Thursday, October 2, 2014

Differing command styles


A fine book and well worth reading

The late John Keegan wrote a fine book called "The Mask of Command" which discussed the differences in how armies have been led over time, particularly how different commanders have put their own particular stamp on leading.  He contrasts the heroic style of Alexander the Great with the more managerial approach of Ulysses S. Grant, examining in detail the cultural, social and technological pressures that shaped their experience and approach to command. 

It is a hugely significant work and well worth the time. I cannot recommend it to you strongly enough. With that in mind, I would like to bring to particular case studies in command to your attention, less well known, though no less august than Alexander the Great or Adolf Hitler. 

They are of course, General Donogh McCarthy and General Du Gourmand, who led the French and Russian armies at our first Borodino battle some weeks ago. 

For those of you who would like to follow along at home, you will find the map referred to here




General McCarthy





General Du Gourmand

As a small exercise (who says wargaming can not be educational?), I would ask you to watch both of these videos and complete the following assignment. 

1. Describe each general management style in three words or less. 
2. Identify the key points of his plan. 
3. Suggest which of the two won the battle. 

There will be a small prize for the best answer.(1)



(1) An actual fungible prize. No correspondence entered into. Judges decision is final. Do not use while operating heavy machinery. No money returned. To conclude with "God save the King" in full chorus. Value of blogs may go up as well as well as down. 

12 comments:

  1. 1. Describe each general management style in three words or less. McCarthy = Montgomery & Du Gourmand = Rommel
    2. Identify the key points of his plan. Bayonet charges
    3. Suggest which of the two won the battle. Rommel.. :o)

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    Replies
    1. You got No. 3 right. I shall have to come up with some way of adjudicating this.

      Delete
  2. dear Conrad,
    No "God save the King" from this third generation, displaced son of Erin. But I will join you in a few choruses of "The Rising of the Moon".... The Marselliese (sic) is sometimes heard in these halls of gamedom as well.
    I read Keegan with relish when it first came out. Great book.
    Jerry
    A/K/A The Celtic Curmudgeon

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm not sure I remember the air...

      Keegan is a fantastic book. He was a great loss.

      Delete
  3. 1. Describe each general management style in three words or less. 

    General McCarthy: Analytical “Plan for everything!”

    General Du Gourmand: Laissez-faire “Seat of Pants!”

    2. Identify the key points of his plan. 

    General McCarthy: Expect Town on flank to be attacked, React to Enemy movements by mirroring, Use terrain as a screen.

    General Du Gourmand: Inflict More Causalities

    3. Suggest which of the two won the battle. 

    General Du Gourmand. There are times when the best plans are the one's created by necessity rather than preparation.

    ReplyDelete
  4. A worthy challenge. McCarthy to deGourmand is like comparing Napoleon to Ney. One has brains and cool intellect, the other has the heart of a lion. In answer to your questions:

    General McCarthy
    1) Managerial, multifaceted, psychological.
    2) Use caution and terrain on one side to maximize counterattack while attacking the redoubts on the other with maximal aggression, while anticipating the mindset of his opponent.
    3) Winner.

    General de Gourmand:
    1)Heroic, serenely confident.
    2) Shoot, kill, counterattack with sharp pointy things, kill some more.
    3) Loser, but had more fun.

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  5. Any chance for subtitles for the English-speaking world ?

    ( Just kidding lads )

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_xLN12xtcY

      I've added some subtitles here and that should make it a lot clearer.

      Delete
  6. General McCarthy: Complex harness.
    General du Gourmand: Old rope.
    Winner: Genl du Gourmand.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A little unfair to General McCarthy, but correct on no. 3.

      Delete