The best defense is a good offense

"The best defense is a good offense" is an adage that has been applied to many fields of endeavor, including games and military combat.

Generally, the idea is that proactivity (a strong offensive action) instead of a passive attitude will preoccupy the opposition and ultimately hinder its ability to mount an opposing counterattack, leading to a strategic advantage.

George Washington wrote in 1799: "...make them believe, that offensive operations, often times, is the surest, if not the only (in some cases) means of defence".

Players who fail to do so, and concentrate instead on holding the line against enemy attack, will likely end up in a weak position.

In the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "The Empath", Captain Kirk says, "The best defense is a good offense, and I intend to start offending right now.