She has done brilliant things with the forces she's commanded, but those have been limited to individual/a few system-wide tactical engagements.

Harrington (unlike, say, White Haven/Caparelli) hasn't been charged with orchestrating a major campaign.

@MISS MERCY STREET: I tend to agree, there's a difference between fleet level tactics and strategy.

By that measure Ender, Mazor Rackham and many others should be off the list. They may have done brilliant things with the resources they were given, but they played no role in the strategic decisions.

Unlike, say, Thrawn who orchestrated the entire remaining military might of the Empire or Sheridan who controlled all of the Alliance ships in many sectors (which is not to say that both werent't brilliant tacticians as well) Adama(/starbuck), and Ender Wiggin always came to the table to make the best of what they had.

And @whoever mentioned Staffa Kar Therma: If we're going to go really obscure I'd have to give the edge to Zatar of C.S. Friedman's "In Conquest Born." He orchastrated a military campaign to destroy one of his enemy's worlds in spite of the fact that they were all telepaths and could sense hostile thoughts even across star systems.

Chatteringclass

"Captain...?

"We surrender!"

A good tactician will know that failure is an inevitable part of anything, and that sometimes the best overall strategy includes individual defeat. But... I can't think of any other scenes where the leader's exhibited such unique defeat -- winning by losing. Somebody enlighten me!

"We will not be the instigators of a full-scale war on the eve of intergalactic peace!"

LordMarcus

EnderKME

I would put Picard in place of Sisko. Sisko did have character and strategy, but Picard had more. The Picard maneuver was something that took daring. As did the ramming maneuver in Nemesis. Sisko never had to go to that extreme.

I would add Rick Galloway from Jannissaries. Modern tactics with medieval/ancient combat deployment is incredible.

I would add Hober Mallow as what he did was definitely strategy.

I definitely agree with Starbuck, but I would add Adama as "honorable mention" for Exodus part 2.

Thrawn was definitely purely tactical as well as Admiral Ackbar. Definitely should be included.

Paul Attreides doesn't really fit here. In the book, tactics are less of what comes from Paul and more what comes from Gurney Halleck and Duncan Idao. I would say that Idaho is the better tactician.

Kirk was a better tactician than given credit. The Kobayashi Maru, Wrath of Kahn, Undiscovered Country, etc. Kirk definitely knew his tactics.

Nobody can truly appreciate tactics in science fiction without looking at John Christian Falkenberg. I think the author trivializes the tactics of Falkenberg. While most of the tacticians in this list do not have to change things, the tenant of "no battle plans survives enemy contact" is a truth that has been evident through the centuries. Fighting in the future will not change this. Pretty much any Pournelle book that involves tacts is a perfect example of tactical thinking at it's best (Footfall, Jannissaries, Falkenberg, the Mote in God's Eye, The Gripping Hand, etc).

The only tacticians that truly modify their plan to account for what is happening can be limited to the following:
Falkenberg, Ender, Galloway, Sisko, Picard, Kirk, Duncan Idaho, Ackbar

Thrawn was brilliant, but he failed to adapt in the battles that he lost.

Starbuck and Adama never have the opportunity to truly adapt strategically (unfortunately).

nirgal2002

Or for that matter, Pyanfar Chanur? She built a multi-species alliance from the deck of a overpowered cargo ship.

LeafyNarc

Silver_Back

Yes, I'm lonely, thankyouverymuch.

Sharpless

MarkTBSc

And if Honor is being mentioned, then I would cast my votes for Vanessa Makumura and Raymond Prescot.

James_Eh

jimbobbob

Thanks for including Delaz amidst all the Battlestar Trek 5-ness. Aside from what you mention, the guy dreams up other stuff for his fleet to do as well.

My fav Gundam series. Holds up well even today, me thinks.

yeahblah

nygenxer

pheagan

BritKhavaran

Even so, Ender FTW.

tim_c

Sisko realizes the Romulans have to enter into the war against The Dominion or the Alpha Quadrant will fall. So he enlists Mr. Garak, who not only plans a method to deceive the Romulans with a fake holographic recording, but has a backup plan that involves the death of a prominent Romulan Senator that will back up the holographic recording should it's origin be questioned.

Garak had the correct idea in the episode where the Defiant took Odo back to The Founders to be judged for harming another changeling. He tried to get control of the Defiant's phaser and torpedo systems to try and obliterate The Founder's new home planet. Worf caught him and put a stop to it, saying the surrounding Dominion fleet would have destroyed the Defiant, but as Garak noted, their few lives would have been a fair trade for wiping out The Founders and eliminating one of the greatest threats the Alpha Quadrant had ever faced.

EBone

Let's not forget that the initial fold of the SDF-1 all but leveled Macross Island, so it was only the SURVIVORS that made it on board. I think they're about level. ;)

@Szin: OH SNAP, Trieze! I had all but forgotten about him! He was DEFINITELY list-worthy. Not only could he whoop up in his Gundam, but he could command entire OZ battlegroups in successful battles against the Earth Sphere Alliance. AND he had a heart of gold in the end! ;)

Maybe those scientists who planned Operation: Meteor?

phoenix

@Priam: Sorry, but the Shivans would massacre the Empire. Beam cannons > puny turbolasers. :)

Ubik2501

I absolutely agree with Delaz. Operation Stardust was a brilliant manuever. If you wanna keep in the Gundam Universe, then I'd also give a shout out to Trieze Kushreinada (not sure if his last name is spelled right) from Gundam Wing. He was a brilliant tactican, and such an inspiration leader as well.

Szin

Jeff-Minor

Picard does deserve mention, because he definitely takes command of the fleet on more than one occasion, always with decisively positive results.

Point stands though, that we see Sisko doing a lot more large-scale strategy. Sheridan definitely belongs on the list, though jointly with Delenn, I think. As Entil'zha of the Rangers, she commands the WhiteStar fleet to great effect.

I am enough of a feminist to be shocked your only woman on here is Starbuck. As much as even we Trekkies malign Voyager, you have to give props where they're due: Kathryn Janeway could cobble together small fleets of random alien ships to fight anyone, anytime she pleased -- and always won. She even defeated the Borg. So, I think she should be on the list.

The Dune universe provides more examples -- and while Paul Atreides probably should be mentioned, the real standout tacticians in that universe would have to be Vorian Atreides, Xavier Harkonnen, and Miles Teg. I'm not counting Omnius because he had no talent at all, just brute force.

As others have noted, I agree the Cylons deserve at least Honorable Mentions as well.

Velireon

Thorprime

Shiryu

Velireon

MISS MERCY STREET

Priam

Mal in Serenity had some pretty good chops as well.

Oh well I'll throw my vote behind sisko :)

spacekicker

Yea, perhaps we should give real world props to Osama Bin Laden, who destroyed Iraq with 18 dudes and some box-cutters.

Dug

BertinaNermit

Horselover Fat

Hes-Dead-Jim

Altogether, I have to agree with Garrison Dean. Ender's tops.

Goodnightbabytron

Rick Chandler

Miranda Kali

phoenix

daveNYC

jermom

Capt. Gloval fought off millions of Zentraedi warships in Macross saga or the first Robotech war.

might i add, with one ship and insurmountable odds.

B1663R

Miranda Kali

Jeff-Minor

Metropolis

I voted for Kodos

Agree 100%, Zahn ruled! I never hated/admired a literary character more than I did with Grand Admiral Thrawn. I mean, I really hated that blue skinned bastard! Not that I'm racist against blue skinned people, just Grand Admiral Thrawn. Now Green skinned folk, that's a whole 'nother issue.

Yup, and for everyone else who said it, Sisko kicked much ass!

But what? No love for Piers Anthony's, Hope Hubris? Wasn't this character a pretty good tactician battling space pirates around the Jovian Moons? Or am I just remembering this because of all the freaky sex found in the series?

WellsJohnson

pheagan

RedReticle

liash

Channing

But yeah buddies, this list is the sux0r.

Kirk in TWOK require a mention for two reasons already mentioned .. the Kobayashi Maru & the fight between the Reliant and Enterprise in the Nebula

doubledumbassonyou

"Also, is it just me, or are Reliant-class ships the "red shirts" of Starfleet? "

Those are Miranda class actually.

[www.shiporama.org]

diverguy

bassiiabc

Also, is it just me, or are Reliant-class ships the "red shirts" of Starfleet? They were always getting their asses kicked in DS9. It must have sucked, graduating Starfleet Academy and finding out you're stationed on a Reliant-class ship. Better say goodbye to mom and dad!

PhilR8

br4nd0n

Doh!

Dalboy

End had to learn to see new patterns as the buggers adapted so I'd put him up ahead of Mazer.

Tho' as a Kiwi I hate to do so of course :)

Dalboy

*sigh* I miss DS9...

MrWashy

This might not qualify for the list as it involves running away...

But in David Weber's "Off Armageddon Reef" Humanity escapes the Gbaba by building one last big fleet and pretends to make one last big fight, but reality just after they destroy the scout ship (which summons the enemy fleet) the bulk of the fleet jumps away, but traveling in their shadow is a exact duplicate fleet which powers up and fills the void...

Allowing part of the fleet to escape and survive...

that seemed pretty cool...

DocGratis

I mean, he has a whole maneuver named after him!

aspiringexpatriate

DocGratis

That was pretty slick...

DocGratis

Charlie Jane Anders

Charlie Jane Anders

icelight

"He was stated by many military history buffs, such as Ky Tung, to have been the most brilliant admiral/strategist in the galaxy."

ndgmtlcd

Deano1001

If you include Falkenberg, what about Aloise Hammer, from David Drake's Hammer's Slammers? He was certainly an excellent strategist. Or for a really excellent example, although it was only sort of science fiction (more alternate history) what about Bellisarius, also by Drake. Or, for that matter, most of his main characters (with the exception I'd say of Lt. Leary, who like Honor is more of a single ship captain.)

icelight

djottercreek

Dr_Wally

attacking your opponent by using warp drive to obsucre your actual position by exploiting the limitations of the speed of light? THAT's a tactic.

arachnophilia

Kiriphii

JustThisGuyYouKnow?

ackman108

Mathmos

Daveinva

bassiiabc

AdamL

Starbuck? Really? Starbuck?

from anime Yang Wan Lee, from Legend of Galactic Heroes

causeiambetta

B

ackman108

Mister Adequate

Mister Adequate

kimsama

anithri

Lost Fleet's John Geary.

Agreed on Mazer Rackham. Ender was the tactics wizard, but Mazer was the grand master.

ManchuCandidate

He RAMS THE OTHER GUY'S SPACESHIP.

The Fucking End.

Smeagol92055

The premise was that the language itself was a weapon, and you essentially spoke in tactics. Pretty cool book.

Zatsuga

chuloallen

jasonof2000

CarrerCrytharis

Zatsuga

CarrerCrytharis

jtstrocel

That's another reason why The Wrath of Khan is the greatest Star Trek has to offer. It's the *ONLY* time they ever acknowledge that space has three dimensions. The scene where the Enterprise ascends behind the Reliant is one of the most awesome moments in theatrical space combat.

Discrete-Daniel

[tbn0.google.com]

Zantor

E0157H7

jabedoben

Garrison Dean, Mr. Privilege

Props for Sheridan too, he made his way through a bunch of hairy situations, but don't forget to give some credit to DeLenn, she had his back more than a few times! I'm also VERY entertained you brought Delaz into the picture - only a genius could have come up with Operation Stardust, but damn if his bailing on that last Zeon battle didn't make him look like a coward.

phoenix

"He who controls the spice controls the universe!"

'Nuff said.

Angrydad

+ Watch video

ciscokidinsf

I'd have to think that computers do most of the micromanagement of ship positioning.

diverguy

Mathmos

Sheridan would be my second choice.

CmdrHunt