Variation in Tactics

2 minutes • 380 words

In war, the general receives his commands from the sovereign. He then collects his army and concentrates his forces.

When in difficult country, do not encamp.
In country where high roads intersect, join hands with your allies.
Do not linger in dangerously isolated positions.
In hemmed-in situations, you must resort to stratagem.
In desperate position, you must fight.

There are:

roads which must not be followed
armies which must be not attacked
towns which must be besieged
positions which must not be contested
commands of the sovereign which must not be obeyed.

A general will know how to handle his troops if he thoroughly understands the advantages of changing tactics.

A general who does not change his tactics will not be able to use his knowledge practically even if he knows the configuration of the country

So, the student of war who is unversed in the art of war of varying his plans, even though he be acquainted with the Five Advantages, will fail to make the best use of his men.

Hence in the wise leader’s plans, considerations of advantage and of disadvantage will be blended together.

If our expectation of advantage be tempered in this way, we may succeed in accomplishing the essential part of our schemes.
If, on the other hand, in the midst of difficulties we are always ready to seize an advantage, we may extricate ourselves from misfortune.

Reduce the hostile chiefs by:

inflicting damage on them
making trouble for them
keeping them constantly engaged

Hold out specious allurements, and make them rush to any given point.

The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy’s not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable.

Five dangerous faults may affect a general:

Recklessness, which leads to destruction
Cowardice, which leads to capture
A hasty temper, which can be provoked by insults
A delicacy of honor which is sensitive to shame
Over-solicitude for his men, which exposes him to worry and trouble.

When an army is overthrown and its leader slain, the cause will surely be found among these five dangerous faults. Let them be a subject of meditation.