Rommel's battle leadership and books receive praise, while his approach to supplying a campaign is criticized. The concern is a command culture that cultivates expertise in one area without enough attention to the whole military system. Force design presents a related choice: some tasks require the best available solution, including certain command-ship roles. Others can be met by a 75 percent solution costing roughly a third as much. In that example, three adequate assets are affordable for the price of one, and two would already meet the requirement.
Chapter · 45:30-48:31
German command, logistics, and the value of a good-enough solution
A critique of German command culture uses Rommel and procurement choices to separate tactical brilliance from the ability to sustain a campaign.