Tactical Theory [Full Outline]
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 12:28 am
The version below is OLD. See newest post in the topic for current information.
The Art of Water Warfare: The Tactical Theory v2.0
v2 of the Tactical Theory is coming! The following is a great undertaking that has involved years of thinking and observation. In fact, the Tactical Theory may end up being the most complete study of water warfare ever attempted. Instead of just a battle manual, this is a full-blown study of water warfare. The theory examines the causal factors of victory and defeat in the hope of explaining why one finds success or failure on the field of battle in a water fight.
Independent and Condition Variables - [tweaked ever so slightly from last post]
iV1 = Firepower
Ref = Weapons Database
cVs = Resources, Competition, Preferences, Practicality
iV2 = Manpower
cVs = Raw Skills, Refined Skills, Age, Maturity, Personality, Personal Progression Levels
iV3 = Team Power
Ref = Global Teams Database
cVs = Organization, Coordination, Logistics, Scale, Leadership
iV4 = Tactical Power
Ref = Tactics Database
cVs = Knowledge, Tactical Progression Levels
iV5 = Natural Power
cVs = Limits, Mechanics, Energy, Luck, Flow, Combat Progression Levels
Intervening Variables -
nV1 = Tech Power [Technical Theory]
iV1 = Tech Creation
Ref = Tech Database
cVs = Goals, Resources
iV2 = Tech Implementation
cVs = Effects upon: Firepower, Manpower, Team Power, Tactical Power, Natural Power, Creative Power
iV3 = Tech Limits
cVs = Effects from: Manpower, Tactical Power, Natural Power, Creative Power
nV2 = Creative Power [Innovation Theory]
iV1 = Incentive to Experiment
cVs = Competition, Progression, Preferences, Fun
iV2 = Experimental Process
Ref = Problem Solving Models for Water Warfare
cVs = Effects upon: Firepower, Manpower, Team Power, Tactical Power, Natural Power, Tech power
iV3 = Limits of Innovation
Ref = Successes/Failures Database
cVs = Adaptation, Practicality, Risk, Effects from: Firepower, Manpower, Team Power, Tactical Power, Natural Power, Tech power
Dependent Variables -
dV1 = Full Victory [Most Desirable Outcome, Rare]
dV2 = Partial Victory
dV3 = Split Victory/Defeat ["Draw", Complicated]
dV4 = Partial Defeat
dV5 = Full Defeat [Least Desirable Outcome, Rare]
Some changes from the last version:
Theory = Organized! A problem with v1 was lack of any sort of organization. There were many disjointed ideas. Now everything falls fairly well into 7 sections. The team with the best understanding of all 7 sections supposedly has a better chance of achieving the most desirable outcome of a water war, Full Victory. However, not all of the sections are equal in value and in every war. Certain sections become more influential in certain fights for various reasons. The trick is figuring out what, where, when, why, and how. Simple knowledge of the concepts will not guarantee Full Victory - one must use them effectively and cunningly [and moreso than the opponent] on the battlefield. It is the powerful human element that makes water warfare more fun and challenging than meets the eye.
Firepower, Manpower, and Team Power are fairly static. Much of these concepts are old and well-known. Therefore these are easy sections to master and use.
Tactical Power has the potential to be a bit overwhelming as there is a lot of information in it. This section is far from static - tactics and strategies frequently change and evolve. Tactical Power is complex, but vital for success against an enemy.
Natural Power is where the really weird stuff happens in water warfare. The vast majority of the concepts that humans don't fully understand takes place in this section. Natural Power can have decisive influence on virtually any aspect of water warfare; the breaking of the old idea of plain "victory, tie, and defeat" are one such example.
Tech Power is an intervening variable. It is not necessary at all, but it has interesting effects upon the core sections of the Theory when added.
Creative Power is also an intervening variable. It does not need to be included in the core Theory, but like Tech Power, it produces potentially significant effects upon the other sections. In fact, Creative Power is responsible for creating many of the concepts in v2.
Progression Levels = Simplified and expanded to 3 types. The most fundamental difference is that some of the v2 progressions can move in either direction and have no endpoints, aka "Advanced" can progress to "Basic". That was a concept in the v1 theory to a limited extent, but in that version, the ultimate direction of progression was toward more hardcore warfare. The major difference now is the discovery of the Progressive Loop in the Natural Power section of the Tactical Theory.
The Progressive Loop = The idea that flips everything in the v1 theory upside down. The Progressive Loop usually comes out when competition between two teams is extremely fierce. In doing anything to gain an edge, it is actually possible to reopen options that they progressed away from earlier. For example, water balloons could become ineffective and fall out of use. However, over time, a situation may rise up where they become useful again. Even the most arcane tactics and strategies may see reuse after a long period of disuse. Thus, a very complex method may give way to a simple one not seen in ages and thus the Progression Levels may "loop" around. Personal Progression doesn't appear to loop, as veteran players rarely morph back into novices.
Personal Progression Levels
PP = Novice, Regular, Veteran
only------------------------>
Natural Progression Levels
NP = Casual, Progressive, Hardcore
<--------------------------------->
Tactical Progression Levels
TP = Basic, Standard, Advanced
<----------------------------->
Fighting Zones = New, yet old. Silent Guy's idea of scales in water warfare definitely has an important place here. Since "scale" can be confused with something else [example Large Scale = large team warfare], v2 has elected to use the term "zone".
Combat Zone = Occurs within shooting range of an enemy
Visual Zone = Occurs within visual sight of an enemy, but outside of shooting range/at the edge of range
Strategic Zone = Occurs outside of visual sight of an enemy / Realm of "big" tactics than cannot be directly countered
The point of having zone differentiation is to determine where certain types of tactics take effect. For example, ambushes are usually sprung within shooting range of the intended target. Maneuvers such as the Swinging V are often performed at the edge of shooting range and in full view of the enemy. "Big" tactics like the Outnumbered Offense are more difficult to place, as they may contain many simpler tactics performed in various zones. Generally, complex tactics like these are considered as Strategic Zone, for the enemy never gets to counter the "Outnumbered Offense" directly. They counter a tactic used in the Visual or Combat Zone that belongs to the Outnumbered Offense, such as a Killing Rush. Another example of a tactic in the Strategic Zone is Hit-n'-Run. It is composed of many smaller tactics, which are used in the Visual and Combat Zones and are countered there as well. While part of some tactics may occur outside of enemy sight [preparation of an ambush for example], the main purpose of a tactic like an ambush occurs within shooting range, so they belong there.
Holes in the Theory = Same as v1. Components of v2 may break in large scale warfare [teams of 20,25+ each], the "Free For All FFA" game family [Unorganized Soakfest], and Lone Wolves. These need to get plugged, but that will be last priority.
The Art of Water Warfare: The Tactical Theory v2.0
v2 of the Tactical Theory is coming! The following is a great undertaking that has involved years of thinking and observation. In fact, the Tactical Theory may end up being the most complete study of water warfare ever attempted. Instead of just a battle manual, this is a full-blown study of water warfare. The theory examines the causal factors of victory and defeat in the hope of explaining why one finds success or failure on the field of battle in a water fight.
Independent and Condition Variables - [tweaked ever so slightly from last post]
iV1 = Firepower
Ref = Weapons Database
cVs = Resources, Competition, Preferences, Practicality
iV2 = Manpower
cVs = Raw Skills, Refined Skills, Age, Maturity, Personality, Personal Progression Levels
iV3 = Team Power
Ref = Global Teams Database
cVs = Organization, Coordination, Logistics, Scale, Leadership
iV4 = Tactical Power
Ref = Tactics Database
cVs = Knowledge, Tactical Progression Levels
iV5 = Natural Power
cVs = Limits, Mechanics, Energy, Luck, Flow, Combat Progression Levels
Intervening Variables -
nV1 = Tech Power [Technical Theory]
iV1 = Tech Creation
Ref = Tech Database
cVs = Goals, Resources
iV2 = Tech Implementation
cVs = Effects upon: Firepower, Manpower, Team Power, Tactical Power, Natural Power, Creative Power
iV3 = Tech Limits
cVs = Effects from: Manpower, Tactical Power, Natural Power, Creative Power
nV2 = Creative Power [Innovation Theory]
iV1 = Incentive to Experiment
cVs = Competition, Progression, Preferences, Fun
iV2 = Experimental Process
Ref = Problem Solving Models for Water Warfare
cVs = Effects upon: Firepower, Manpower, Team Power, Tactical Power, Natural Power, Tech power
iV3 = Limits of Innovation
Ref = Successes/Failures Database
cVs = Adaptation, Practicality, Risk, Effects from: Firepower, Manpower, Team Power, Tactical Power, Natural Power, Tech power
Dependent Variables -
dV1 = Full Victory [Most Desirable Outcome, Rare]
dV2 = Partial Victory
dV3 = Split Victory/Defeat ["Draw", Complicated]
dV4 = Partial Defeat
dV5 = Full Defeat [Least Desirable Outcome, Rare]
Some changes from the last version:
Theory = Organized! A problem with v1 was lack of any sort of organization. There were many disjointed ideas. Now everything falls fairly well into 7 sections. The team with the best understanding of all 7 sections supposedly has a better chance of achieving the most desirable outcome of a water war, Full Victory. However, not all of the sections are equal in value and in every war. Certain sections become more influential in certain fights for various reasons. The trick is figuring out what, where, when, why, and how. Simple knowledge of the concepts will not guarantee Full Victory - one must use them effectively and cunningly [and moreso than the opponent] on the battlefield. It is the powerful human element that makes water warfare more fun and challenging than meets the eye.
Firepower, Manpower, and Team Power are fairly static. Much of these concepts are old and well-known. Therefore these are easy sections to master and use.
Tactical Power has the potential to be a bit overwhelming as there is a lot of information in it. This section is far from static - tactics and strategies frequently change and evolve. Tactical Power is complex, but vital for success against an enemy.
Natural Power is where the really weird stuff happens in water warfare. The vast majority of the concepts that humans don't fully understand takes place in this section. Natural Power can have decisive influence on virtually any aspect of water warfare; the breaking of the old idea of plain "victory, tie, and defeat" are one such example.
Tech Power is an intervening variable. It is not necessary at all, but it has interesting effects upon the core sections of the Theory when added.
Creative Power is also an intervening variable. It does not need to be included in the core Theory, but like Tech Power, it produces potentially significant effects upon the other sections. In fact, Creative Power is responsible for creating many of the concepts in v2.
Progression Levels = Simplified and expanded to 3 types. The most fundamental difference is that some of the v2 progressions can move in either direction and have no endpoints, aka "Advanced" can progress to "Basic". That was a concept in the v1 theory to a limited extent, but in that version, the ultimate direction of progression was toward more hardcore warfare. The major difference now is the discovery of the Progressive Loop in the Natural Power section of the Tactical Theory.
The Progressive Loop = The idea that flips everything in the v1 theory upside down. The Progressive Loop usually comes out when competition between two teams is extremely fierce. In doing anything to gain an edge, it is actually possible to reopen options that they progressed away from earlier. For example, water balloons could become ineffective and fall out of use. However, over time, a situation may rise up where they become useful again. Even the most arcane tactics and strategies may see reuse after a long period of disuse. Thus, a very complex method may give way to a simple one not seen in ages and thus the Progression Levels may "loop" around. Personal Progression doesn't appear to loop, as veteran players rarely morph back into novices.
Personal Progression Levels
PP = Novice, Regular, Veteran
only------------------------>
Natural Progression Levels
NP = Casual, Progressive, Hardcore
<--------------------------------->
Tactical Progression Levels
TP = Basic, Standard, Advanced
<----------------------------->
Fighting Zones = New, yet old. Silent Guy's idea of scales in water warfare definitely has an important place here. Since "scale" can be confused with something else [example Large Scale = large team warfare], v2 has elected to use the term "zone".
Combat Zone = Occurs within shooting range of an enemy
Visual Zone = Occurs within visual sight of an enemy, but outside of shooting range/at the edge of range
Strategic Zone = Occurs outside of visual sight of an enemy / Realm of "big" tactics than cannot be directly countered
The point of having zone differentiation is to determine where certain types of tactics take effect. For example, ambushes are usually sprung within shooting range of the intended target. Maneuvers such as the Swinging V are often performed at the edge of shooting range and in full view of the enemy. "Big" tactics like the Outnumbered Offense are more difficult to place, as they may contain many simpler tactics performed in various zones. Generally, complex tactics like these are considered as Strategic Zone, for the enemy never gets to counter the "Outnumbered Offense" directly. They counter a tactic used in the Visual or Combat Zone that belongs to the Outnumbered Offense, such as a Killing Rush. Another example of a tactic in the Strategic Zone is Hit-n'-Run. It is composed of many smaller tactics, which are used in the Visual and Combat Zones and are countered there as well. While part of some tactics may occur outside of enemy sight [preparation of an ambush for example], the main purpose of a tactic like an ambush occurs within shooting range, so they belong there.
Holes in the Theory = Same as v1. Components of v2 may break in large scale warfare [teams of 20,25+ each], the "Free For All FFA" game family [Unorganized Soakfest], and Lone Wolves. These need to get plugged, but that will be last priority.