| name | mil - Military Strategy Orderings |
| description | Orderings derived from military doctrine — concentrate force at decisive points, maintain tempo, secure supply lines before advancing. |
| output | {"format":"prose"} |
Military Strategy Orderings
Input: $ARGUMENTS
Overview
Military doctrine has centuries of refinement in operating under uncertainty, time pressure, competition, and distributed execution. These principles apply to any competitive or high-stakes sequential decision-making.
Core Principle
Concentrate resources at the decisive point. Don't spread thin across all fronts. Win where it matters most, accept risk elsewhere.
Ordering Rules
Rule 1: Schwerpunkt — Main Effort First
- Identify the decisive point (where success or failure is determined)
- Concentrate resources there
- Accept risk on secondary objectives
- When: limited resources, multiple fronts, need to choose where to win
Rule 2: Secure Rear Before Advancing
- Don't advance until supply lines and fallback positions are secure
- In projects: don't scale until foundation is solid
- When: dependency on previous work, risk of overextension
Rule 3: OODA Loop — Tempo Advantage
- Observe → Orient → Decide → Act, faster than the competition
- Speed of decision-making matters more than perfection
- When: competitive situations, changing environments
Rule 4: Economy of Force
- Use minimum necessary resources on secondary objectives
- Free up maximum resources for main effort
- When: resource-constrained, multiple objectives
Rule 5: Surprise and Initiative
- Do the unexpected. Act before the other side can react.
- Being predictable is a disadvantage
- When: competitive situations, first-mover advantages
Rule 6: Unity of Command
- One person/entity makes decisions for each operation
- Avoid committee decisions in time-critical situations
- When: coordination across teams, fast-moving operations
Application Procedure
Step 1: Identify the Decisive Point
- Where is the battle won or lost?
- What is the one thing that matters most?
Step 2: Allocate Resources
- Main effort: maximum resources
- Supporting efforts: minimum necessary
- Reserve: keep something back for unexpected developments
Step 3: Maintain Tempo
- Act faster than the situation changes
- Don't let perfect be the enemy of good enough
When to Use
- Competitive business situations
- Time-pressured projects with trade-offs
- Any situation with active opposition
- Resource allocation under constraint
Verification
