When military strategists discuss battle tactics, well it makes sense to consider historic battles, military history and human conflict. What about other species and their techniques such as killer bee swarms or locust plagues? You see swarming strategy makes sense if you are defending a hive or civilization or if you attacking a larger force or more powerful predator.

If the challenge is to defeat an incoming swarm, sure, we can do that. If the goal is to defeat a swarm of one kind using a swarm of another, sure we can do that too. If the goals are purely offensive; that is to say become the aggressor using a swarm, no problem.

In stating this I would like to say, put yourself in the insect's shoes and in the swarm. If the swarm is disrupted, attacked or there are obstacles, what methods would you use to over come them? And what strategies, laws of physics or tactics would you use to complete your mission? You see the insects are very good at what they do and very goal oriented.

Once you disrupt their swarm they may turn into a million suicide-mission individual units attempt to go it alone or form instant ad hoc net-centric groups or mini-swarms. Isn't that what you would do if you were them? And you cannot say a swarm has never been disrupted before by wind-sheer, split canyons, weather anomalies or other issues either.

If we take out a swarm, we need to confuse and disorient much like they do to their prey in the case of Killer Bees. Now we know each killer bee in a swarm or during the moving of a colony has a special mission in the hive. Scout, honey collector, defender, reproductive special team or other; when they swarm and there is a prey, what happens? Ah ha, surely they would revert to new pre-assigned jobs?

Think of a football team. Other team has the ball, new rules, now the offence becomes the defense right? So, some players will now change positions and jobs. Think of the how multiple jobs are assigned in companies to complete tasks or even the Memphis Sort at Fed Ex, where for a couple of hours everyone is assigned to loading packages, no matter what their other job is. You see my point?

Lance Winslow

Currently Lance is retired at age 40 and is running an Online Think Tank Forum while traveling North America. Perhaps considering something extremely challenging to do that will exercise his mind and utilize all his experiences, observations and skills. Any ideas?