Gustavus was ahead of his time:both in military organization and strategy.

• He organized a national army instead of relying on mercenary soldiers.
• He strove to have discipline and high moral standards for his men, and wanted them to behave as a Christian Army.
• He took stern actions against the common practices of looting towns, raping women, and torture, and these were effective until his death.

His successes in battle, as well as in Kingship, were due to this discipline, his use of small, mobile units, the superiority of his firearms, and his personal charisma.