Well, nuclear bombs and robotic warriors are just the symbols of two extremes. In between there are also machine guns, armoured vehicles, airplanes, missiles, and drones. Each one of them have made human physique a less and less requirement for winning wars.
Who has to carry, employ and run with the machine guns when the mounting equipment goes down? Who are the ones that have to pull the armored vehicle (especially MRAP’s or lighter vehicles) out of ditches when there are no recovery vehicles? Who are ones carrying the drones and other relevant gear more than 5 or even 6 miles due to enemy drones easily pinpointing vehicles?
The answer is people with high physique. The war in Ukraine, contrary to popular belief, has actually proven that fitness is a key variable to one’s survival over there. Sure, the NAFO brigade and Z-Bots have all posted pictures of drone pilots with cat ears. However, what they don’t show are the heavy gear and the rapid movement to quickly set up a camouflaged drone launch site. All of them require good fitness. Plus, the “Dad strength” is a real thing.
Finally, the stress factor is huge. Those with poor fitness will poorly adapt to stress that is inherent in war. People with poor fitness and chomp on snacks and cope about how tech makes fitness irrelevant die first.
