What is Manoeuvre Warfare?

Introduction Manoeuvre warfare is a military strategy which attempts to defeat the enemy by incapacitating their decision-making through shock and disruption. Background Methods of war have to be chosen between manoeuvre and attrition warfare. The latter focuses on achieving victory through killing or capturing the enemy; manoeuvre warfare advocates the recognition that all warfare involves… Read More

What is Encirclement?

Introduction In military terms, an encirclement is the situation in which a force or target is isolated and surrounded by enemy forces. This situation is highly dangerous for the encircled force: at the strategic level, because it cannot receive supplies or reinforcements, and on the tactical level, because the units in the force can be… Read More

What is a Military Exercise/War Game?

Introduction A military exercise or war game is the employment of military resources in training for military operations, either exploring the effects of warfare or testing strategies without actual combat. This also serves the purpose of ensuring the combat readiness of garrisoned or deployable forces prior to deployment from a home base. War games involving… Read More

What is the Fabian Strategy?

Introduction The Fabian strategy is a military strategy where pitched battles and frontal assaults are avoided in favour of wearing down an opponent through a war of attrition and indirection. While avoiding decisive battles, the side employing this strategy harasses its enemy through skirmishes to cause attrition, disrupt supply and affect morale. Employment of this… Read More

What is Defence in Depth?

Introduction Defence in depth (also known as deep defence or elastic defence) is a military strategy that seeks to delay rather than prevent the advance of an attacker, buying time and causing additional casualties by yielding space. Rather than defeating an attacker with a single, strong defensive line, defence in depth relies on the tendency… Read More

What is Military Strategy?

Introduction Military strategy is a set of ideas implemented by military organisations to pursue desired strategic goals. Derived from the Greek word strategos, the term strategy, when it appeared in use during the 18th century, was seen in its narrow sense as the “art of the general”, or “‘the art of arrangement” of troops. Military… Read More

What is Military Doctrine?

Introduction Military doctrine is the expression of how military forces contribute to campaigns, major operations, battles, and engagements. It is a guide to action, rather than being hard and fast rules. Doctrine provides a common frame of reference across the military. It helps standardise operations, facilitating readiness by establishing common ways of accomplishing military tasks.… Read More