Attack Pattern Alpha/Playing With

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


Basic Trope: A code word or phrase is used to direct forces in battle.

  • Straight: An order is issued. The unit(s) addressed respond with a maneuver.
  • Exaggerated: At the start of a fight, the order is given. The entire fleet engage in an entirely pre-scripted battleplan lasting several hours.
  • Justified:
    • The codes cover a broad range of options, or there are only a few possibilities.
    • Alternatively, a maneuver is used to obfuscate the real plan identified with that code phrase.
    • Using codes strikes a balance between disguising one's orders should the enemy be listening in but also allowing for a measure of brevity (pilots can be replaced between missions without great loss in ability, thus saving time necessary to train them)
  • Inverted: "Go left! No, a little more... Now shoot!"
  • Subverted: "Attack pattern is as follows: James, flank left..."
  • Double Subverted: The entire instruction as above is the name for a super secret attack pattern.
  • Zig Zagged: The heroes go into "attack pattern alpha", which is just gobbledygook to seem prepared, but it really is a battle plan that just seems random, but it really is, since the heroes have ditched their old playbook once it was stolen.
  • Parodied: "Attack Pattern Delta One Nine Two Gamma Foxtrot Three Zulu Seven!"... which is basically "You! Get Me Coffee!".
  • Deconstructed: The force is wiped out due to over-reliance on predefined battle scenarios.
  • Reconstructed: The next generation of the force is trained to think on their feet more, and the attack patterns become more fluid.
  • Averted: Orders are given in a more contextual nature.
  • Enforced: The characters are highly trained, and part of that training is combat patterns.
  • Lampshaded: "Who names these attack patterns?"
  • Invoked: The heroes spend time training and use a football playbook for inspiration.
  • Defied: The heroes are aware their enemies can adapt to any rigid pattern, so they purposely use Bash Brothers style intuitive teamwork.
  • Discussed: "I'm embarrassed by our battle formation names, it's like a football coach, Otaku and five year old pasted random words together."
  • Conversed: "Ooh, they must be about to use their Finishing Move! They yelled out Attack Pattern Alpha!"

Deploy protocol Omega Seven Tulip to return to Attack Pattern Alpha.

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