Martial prowess and military high command are two different disciplines.
The latter requires skill in coordinating multiple operations running in tandem to support each other in achieving some strategic objective, dealing with the inevitable friction of things not going to plan, balancing momentum with logistical limitations while trying to cover your own vulnerabilities and extrapolating enemy movements from incomplete intelligence.
The former just requires superhuman strength, reflexes and precision aided by preternatural awareness and literally breathtaking telekinetic powers. Well, “just” makes it sound like it’s trivial, so don’t get me wrong: Vader is powerful and dangerous and will rightly have a reputation for his lethality. But those skills don’t transfer to what an admiral would be expected to bring to the table.
From their position, he’ll be a tactical weapon, a murder machine to tear a gaping hole into the enemy ranks and an even bigger one into their morale, spearheading assaults with devastating effect…
Ummm, Anakin Skywalker was highly regarded as a military strategist throughout the clone wars. Non conventional maybe, but highly effective
But no one is supposed to know that Vader is Skywalker, so that reputational credit doesn’t transfer
Vader is known for singlehandedly taking on armies though, which even Anakin never did.
Martial prowess and military high command are two different disciplines.
The latter requires skill in coordinating multiple operations running in tandem to support each other in achieving some strategic objective, dealing with the inevitable friction of things not going to plan, balancing momentum with logistical limitations while trying to cover your own vulnerabilities and extrapolating enemy movements from incomplete intelligence.
The former just requires superhuman strength, reflexes and precision aided by preternatural awareness and literally breathtaking telekinetic powers. Well, “just” makes it sound like it’s trivial, so don’t get me wrong: Vader is powerful and dangerous and will rightly have a reputation for his lethality. But those skills don’t transfer to what an admiral would be expected to bring to the table.
From their position, he’ll be a tactical weapon, a murder machine to tear a gaping hole into the enemy ranks and an even bigger one into their morale, spearheading assaults with devastating effect…
…but please stay out of their business.