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The "Magic" Triangle of:
Mobility - Security - Firepower


Ferrill (1985: 44) describes "the three indispensable ingredients of warfare":
mobility - security - firepower
These can be arranged in a "magic" triangle:






The positioning of mobility in the apex of the triangle - above security and firepower - serves to indicate its vital importance and the necessity for emphasis. Probably more battles were lost due to neglect of the mobility factor than for any other cause. Its paramount influence is evidenced by the two greatest defeats that almost stopped European civilization in its tracks: The Arab and the Mongol conquests, both of which were due to neglect of the mobility factor. The heavily armored, cumbersome, and immobile European knight cavalry proved ineffective against their swift-moving enemies. If mobility is retained intact, then evasive action even after a lost battle can ensure survival and ordered retreat of the main body of forces.

The three factors stand in a tri-polar tradeoff relation, and finding the optimal balance between them is the acme of weapons systems design, today as well as 5000 years ago.

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