Why can a larger military force be less flexible than a smaller force?

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tactics Sumerian phalanx, a block of foot soldiers depicted standing shield-to-shield, presenting spears, and advancing in a dense mass, detail from the Stele of the Vultures, limestone bas-relief, c. 2450 bce; in the Louvre Museum, Paris.

In the context of military tactics, a larger and more powerful force is often less flexible than a smaller one because of the inherent difficulty in maintaining coordination and control as scale increases.1

While flexibility is a cardinal principle of effective warfare, it requires a firm disciplinary framework to remain functional. As a force grows in size, the complexity of managing diverse units with varying capabilities and weapons makes it increasingly difficult to adapt to a living enemy's reactions rapidly and smoothly.1

Ultimately, the challenge lies in the principle of unity of command. A commander must ensure that all units act in a coordinated manner according to a single plan; however, the larger the force, the harder it becomes to maintain this grip while simultaneously adjusting to the chaos and danger of the battlefield.1