Military theory thumb|alt=Painting of Frederick and Prussian officers on horseback before a battle|Frederick the Great Surveying the Field of Battle by (1906) Contrary to his father's fears, Frederick became a capable military commander. With the exception of his first battlefield experience at the Battle of Mollwitz, Frederick proved himself courageous in battle. He frequently led his military forces personally and had multiple horses shot from under him during battle. During his reign he commanded the Prussian Army at sixteen major battles and various sieges, skirmishes and other actions, ultimately obtaining almost all his political objectives. He is often admired for his tactical skills, especially his use of the oblique order of battle, an attack focused on one flank of the opposing line, allowing a local advantage even if his forces were outnumbered overall. Even more important were his operational successes, especially the use of interior lines to prevent the unification of numerically superior opposing armies and defend the Prussian core territory.
MiLITary theORy ThUmb|alt=paiNting of frEderick anD prussiAn OfFicers ON hoRsEBaCk BEFore a BattLe|freDerICk thE greAt SuRveying tHe FieLd oF Battle By (1906) contrarY to HiS faTHEr'S fearS, FrederIcK becAme A capaBlE military CommaNDer. wIth the eXCEPtion of hiS first baTTlefIelD expEriEnce At the battLe of MOllwitZ, FrEderick proved HIMseLF couragEoUs In baTTle. he fReqUenTly led hIs miLiTaRy fOrCEs peRsOnaLLY and had muLTiplE horSEs sHot frOm UNdeR Him DURING baTTle. dUrInG his Reign He CoMmaNDED the PrussIaN armY at sixtEen MajOr battLeS anD variouS SiEges, skiRmisHes and othEr acTionS, uLtImately OBtaiNINg AlmoSt ALl HIs pOliTIcaL obJectiVeS. He Is OftEn aDmireD FOR hIs tacTIcAL skills, eSpeCIalLy his use Of thE oblIque order of bATtLe, an atTack fOCusEd On OnE fLAnK oF tHe OppoSiNg lINE, aLlowinG A lOCAl aDVaNtaGE eveN if hIs forcEs werE oUtnumBered oVeralL. evEn moRe ImPortant WerE his opeRatIonAL SUCcESses, Especially The Use of InTeRIor lINes tO preveNt The uNIfiCatIOn of nUmERicalLy SuperioR OpposInG armIeS anD dEfeNd The PruSsian core TERrItoRy.