Themes: Momentum
Creating Localised Superiority
- 故胜兵若以镒称铢，败兵若以铢称镒。
胜者之战民也，若决积水于千仞之溪者，形也。 — 军形 - 计利以听，乃为之势，以佐其外。势者，因利而制权也。 — 始计
In battle, a larger sized force (形) has initial advantage over her enemy. In preparation for war, one invests in building her military might and capabilities to give her an advantage. Strength in numbers alone however do not determine the outcome of war.
- 故善战者，求之于势，不责于人，故能择人而任势。 — 兵势
- 激水之疾，至于漂石者，势也；鸷鸟之疾，至于毁折者，节也 。
故善战者，其势险，其节短。势如彍弩，节如发机。 — 兵势 - 故善战人之势，如转圆石于千仞之山者，势也。 — 兵势
A numerically smaller force can overcome a larger one. A successful general does not count solely upon numerical advantage or individual efforts of her soldiers but leverages momentum (势) — the combination of speed, coordinated attacks (节) and concentrated force, to create advantage in battle.
- 兵之所加，如以碫投卵者，虚实是也。 — 兵势
- 兵非益多也，惟无武进，足以并力、
料敌、取人而已。 — 行军 - 我专为一，敌分为十，
是以十攻其一也，则我众而敌寡；
能以众击寡者，则吾之所与战者，约矣。 — 虚实
She assesses the weak points in the enemy’s defences behind her apparent superiority, concentrates her forces (albeit a smaller one overall), and coordinates her attacks to attain localised superiority at that weak point.
- 进而不可御者，冲其虚也。 — 虚实
- 所谓古之善用兵者，能使敌人前后不相及，众寡不相恃，贵贱不相救，
上下不相收，卒离而不集，兵合而不齐。 — 九地 - 敢问：“敌众整而将来，待之若何？”
曰：“先夺其所爱，则听矣。” —九地
The threat of an unexpected break through into the enemy’s defence forces disrupts her battle plans as she comes to reinforce the weak points. This further allows one to gain the initiative in battle.
