HOW TO | naruto ocs

+intelligence and strategy 1

One of the most important factors in naruto, especially in the early genin days before Kishimoto nuked his storytelling, was the way he'd use strategy and quick thinking to determine the course of a fight.

In this chapter I'm going to define intelligence by shinobi standards and analyse strategic concepts. In the next chapter I will analyse IQ tests and how to implement intelligence into writing.

WHAT IS INTELLIGENCE?

Intelligence is a non quantifiable and inexplicable concept, however, by shinobi standards I think intelligence can be defined.

Intelligence is the thought that goes into completing a mission or defeating an enemy with as little casualties as possible. It's how quick a thinker your character is, how much information they can retain and use against their enemy, how they can analyse a situation and provide the best possible solution or way out.

STRATEGY

THESE ARE A LIST OF STRATEGIC CONCEPTS FROM WIKIPEDIA. I will try to relate them to the shinobi world and storytelling as much as possible.

I'm writing these bc there are so many ways to write fight scenes/missions in your story that isn't your OC suddenly getting a power buff and sweeping all their enemies pls.

GENERAL STRATEGIC CONCEPTS

1. Centre of Gravity : the point in a battlefield where all energies should be directed to. An example of this being Obito during the Fourth Great Shinobi War

2. Decisive Point : a place, specific event, system or function that allows one to gain an advantage over an enemy.

3. Golden Bridge – To leave your opponent an opportunity to withdraw in order to not force them to act out of desperation. This can be seen as an act of weakness, however, in some cases where the opponent has a trump card (like naruto with the nine tails) giving them a golden bridge (withdrawing) can save you and your forces.

4. OODA loop : Decision-making occurs in a recurring cycle of observe-orient-decide-act. An entity that can process this cycle quickly, observing and reacting to unfolding events more rapidly than an opponent, can thereby "get inside" the opponent's decision cycle and gain the advantage. This is basically any character who can outsmart or act quicker than their opponent.

5. Positive ends – The possibility of taking advantage of a new security environment to create conditions for long-term peace. An example of this is Hashirama's peace treaty with the other villages using the tailed beast, for he probably saw them as positive ends.

6. Tipping point – The point at which "the momentum for change becomes unstoppable." An example of this being when Naruto and Sasuke got their dragon ball a boost from The Sage Of Six Paths

7. VUCA – Volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity which characterise the strategic environment, and which your character should prepare for.

DEFENCE STRATEGIES

1. Boxing maneuver – A strategy used to "box in" and force an attack on all sides at once. Example being Gaaras sand shield.

2. Choke point – A use of strategic geography, usually in a narrow area, intended to concentrate the enemy into a confined area where the defender can maximize his forces