What tactic has had the most influence on modern warfare?

[Lord Baal]

using sheilds, amagin if no one invented sheilds!

That's okay, we'd use gears like in Call to Power.

 

[ParkCungHee]

using sheilds, amagin if no one invented sheilds!

Presumably, Germany would win WWII after Steve Rogers was shot on his first outing.

 

[Lord Baal]

Presumably, Germany would win WWII after Steve Rogers was shot on his first outing.

Surely Namor would be able to save us? His feet have WINGS for God's sake!

 

[ParkCungHee]

But Baron Zemo invented adhesive X!
It's like Super-Glue, but you shoot it at people!

 

[Lord Baal]

But Baron Zemo invented adhesive X!
It's like Super-Glue, but you shoot it at people!

Damn, even I think you're a comic-book nerd for that reference.

 

[Rashiminos]

Asymmetrical Warfare. It becomes more vogue every time the Empire decides it wants a sandy vacation in a place it doesn't own.

 

[Shekwan]

Yeah assymetrical warfare. Its pretty much responsible for a lot of countries independence today, and the the major wars of our times are only notable from a military perspective because of the difficulty that type of warfare puts on an occupying force.

 

[Flying Pig]

Versatilie equipment. In the bad old days there would have been specialist soldiers for each task, now each man carries a rifle capable of deliberate or suppressive fire and an anti-tank weapon, and heavy fire is allocated at the platoon - rather than battalion - level. The effect is that ten men makes an effective fighting force

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

I personally believe that it's the blitzkrieg because it revolutionized warfare and in essence created modern warfare by claiming the tank as the primary weapon on the battlefield and it was the first tactic that utilized almost all aspects of the military in order to gain victory just as is prevalent in modern war. Agree? Disagree?

Blitz krieg is not a tactic it is Operational Art.

 

[Dachs]

Yeah assymetrical warfare. Its pretty much responsible for a lot of countries independence today, and the the major wars of our times are only notable from a military perspective because of the difficulty that type of warfare puts on an occupying force.

Whinewhinewhine that's not a tactic either whinewhinewhine

 

[Harvin87]

Blitz krieg is not a tactic it is Operational Art.

well said!

 

[Wacky]

Modern communication, direct communication from top the bottom.

 

[ParkCungHee]

While not a tactic, direct communication existed long before modern warfare.

 

[Flying Pig]

Not really. You would rarely have got a sergeant talking to a colonel.

 

[Lord Baal]

Not really. You would rarely have got a sergeant talking to a colonel.

I think he meant more from top-to-bottom than bottom-to-top.

 

[Cutlass]

Radio is more of a technical advance than a tactic. You might as well say the repeating rifle or cartridge ammunition.

 

[Racsoviale]

hmm. recon missions seems more important now than before, since here in the west we are able to throw a missile at a location using only satelites and on board controls. the only part that needs humans is the part where you identify targets. This is not a tactic per se, but the teamwork between small units of recon forces, satelites navigation and cruisers in the waters near the target with the appropriate ammunition seems like quite the new and ever changing field.

so perhaps the V2 terror bombings og London has had the most influence on modern warfare

 

[Lord Baal]

Recon missions have always been of the utmost importance. We just have better and safer methods of going about them now.

 

[ParkCungHee]

I think he meant more from top-to-bottom than bottom-to-top.

Well I suppose if the guy standing near the great captains of the day had something useful to shout like "I've been shot AAAAAAAARGH!" their commander could hear it. The difference is that then it was not an odd circumstance for the commander to be able to see his entire battlefield, while now direct communication is important because he can't.

 

[neutrino]

In terms of tactics, perhaps the most important one for modern warfare is on infantry tactics the Germans developed in the latter half of WW1.

1. Machine gun: The Germans were the first one to treat machine guns as the basis of platoon level tactics. Reasons: a) Machine guns provided the bulk of firepower, compared to other small arms available in a platoon; b) Riflemen's job was to protect their machine gunners. In addition, they positioned their machine guns in such a way as to maximize crossfires and when they did open fire, they struck obliquely at advancing opponents. They also frequently changed their machine gun positions.

2. Infantry assault: They relied on shorter but more intense artillery bombardment, followed by well-equipped infantry and engineer. Their job was to disrupt enemy's line and bypass strongpoints; follow-up troops were responsible for reducing strongpoints.

3. WW2: The basis of infantry tactics were already developed by the end of WW1. So, add on refinements in WW2: a) Light machine gun -- the most infamous example would be MG-42, but what made it particularly lethal was its high rate of fire and its barrel was easily replaced; b) Motorized infantry -- they made sure to have their tanks supported by motorized infantry, engineers and artillery; c) Small unit leadership: They paid attention to the training of their NCOs and junior officers, which then allowed them to issue mission-oriented combat orders (you are given objectives, but it is up to you and your subordinates to figure out how to go about), making them tactically more flexible than most of their opponents.