Write military SF
that feels real.
Explore tactics, military life, technology, and space warfare. Find the details that help you build a better story.
Start with the right question.
From a soldier’s responsibilities to a starship’s crew, explore the practical details behind military science fiction.
Three guides. More possibilities.
Reference guides for writers who want to understand the military elements of their stories.
Space Warfare
Bring the military side of your space stories into focus.
Starships & Combat Systems
Explore the ships and systems behind your future conflicts.
War is about people.
This resource grew from William S. Frisbee, Jr.’s experience as a US Marine non-commissioned officer and squad leader, and his interest in small-unit tactics and military science fiction.
Read the original introduction
For writers of Military Science Fiction and those writers with a military element in their books.
War is not about guns or bombs, war is about people. It is about people who cannot or are unwilling to resolve their differences through discussion or other non-violent means.
Movies and television use guns and explosions to draw attention and awe the audience. People like being awed and that is what producers want to do to people. In my opinion producers or script writers are too lazy to do any research so their stories are severely lacking when it comes to reality. It is always easier to make up things for dramatic effect than to face the reality that can be less dramatic.
Because movies and television do not portray reality often most viewers do not know what is possible and what is not. While finding books on large unit tactics is usually not difficult, and history books frequently detail this large scale battles, small unit tactics are another story entirely. Most movies, television shows and books are about people, not entire battalions or Regiments or Divisions. This means finding out about small unit tactics is a difficult proposition at best.
Some people actually care about what they write and some would like to add more reality to their story but don’t have many resources to draw from. That is what this resource is about. It is my intent to help newbies and veterans alike to understand small unit tactics and techniques. It is also my intent to help Science Fiction writers understand what war is like now and how it may evolve for the individual infantryman.
I was US Marine Non-Commissioned Officer and a squad leader. I served in Desert Storm and Desert Shield. While I was in the Marines my hobby was small unit tactics. I enjoyed learning about all manner of small unit fighting from guerrilla wars to large scale conflicts. I was an NCO, not an officer so my viewpoints are that of a small unit leader who loved his job and strove for excellence.
This may be why I like Military Science Fiction so much. I despise writers who are too lazy to do their research and that may be why I shy away from most modern fiction. Movies are a sore point with me especially because most producers are stupid and believe their audience is stupid too. The Rambo series is an excellent example of a producer’s stupidity and ignorance. Ask any combat veteran.
The old website can be found here; https://powderblue-panther-850359.hostingersite.com/index.htm
