Adapting Tactics

1. Sun Tzŭ said: In war, the general receives his commands from the sovereign, collects his army and concentrates his forces.

1. Sun Tzu said: In war, the general receives orders from the ruler. He gathers his army and brings his forces together.

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 a desperate position, you must fight.

2. Do not set up camp in difficult terrain. Where major roads meet, join forces with your allies. Do not stay in dangerously isolated positions. When surrounded, you must use clever tactics. In a 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.

3. Some roads must not be taken. Some armies must not be attacked. Some towns must not be besieged. Some positions must not be fought over. Some orders from the ruler must not be obeyed.

4. The general who thoroughly understands the advantages that accompany variation of tactics knows how to handle his troops.

4. A general who fully understands the benefits of varying tactics knows how to manage 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.

5. A general who does not understand these may know the terrain well. But he will not be able to put that knowledge to practical use.

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.

6. So, a student of war who cannot adapt his plans will fail to use his men most effectively. This is true even if he knows the Five Advantages.

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

7. So a wise leader’s plans will weigh both advantages and disadvantages together.

8. If our expectation of advantage be tempered in this way, we may succeed in accomplishing the essential part of our schemes.

8. If we moderate our expectations of gaining an advantage in this way, we may accomplish the essential part of our plans.

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.

9. On the other hand, if we are always ready to seize an advantage during difficulties, we may escape 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.

10. Weaken enemy leaders by inflicting damage on them. And cause trouble for them and keep them constantly occupied. Offer deceptive rewards to make them rush to any point you choose.

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.

11. The art of war teaches us not to rely on the enemy being unlikely to come. Instead, we must rely on our own readiness to face the enemy. We must not count on the enemy choosing not to attack. Instead, we must make our position impossible to overcome.

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 honour which is sensitive to shame; (5) over-solicitude for his men, which exposes him to worry and trouble.

12. There are five dangerous faults that may affect a general: (1) Recklessness, which leads to destruction. (2) Cowardice, which leads to capture. (3) A quick temper, which insults can provoke. (4) An overly sensitive sense of honor, which makes him vulnerable to shame. (5) Excessive concern for his men, which leaves him open to worry and trouble.

13. These are the five besetting sins of a general, ruinous to the conduct of war.

13. These are the five major faults of a general, disastrous 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.

14. When an army is defeated and its leader killed, the cause will certainly lie among these five dangerous faults. Think carefully about these faults.