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Chapter VIII. VARIATION IN TACTICS
1. Sun Tzu said: In war, the general
receives his commands from the sovereign,
collects his army and concentrates his
forces
2. 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.
3. There are roads which must not be
followed, armies which must be not
attacked, towns which must not be besieged,
positions which must not be contested,
commands of the sovereign which must not be
obeyed.
4. The general who thoroughly understands
the advantages that accompany variation of
tactics knows how to handle his troops.
5. The general who does not understand
these, may be well acquainted with the
configuration of the country, yet he will
not be able to turn his knowledge to
practical account.
6. 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.
7. Hence in the wise leader's plans,
considerations of advantage and of
disadvantage will be blended together.
8. If our expectation of advantage be
tempered in this way, we may succeed in
accomplishing the essential part of our
schemes.
9. If, on the other hand, in the midst of
difficulties we are always ready to seize
an advantage, we may extricate ourselves
from misfortune.
10. Reduce the hostile chiefs by inflicting
damage on them; and make trouble for them,
and keep them constantly engaged; hold out
specious allurements, and make them rush to
any given point.
11. 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.
12. There are five dangerous faults which
may affect a general: (1) Recklessness,
which leads to destruction; (2) cowardice,
which leads to capture; (3) a hasty temper,
which can be provoked by insults; (4) a
delicacy of honor which is sensitive to
shame; (5) over-solicitude for his men,
which exposes him to worry and trouble.
13. These are the five besetting sins of a
general, ruinous to the conduct of war.
14. 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.