History Awesome / OldMansWar

* The CU surgically and ruthlessly targeting a weakness in the Eneshan political system [[spoiler:(sterilizing and then murdering an alien child)]] to turn them from enemies into allies.

* The CU, [[MagnificentBastard Magnificent Bastards]] that they are, surgically and ruthlessly targeting a weakness in the Eneshan political system [[spoiler:(sterilizing and then murdering an alien child)]] to turn them from enemies into allies.

* John and his squadmade outmaneuver and defeat about a dozen Whaidians as a duo.

* The CU, [[MagnificentBastard Magnificent Bastards]] that they are, surgically and ruthlessly targeting a weakness in the Eneshan political system [[spoiler:(murdering an alien child)]] to turn them from enemies into allies.

[[folder:Meta]]
The series is a worthy SpiritualSuccessor to Literature/StarshipTroopers, but like the movie, it first seduces you with militarism as a [[NecessarilyEvil Necessary Evil]] before ultimately critiquing it.
[[/folder]]

* The CU show that they are [[MagnificentBastard Magnificent Bastards]], surgically and ruthlessly targeting a weakness in the Eneshan political system [[spoiler:(murdering a scared alien child)]] to turn them from secret enemies into allies.

* Jane, with secretly reactivated soldier enhancements, rampages through alien soldiers attacking Roanoke.

The series is a worthy SpiritualSuccessor to Literature/StarshipTroopers, but like the movie, it first seduces you with militarism as a NecessaryEvil before ultimately critiquing it.

* The two-shot special that John creates during his first real battle against the Consu. Not only does it turn the tides, but also helps the CDF get an audience with them, netting them both critical info on the Rraey's borrowed skip drive technology ''and'' an insight into the Consu's BlueAndOrangeMorality.

* The Colonial Special Forces have to attack an enemy installation on a heavily defended planet. Therefore, they fly in on their starship, knowing full well that it will be blown up within a few minutes...planning to use ''that'' to cover up their jumping into the atmosphere like parachutists. The plan is completely successful. (They get a lot more of this in the sequels, too.)

[[folder:The End of All Things]][[/folder]]

* In the first novel, the Colonial Special Forces have to attack an enemy installation on a heavily defended planet. Therefore, they fly in on their starship, knowing full well that it will be blown up within a few minutes...planning to use ''that'' to cover up their jumping into the atmosphere like parachutists. The plan is completely successful. (They get a lot more of this in the sequels, too.)

* In ''Zoe's Tale'', Zoe vs. the Roanoke "werewolves" and Zoe in the scene with the Consu and the Obin.
* The series's defining moment of triumph, the ending of 'The Last Colony'. John Perry finally gets his revenge on the Colonial Union, fatally destabilising it and freeing humanity from its grasp with a well-placed trading convoy.

* Near the end of ''The Ghost Brigades,'' Harvey is left behind on an alien planet crawling with hostile Obin, with rescue days away. Jane asks him to retrieve some data from a nearby installation if he can. [[OffscreenMomentOfAwesome The next chapter]], she gets it.
* An earlier moment in ''The Last Colony,'' in which General Gau is (unknowingly) about to be utterly outmaneuvered by the CDF. John Perry jeopardizes the success of the maneuver (which relies on ''total'' surprise) by offering ''Gau'' a chance to surrender - out of compassion for the unsuspecting crews of Gau's space armada.

* The five Consu duels to confirm the help they gave the Rraey. Ending with Jane the CombatPragmatist taking advantage of the ScreamingWarrior nature of the Consu she's fighting - while he's bellowing a war cry, she throws her knife through the roof of his mouth and into his primary braincase.

* The two-shot special that John creates during his first real battle against the Consu. Not only does it turn the tides, but also helps the CDF get an audience with them, netting them both critical info on the Rraey's borrowed skip drive technology ''and'' an insight into the Consu's BlueAndOrangeMorality.

* In the first novel, the Colonial Special Forces have to attack an enemy installation on a heavily defended planet. [[spoiler: Therefore, they fly in on their starship, knowing full well that it will be blown up within a few minutes...planning to use ''that'' to cover up their jumping into the atmosphere like parachutists.]] The plan is completely successful. (They get a lot more of this in the sequels, too.)

* The series's defining moment of triumph, the ending of 'The Last Colony'. John Perry finally gets his revenge on the Colonial Union, fatally destabilising it and freeing humanity from its grasp with [[spoiler:a well-placed trading convoy]].
* The five Consu duels to confirm the help they gave the Rraey. Ending with Jane the {{Combat Pragmatist}} taking advantage of the ScreamingWarrior nature of the Consu she's fighting - while he's bellowing a war cry, she throws her knife through the roof of his mouth and into his primary braincase.

** Plus [[spoiler:his DyingMomentOfAwesome with the Trojan Horse.]]

* Throughout ''The Human Division,'' [[spoiler:Equilibrium]] has been pirating ships, murdering their crews, and forcing the [[BrainInAJar disembodied brains of their pilots]] to carry out suicide attacks. In the first episode of ''The End Of All Things,'' one ''escapes.'' It's ''amazing.''

* The two-shot special that John creates during his first real battle against the Consu. Not only does it turn the tides, but also helps the CDF get an audience with them, netting them both critical info on the Rraey's borrowed skip drive technology ''and'' an insight into the Consu's BlueAndOrangeMorality.

** Offering all the other captive brain-ships freedom in the finale counts too, but that's a [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming different trope]].

** Offering all the other captive brain-ships freedom in the finale counts too, but that's a [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming different trope]].

* Throughout ''The Human Division,'' [[spoiler:Equilibrium]] has been pirating ships, murdering their crews, and forcing the [BrainInAJar disembodied brains of their pilots] to carry out suicide attacks. In the first episode of ''The End Of All Things,'' one ''escapes.'' It's awesome.

* An earlier moment in ''The Last Colony,'' in which General Gau is (unknowingly) about to be utterly outmaneuvered by the CDF. John Perry jeopardizes the success of the maneuver (which relies on ''total'' surprise) by offering ''Gau'' a chance to surrender - out of compassion for the unsuspecting crews of Gau's space armada.

* The five Consu duels to confirm the help they gave the Rraey. Ending with Jane's {{Combat Pragmatist}} move of throwing the knife the humans are allowed because they don't have arm blades.

** Plus [[spoiler:his DyingMomentOfAwesome with the Trojan Horse.]]

* The five Consu duels to confirm the help they gave the Rraey. Ending with Jane's {{Combat Pragmatist}} move of throwing the knife the humans are allowed because they don't have arm blades.

* The five Consu duels to confirm the help they gave the Rraey. Ending with Jane {{Combat Pragmatist}} move of throwing the knife the humans are allowed because they don't have arm blades.

* The five Consu duels to confirm the help they gave the Raaey. Ending with Jane {{Combat Pragmatist}} move of throwing the knife the humans are allowed because they don't have arm blades.

* The series's defining moment of triumph, the ending of 'The Last Colony'. John Perry finally gets his revenge on the Colonial Union, fatally destabilising it and freeing humanity from its grasp with [[spoiler:a well-placed trading convoy]].