What makes a good commander?

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Voyager

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I'm 15 and was wondering if we could discuss what skills a great commander must posses, and what skills/attributes great commanders throughout history have had in common with one another. I am also wondering if I would make a good commander. I know that nothing in life really parallels actual troop command, but as far as strategy games go, I just don't really lose that often, and I figured these "war games" are the best thing I have to rely on to show skill when it comes to strategy, short of commanding actual forces.

I almost always win at chess. I often beat people twice my age very quickly. I can't explain it, but I just know what my opponent is going to do. It really pisses people off. Same goes for warfare based real-time strategy games for the PC, as well as the games Risk, Battleship, anything. I just...win. I almost always win. My friends call me "Ender" after the commander in the SciFi book series Ender's Game. They won't even try to play me anymore really, so I have to go online. I know these things are nothing like real combat, but they all involve resource allocation, quick thinking, anticipating the actions of your opponent, and most importantly, deception. I figure that if I posses an abnormal skill in these areas I have a better chance of being a good commander than someone who doesn't. Of course none of these things account for actual leadership ability as well as a dozen other things.


What do you guys think?
 
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USNavySEAL3310

New Member
What you do is good but until you actually have men under your command that fight with you, you won't know the feeling of the military.
 
Tasman

Tasman

Ship Watcher
Verified Defense Pro
There is a quality that a few people have which instils confidence in and earns respect from those around them and which also results in others taking orders from them without hesitation. It’s hard to find a word for it but it’s just a presence that some have. Apart from military commanders most of us probably remember a teacher at school who had this effect and we would also remember those who didn't with the result that no matter how much they tried or implored us to work, or how good their qualifications may have been, we wouldn't take notice of them and would often 'play up'.

It's interesting to read the thread Great Commanders in History in this forum and trying to work out what it was about them that resulted in others following them so faithfully.

Cheers
 
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Manfred

New Member
It sounds as if you have one requirment of Generalship; tactics.
Leadership (persuation) is another, and so is courage. Moral courage, not the other kind so much.

Another important thing is a broad base of knowledge of your craft. Know history, but don't dwell in it. You happen to have found one of the best sites for high-level discusions on the military that the net has to offer, stay with it.

Oh, and if you think you can't be beat, I'll be glad to give you a challenge.:cool:
 
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