Best Military Mind on ASOIAF?

[Michael Stark Thenextwolf]

Robb Stark for sure. Anyone who says otherwise is lying. Strictly militarily Robb did nothing wrong, AT ALL. His problems stemmed from politics not war. Oh and he never lost a battle...ever

[Blazfemur]

Robb Stark for sure. Anyone who says otherwise is lying. Strictly militarily Robb did nothing wrong, AT ALL. His problems stemmed from politics not war. Oh and he never lost a battle...ever

his problems stemmed from being a teenager wanting to get laid. thats where his problems stemmed.

[HouseHarrison]

Honestly Robert Baratheon was a great commander back in the day before his mind dulled itself with fat and whine. Defeated the royalists to no real defeats.

[Blazfemur]

Honestly Robert Baratheon was a great commander back in the day before his mind dulled itself with fat and whine. Defeated the royalists to no real defeats.

Robert in his prime? Amazing. again, won the throne, by conquest

[ZebuzeBuza]

his problems stemmed from being a teenager wanting to get laid. thats where his problems stemmed.

And that's "politics" :P

[Blazfemur]

And that's "politics" :P

i love walder frey's reaction to meeting jeyne in the red wedding episode. it's so fucking funny, and true. im glad he gave robb that little tidbit.

[Lord Reaver]

Victarion said he has lost one battle only, to Stannis. Other than that, he is undefeated.

Indeed. His brother has lost none, however. And who was curiously absent when Vic did loose ? Yep, you guessed it...

[terminus467]

` If we're talking about the best military mind it has to be Robb. He was always outnumbered and always found a way to minimize the disadvantage. No one else in the books can boast that. The closest to me is Tyrion. He defended King's Landing using unorthodox tactics. I'm in a rush so those are the two that came to mind right away.

I also don't see what fighting prowess has to do with being a great military mind. Unless it would count as extra points.

I take issue with this. It was a huge tactical blunder to just leave Edmure completely in the dark about his plans to trap the Lannister army. Why couldn't he have just told him the plan and gave him explicit orders to stay in the castle?

It's Randyll Tarly. No question. And for those of you saying "Robert Baratheon", Randyll Tarly defeated him with just his vanguard before the main Tyrell host caught up with them.

[Illusive_Man]

Stannis by far. Unriviled on the field, and was able smash the Iron Fleet, which allowed Robert and Ned to storm the Iron Isles. His seige of KL was going to end in his victory I am sure if he had arrived a day earlier or if Tywin was delayed. I would make that claim even with the issues that Tyrion's wildfire caused.

Randall Tarly is the best field commander the Iron Throne has. Akin to a Bradly or a Rommel using WWII generals as a comparison. Tywin was the Eisenhower of the Kings Landing for over arching campaign execution.

Robb was not a great military mind. His sucess was drawn from the motivation from his bannermen. First a rescue for Ned, then revenge. His teenage urges took the better of him, and his marriage to Jeyne stole the motivation from a good chunk of his army. First he lost the Freys for the obvious betrayal of his vows, then keeping Jamie alive after Ned's death. Jamie had no purpose as a prisoner after Ned's death. The moment that news that Ned was killed, Jamie should have lost his head. Prisoner exchange for the Kingslayer for two girls would be unacceptable. Killing Jamie would have sealed the Karstark's loyality.

If Robb was older, more tempered, and already married at the start of the war he would have fared much better.

[Ser Stefan]

THE MAN WHO CAN, THE MAN WITH THE PLAN, STAN,THE MAN.

[Ser Stefan]

Stannis by far. Unriviled on the field, and was able smash the Iron Fleet, which allowed Robert and Ned to storm the Iron Isles. His seige of KL was going to end in his victory I am sure if he had arrived a day earlier or if Tywin was delayed. I would make that claim even with the issues that Tyrion's wildfire caused.

Randall Tarly is the best field commander the Iron Throne has. Akin to a Bradly or a Rommel using WWII generals as a comparison. Tywin was the Eisenhower of the Kings Landing for over arching campaign execution.

Robb was not a great military mind. His sucess was drawn from the motivation from his bannermen. First a rescue for Ned, then revenge. His teenage urges took the better of him, and his marriage to Jeyne stole the motivation from a good chunk of his army. First he lost the Freys for the obvious betrayal of his vows, then keeping Jamie alive after Ned's death. Jamie had no purpose as a prisoner after Ned's death. The moment that news that Ned was killed, Jamie should have lost his head. Prisoner exchange for the Kingslayer for two girls would be unacceptable. Killing Jamie would have sealed the Karstark's loyality.

If Robb was older, more tempered, and already married at the start of the war he would have fared much better.

Who would he have traded the Kingslayer for anyway?

[Frey Kings]

If it was just Tywin and Robb fighting in the riverlands, and not worrying about Baratheon Brothers, His son being captured or the Iron Throne. Tywin would've defeated Robb, even with Karstark/Bolton/Frey loyalty.

[The Fallen]

quote name="Bbane" post="5627607" timestamp="1397179506"]

Tywin isn't afraid to face Robb in the field. He moves west to engage Robb but Edmure interferes and he gets word of Stannis attack and the Tyrell alliance and goes to KL. You are right the Red Wedding had nothing to do with saving lives, it had to do with ending the northern war effort, it was not just out of spite for Robb beating Tywin's son and cousin in battle and it wasn't out of fear in facing him the field.

[Frey Kings]

Forget to add even if Winterfell wasn't sacked by Theon (just stayed on Iron Islands) (or never existed) and Ramsay never existed. Also Arya/Sansa never existed or in Winterfell.

Just flat out Tywin vs Robb running on adrenaline with his Dad's head chopped off with Tully/Stark with FULL cooperation of all the houses in the North and in the Riverlands. Tywin would win eventually.

[The Fallen]

Forget to add even if Winterfell wasn't sacked by Theon (just stayed on Iron Islands) (or never existed) and Ramsay never existed. Also Arya/Sansa never existed or in Winterfell.

Just flat out Tywin vs Robb running on adrenaline with his Dad's head chopped off with Tully/Stark with FULL cooperation of all the houses in the North and in the Riverlands. Tywin would win eventually.

That's a hell of a statement. Robb always came up with a plan for defeating his foes. And Tywin didn't prove to be anything special. Robb was dictating the terms of engagement to Tywin the whole time. My money would be on Robb.

It's time for bed. I'll look at all responses tomorrow.

[Pod The Rod]

Forget to add even if Winterfell wasn't sacked by Theon (just stayed on Iron Islands) (or never existed) and Ramsay never existed. Also Arya/Sansa never existed or in Winterfell.

Just flat out Tywin vs Robb running on adrenaline with his Dad's head chopped off with Tully/Stark with FULL cooperation of all the houses in the North and in the Riverlands. Tywin would win eventually.

From all evidence, I say Robb beats Tywin in a pitched battle if everything else is equal.

[Minsc]

his problems stemmed from being a teenager wanting to get laid. thats where his problems stemmed.

Not really, if two of potential allies (Balon and Lysa) weren't idiots/assholes then his being a teenager that just wants to get laid would have been less of a problem.

Especially, if Lysa had lent around 20,000 (half their forces) soldiers from the Vale from the start (and not stupidly allowed Tyrion to achieve his freedom).

[unSonofStannis]

I was watching Alexander's and a comment about GOT made me wonder whos the best military mind that we've seen or heard from?

You can count fighting ability, stamina, accomplishments, conquests, results, strategy etc

You got some candidates.....

Aegon "The Conqueror": Along with his sister wives brought all but one of the end kindgoms to their knees and unite them under one theone. The guy had a great army by the end of his campaign. Deduction points go to the facts that his sister wives were instrumental in the planning, the guy had dragons so could he do it without them?

Robb: won every battle but lost the war and was very capable considering his numbers and circumstances

Robert Baratheon: defeated and ended the Targaryen Dinasty . Had help from Ned and Jon

Stannis Baratheon: saved the realm by ending the wildling army and is in the process of liberating the north

Tywin: he has secured the reap for his family and defeated all that opposed him

Tyrion: say what u will but every militart engagement that he has been involved in he has won

Any others?

Im surprised you didnt mention any of the Ironborn like Victarion, Balon, Asha, Thenon and Euron, they burned the Lannister fleet, and conquored half the North including WF.

[terminus467]

quote name="Bbane" post="5627607" timestamp="1397179506"]

Tywin isn't afraid to face Robb in the field. He moves west to engage Robb but Edmure interferes and he gets word of Stannis attack and the Tyrell alliance and goes to KL. You are right the Red Wedding had nothing to do with saving lives, it had to do with ending the northern war effort, it was not just out of spite for Robb beating Tywin's son and cousin in battle and it wasn't out of fear in facing him the field.

I didn't say Tywin feared him. He would rather assassinate him than have to face him. What great warrior resorts to that rather than facing his enemy on the field? Joffrey, maybe?

What if the plan was conceived after Robb was already out west? Robb gave Edmure specific orders. Then he came up with a plan that wouldn't necessitate Edmure having to alter his duties. Edmure seems to have gone beyond the scope of his duties. He went so far as to pull the garrison from the Twins and have them join Roose in taking Harrenhal. And when Robb tells him that he was to hold Riverrun and nothing else Edmure doesn't dispute it nor correct him.

Randyl Tarly is described as the best soldier in the Reach. He has just the one, inconclusive win against Robert and a victory hand delivered by Roose, and this is the most brilliant military mind?

[Batman]

And like I said, Randyll Tarly dealt Robb Baratheon's army a defeat with just his vanguard. Even if it was inconclusive, that's impressive. He was presumably quite outnumbered.

I don't know, the Reach outnumbers the Stormlands so badly it might have been quite close. Especially given Robert had already fought battles and the whole of the Stormlands was not behind him. Its impressive but we don't know the numbers so we don't know how outnumbered he was.