Actions based on inaccurate understandings of the situation are much less likely to achieve their desired objectives and much more likely to unnecessarily antagonize opponents. Nevertheless, distorting an opponents' image of the situation can often produce significant tactical advantages. Such distortions can arise from secrets as well as spreading deceptive information. For example, a military force which can keep its attack plans secret is much more likely to be able to launch a surprise attack which will find opponents unprepared and less able to defend themselves. This same general principle can be applied to political campaigns, in which the sudden release of a damaging piece of information can cause greater harm if the opponent does not have an opportunity to anticipate the release of the information and implement a preemptive damage-control strategy.
Similar surprises can contribute to the effectiveness of other types of force as well.
Deception is a related strategy in which the parties attempt to gain a tactical advantage by distorting, rather than concealing, information. For example, military leaders might attempt to convince opponents that their forces are stronger than they actually are. In this case, the parties deliberately try to give their opponents an inaccurate and tactically advantageous image of the situation. Another example might be that people opposed to the construction of a new chemical plant in their neighborhood might exaggerate the health risks associated with such a plant to give them more influence in the decision making process. While these techniques are certainly capable of strengthening the positions of people who use them, they have costs and risks that often outweigh the benefits.