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I took a look through the military module to see what I could learn from it. The bottom line is that there is still a lot left to be told, but basic principles are clear.

First, and interestingly: The clock on the screenshot suggests 3 minute turns. That means that each side gets three minutes to plan their attack in their attempt to claim hexes. (Hexes are game tiles. Having the majority of hex tiles is one of the victory conditions. Controlling the enemy capital is the other.)

Why does this matter? For one, it means that army officers are going to have to be very involved with the planning and execution of the battle, for in three minutes, the entire battle landscape could change. A well organized army could mass attack at a certain point in the battle, leaving few tiles to the other side. In the attempt to fight back, alosing army officer will have to decide which area of the map is a priority (since landscape will affect battle outcomes), and direct his soldiers accordingly.

Thus the second point: no more point and click fighting. Fighting will be a very involved process which will require the utmost discipline from soldiers. Perhaps there will even be scenarios in which conquering a particular hex tile is actually harmful. If this is the case, having a well-disciplined army is not just a bonus, it is a necessity.

The third point: even if soldiers are trained to obey their officers, officers are going to have to possess some sort of military intelligence. As I mentioned up above, certain landscapes (forest, hills, etc.) will give bonuses to attack/defense. An officer will have to consider these particular tiles as priorities in planning his attack. An officer will necessarily have to direct his forces to attack only certain tiles. Too diffuse an attack, and nothing will be accomplished. Too consolidated an attack and the officer may see other tiles wiped off the map. This officer will have to figure out a way to balance these two concerns.

The fourth point: military structure will become more important. Just like in rl, there will be levels of management (macro to micro.) I have no difficulty imagining multiple military units on the map, each directed by an officer, making tactical decisions on the ground, while the entire strategy of the battle is created and executed by an even higher officer.

At the most micro level, fighters will have to choose which one of the five enemies presented to him he chooses to fight. For example, our fighter is a lvl. 3 tank which is strong against infantry but weak against helicopters. Whether he fights a lvl. 1 helicopter or a lvl. 5 infantry will be his choice. This choice, however, will be heavily influenced by the composition of the opposing army.

Thus, on the one hand, his commanding officer will need to decide what the battle priority is and convey this message to his troops. On the other hand, this officer will need to obey the general who will oversee the general progress of the battle. If he sees that one flank is getting crushed, he may direct one of his officers to break off the fight in one area of the map and attack another area of the map.

The fifth point, which should be clear by now, is this: communication is an absolute necessity. The cohesion of a unit and its ability to obey will be of the utmost importance. Not only will a fighter have to obey the officer when he is actually fighting, but he will have to obey the officer as to WHEN he fights. (Since a player can only fight so many times, the timing of his deployment will be critical to the successful execution of a military offensive/defensive. The map can change entirely from one hour to the next. Fighting too early can waste strength and resources. Fighting too late and---well---it could just be too late.) Communication, therefore, will be absolutely necessary so that the fighter knows what his orders are.

As the admins suggest, this may mean an attempt to consolidate the myriad of communication devices that eRep players utilize so that it is easy and accessible to all players. Making a move towards the eRep chat and forums might be beneficial.

(As a suggestion, it might be beneficial for the government and military to organize military companies and squads by "Time available" before v2 comes out. Doing so can ensure a well-organized army from day one. The government can thus capitalize on the enemies' disorganization and unfamiliarity to claim many important territories from day one. It will also be important because players may have to fight either early in the morning or late at night.)

That's all I have for now. I am also willing to accept that these considerations can change upon the release of further insiders. I will keep you posted.

v/s

UPDATE: I should clarify that, so long as players gain experience by fighting and as long as leveling up is rewarded by gold, players will continue to fight regardless of whether they are in a military unit. Therefore, no one should take what I have said above to preclude the possibility of "mob warfare." Still, the system I have outlined above could still fit over the top of a mob warfare type scenario. Claiming strategic points, defending hospitals and defense arrays, finding the most strategic route to the capital: these will still require a cohesive and dedicated army with an intelligent officer at the helm. Suffice it to say, moreover, that the greater percentage of fighters obeying an officer means a better executed battle.

It remains to be seen whether a "mob warfare" type of system is truly beneficial. If not, expect the US to be encouraging non-soldier workers not to fight.