The Art of Combat - Strategy and Tactics for Intelligent and/or Organized Enemies

[Kurt Kurageous]

There used to be a blog called "The Monsters are Listening" that covered what you are looking for. Or perhaps I have the name wrong.

Anyway, yeah, that's a big project.

In general PCs ARE the single most deadly/destructive thing a monster can encounter, and there are a lot more of them than Tarrasques. So in general, the rational and intelligent monsters will avoid/flee PCs unless they have other motivations found in their ecology and fluff. Orc culture comes to mind. They'd rather die that be shot in the back running away. Hobgoblins are likewise (and much more crafty at the art of war) not likely to retreat unless it serves a tactical goal. Volo's is full of such advice. Delaying tactics, guerilla warfare, boobytrapping are all legit in defense of your tribe and family if survival matters.

So there's your starting point. Think like a loving DM towards your creations. Love your monsters and set them up for success (aka survival) except where success is not the same thing as survival for spiritual reasons. And let everything else (insects, slimes, other vermin) close with and fight to the death.

I recognize some of your tactical terms, others less so. I'm thinking you are approaching this from a U.S. Marine Corps or perhaps another nations armed forces perspective? I caution you that tactical campaigns seem like a lot of fun, but they are not fun to run. I've tried time and time again to use my 31 years as a student of tactics, operations and strategy to make a fun game for my PCs. I've spent a lot of mental energy and prep time playing chess when my players just wanted a game of checkers. Wizards stuck their foot in this with the infinitely forgettable and forgotten UA "When Armies Clash." It wasn't good enough to be fun.

Rule #1 - Know your audience.