New Rules of War

[Firn]

As for the swarming bit, I'm having trouble following it - is an area ambush a swarm? Satellite patrols? What's new about "spreading out"?

I think it means something different to a lot of people. Having read a bit about biological swarms, swarm intelligence and self organization I would argue that you can use it for a lot of things. For example:

Fish derive many benefits from shoaling behaviour including defense against predators (through better predator detection and by diluting the chance of capture), enhanced foraging success, and higher success in finding a mate. It is also likely that fish benefit from shoal membership through increased hydrodynamic efficiency.

Fish use many traits to choose shoalmates. Generally they prefer larger shoals, shoalmates of their own species, shoalmates similar in size and appearance to themselves, healthy fish, and kin (when recognized).

On the other hand:

The nasute soldiers of the neotropical termite Nasutitermes costalis function as scouts by exploring new terrain for food in advance of the worker caste and regulate foraging activity by laying trails composed of sternal gland pheromone. Additional soldiers are at first recruited in large numbers, and subsequently workers appear as the pheromone concentration increases. The role of the nasutes in the organization of foraging is extremely unusual for the soldier caste in social insects and appears to be a component of a foraging/defense system that controls the recruitment of foragers and effectively deters attacks by ants, the most fierce and important predators of termites.

In this swarms the self organization makes sure that termite soldiers get recruited through sophisticated communication, told the objective (food), the intent and to observe METT. By using a combination of stealth and saber they reach the objective, recruit immediatly huge reinforcements "to get there first with most", use the stronger form (defense) and chemical shots to fend off attacking ants, exploit their success and mount after the successful action a fighting retreat.

Only half-joking
Firn