Hey Ritter,
Fantastic questions lately! These are the ones we need as a community to answer, and the ones we all want to understand more I think.
Strategy of Shaolin forms is one of the deep aspects of Shaolin Kung fu that I hope people come to understand more. It is to do with XinFa, that is , methods of the mind. In basic styles this is designed to adjust to your emotion, motivation and momentum and instinct, conscious AND unconscious intent. These things are largely outside of your control and yet they determine the outcome of a fight, and so learning to use them, or rather to move along with them is more important than using your hands a legs.
Shaolin theory treats the body as if it is an army, the eyes and ears are scouts, the legs and hands soldiers, the heart is the general etc. Then it applies the art of war to this system. In the art of war controlling morale of the army is paramount. This is by analogy the will and motivation of the body system.
I explain a bit on Xiao Hong Quan in a recent video; (
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RciA1j1uPek) Lots I didn't discuss as I had to keep the video as short as possible otherwise no one would watch it. It uses the classic strategies of Zheng and Qi, that is 'straight' and 'Odd' being the strategy of attacking straightaway Or using deception coupled with reaction. Alternating between these strategies is the key.
I will explain the strategy of Da Tong Bei in a new video over the next few days, currently editing but it is all filmed. It alternates between longfist (changquan) and shortstrike (Duanda) depending on the rythm of the fight.
After these I want to shoot videos of individual techniques common to many Shaolin forms, film them as they are practiced individually independent of style.
Shaolin styles are largely to give you the strategy. Without strategy we would only practice moves individually.