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Force multiplication


Force multiplication, in military usage, refers to an attribute or a combination of attributes that dramatically increases (hence "multiplies") the effectiveness of an item or group, giving a given number of troops (or other personnel) or weapons (or other hardware) the ability to accomplish greater things than without it. The expected size increase required to have the same effectiveness without that advantage is the multiplication factor. For example, if a certain technology like GPS enables a force to accomplish the same results of a force five times as large but without GPS, then the multiplier is five. Such estimates are used to justify an investment cost for force multipliers. A force multiplier refers to a factor .

Force multiplication existed before anyone had a name for it. For example, well before the era of modern electronic communications, the Mongols used swarming tactics coordinated by effective military communications using flags, horns, and couriers. Such tactics, while simple by modern standards, nevertheless were notably effective. In the Middle Ages, archer's stakes were driven into the ground for protection from mounted men-at-arms. This is an example of "combined arms", another ancient method of force multiplication.

When World War I aviators first greeted their opponents with friendly waves, no one realized the multiplicative effect of tactical air reconnaissance. When commanders became aware of how powerful it could be, aviators started shooting at each other. This soon led to dogfights and anti-aircraft warfare.

Some common force multipliers are:

Some factors may influence one another, e.g. enhanced technology improving morale or geographical features allowing deception.

In the First World War, the Germans experimented with what were called "storm tactics", where a small group of highly trained soldiers (stormtroopers) would open a salient through which much larger forces could penetrate. This met with only limited success, breaking through the first lines of defence but lacking the staying power to break the opposing forces entirely while the 1939 Blitzkrieg, which broke through with coordinated mechanized ground forces with aircraft in close support, was vastly more effective.


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