When it comes to Martial Arts Strategy, the Romans were the true innovators. They figured out how to stand in ranks, interlock their shields from arrows, pike the charging horsies, and move en masse. The result was that they conquered the world.
Fast forward a few Christmas seasons and we come to the British Empire. The Brits had taken the Roman principles of war and adapted them to musket and cannon, repeating fire, and...they conquered the whole durned world all over again. Then they ran into those cowardly colonists on the other side of the Atlantic, who shot from behind bushes and ran away, and didn't even have the courage and discipline to stand in lines and trade volleys.
Eventually the colonists had to take a stand, and they chose to do so from the top of Breed's Hill, which is more commonly known as Bunker Hill. The British soldiers looked up the hill, shook their heads at the daunting charge they had to make, but realized that, at last, the colonists could be taught a lesson. Thus, they readied their ranks, stood in straight lines, and prepared to charge up the hill.
It was a hot day, the sun beat down mercilessly, and the order to ascend the hill was given. Dutifully, the soldiers began the charge that would overwhelm these dratted upstart colonists. For the first half of the charge, things were all right, then the British soldiers started moving a bit slower, the colonists wouldn't stop shooting at them, and the charge sort of reversed itself.
The generals, seeing their troops come straggling down the hill, were very upset. A few of them tossed their crumpets on the ground and spilled their tea. They were that upset.
The British soldiers were properly dressed down, told to line up again, and given the order to charge. They charged, and, for a while, things looked pretty good. Then the weather got to them, the dratted yankees kept shooting them in their bodies, and, once again, the attack dwindled.
Oh, the British generals were disgusted, then one fellow said something smart. "Sirs," he said, "Perhaps we could take off these wooley, winter coats, and perhaps leave our fifty pound field packs behind this time? So they did, and they scampered over that hill like lions smelling blood, and the colonists ran like scared jack rabbits.
The lesson here is plain to see. Train to be lean and mean, leave your baggage at the depot, most of all, be honest in your assessment of your strengths and weaknesses, the environment, your enemy's strengths and weaknesses, and that sort of thing. This martial arts strategy can be applied life, war, love, or just about anything else in this whole durned universe.
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