“Sometimes it is entirely appropriate to kill a fly with a sledge hammer.”

Another variation:

“Sometimes killing a fly with a sledge hammer is entirely appropriate. It doesn’t make the fly any more dead, but the rest of the flies sure sit up and take notice.”

I.L. Holdridge

Holdridge, aka Major H, was a Major in the US Marine Corps who developed the turn-based wargame ‘TacOps’, which was originally released in 1994.

TacOps detailed (the then) modern, hypothetical combat between US troops and opposing forces (OPFOR) who were armed with various equipment from across the globe. Later iterations of the wargame added units for the Canadian, Australian and New Zealand armies, and the US Marines. The game is noted for its encyclopaedic array of modern arms and units, and the detailing of the combat, and has been used as a training tool by several Western militaries.

Unfortunately, I don’t have access to the original quote, but you get the idea!