What is the most important aspect of warfare and why?

I'm curious to know what you all feel the most "important" aspect of warfare is, as well as your reasoning. Tanks? Really big guns? A spiffy uniform? Supply lines? Theory? Good weather?

I'd have to say Communications. No matter how good your plan is, it can all go to hell if you have no comms.

Hmmm... Well, I'd say that "winning" is likely near the top of the list. Its certainly preferable to losing.

That begs the question though - "At what price victory?"

Knowledge


Knowledge is power
Knowing yourself and capabilities
Knowing your enemy and his capabilities
Knowing your environment
Ect

I'd say troop dedication, fitness and fearlessness are the key factor.

Profit, business and control.

War by it's nature is parasitic and those who command never fight, they just calculate the acceptable losses.

reply to post by Neocrusader


Yup, you hit the nail on the head there.

I would add overwhelming firepower also. It demoralizes the enemy while increasing troop confidence and morale.

Controlling the terrain of the battlespace.

your opponent should be forced to fight under the worst possible conditions and conditions which favor your own forces. deciding the battlespace is critical to this.

that's why all the recent wars have been urban;...tanks, artillery and aircraft are not as effective in this space and infantry has to be used...religious fanatics that lack heavy weapons benefit from this situation immeasurably.

reply to post by SymbolicLogic


Sadly, I'd say the most important part of warfare is to amass SOOOO many weapons of destruction that no nation would dare attack.

But, if they do attack, the most important aspect of war is total humiliation in the first strike, to overwhelm an army to the point where every enemy soldier has completely lost hope of winning, and left with no faith in their superiors. Shock and awe, man, shock and awe.

All good points and food for thought, I think It's the people. You know. But whatever, "morale" is a foreign word after-all

100% the art of SUBVERSION:

m.youtube.com...#/watch?v=JN0By0xbst8&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DJN0By0xbst8&gl=GB

Ex KGB explains how the west have been so easily fooled.

Sorry for the mobile link, cannot be helped

for those at the top of the pyramid, war feeds the egos of nations, and rationalises counter-evolutionary psychosis with the veneer of self-preservation and 'doing what's right'. this is important to those that would mould our existence.

Originally posted by SymbolicLogic
All good points and food for thought, I think It's the people. You know. But whatever, "morale" is a foreign word after-all

Not if I live in france

Morale of the troops, hands down the most important aspect. A well trained, well led, and highly motivated soldier is unstoppable.

If you believe, you can do anything.

reply to post by Frogs


Losing? the worse end of the deal? Tell that to Germany and Japan!!!

But serious, it has to be the ability to mess up the other side as much as possible in the shortest amount of time.

OK it wasn't that serious!

all warfare is based on deception

sun tzu

reply to post by UziLiberman


an Imitation is doomed to failure.

reply to post by SymbolicLogic


there is nothing new under the sun

reply to post by SymbolicLogic


Information.

Information plays an enormous role in how soldiers and hardware are applied in the battlespace. Just the term 'battlespace' shows how much we've come to rely on information gathering techniques. Most of what we do in war is gather intel. That way we dont have to do as much fighting.

Peace.
Because war is stupid