/01/2010 03:26:24 AM
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Napoleon from Napoleon And The Conquest Of The World
15/01/2010 08:47:35 PM
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...
15/01/2010 08:49:52 PM
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I have never it read it myself
15/01/2010 09:02:47 PM
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Oh.
15/01/2010 09:08:34 PM
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well I was thinking about reading it and I probably will when I have time
16/01/2010 06:38:39 PM
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He shouldn't have started a land war in Asia.
16/01/2010 07:07:10 PM
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Parmenion, the Lion of Macedon by David Gemmell...
16/01/2010 11:16:34 AM
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Rodrigo Belmonte, anyone?
19/01/2010 01:55:14 PM
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