“There are times in every commander's life when he must yield the stick of authority to a subordinate. Sometimes the reason is one of expertise, when the subordinate has skills the commander lacks. Sometimes it is positional, when the subordinate… — Timothy Zahn, Star Wars: Thrawn Copy Share Image
“It is believed by many that the military life is one of adventure and excitement. In truth, that life more often consists of long periods of routine, even boredom, with only brief intervals of challenge and danger. Enemies seldom seek out their opponents. The warrior must become a hunter, searching and stalking with craft and patience. Successes are often achieved… — Timothy Zahn, Star Wars: Thrawn Copy Share
“War is a primarily a game of skill. It is a Contest of mind matched against mind, tactics matched against tactics. But there is also an element of chance that is more suited to games of cards or dice. A wise tactician studies those games, as well, and learns from them. The first lesson of card games is that the… — Timothy Zahn, Star Wars: Thrawn Copy Share
“No one is immune to failure. All have tasted the bitterness of defeat and disappointment. A warrior must not dwell on that failure, but must learn from it and continue on. But not all learn from their errors. That is something those who seek to dominate others know very well, and know how to exploit it. If an opponent has… — Timothy Zahn, Star Wars: Thrawn Copy Share
“Military leadership is a journey, not a destination. It is continually challenged, and must continually prove it self anew against fresh obstacles. Sometimes those obstacles are external events. Other times they are the doubts of those being led. Still other times they are a result of the leaders's own failures and shortcomings. Political power and influence are different. Once certain… — Timothy Zahn, Star Wars: Thrawn Copy Share
“Each person has goals. Some goals are open, visible to all who care to observe. Others are more private, shared only with one's closest friends or associates. Some are dark secrets that one hopes will never see the light of day. But eventually, inevitably, those deepest goals must be made manifest if they are to be reached. They must be… — Timothy Zahn, Star Wars: Thrawn Copy Share
“No one can say where his path will take him, even for the duration of a single day. More difficult still is to see where one's path will intersect that of another warrior. A warrior must always be alert for such meetings. Some are generated by happenstance, and those may be benign. But others are arranged with purpose. Those must… — Timothy Zahn, Star Wars: Thrawn Copy Share
“Seldom can one attain victory in ware fare without allies. Some allies provide direct assistance, the two forces battling side by side. Other allies provide logistical support, whether weapons and combat equipment or simply food and other life needs. Sometimes the most effective use of an ally is as a threat, his very presence creating a distraction or forcing the… — Timothy Zahn, Star Wars: Thrawn Copy Share
“Never make the mistake of believing forberance equates to acceptance, or that all positions are equally valid.” — Timothy Zahn, Star Wars: Thrawn Copy Share Image
“There is satisfaction in defeating an enemy. But one must never allow oneself to become complacent. There are always more enemies to be identified,… — Timothy Zahn, Star Wars: Thrawn Copy Share Image
“All opponents are not necessarily enemies. But both enemies and opponents carry certain characteristics in common. Both perceive their opposite as an obstacle, or… — Timothy Zahn, Star Wars: Thrawn Copy Share Image
“Leadership and obedience are the two legs on which a warrior's life is balanced. Without both, victory cannot be achieved. Leadership depends on information… — Timothy Zahn, Star Wars: Thrawn Copy Share Image
“A great tactician creates plans. A good tactician recognizes the soundness of a plan presented on him. A fair tactician must see the plan… — Timothy Zahn, Star Wars: Thrawn Copy Share Image
