History BavarianFireDrill / Literature

* In the {{Gamebook}} ''Literature/TheFortressOfTheBlackCauldron'', you can pull off one of these if you pass two luck checks to convince a group of [[OurOrcsAreDifferent orcs]] that [[KidHero you]] and [[BarbarianHero your]] [[OlderSidekick friend]] are their superiors and that [[ShmuckBait they should follow you one at a time in an empty room for evaluation]]. Even if you have a chance of intimidating into submission the only one who does not trust you immediatly, it does not allow you to trick [[TooDumbToFool the ogre]] that accompanied them.

* ''Literature/{{Gor}}'': In ''Players of Gor'', Tarl Cabot is rescued in a timely manner by Andronicus, the only serious actor in Boots Tarsk-Bit's troop, masquerading as a visiting general from an allied city. He says afterwards that "The Imperious General" is one of his best characterizations.

* In the ''Franchise/HarryPotter'' books, it's said that the ''Confundus'' Charm can help a wizard pull this off, as the spell leaves its target in a state of utter confusion for an amount of time. It can either distract them long enough that the caster can escape them or take something from them, or cause them to listen to the first person who tells them to do something. Towards the end of the third book, Snape [[spoiler:tells Minister Fudge that Sirius Black used this charm to BFD Harry, Hermione, and Ron into attacking their Professor. Because Fudge is an idiot, he believed him]].

* In ''Literature/DanceOfTheButterfly'', the vigilante uses this technique to try to get he kidnapped sex slaves out of the criminal's compound, shouting out in an authoritative tone for everyone to evacuate. The fact the vigilante has set off precise explosions to cause fire and chaos only helps to lend legitimacy.

** Rincewind does this in ''Literature/InterestingTimes''. He runs into a school while being chased, dons a pair of glasses, and tells his would-be captors to get out of the exam he's presiding over. They abide.

** In ''1634: The Galileo Affair'', Captain Lennox and his company manage to work their way into the church where Galileo's trial was being held by pretending to be a Polish delegation, based solely on the Horse Marines being in full dress uniform and exactly one of the group of a half-dozen--Father Gus Heinzerling, a German Jesuit--able to speak Polish.

* The heroine of Andrew Clements' school story book, ''Literature/AboutAverage'', seems to have an almost instinctive grasp of the advice provided at the top of the real life section of this article. When her music class is trapped in a small school out-building during a recital by an approaching tornado that has already caused heavy damage and knocked their teacher unconscious, she quickly springs into action after mastering her fear. She gives clear, direct commands to specific individuals and assumes a no-questions attitude that is a big help in preventing what would have otherwise been a major disaster.

* ''Literature/ComputerWar'' by Creator/MackReynolds. A couple of enemy agents bluff their way inside a government building by posing as teenage {{Upper Class Twit}}s who have been sent to drop off some pills to their father who's a high-ranking bureaucrat. They use a RefugeInAudacity, deliberately drawing attention to themselves by parking in a no-parking zone and generally acting the opposite of people who are trying to sneak in. It works at first, but backfires when they later run into the same guard who let them in, who's suspicious as to why they're still in the building for what should have been a short errand. They have to kill him on the spot and MakeItLookLikeAnAccident.

* In the ''Serge A. Storms'' books by Creator/TimDorsey:

* In Lawrence Block's ''Literature/TheBurglarWhoPaintedLikeMondrian'' Bernie considers getting into the Charlemagne by starting a phony fire or bomb scare, putting on pajamas and a dressing-gown and mingling with the evacuated residents before giving up the idea when he realizes that it's too late in the evening to purchase said sleepwear. A few paragraphs earlier he calculates the possible success of a similar scheme involving pretending to be a doctor or a priest.

** Victor Tugelbend does it to get into a "clicks" studio in ''Literature/MovingPictures'', where the narration states "No-one with their sleeves rolled up who walks purposefully with a piece of paper held conspicuously in their hand is ever challenged."

* In Tim Dorsey's ''Serge A. Storms'' books by Creator/TimDorsey:

* In Tim Dorsey's ''Serge A. Storms'' books, Serge and his accomplice Coleman pull off a series of ATM thefts simply by walking into a convenience store and wheeling the ATM out on a hand truck. The reason they were allowed to do it? Serge walked in with a clipboard and started making notes to project an air of authority.

* In ''LightNovel/TheUnexploredSummonBloodSign'', Kyousuke needs to infiltrate a hotel where a VIP is staying. As it happens, there's a musical currently airing in the local area, with the [[TopGod White Queen]] as the lead character... and the actual White Queen is currently working with Kyousuke. He messes up her hair, throws a towel at her and berates her, pretending that she's the lead actress of said musical and that he's another member of the staff. To further the deception, he makes his smartphone ring and pretends to answer a call from his boss.

* ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive'' book 1, ''Literature/TheWayOfKings'': Near the end, Kaladin pulls this when [[spoiler:Dalinar's army is betrayed by Sadeas]]. Not only does he go back to rescue an entire army with only thirty men, but he also starts ordering around the soldiers who completely outrank him (he's a slave). He then proceeds to promote soldiers, order around [[WarriorPrince Adolin]], the Highprince's son, and then decides to go find Dalinar, the Highprince and commanding general ''himself'', and order him to flee. [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome And it works]].

* A favorite tactic of Rashid in ''On Wings of Eagles'', by Ken Follett. For instance, when the EDS men are detained as they're about to cross the Iranian border, Rashid realizes the overworked rebel commander is likely to just throw them into prison until he has time to deal with them, so takes the initiative by asking to discuss the matter with one of his subordinates, as the commander has clearly got more important matters to deal with. He does so, and as his commander has already accepted the authority of this stranger (ostensibly from the revolutionary committee in Tehran) Rashid is able to arrange a pass for the EDS men to cross the border.

* In Dick Francis' ''High Stakes'', a caper involving switching three horses around is managed by setting up an official-looking roadside mobile office, flagging down the trucks for a "census" and getting the drivers to stand in line waiting to fill out forms while outside their cargoes are being rearranged.

* ''Computer War'' by Creator/MackReynolds. A couple of enemy agents bluff their way inside a government building by posing as teenage {{Upper Class Twit}}s who have been sent to drop off some pills to their father who's a high-ranking bureaucrat. They use a RefugeInAudacity, deliberately drawing attention to themselves by parking in a no-parking zone and generally acting the opposite of people who are trying to sneak in. It works at first, but backfires when they later run into the same guard who let them in, who's suspicious as to why they're still in the building for what should have been a short errand. They have to kill him on the spot and MakeItLookLikeAnAccident.

* The heroine of Andrew Clements' school story book, ''About Average'', seems to have an almost instinctive grasp of the advice provided at the top of the real life section of this article. When her music class is trapped in a small school out-building during a recital by an approaching tornado that has already caused heavy damage and knocked their teacher unconscious, she quickly springs into action after mastering her fear. She gives clear, direct commands to specific individuals and assumes a no-questions attitude that is a big help in preventing what would have otherwise been a major disaster.