Top 7 military commanders in ASOIAF (including Robert's Rebellion)

[Fetch me a block]

I agreed with you in that Renly thread you did.

True, true.

[THE WATCHER IN THE DARK]

I wonder why no one mentions Jon Snow, he has clearly shown a gift for strategy by making peace with the wildings and helping stannis with his northern conquest. We know he is good at tactics and inspiring people during the battle on the wall. He is also clever enough to realise that the lannisters not paying the iron bank of braavos was a stupid mistake to make, which is something no one else in cersei's small counsel was clever enough to realise.

[Fetch me a block]

Tywin's the one that's overrated. His only battle in RR is sacking KL. he's not mentioned during the Greyjoy Rebellion, except in relation to the entire Lannister fleet being burned at Lannisport. He's doing great in Wot5K, till Robb Stark joins the fray, and then he disrespects him as a green boy while Robb showed he was tactically more sound than Tywin, a man almost 4x his age. Littlefinger negotiates the alliance with the Tyrells, which allows him to go to Kings Landing and take Tyrion's glory since there would have been no glory had the city not held.

His big victories are actually against his own bannermen, the Reynes and Tarbecks.

But he did lay siege to the Darklyns. He also probably fought in the war of the ninepenny Kings since he's about the same age as the Blackfish.

[Fetch me a block]

I wonder why no one mentions Jon Snow, he has clearly shown a gift for strategy by making peace with the wildings and helping stannis with his northern conquest. We know he is good at tactics and inspiring people during the battle on the wall. He is also clever enough to realise that the lannisters not paying the iron bank of braavos was a stupid mistake to make, which is something no one else in cersei's small counsel was clever enough to realise.

Hmm. He's definitely a sharp leader, but one victory doesn't make him a veteran commander. Granted he was doing great, but he would have lost if it were not for Stannis.

[Stannis Eats No Peaches]

Personally I think that Tarly is overrated. His victory against Robert was indecisive, though admittedly he was only using the vanguard of the Tyrell force, and his victory at Duskendale, despite him having a large numerical advantage, came at a heavy cost. Still, I'm sure he has that reputation for a reason.

I don't think Tywin is overrated through. He fought two large battles against the Northerners, at the Green Fork and at the Red Fork. At the Green Fork his strategy seemed good to my uneducated mind, Tyrion's clansmen surprised him but Bolton's army was easily beaten. The second battle was against Edmure, which he lost. I know Edmure is supposedly a bit of an idiot and Tywin had a numerical advantage but Edmure had good advisors and had fortified choke points on the river meaning Tywin's numbers didn't count for much. Furthermore, it is likely that the Tyrell messengers reached him before the battle was over causing him to withdraw prematurely.

As for his overall strategy, it was mostly solid. Frey was unpredictable, so Robb reaching Riverrun could not have been expected, his plan of catching Robb between two armies was also good, but Robb was lucky enough to have a direwolf which could find a way around the Golden Tooth. The only place Tywin could've messed up badly was trying to return to the Westerlands but Robb's poor planning with Edmure prevented this from happening. For what it's worth, I think that Tywin was a much better politician than general.

[lady m]

But he did lay siege to the Darklyns. He also probably fought in the war of the ninepenny Kings since he's about the same age as the Blackfish.

It's not mentioned, and he became Hand very young, 20. Blackfish is a better military mind than Tywin.

Hmm. He's definitely a sharp leader, but one victory doesn't make him a veteran commander. Granted he was doing great, but he would have lost if it were not for Stannis.

If Stannis proves successful outside Winterfell a big part of that is Jon's strategy which he adopted.

My list would be:

1) Ned Stark, best military mind in the series

2) Stannis Baratheon

3) Randyll Tarly

4) Blackfish

5) Howland Reed, master of guerrilla warfare, which might be becoming very useful

6) Robb Stark

7) Jon Snow, he's devised Stannis plan to siege Winterfell, he led the guarding of the Wall while injured with very few men.

HM) Robert Baratheon, who seems like a great field commander, not a tactician or stratigist.

Aegon Targaryen & Orys Baratheon, not in current story, but the standard by which everyone else should be measured.

[Fetch me a block]

Personally I think that Tarly is overrated. His victory against Robert was indecisive, though admittedly he was only using the vanguard of the Tyrell force, and his victory at Duskendale, despite him having a large numerical advantage, came at a having cost. Still, I'm sure he has that reputation for a reason.

I don't think Tywin is overrated through. He fought two large battles against the Northerners, at the Green Fork and at the Red Fork. At the Green Fork his strategy seemed good to my uneducated mind, Tyrion's clansmen surprised him but Bolton's army was easily beaten. The second battle was against Edmure, which he lost. I know Edmure is supposedly a bit of an idiot and Tywin had a numerical advantage but Edmure had good advisors and had fortified choke points on the river meaning Tywin's numbers didn't count for much. Furthermore, it is likely that the Tyrell messengers reached him before the battle was over causing him to withdraw prematurely.

As for his overall strategy, it was mostly solid. Frey was unpredictable, so Robb reaching Riverrun could not have been expected, his plan of catching Robb between two armies was also good, but Robb was lucky enough to have a direwolf which could find a way around the Golden Tooth. The only place Tywin could've messed up badly was trying to return to the Westerlands but Robb's poor planning with Edmure prevented this from happening. For what it's worth, I think that Tywin was a much better politician than general.

I also think Tarly is overrated, but he is soooo well referenced

[Joey Beers]

Don't really know how much of the Crannogmen's strategy is laid down by Howland Reed, but if it is then he gets the nod for that guerrilla warfare keeping them alive for so long. Does Bittersteel have enough to be on the list? Can't remember if we know exactly what his victories were...

[gash]

tyrion is the only person who we really got inside the mind of, militarily speaking.

[Fetch me a block]

It's not mentioned, and he became Hand very young, 20. Blackfish is a better military mind than Tywin.

If Stannis proves successful outside Winterfell a big part of that is Jon's strategy which he adopted.

My list would be:

1) Ned Stark, best military mind in the series

2) Stannis Baratheon

3) Randyll Tarly

4) Blackfish

5) Howland Reed, master of guerrilla warfare, which might be becoming very useful

6) Robb Stark

7) Jon Snow, he's devised Stannis plan to siege Winterfell, he led the guarding of the Wall while injured with very few men.

HM) Robert Baratheon, who seems like a great field commander, not a tactician or stratigist.

Aegon Targaryen & Orys Baratheon, not in current story, but the standard by which everyone else should be measured.

I'm glad someone has actually composed an alternative list :)

I think your list is really good, but why is Robb Stark so low :o The man's a prodigy. Ned Stark, is good, I'll give you that, not sure I would have put him first though. And Jon is a good tactician, but only has 1 battle under his belt which he may well have lost if not for Stannis, the one true king (sorry, I just had to say that). He did give him some very good advice though, and he's smart enough to realize he had to get the Wildlings on board.

[Stannis Eats No Peaches]

1) Ned Stark, best military mind in the series

What makes you say that?

[thetitansbastard]

I would put Jon Snow #1 based on what we've seen.

[Fetch me a block]

I've switched some around guys

[Chaircat Meow]

1) Ned Stark, best military mind in the series

Yea, except there is no evidence at all Ned was even a good military mind let alone the best in the series.

[Fetch me a block]

I would put Jon Snow #1 based on what we've seen.

He has fought one battle. One

[Stannis Eats No Peaches]

I would put Jon Snow #1 based on what we've seen.

Shooting arrows at wildlings?

[Fetch me a block]

Yea, except there is no evidence at all Ned was even a good military mind let alone the best in the series.

• Led Robert's Vanguard
  
• Smashed Connington at the Bells
  
• Key Commander at the Trident
  
• Key Commander in the Greyjoy Rebellion
  

He has more experience than Tywin and he's 20 years younger. Ned is a fighter.

[thetitansbastard]

Shooting arrows at wildlings?

I would consider letting the wildlings thru a military decision which no one else would have made

[Stannis Eats No Peaches]

I would consider letting the wildlings thru a military decision which no one else would have made

It doesn't take a genius to work out that lots of wildlings = lots of wights, though it did create major problems with food.

[Fetch me a block]

tyrion is the only person who we really got inside the mind of, militarily speaking.

And Jon Snow, Davos, Victarion etc.