It’s always better to act first, it’s a rule in street fights.
If you are retaliating , you better have a plan put together before that attack, otherwise you might be screwed, like some infiltrated attack or something.
Discussion
Yeah. You’d need an overwhelming response. Enough to overwhelm defenses no matter how strong. You’d probably need highly mobile systems, decoy sites etc. Nothing beats a good alliance though.
But then you are talking about a bigger power retaliating (“overwhelming” implies that), which makes you wonder why would someone attack if the other can retaliate overwhelmingly.
You scenario needs equal forces to be interesting.
No it doesn’t imply that. Just means you have arsenal at disposal, maybe strategically located and hidden.
Ok, so the best strategy is to be “preemptively” prepared. Almost “attack first” even if in your head. “I knew you’d do that”.
In a street fight it would be the equivalent of idk pulling a knife or a gun? It means you were kind of waiting for it, and that maybe *you* were first the other one wouldn’t have a chance
I don’t know why you keep comparing it to street fights. These conflicts are known for years, even decades and nations prepare. Doesn’t mean they attack first, but they war game things and account for scenarios.
Of course. That’s why “ you should attack hard in response” is a very limited explanation of how to game it out.