Tactical Positioning

1. Sun Tzŭ said: The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy.

1. Sun Tzu said: The skilled fighters of the past first made sure they could not be defeated. Then they waited for a chance to defeat the enemy.

2. To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.

2. Protecting ourselves from defeat is in our own hands. But the enemy himself provides the opportunity for us to defeat him.

3. Thus the good fighter is able to secure himself against defeat, but cannot make certain of defeating the enemy.

3. So a skilled fighter can protect himself against defeat. But he cannot guarantee victory over the enemy.

4. Hence the saying: One may know how to conquer without being able to do it.

4. So the saying goes: You may know how to win without being able to do it.

5. Security against defeat implies defensive tactics; ability to defeat the enemy means taking the offensive.

5. Staying safe from defeat requires defensive tactics. Being able to defeat the enemy means taking the offensive.

6. Standing on the defensive indicates insufficient strength; attacking, a superabundance of strength.

6. Staying on the defensive shows a lack of strength. Attacking shows more than enough strength.

7. The general who is skilled in defence hides in the most secret recesses of the earth; he who is skilled in attack flashes forth from the topmost heights of heaven. Thus on the one hand we have ability to protect ourselves; on the other, a victory that is complete.

7. A general skilled in defense hides in the earth’s most secret depths. A general skilled in attack strikes like lightning from heaven’s highest heights. So defense gives us the ability to protect ourselves, while attack brings complete victory.

8. To see victory only when it is within the ken of the common herd is not the acme of excellence.

8. Recognizing victory only when ordinary people can see it is not the highest level of excellence.

9. Neither is it the acme of excellence if you fight and conquer and the whole Empire says, “Well done!”

9. Nor is fighting and winning the height of excellence, even if the whole Empire says, “Well done!”

10. To lift an autumn hair is no sign of great strength; to see sun and moon is no sign of sharp sight; to hear the noise of thunder is no sign of a quick ear.

10. Lifting a fine autumn hair is no sign of great strength. Seeing the sun and moon is no sign of sharp eyesight. Hearing thunder is no sign of keen hearing.

11. What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in winning with ease.

11. The ancients called a fighter skilled not just for winning, but for excelling at winning with ease.

12. Hence his victories bring him neither reputation for wisdom nor credit for courage.

12. So his victories earn him neither a reputation for wisdom nor praise for courage.

13. He wins his battles by making no mistakes. Making no mistakes is what establishes the certainty of victory, for it means conquering an enemy that is already defeated.

13. He wins his battles by making no mistakes. Making no mistakes guarantees victory, because it means defeating an enemy who is already beaten.

14. Hence the skilful fighter puts himself into a position which makes defeat impossible, and does not miss the moment for defeating the enemy.

14. So a skilled fighter puts himself in a position where he cannot be defeated. And he never misses the chance to defeat the enemy.

15. Thus it is that in war the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory.

15. So in war, the winning strategist seeks battle only after victory is already secured. But the strategist destined for defeat fights first and looks for victory afterward.

16. The consummate leader cultivates the moral law, and strictly adheres to method and discipline; thus it is in his power to control success.

16. The ideal leader fosters moral principles and strictly follows proper methods and discipline. This gives him the power to control success.

17. In respect of military method, we have, firstly, Measurement; secondly, Estimation of quantity; thirdly, Calculation; fourthly, Balancing of chances; fifthly, Victory.

17. Military method has five stages: first, measurement. Second, estimating quantity. Third, calculation. Fourth, weighing the chances. Fifth, victory.

18. Measurement owes its existence to Earth; Estimation of quantity to Measurement; Calculation to Estimation of quantity; Balancing of chances to Calculation; and Victory to Balancing of chances.

18. Measurement depends on the terrain. Estimates of quantity depend on measurement. Calculations depend on estimates of quantity. Weighing the chances depends on calculations. Victory depends on weighing the chances.

19. A victorious army opposed to a routed one, is as a pound’s weight placed in the scale against a single grain.

19. A victorious army facing a defeated, fleeing army is like a pound weighed against a single grain on a scale.

20. The onrush of a conquering force is like the bursting of pent-up waters into a chasm a thousand fathoms deep. So much for tactical dispositions.

20. A conquering army rushes forward like pent-up water bursting into a chasm a thousand fathoms deep. That concludes the discussion of tactical positioning.