Armchair Generals

[Hobbs]

All right. I'm a member of a nation simulation website. Part of the appeal is that you get to act as a leader of a country. In the game, there's very little one can do 'officially' except join the World Assembly (originally the UN, but changed two years ago when the real UN issued a cease and desist order). Most of the actual gameplay is in Role-playing, controlling your 'economy' and 'military.' There are even wars that take place.

Now, most of the nations are controlled by regular people. I understand that not everyone's been in the military etc. But sometimes our RP discussions get into real-life scenarios...meaning, we start discussing tactics and operations in Iraq/Afghanistan etc. I understand people have their opinions and that's fine, but there is one member in particular that routinely lectures me on what US strategy should be, and why we're wrong, blah-blah. This coming from a guy who's never even served and isn't even American (though that's not really an issue). I just hate these people who think they know more than the Joint Chiefs just because they read Clausewitz, Sun Tzu etc and watch the History Channel religiously.

[Bloodsoul]

Send forth all legions.

Do not stop until the city is taken.

Slay them all.

Probably all I need when it comes to strategy...

[Rapscallion]

So, you're saying he shouldn't have freedom of speech?

Rapscallion

[Hobbs]

So, you're saying he shouldn't have freedom of speech?

Rapscallion

Like I said, it's all right to express his opinions, but when you're questioning the people who know what they're talking about, that's a different thing. It's the same as a layman questioning a mechanics decision for a repair, ignoring his professional advice (note: this scenario depicts one where the mechanic is honest).

Besides, it's not like you have freedom of speech on a private website.

[Rapscallion]

Depends on the rules of the private website.

What's wrong with questioning those who know what they're talking about? There may be angles they've not considered. That's how progress occurs.

Rapscallion

[Wingates_Hellsing]

Herein drawing parallels to the 'Telling me how to do my job" (or somesuch similar named) thread. There's a difference between questioning the experts and insisting that they're wrong without basis, experience, etc.

[Hobbs]

Depends on the rules of the private website.

What's wrong with questioning those who know what they're talking about? There may be angles they've not considered. That's how progress occurs.

Rapscallion

I would still insist that my commandant knows more about strategic and operational goals than anyone on this board.

[Rapscallion]

I would still insist that my commandant knows more about strategic and operational goals than anyone on this board.

Is that because he knows it all already and won't change, or because he thought about things and brought new concepts into play?

Rapscallion

[Hobbs]

You're seriously criticizing a USAF major? A guy who's briefed people way past your pay grade?

All right, let's talk about it then. The USAF pretty much puts you through school all the time. Every aspect of your career is on learning and training. He's had more lessons in operational and strategic warfare than you'll ever know. He's sat in on briefings given to the president and Joint Chiefs on the Iraq and Afghanistan War. As a collective, we know more about the war than you'll ever know from watching MSNBC, Fox, CNN and the BBC combined.

[Plaidman]

Its not criticizing a USAF major to question or give adice too. For a better example, say a game everyone has played. chess. There is a guy who plays it everyday, for the past twenty years. He knows pretty much it backwards and forwards. All the deals. All the moves. Are you seriously telling us this chessmaster should never ever ever take any type of advice or answer a question, simply because he done it all his life? Its not like the chessmaster is going to DO said advice, but it shouldnt harm him in anyway to at least ANSWER the why, and to listen to a possible way he never even though of doing. That's how tactics are born. If everyone did the same tactic over and over, the enemy will learn it and counter it like its nothing. Thus time for new tactic. To get new tactics, you have to learn it from a fresh preception, and that usually means someone other then yourself.

[Hobbs]

I want to try and get this back on topic. What I really meant are armchair generals, not random civvies talking about crap they don't know.

[Plaidman]

I want to try and get this back on topic. What I really meant are armchair generals, not random civvies talking about crap they don't know.

I'm pretty sure I am being an armchair general by giving advice to a real general.

[Rapscallion]

You're seriously criticizing a USAF major? A guy who's briefed people way past your pay grade?

No. I'm questioning you.

Tactics and strategies began as, "Ugh, run at other cavemen with pointy sticks." It progressed through the ages by people thinking, "Hang on, if this group of pointy-stick bearers works over here, and this group of pointy-stick get on those four-legged creatures over there and go round the back of their guys, we lose fewer pointy sticks than they do."

Genghis Khan, for example, was quite successful with the Mongol tactic of using fast cavalry in near-suicide missions to attract units of an enemy's force away from their formation for easy destruction.

How did any such alternative methodologies come about without questioning? You seem to have the opinion that your CO is the ultimate strategist and you seem to imply that there's nothing more worth learning.

Rapscallion

[Rapscallion]

I want to try and get this back on topic. What I really meant are armchair generals, not random civvies talking about crap they don't know.

If we 'civvies' don't know what we're talking about, why bring it here in the first place?

Rapscallion

[Plaidman]

I wanna make the remark that if it was Batman who was the general, I'd never question it.

That or Captain America.

But if Batman tells me to jump out of a plane, I'm sure there is a good reason. Because its the goddamn Batman and he knows what he doing with my life.