Chapter Seven — Contesting Positions

Sun Tzu said: In all the methods of employing troops, the general receives orders from the sovereign, combines forces and marshals the people, makes alliances and establishes camps; nothing is more difficult than contesting positions. The difficulty in contesting positions lies in making the roundabout seem direct and turning danger into advantage. Therefore take a circuitous route and lure them with profit; when those behind set out, the first arrivals will already be there—this is the strategy of indirect and direct movement.

Therefore contesting for advantage brings both profit and danger. If the whole army marches to seize an advantage, it will not arrive in time; if part of the army is sent to seize it, the baggage will be lost. Therefore roll up the armor, hurry, and do not rest by day or night; travel at double speed and march without stopping. If you contest an advantage a hundred li away, the three army commanders may be captured; the vigorous will go first and the exhausted will lag behind, so only one in ten will arrive. If you contest an advantage fifty li away, the commander of the vanguard may be lost, and only half will arrive. If you contest an advantage thirty li away, two-thirds will arrive. Therefore an army without baggage perishes; without provisions it perishes; without accumulated stores it perishes. Whoever does not know the designs of neighboring lords cannot make alliances in advance; whoever does not know the terrain of mountains, forests, obstacles, and marshes cannot march; whoever does not employ local guides cannot gain the advantage of the ground.

Thus an army is established through deception, moved by advantage, and changed by dividing and uniting. Therefore be swift as the wind, quiet as a forest, fierce as fire, immovable as a mountain, inscrutable as darkness, and sudden in action as thunder. Plunder the countryside and divide your forces; extend your territory and distribute the gains; weigh the situation and then act. Whoever is first to understand the strategy of the indirect and direct approaches will prevail—this is the method of contesting positions.

The Military Regulations say: 'When voices cannot be heard, use gongs and drums; when people cannot see one another, use standards and banners.' Gongs, drums, standards, and banners serve as the people's common ears and eyes. Once the people are unified by them, the brave cannot advance alone and the timid cannot retreat alone—this is the method of employing a multitude. Therefore night fighting uses many gongs and drums, while day fighting uses many standards and banners; this is how one alters the way people hear and see.

An army's morale can be seized, and a general's mind can be shaken. Therefore morning morale is keen, at midday it flags, and in the evening it turns homeward. The skilled commander avoids keen morale and strikes when it flags or turns homeward—this is managing morale; he uses order to await disorder and calm to await clamor—this is governing the mind; he uses proximity to await distance, ease to await toil, and fullness to await hunger—this is managing strength; he does not challenge an enemy whose standards are in perfect order or attack a formation drawn up in imposing array—this is managing change.

Therefore, in employing troops: do not advance against a high ridge; do not go against an enemy who has a hill at his back; do not pursue a feigned retreat; do not attack fresh, vigorous troops; do not swallow the bait of a decoy force; do not block an army returning home; when you surround an army, leave it an outlet; do not press a desperate enemy. These are the principles of employing troops.