When to attack

[Puke]

holding ground should not always be your goal. the Russian army (until the end of WWII) held the doctrine that anywhere they marched became Russian soil. Thus, they fought to the man and bullet defending their positions. This wasnt always a good thing.

If you are fighting to destroy an enemy, and cripple their ability to make war - rather than to gain territory and bolster your industrial base - then you may not need to wory about holding ground. The defender must hold ground, but you can raid systems, destroy colonies, then pull out. sometimes you cant afford to hold worlds, but you can afford to continue an offensive untill you can recolonize them later.

Other times, holding teritory is crucial, because you need their production, or their resupply depots, or need them to slow down a counter attack.

[Arkcon]

Originally posted by Puke:
The defender must hold ground, but you can raid systems, destroy colonies, then pull out. sometimes you cant afford to hold worlds, but you can afford to continue an offensive untill you can recolonize them later.

Very true. I'm playing a TDM Modpack game. I'm the Ukra-Tal, and the Aquilaeians took an instant dislike to me. Same atmosphere. I've got my core systems fortified, and I raided their territory, conquering two systems and then losing them again, twice. At the same time I've gained, lost and now regained two fringe systems. And so it goes.

They are a dying race. I will let them be. I must prepare for the coming storm. The Vikings refuse all treatys, and the Cue Cappa and Albion have dreadnoughts everywhere. I don't have the mineral resources for master computer ships. Yet.

[ October 12, 2002, 00:12: Message edited by: Arkcon ]

[Stone Mill]

If you are fighting to destroy an enemy, and cripple their ability to make war - rather than to gain territory and bolster your industrial base - then you may not need to wory about holding ground. The defender must hold ground, but you can raid systems, destroy colonies, then pull out. sometimes you cant afford to hold worlds, but you can afford to continue an offensive untill you can recolonize them later.

Other times, holding teritory is crucial, because you need their production, or their resupply depots, or need them to slow down a counter attack.

Very true. In the case where you need to hold territory, I stress the importance of adaquately defending your new gains. This may mean pushing your defensive line forward... and not a Marginot line that is static but a mobile defense that operates under the tenant of Mobility. You can't defend everything... but key points. And what you acquire is your new key point.

[Foreman]

Originally posted by Taera:
Does someone have a link to full translation of Sun Tzu's book and Prince, too? I have one Sun Tzu's translation but its rather puny...

Try this one: Sun Tzu's Art of War
This translation is much more fluid than most others I saw on the internet.