Madine's Rules of War served as the established guidelines for Alliance ground commanders during the era of the Galactic Civil War. These rules were developed by, and subsequently named in honor of, General Crix Madine, a celebrated figure within the Alliance to Restore the Republic. The essence of these three rules was captured by the phrases: "Hit 'Em Where They Ain't," "Attack the Enemy's Spirit," and "Use Your Brains."
Given the numerical superiority held by their primary adversary, Alliance Army commanders received instruction to circumvent direct, head-to-head confrontations with the Imperial Army. The Imperial Army could invariably secure triumph through the deployment of additional reinforcements. Instead, commanders were directed to leverage speed and concentrated force to overwhelm smaller Imperial units, swiftly achieving decisive victories. Furthermore, they were instructed to safeguard their limited resources whenever feasible; should a battle appear to be shifting against them, withdrawing with a complete force was deemed preferable to securing a costly victory.
Rebel commanders also received training in the application of psychological tactics, aiming to undermine the enemy's resolve before engaging in combat. When the enemy harbored fear of the Rebel's intensity and unpredictability, they were more prone to committing errors, such as excessively reacting to a diversion. Conversely, sustaining high morale among their own soldiers was regarded as crucial for attaining victory in battles.
The Rebels perceived Imperial Army commanders as lacking innovation, relying on obsolete, formulaic strategies acquired during their training at the Academy. Alliance Army commanders were encouraged to embrace calculated risks, to familiarize themselves with these conventional tactics, and to devise unconventional methods for overcoming them. The majority of Imperial commanders were more susceptible to defeat when confronted with unforeseen circumstances that lacked established solutions.