# What is the study of tactics called? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 9, 2004, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-study-of-tactics-called/239219 "2004-04-09T20:41:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/2bfe46/32.png) [@Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xavier)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-study-of-tactics-called/239219/1 "2004-04-09T20:41:09Z")
I understand that this is a very broad question, as there are many different categories that tactics can fall under (for e.g. Sports, Warfare, Hunting etc.). But in much the same way that we have a (general) Science with further sub-categories such as _Physics_, _Chemistry_ and _Biology_ do we also have a (general) classification for the study of Tactics? And if not, what is the closest thing that comes to it? For example, would it be the study of tactics with respect to military applications (i.e. military tactics)? And what is this called (my WAG is _logistics_)? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-study-of-tactics-called/239219/2 "2004-04-09T20:46:23Z")
Strategy 1. The science of military command, or the science of projecting campaigns and directing great military movements; generalship. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-study-of-tactics-called/239219/3 "2004-04-09T20:51:40Z")
The study of tactics is called…tactics. Logistics is supply…what you need to achieve your goal. Strategy is setting that goal. Tactics is how you maneuver to get to that goal. tactics \Tac"tics, n. [Gr. ?, pl., and ? (sc. ?, sing., fr. ? fit for ordering or arranging, fr. ?, ?, to put in order, to arrange: cf. F. tactique.] 1. The science and art of disposing military and naval forces in order for battle, and performing military and naval evolutions. It is divided into grand tactics, or the tactics of battles, and elementary tactics, or the tactics of instruction. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-study-of-tactics-called/239219/4 "2004-04-09T21:02:20Z")
I think you’re right **silenus** - it is interesting to note that in common terms, we talk about _ **a** _ tactic or _ **a** _ strategy, diluting the meaning of the words a great deal. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-study-of-tactics-called/239219/5 "2004-04-09T21:03:46Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Strategy In military parlance there is a distinction between short term tactics and long term strategy. Tactics is a battle field nuke so that a theater commander can use if ten million screaming (insert favorite enemy here) come over the hill. Strategy is missle silos, submarines and long range bombers so they don’t try anything in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-study-of-tactics-called/239219/6 "2004-04-09T21:14:09Z")
> [@Padeye](#): > > In military parlance there is a distinction between short term tactics and long term strategy. > > Tactics is a battle field nuke so that a theater commander can use if ten million screaming (insert favorite enemy here) come over the hill. Strategy is missle silos, submarines and long range bombers so they don’t try anything in the first place. You should also include: Espionage—finding out how many nukes the other lout has, and where he keeps them, & what he may do with them. Covert Warfare–the use of assassination, sabotage, terrorism, or overthrowing a government without the use of identifiable military forces. Politics–why we do all of the above, & what we are ultimately trying to achieve. ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-study-of-tactics-called/239219/7 "2004-04-10T03:06:59Z")
Maybe game theory? ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-study-of-tactics-called/239219/8 "2004-04-10T10:06:11Z")
So, does this mean that the legendary board game “Stratego” really ought to be called “Tactico”? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2004, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-study-of-tactics-called/239219/9 "2004-04-10T12:54:36Z")
> [@Snooooopy](#): > > So, does this mean that the legendary board game “Stratego” really ought to be called “Tactico”? Oddly enough, that’s precisely what the Hebrew version of the game is called.