<P> The Great Elector practiced many of the concepts applied to the Prussian Army in later centuries, including flank attacks at Warsaw and, at Fehrbellin, the willingness to attack when outnumbered . The elector advocated campaigns that were "short and lively". </P> <P> During the 1740s, Frederick the Great issued a series of new regulations and documents regarding his army's experiences during the first two Silesian wars and how they would relate to future wars . The doctrines he espoused focused on speed and offense . Lighter and faster cavalry were preferred over heavy cavalry; while hussars were treated as luxury troops by Frederick William I, his son made them an integral part of the army . The artillery was to use light three - pound guns which made up for their lack of power with versatility . After being outmaneuvered by the Austrians in the Second Silesian War, Frederick began emphasizing an overwhelming attack instead of a war of attrition . Rather than frontal attacks, the Prussian king tried to apply the oblique order, by which his army's strongest wing was focused against the enemy's weakest wing or flank, while restraining his own weaker wing . Frederick the Great summed up the Prussian style of war at Leuthen, advocating an attack on the enemy "even if he should be on top of the Zobtenberg". </P> <P> The Prussian emphasis on attack was well - ingrained in its officer corps . Flies unsuccessfully went on the offensive in the Battle of Langensalza, despite being outnumbered by the Hanoverians and having Falckenstein's troops nearby . Similarly, Kirchbach was willing to endure excessive casualties at Wörth without waiting for reinforcements . Moltke wanted a quick campaign in Bohemia against Austria so that Russia or France would not become involved in the Austro - Prussian war . Although Moltke considered Prince Frederick Charles' march through Bohemia to be too slow, Hans Delbrück found the "Red Prince's" eventual attack at Königgrätz to have been in the Prussian tradition, "which, by daring to lose a battle, wins it". </P> <P> The Prussian - style war of movement and quick strikes was well - designed for campaigns using the developed infrastructure of Western and Central Europe, such as the wars of unification, but failed when it was applied by the German Army to the Soviet Union and Northern Africa . The Prussian and later German systems were regarded as weak in intelligence, counterintelligence, and logistics, but during the First World War the German Army was often able to lay its hands on British and French battleplans . If the enemy successfully endured the initial operational attacks, the Prussian system had great difficulty in Stellungskrieg, or war of position, though during the First World War those were not as pronounced . </P>

While most states have an army the prussian army has a state