He who does not employ a guide, cannot gain advantage from the ground.
Disguise your movements; await a favourable opportunity; divide or unite according to circumstance.
Let your attack be swift as the wind; your march calm like the forest;[1] your occupation devastating as fire. In defence, as a mountain rest firm; like darkness impenetrable to the enemy. Let your movements be swift as the lightning.
Let as many as possible take part in the plunder: distribute the profit from the captured territory.
So he who understands the crooked and the straight way conquers.
These are the methods of Battle Tactics.
According to the ancient books on war, the drum and bell are used, because the voice does not carry; the flag is used to assist the sight. The use of bell, drum, banner and flag is to attract the united attention of eye and ear.
- ↑ This passage was written on the standard of Takeda Shingen, one of Japan’s most famous generals.
