It's not a natural law thing that's simply there beyond doubt.

It's a definition, and as such it's useful to help people to establish order in chaos. Tactics need to vary on every level - individual, squad, platoon, company, battalion, brigade, division, corps, army, theatre.
This multitude of levels is too difficult, thus it helps to group them.

The mall unit and unit tactics (even those which apply for formations as well) are called tactics.
The unique formation tactics are called operational art.
Theatre command and civilian input should be strategy (although even two army group HQs and a national general staff can delve into detail problems of an operational plan if it encompasses enough forces and if there's a fighting break as during the drôle de guerre).


Now there are three levels, and it becomes much easier to explain a platoon leader why his behaviour needs to change in order to meet higher plans. You tell him about the operational level and how its demands can even look pointless or contradictory at his tactical level.

You can on the other hand also easily communicate that tactical fights aren't enough. It's not enough to be better in many, many small fights. You need to look at the bigger picture of operations as well, where tactical successes can even be counter-intentional (when you want to deceive about your strength or allow an enemy to enter a trap, for example).



Wilf; remember how useful it looked to you a few years ago. That's a great part of the utility of the concept of an operational level. Thinking in three levels is easier than thinking in ten levels. You may think that you reached the point where you don't need this aide any more and are too irritated by the artificiality of the distinction, but that doesn't make it a poor idea.


Besides; would you really argue for no separation between buddy team tactics and whatever is was right below the "Germany first!" strategy?
Buddy team tactics in in-house fighting should be subsumed under "tactics" just like Operation Zitadelle? Really?

I don't think so, obviously.