A couple more questions on war

[Kevin Varner]

 Sir Kein asks:

 >1) Is war preparation something you enjoy?

    Drill starts out as a necessary evil.  However, that all changes
    when your unit or when you watch any unit perform a complicated
    set of evolutions "under fire" (i.e.: crossing broken terrain,
    charge-rally-reform-charge..., breakthrough, etc.) and do so
    successfully then you see the direct value of training and drill.
    The direct purpose of drill is get the "soldier" to respond to
    given stimuli without thinking about.  The Romans and before them
    Sparta knew the value of drill and training as a unit to build
    esprit de corps.

 >2) When you think about wars, do you imagine yourself doing well...

    I'd like to think so.  I see a combination of myself doing well
    in addition to my unit doing well.  Whether it is a 5-man team or
    the Royal Army (you know the one - 2 wings, main division, tactical
    reserve, etc.).  We have to be in it *together*.

    Loners die early and *alone*. :)

On a slightly different note regarding drums on the field and "good D&C".
    Drums early on tended to be used as signaling devices rather than
    cadence setters.  A flurry of drum to get sub-commanders attention
    and signal flags used to send the orders.  The concept of "wide scale
    D & C" as we know it in European armies come about after 1700.

Duncan

(kmv at abm.austin.tx.us)