An admiral commands captains, not puppets

A captain can experience the ship almost as an extension of the self, with direct access to the people and systems carrying out each task. That embodied relationship lets the captain inspect work, discuss problems, and make the ship express a coherent command personality. An admiral's force is neither one enlarged ship nor a set of puppets on strings; it consists of captains whose ships each reflect their own judgment and leadership. Every added ship therefore multiplies relationships among captains, missions, ships, and the outside world. Fleet command depends on coordinating those independent command systems without trying to replace them.