Sun Tzu For Gamers - Part 2 - Waging War

This next chapter from Sun Tzu's "Art of War" is on Waging War. Here we will talk about the cost of war. (chapter one here)

In the operations of war, where there are in the field a thousand swift chariots, as many heavy chariots, and a hundred thousand mail-clad soldiers, with provisions enough to carry them a thousand LI, the expenditure at home and at the front, including entertainment of guests, small items such as glue and paint, and sums spent on chariots and armor, will reach the total of a thousand ounces of silver per day. Such is the cost of raising an army of 100,000 men.

From a model builders standpoint, building your forces is a greater price than the sum of the models. Paints, glues, files, brushes and time all conspire to elevate the cost. Buying lots of models and trying to paint them all is a large psychological barrier. Starting small and adding to your forces is almost always better.

From a gameplay standpoint, balance the use of expensive models (point wise) with hordes of low point models. Balanced approaches to army building means a greater ability to respond and less chance the enemy can devise a strategy against it.

When you engage in actual fighting, if victory is long in coming, then men's weapons will grow dull and their ardor will be damped. If you lay siege to a town, you will exhaust your strength. Again, if the campaign is protracted, the resources of the State will not be equal to the strain.

From a model builder's standpoint, models get damaged as time goes on. They must be repaired. Plus the longer you play a game, the greater chance of newer and better looking models being produced is greater. Expect this temptation.

From a gameplay standpoint, only games with endurance has this worry. If it does , you can either play fast for a quick end or slow to wear the opponent out. Use the strategy that complements your strength: excellent assault with quick play, excellent defence with slow play.

Now, when your weapons are dulled, your ardor damped, your strength exhausted and your treasure spent, other chieftains will spring up to take advantage of your extremity. Then no man, however wise, will be able to avert the consequences that must ensue. Thus, though we have heard of stupid haste in war, cleverness has never been seen associated with long delays.

From a model builder's standpoint, the newer players have the newest models. They will win against old veterns until the vetern understands the strengths and weaknesses of the new models. Then they will consistantly win because they have understood thier own models for longer. The faster a vetern understands these new models the faster they can start winning.

From a gameplay standpoint, allies cease being so if they smell weakness. You can either use this fact to draw them into a trap for thier own resources to be vunerable or consolidate before this point occurs.

There is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare. It is only one who is thoroughly acquainted with the evils of war that can thoroughly understand the profitable way of carrying it on.

It is only through mistakes that an errors will not happen again. Don't be afraid of them. If you create a badly painted unit, you will know to use a different way. If you make a bad play, remember it.

The skillful soldier does not raise a second levy, neither are his supply-wagons loaded more than twice.

Don't hesitate. If you have a gut feeling and need to react, react. Delay gives your opponent more time to counter the action. If it is a wrong choice then you will know for next time and will naturally react accordingly.

Bring war material with you from home, but forage on the enemy. Thus the army will have food enough for its needs.

For modellers, having that fancy paint might work great for you but if you are somewhere other than home the local brand might not cut it. Plan accordingly.

For gameplay, use the enemies resources against them while denying thier own. Even though fighting in the enemies country is hazardous, this foraging will benifit you if it becomes a protracted battle or if you must retreat.

Poverty of the State exchequer causes an army to be maintained by contributions from a distance. Contributing to maintain an army at a distance causes the people to be impoverished. On the other hand, the proximity of an army causes prices to go up; and high prices cause the people's substance to be drained away. When their substance is drained away, the peasantry will be afflicted by heavy exactions. With this loss of substance and exhaustion of strength, the homes of the people will be stripped bare, and three-tenths of their income will be dissipated; while government expenses for broken chariots, worn-out horses, breast-plates and helmets, bows and arrows, spears and shields, protective mantles, draught-oxen and heavy wagons, will amount to four-tenths of its total revenue. Hence a wise general makes a point of foraging on the enemy. One cartload of the enemy's provisions is equivalent to twenty of one's own, and likewise a single PICUL of his provender is equivalent to twenty from one's own store.

A lean army does not need to be supported from afar. This means more energy can be used to make attacks rather than worry about arms and equipment. It also leads to a happier homeland and unhappier enemy populace. This also means a happier homelife if your family/spouse/cat is not starving or going without because of your hobby and you are using better alternatives of playing your hobby. Selling off old unplayed armies/games is a good way of doing this.

Now in order to kill the enemy, our men must be roused to anger; that there may be advantage from defeating the enemy, they must have their rewards. Therefore in chariot fighting, when ten or more chariots have been taken, those should be rewarded who took the first. Our own flags should be substituted for those of the enemy, and the chariots mingled and used in conjunction with ours. The captured soldiers should be kindly treated and kept. This is called, using the conquered foe to augment one's own strength.

For modellers, reward yourself for goals set. If you finished painting a unit ahead of schedule, take some time doing something else or working on that terrain piece. For gameplay, there are few mechanics for rewarding your forces for good gameplay, but you can model it. I had a squad of Necron Scarabs go against Space Wolf Terminators and only wanted to delay thier advance. After three long turns I won. That battle can be modelled on the bases with Space Wolf Terminator helmets to mark the occassion and generate fun conversation amongst fellow gamers.

In war, then, let your great object be victory, not lengthy campaigns. Thus it may be known that the leader of armies is the arbiter of the people's fate, the man on whom it depends whether the nation shall be in peace or in peril.

When modelling, set short term objectives for painting and you will always be satisfied. When gaming, go for the scenario and not for total victory. Then you will be a happy general.

Next is "Attack by Strategem".