I've seen Tadpole pull off some impressive wins. There's a difference between a strategic thinker and a logistical. We can have a blend of both for an ideal situation.
One of your clues is Tadpoles artistic prowess. This type of thinker is the difference maker. I'm not sure how Tadepole was logistically, but I'd assume less so since those responsibilities fell to others as I understand.
Certain things become abundantly clear once you get a chance to experience them firsthand. I enjoy seeing their strategy evolve as we go along. Anticipating the next move is the hard part.
My side interest is in how things are executed. The Virtual Kingdom I set each age has it's strategic base in the interaction of the strengths of each race and personality. To mobilize these capabilities in an undulating miasma of logistical redundancy and tactical execution. - I just said that because it sounded cool.
Fun and a second wind.