# Tvtropes: 'reinvented' tactics **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 20, 2019, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tvtropes-reinvented-tactics/837371 "2019-07-20T23:24:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2019, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tvtropes-reinvented-tactics/837371/21 "2019-07-21T23:01:59Z")
Star Trek IV is not what I’m looking for. That was people from the future going back to a less technological past. What i’m looking for is the opposite, people from a lesser tech past (usually the time of whenever the author is writing) going to a higher tech future. And then using tactics that have been forgotten in that future. Of course it doesn’t have to be a literal past-\>future; it’s low tech-\>high tech that’s the real important part. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2019, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tvtropes-reinvented-tactics/837371/22 "2019-07-21T23:17:54Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > Star Trek IV is not what I’m looking for. That was people from the future going back to a less technological past. What i’m looking for is the opposite, people from a lesser tech past (usually the time of whenever the author is writing) going to a higher tech future. And then using tactics that have been forgotten in that future. Of course it doesn’t have to be a literal past-\>future; it’s low tech-\>high tech that’s the real important part. David Brin started a young-adult series in which children from the past were brought to the future - and in some cases, their knowledge of tactics that had been forgotten in the interim was useful; here’s a link to the first one (written by Kress) [https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/101892.Yanked\_](https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/101892.Yanked_) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2019, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tvtropes-reinvented-tactics/837371/23 "2019-07-22T00:27:57Z")
Somewhat similar is Fred Pohl’s “The Wizards of Pung’s Corners,” where the government tries to bring the title town back into the US and where their high tech military is defeated by the villagers using old-fashioned rifles because the don’t break down as easily. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2019, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tvtropes-reinvented-tactics/837371/24 "2019-07-22T00:35:22Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > Star Trek IV is not what I’m looking for. That was people from the future going back to a less technological past. Then again, they take that whale expert with them and the whales. Who better to take care of the whales? ---
**Author:** ![Cumberdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@Cumberdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumberdale)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2019, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tvtropes-reinvented-tactics/837371/25 "2019-07-23T00:32:05Z")
The Roger Corman classic _Teenage Caveman_. Robert Vaughn goes on a quest and rediscovers the idea for the bow and arrow when he sees a branch snap back. Turns out, they are from our future after a nuclear war! ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2019, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tvtropes-reinvented-tactics/837371/26 "2019-07-23T00:43:54Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > David Brin started a young-adult series in which children from the past were brought to the future - and in some cases, their knowledge of tactics that had been forgotten in the interim was useful; here’s a link to the first one (written by Kress) [https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/101892.Yanked\_](https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/101892.Yanked_) Poul Anderson’s “The High Crusade” features knights from medieval Europe doing quite well against advanced aliens because of use of antiquated weapons and techniques. Harry Turtledove’s WorldWar series has humans defeating aliens by using obsolete techniques as well (a giant cannonball can’t be disabled by lasers like a warhead can). ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2019, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tvtropes-reinvented-tactics/837371/27 "2019-07-23T00:53:12Z")
In _Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure_, Genghis Khan combines ancient cavalry tactics with modern equipment. This equipment–clubs, armor, and even a portable “wheeled horse”–is similar to but much more effective than what was available in Khan’s time. Mall security is largely unprepared for these forgotten but highly effective tactics and only wins through sheer force of numbers. ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2019, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tvtropes-reinvented-tactics/837371/28 "2019-07-23T03:18:05Z")
Not quite what you are looking for but Alita: Battle Angel led me to [https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ArchaicWeaponForAnAdvancedAge](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ArchaicWeaponForAnAdvancedAge) ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2019, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tvtropes-reinvented-tactics/837371/29 "2019-07-23T03:49:25Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > In _Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure_, Genghis Khan combines ancient cavalry tactics with modern equipment. This equipment–clubs, armor, and even a portable “wheeled horse”–is similar to but much more effective than what was available in Khan’s time. Mall security is largely unprepared for these forgotten but highly effective tactics and only wins through sheer force of numbers. Yes, the same tactics that worked 700 years ago in China were also effective in Oshman’s Sporting Goods. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2019, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tvtropes-reinvented-tactics/837371/30 "2019-07-23T13:11:30Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Yes, the same tactics that worked 700 years ago in China were also effective in Oshman’s Sporting Goods. The key to Springfield has always been Elm Street. The Greeks knew it. The Carthaginians knew it. Now you know it. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2019, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tvtropes-reinvented-tactics/837371/31 "2019-07-23T15:14:17Z")
There’s a [similar storyline in Stargate: SG-1](https://stargate.fandom.com/wiki/Small_Victories). The super-high tech Asgardians need help from the “dumb” humans, because our low-tech weapons are the only thing that can stop the replicators that have been wiping out the Asgard. > [@](#): > > Thor: The Asgard have tried to stop them. You have demonstrated their weakness may be found from a less sophisticated approach. We are no longer capable of such thinking. > Jackson: Wait a minute, you’re actually saying that you need someone dumber than you are? > O’Neill: You may have come to the right place. > > Hammond: Thor, with all due respect to your situation we need SG-1 here. > Carter: I could go, sir. > O’Neill: I don’t know, Carter. You may not be dumb enough. > Carter: I think I can handle it, sir. > > Carter: How am I supposed to help figure out how to defeat kiron-based technology if I don’t even know what a kiron is? > Thor: The Asgard would never invent a weapon that propels small weights of iron and carbon alloys by igniting a powder of potassium nitrate, charcoal and sulfur. > Carter: Okay, I get your point. > Thor: We cannot think like you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tvtropes-reinvented-tactics/837371.md?page=1)