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- Points
- 210
I think you have to distinguish the tactics and the strategy here. A single victory in battle means very little if there is no strategic value and so you lose the war. There was no unified national strategy for much of Ireland's history and lots of factional tribalism (Due to the lack of a national leader? : Brian Boru is a little bit mythological in my un fully educated opinion as compared to say the historical Robert the Bruce). Strongbow (Richard de Clare, not the cider ) was invited to Ireland after all by one chieftain so he could beat up on another one. One could argue when a "national strategy" was fully formed but I think we are getting beyond your defined period. But like the persistance of guerrilla tactics in modern Ireland so has factionalism persisted.
Check out the wild geese and multiple irish regiments in the British Empire Army and others; no lack of victories there. But again perhaps beyond your specific time period.
One additional point of connection here : the advanced military tactics that the travelling classes would have seen requires training which requires a commitment to an agreed upon strategy and so on rather than just showing up for the muster, painting up, shouting loudly and running at the enemy.
Check out the wild geese and multiple irish regiments in the British Empire Army and others; no lack of victories there. But again perhaps beyond your specific time period.
One additional point of connection here : the advanced military tactics that the travelling classes would have seen requires training which requires a commitment to an agreed upon strategy and so on rather than just showing up for the muster, painting up, shouting loudly and running at the enemy.