As a young girl, I was always fascinated by the tactics of naval warfare. I came to learn how the creaking of wooden planks, the flapping of sails, and the roaring of the ocean waves were music to the ears of History’s great tacticians. They would dream of steering tall ships into glorious battle, with fierce determination in their hearts and an unshakeable belief in their minds that Victory was certain. All that needed to be done is out-think their foes.
Master strategists always look downstream, planning ahead, anticipating every move of their adversaries and charting their course to victory. To them, a tall ship isn’t just a vessel but a weapon, an extension of their own willpower. Knowing that the winds and currents could be capricious, the slightest miscalculation could mean the difference between victory and defeat. A master strategist would need to understand a great many different things, such as accurately reading the weather, but also knowing when to consult with their crew to chart the best course.
I would sometimes have dreams where I’d be put into a master strategist’s shoes, night visions filled with visions of towering waves crashing against our hull. There would be a fierce wind howling through the rigging as the background noise to the thunderous sound of cannons firing in unison. I’d see myself barking orders, with my crew scurrying to carry them out.
But these dreams weren’t ever just about the thrill of battle; it was about the art of strategy. Great tacticians know that the key to Victory isn’t just brute force, but also cunning and foresight. You must be always one step ahead of your opponents, anticipating their every move and outmaneuvering them at every turn. You may never predict everything quite right, but if you’re right more often than you’re wrong, you have a good chance at achieving Victory.
To be a great tactician, you must have the courage to take risks, the intelligence to analyze situations, and the creativity to think outside the box.They dreamed of outsmarting their opponents, of turning the tide of battle with a clever ruse or a well-timed ambush.
For master tacticians, a ship is not just a vessel, but a vehicle by which geniuses of strategy can practice their art.Every aspect of the ship, from the placement of the cannons to the rigging, can be used to gain an advantage in battle. While tacticians need to learn how to work with what is given, in these dreams, I’d still look for ways to improve my vessel, to make it faster, more agile, and more deadly.
In these dreams in the shoes of a great tactician, I learned that strategy isn’t just about winning battles but about achieving greatness. Victory isn’t just a matter of luck, but a product of hard work, determination, and vision. I was willing to dedicate my life to the pursuit of that sort of greatness. Perhaps one day I would master the art of steering tall ships into glorious battle, always looking downstream, planning ahead, and out-thinking my foes.
The trouble is that I get frightfully seasick. So I just keep on dreaming and writing about these dreams of strategic master play instead.
