Chess Generalship, Vol. I. Grand ReconnaissanceYoung, Franklin K. (Franklin Knowles)
History
Chess Generalship, Vol. I. Grand Reconnaissance
Young, Franklin K. (Franklin Knowles)
Chess
Antiochus, King of Syria, reviewing his immense but untrained and
undisciplined army at Ephesus, asked of Hannibal, “if they were
not enough for the Romans.”
“Yes,” replied the great Carthagenian, “enough to glut the
bloodthirstiness, even of the Romans.”
* * * * *
_“A man in the vigor of life and capable of sustaining the
heaviest fatigues, but untrained in warfare, is fitted not to
bear arms, but to bear baggage.”--Timoleon._
ORGANIZATION
_“The chief distinction between an army and a mob is the good
order and discipline of the former and the disorderly behavior of
the latter.”--Washington._
* * * * *
“It is the duty of the commander-in-chief frequently to assemble
the most prudent and experienced of his generals and to consult
with them as to the state of his own and of the enemies’ troops.
“He must examine which army has the better weapons, which is the
better trained and disciplined; superior in condition and most
resolute in emergencies.
“He must note whether himself or the adversary has the superior
infantry, cavalry or artillery, and particularly must he discern
any marked lack in quantity and quality of men or horses, and any
difference in equipment of those corps which necessarily will be
or because of such reason, advantageously may be opposed to each
other.
“Advantages in Organization determine the field of battle to
be preferred, which latter should be selected with the view of
profiting to the uttermost by the use of specially equipped
corps, to whom the enemy is not able to oppose similar troops.
“If a general finds himself superior to his enemy he must use all
means to bring on an engagement, but if he sees himself inferior,
he must avoid battle and endeavor to succeed by surprises,
stratagems and ambuscades; which last skillfully managed often
have gained the victory over foemen superior in numbers and in
strength.”--_Vergetius._
_Advantage in Organization consists in having one or more Corps d’armee
which in equipment or in composition are so superior to the hostile
corps to which they may become opposed, as entails to them exceptional
facilities for the execution of those major tactical evolutions that
appertain to any tactical area made up of corresponding geometric or
sub-geometric symbols._
PRINCIPLE
_Advantage in Organization determines the choice of a prospective
battlefield; and the latter always should be composed of those tactical
areas which permit of the fullest exercise of the powers peculiar to
kindred corps d’armee._
Every corps d’armee thus especially equipped should be constantly and
energetically employed in the prospective battle; and usually it will
eventuate as the Prime Tactical Factor in the decisive Major Tactical
evolution.
* * * * *
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