Звездный десант

           Buthecangetbywithoutoneandhissergeantcangetbywithouthim.

           Butageneralmusthavestaff;thejobistoobigtocarryinhishat.Heneedsabigplanningstaffandasmallcombatstaff.Sincethereareneverenoughofficers,theteamcommandersinhisflagtransportdoubleashisplanningstaffandarepickedfromtheM.I.’sbestmathematicallogiciansthentheydropwiththeirownteams.Thegeneraldropswithasmallcombatstaff,plusasmallteamoftheroughest,on-the-bouncetroopersintheM.I.Theirjobistokeepthegeneralfrombeingbotheredbyrudestrangerswhileheismanagingthebattle.Sometimestheysucceed.

           Besidesnecessarystaffbillets,anyteamlargerthanaplatoonoughttohaveadeputycommander.Butthereareneverenoughofficerssowemakedowithwhatwe’vegot.Tofilleachnecessarycombatbillet,onejobtooneofficer,wouldcallfora5percentratioofofficers—but3percentisallwe’vegot.

           Inplaceofthatoptimaxof5percentthattheM.I.nevercanreach,manyarmiesinthepastcommissioned10percentoftheirnumber,oreven15percent--andsometimesapreposterous20percent!Thissoundslikeafairytalebutitwasafact,especiallyduringtheXXthcentury.Whatkindofanarmyhasmore"officers"thancorporals?(Andmorenon-comsthanprivates!)

           Anarmyorganizedtolosewars--ifhistorymeansanything.