League of Legends is a series of decision points that must be recognized and understood. Each player must evaluate the options available to them, and given the current environment, choose which decision provides the maximum value to their team. Not to themselves, but to the team. These are not mutually exclusive and it is always better to advance the goals of the team. The following is a collection of Napoleon’s Maxims on War and examples of how they can be applied to LoL.

Maxim XVI. It is an approved maxim in war, never to do what the enemy wishes you to do, for this reason alone, that he desires it. A field of battle, therefore, which he has previously studied and reconnoitered, should be avoided, and double care should be taken where he has had time to fortify and entrench. One consequence deducible from this principle is, never to attack a position in front which you can gain by turning.

In the example I used in my Communication Part I article about the Origen and Fnatic matchup, we run into the first part of this maxim. Fnatic wants to fight, they want to engage and create opportunities. Do not allow them to do this. If Amazing chunks Reignover, pushes forward enough to bring Janna, Ekko, and Viktor towards his position, but then retreats, it is a clear Origen victory. He has denied Fnatic of what they wanted while wasting their time in the process.

Understand where the focus of your opponents vision is prominent and where it is lacking. Force or bait fights in this territory. Never fight at a vision disadvantage.



Maxim XX. It may be laid down as a principle, that the line of operation should not be abandoned; but it is one of the most skillful maneuvers in war, to know how to change it, when circumstances authorize or render this necessary. An army which changes skillfully its line of operation deceives the enemy, who becomes ignorant where to look for its rear, or upon what weak points it is assailable.

When the engagement is about to occur and the location of the team fight has been selected, the team must remain unified in its understanding of positioning and terrain advantage. Returning to the Origen v. Fnatic example we see that once sOAZ teleports in and moves North along the river, the rest of Origen follows with him. Exposing their vulnerable rear guard of Amazing and xPeke. This opens them to a flank in the baron pit by Huni and a rear assault by Reignover and Febiven after they feinted a retreat from the North River Mid Exit.

At the entry to the West River Mid Exit, Amazing and xPeke had a line of retreat should Fnatic push forward. Their ability to contribute to the fight revolved around limiting their open exposure, especially xPeke who can sand soldier attack over the wall. A pursuit North along the river either exposes their weak rear flank, or should they stay, splits the team. Now this could allow the rear to follow behind but it also risks isolating everyone. Exposing the weak members should not be an option, should be clearly communicated, and no action which alone requires their follow up exposure should be taken.

Maxim XXXII. The duty of an advanced guard does not consist of advancing or retiring, but in maneuvering. An advanced guard should be composed of light cavalry, supported by a reserve of heavy cavalry, and by battalions of infantry, supported also by artillery. An advanced guard should consist of picked troops, and the general officers, officers and men should be selected for their respective capabilities and knowledge. A corps deficient in instruction is only an embarrassment to an advanced guard.

As I mentioned earlier, Amazing had the ability to push Reignover into his North Jungle (although probably should have turned a second or two earlier) which prompted manuevers by YS, Huni, and Febiven. In a situation like this, and many others, the goal of the initial solo engage and movement should not be simply to start the fight, but to begin positioning the opponent in an advantageous position. I have seen Origen do this with either sOAZ on Fizz, Amazing on Gragas, or mithy on Alister. The goal would be for all of this to be conscious (not game instinct), communicated, and connected to a set of engagement parameters which as a team, would be immediately recognized and acted upon.

Maxim LVII. When a nation is without establishments and a military system, it is very difficult to organize an army.

*cough*C9*cough*

Maxim LXIV. Nothing is so important in war as an undivided command; for this reason, when war is carried on against a single power, there should be only one army, acting upon one base, and conducted by one chief.

This is why I stress having a clear division of authority. I believe for a team like Origen, with many talented, experienced playmakers, that you can allow the person who finds the engagement opportunity to conduct the operations and apply resources. There should still be a pre-designated General or Capcom, with absolute authority. The position title Capcom is a reference to the NASA position. The only person with the authority to communicate and give orders to a manned space flight is the Capcom (technically CAPCOM, for capsule commander).

It is better to enter a fight against a superior force with concentrated effort than to fight an inferior force with disjointed effort. If the Capcom decides that the win conditions for the fight are present, communicates this to the team, and calls for (or approves) the engage then the team should fully commit until resolution of the fight. It is also the only way to accurately evaluate the call given the known information at the time.

Maxim LXVIII. There is no security for any sovereign, for any nation, or for any general, if officers are permitted to capitulate in the open field, and to lay down their arms in virtue of conditions favorable to the contracting party, but contrary to the interests of the army at large. To withdraw from danger, and thereby to involve their comrades in greater peril, is the height of cowardice. Such, conduct should be proscribed, declared infamous, and made punishable with death. All generals, officers, and soldiers who capitulate in battle to save their own lives should be decimated. He who gives the order and those who obey are alike traitors, and deserve capital punishment.

Every player, their CS, their items, their gold, their kills, their abilities, their vision are all resources and assets of the team. They are owned by the team. If sacrificing every summoner, cooldown, and life of a player results in a positive gain for the team then it should be done every time. Multiple times if necessary. The bottom line is the only thing that matters. Advancing win conditions is the only thing that matters. Victory is the only thing that matters. A player which specifically seeks to act in opposition to the greater goals of the team, no matter how talented, should be replaced. They will always, in the end, be a liability and hindrance to team progress.

Maxim LXIX. Their is but one honorable mode of becoming prisioner of war. That is, by being taken separately; by which is meant, by being cut off entirely, and when we can on longer make use of our arms. In this case, there can be no conditions, for honor can impose none. We yield to an irresistible necessity.

When it is clear that you will die, seek the greatest possible advantage and limit further losses for your team. If you have a mobility advantage pull the pursuers away from any relevant objectives. If you are still capable of doing sufficient damage as to provoke the usage of an enemy resource (potion) or position (need to recall) then force this. Attempt to place your kill onto the opponent for whom their team receives the least benefit. Because…

Maxim VI. At the commencement of a campaign, to advance or not to advance is a matter for grave consideration; but when once the offensive has been assumed, it must be sustained to the last extremity. However skillful the maneuvers in a retreat, it will always weaken the morale of an army, because in losing the chances of success these last are transferred to the enemy. Besides, retreats always cost more men and materiel than the most bloody engagements; with this difference, that in a battle the enemy’s loss is nearly equal to your own–whereas in a retreat the loss is on your side only.

When death is certain, if you purely retreat without kiting, if you retreat towards other weak allies, then you are incurring a greater disadvantage. Attempt to save your flash unless you can bait a flash more valuable to the enemy (e.g. Ashe using her flash). League is a constant trade of resources and not all units have equal value.

Maxim LXXIII. The first qualification in a general-in-chief is a cool head – that is, a head which receives just impressions, and estimates things and objects at their real value. He must not allow himself to be elated by good news, or depressed by bad.

The impressions he receives either successively or simultaneously in the course of the day should be so classed as to take up only the exact place in his mind which they deserve to occupy; since it is upon a just comparison and consideration of the weight due to different impressions that the power of reasoning and of right judgment depends.

Some men are so physically and morally constituted as to see everything through a highly colored medium. They raise up a picture in the mind on every slight occasion, and give to every trivial occurrence a dramatic interest. But whatever knowledge, or talent, or courage, or other good qualities such men may possess, Nature has not formed them for the command of armies, or the direction of great military operations.

This passage is Napoleon describing one of the primary traits which allowed him to be a genius tactician, leader, and field commander. I am personally fascinated by men like Napoleon, Julius Caesar, or Richard Feynman. The trait they all share is a very real understanding of the world in front of them. They saw something exactly for what it was, understood it’s value, it’s meaning, and in doing so removed personal emotion or tainted perception.

Napoleon was once quoted as saying (and I’m paraphrasing) I would gladly trade the lives of 5,000 men to gain a stronger position on the battlefield. There are many who criticized him for such callousness. Many during his time and now see him as a monster who cared only for his ego and personal accolade. If you read his own words and perspective, and the same holds true for Caesar, you find that he was entirely objective based. If he knew that losing 5,000 meant gaining a position which would ultimately create a victory condition he could not otherwise have achieved, then he does it, no hesitation. His job is to win the battle and the war. All factors which do not contribute to this are irrelevant. By eliminating short term personal bias, he was able to project the consequence of action further into the future than his opponent.

One of his most famous victories was the Battle at Pratzen Heights. He retreated from the high ground because he saw a future opportunity to overrun it should he position his men correctly in advance. For the General, the Capcom, the leader, the shot caller, it is always about advancing the global win condition. Understanding trades and risks, when to sacrifice and when to conquer. When the knowledge of the known outweighs that of the unknown.

Maybe your mid is Morgana and you know the enemy mid can get aggressive or cocky. You tell your mid to let their mid land a few skill shots, let their confidence guide their judgement. Meanwhile you have your jungler move that direction as your mid baits the aggression, bind/soil/shield the jungler from a safe distance and grab the kill.

The Capcom, and the team as a whole, need to communicate in an environment devoid of emotion. All orders should be calm and clear. Nothing narrows the mind so strongly as personal emotion.

Last quote:

In order to govern, the question is not to follow out a more or less valid theory but to build with whatever materials are at hand. The inevitable must be accepted and turned to advantage.



See the field for what it is, find your win conditions, understand and respect the enemies strengths, and seek to maximize value with what you are given.