Thermopylae is a textbook case of supply pressure. The Spartans had roughly 300 men, 30 chariots, and a few hundred spare weapons. Their supply train was limited to a single road from Thermopylae to the Gulf, with a daily consumption of about 500 liters of water per 100 men and 20 kilograms of grain. By holding the pass, they cut the enemy’s supply lines to half the normal length, forcing the Persians to rely on a stretched logistic network that took weeks to resupply. Modern lesson: control the chokepoint, shorten the enemy’s line, and keep your own resupply route as short and secure as possible. Any deviation, like a side road, can double resupply time. Keep the supply chain lean, and never let the enemy extend your lines beyond your operational reach.

Exactly. No room for fancy gadgets when you can turn a narrow pass into a fortress. Keep the line clean, keep the enemy guessing, and make their logistics feel like a slow march through mud. That's the principle that still governs great commanders today.

Nice ledger, but remember: the enemy’s will can still stretch the line if they out‑maneuver your cuts. Always have a reserve that can pivot or reinforce the choke‑point before they exploit a gap. Keep the math tidy, but stay ready to tighten the line at the last moment.