Back to the list of technologies
- "Wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won by men. It is the spirit of the men who follow and of the man who leads that gains the victory."
– George S. Patton
Military Science is a technology in Civilization V.
Game Info[]
Science finally touches one of the most important fields of human life, combat. Thanks to the newly developed Military Science, a number of advancements become possible which define modern combat strategies. The first of those is the Cavalry, the most powerful mobile unit until the advent of armored units.
Civilopedia entry[]
Military Science is the science of using military power to achieve one's political goals. It has many branches and areas of expertise, and is generally taught in a military academy. For instance, how far can an army march in a day and how many calories does each soldier need to remain in top fighting condition? Or, how does one fight against an insurgency in our own country? Suppose we're an occupying army in another country; how does that change the approach to an insurgency? Or what's the expected survival rate from a nuclear war if we launch first?
Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" is a classic book of military science. Although first published in the 6th century BC, it is still widely studied today (and remains a hugely entertaining and informative read for any amateur historian). Machiavelli's "The Prince," published posthumously in 1532, examines in detail the interaction between war and politics. In 1832, Prussian general Carl von Clausewitz published "On War," which also studies the effects of politics and economics on war.
Published in 1890, Alfred Thayer Mahan's brilliant work, "The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, 1660-1783," greatly influenced many American military officers and politicians and was largely responsible for the expansion of the US Navy in the early 20th century. Without this book, the United States might very well have found itself even more woefully unprepared for the World Wars, with possibly disastrous results for that country and its overseas allies.
See also[]
- Military Science in other games
