ABSTRACT
Despite the importance of theory, warfare is a subject in which the most meaningful knowledge is often that of practicalities. ‘Amateurs study strategy, professionals study logistics’ (Pierce 1996: 74). Since, as Clausewitz, Sun Tzu and T’ai Kung would agree, the circumstances of each military encounter are unique, this is true even for those who investigate war as a purely intellectual endeavour. Although it is diffi cult to generalize intelligently about warfare in the abstract, those who possess some knowledge of what common types of military forces are physically capable of can speak authoritatively about a wide range of military situations.
