Notice the new and surprising military strategy and techniques used by Moroni in these military campaigns. Moroni prepared his people with breastplates, arm-shields, thick clothing, and shields to protect their heads. (Alma 43:19.) He also fortified the Nephite cities by having the people cast up "heaps of earth round about all the cities . . . And upon the top of these ridges of earth he caused that there should be timbers . . . built up to the height of a man. . . . And he caused that upon these works of timbers there should be a frame of pickets built . . . and they were strong and high. And he caused towers to be erected that overlooked those works of pickets, and he caused places of security to be built upon those towers." (Alma 50:1-4.) In actual battle, Moroni often used decoy and encircling tactics to confuse and defeat the enemy. (Alma 43:27-35.)
Moroni may have obtained some of his new ideas on warfare from Mosiah's translation of the twenty-four gold plates of Ether, which contained an account of the wars and contentions of the people of Jared. (See Alma 37:23-29.) If so, this may have given him an advantage over the Lamanites, because they did not have access to this record.