Introduction to Tactics

Strategic Studies 155 - Introduction to Tactics

Welcome to Introduction to Tactics. This course is a first-year elective course in the Strategic Studies curriculum. Its active learning content should be the equivalent of about 30 hours of classroom time, and it is organized into classes. Each class has a discreet learning objective and a way (or ways) to reach that objective. This will be complemented by readings that are prerequisites to each course. The course is presented in a logical order, and one class may be built upon in subsequent lessons. The order in which you perform these studies, however, is not important. If you feel you'd prefer a different order, that is up to you.

Course Content

The intent of this course is to give the student a rudimentary knowledge of the tactics that formulate greater strategic planning in combat.

By the end of this course, you should know:

How tactics affect strategy.
Rudimentary tactics.
Why tactics are important.

Course Texts

Online Texts

US Army, Field Manual 3-90, Tactics. Washington: Dept. of the Army, 2001.
Other links in progress

Offline Texts

Dawson, Doyne. The Origins of Western Warfare: Militarism and Morality in the Ancient World. Boulder: Westview Press, 1996. ISBN 0-8133-2940-X
Griffith, Paddy. Forward Into Battle. Fighting tactics from Waterloo to the Near Future. Novato: Presidio Press, 1991 (1981). ISBN 0891414134
Keegan, John. The Face of Battle. A Study of Agincourt, Waterloo, and the Somme. London: Penguin, 1978.
Written texts in progress:
FM 7-8

Classes

Unit 1: Introduction

Classes

What are tactics?
Why are tactics important?
...

Unit 2: Tactics and Strategy

Classes

Tactics vs. Strategy
Grand Tactics
...

Unit 3: Types of Tactics

Classes

Locational tactics
Small unit tactics
Individual tactics
...

Unit 4: Tactical Formations

Classes

Unit 5: Conclusion

Classes

Historical examples of tactics
Determining which tactic to choose
...

FINAL

In progress.

Followup courses

STST 255 Infantry Tactics
STST 256 Cavalry Tactics
STST 257 Armor Tactics
STST 355 Combined Arms Tactics
STST 455 Seminar in Operational Warfare

External Links

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