An idea found in the book Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card.

Once given his own army to command, Ender came up with a number of new ideas about how to compete in the battleroom. Perhaps the most prevalent of these was that it mentally helped to envision you were dropping down toward's the opponent's gate, instead of moving horizontally towards it. "Remember, the enemy's gate is down," became tantamount to a catch phrase within the book.

A catchphrase coined in the short story (and book) Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. Originally, it was simply a mantra, used by the children fighting in the battleroom to reorient themselves in null gee. Its first lesson was:
Do not hold onto your preconceptions when you enter this room

In a later battle, Ender finds that the room is stacked against his army (Dragon Army). The enemy armies (Griffin and Tiger) is placed defensively around their gate - winning would normally require "killing" all 41 enemies, and then sending 5 warriors to capture the enemy gate.

The enemy's gate is down

Dragon Army crosses the battleroom in a mass formation. The warriors on the edge are prefrozen, providing cover for the boys inside. Despite a massive crossfire, Dragon Army does not suffer significant damage - until fragmenting, scattering warriors in all directions, firing madly, sowing confusion. Griffin and Tiger massacre Dragon Army, but lose. In the confusion, 5 warriors had dived straight at the enemy gate, capturing it, despite having done little damage to the defenders.

There is a way to fight, and a way to win. They are not necessarily one and the same

This is the true lesson of "The enemy's gate is down" - that victory is the goal. This is a lesson for warriors as well as strategy gamers. Remember that there is a game being played, and that you win the game by winning, not by playing.


Games where this clearly holds true (a small sample):

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