Weak Battle Strategy (51)

Jomo Fray '10, English 65, The Cyborg Self, Brown University (Fall 2006)

The Lei Forward Outpost is much too powerful to attack head on, but with a few modifications it could fall. For this to happen you must "steal the firewood from under the pot".

"When attacking a strong force,
it is difficult to attack it directly as it stands.
In these cases, one attacks the corners.
In large scale battles, after careful inspection of
the enemy's forces, one can gain advantage by attacking
the corners of exposed strategic points. When one
has eliminated the strength of the corners, the
strength of the whole will also be diminished."

-Miyamoto Musashi

The ways in which you may weaken the defenses of the outpost is by utilizing the fact that you saw those farms earlier. If your army splits up and sets fire to the nearby farms, the Forward Outpost would be forced to open the gates and send troops to defend the farms. In which case we would spring a trap for these troops and simultaneously strike the outpost head on. This attack from both sides would be against thinly spread out Lei troops giving us a major advantage. This would be utilizing two principals of war.

"When the enemy is too strong to attack
directly, then attack something he holds dear.
Know that in all things ha cannot be superior.
Somewhere there is a gap in the armor, a
weakness that can be attacked instead. If the
enemy is on campaign, his home will be weak,
if his army is fast, his baggage trains will be
slow, if the army well equipped, the
treasury will be at a loss."

-The Thirty-Six Strategies of Ancient China

"When I am few and the enemy is many, I can use
the few to strike the many because those with
whom I do battle are restricted

The few are those who prepare against others.
The many are those who make others prepare
Against them."

-Sun Tzu

>> "This might be just crazy enough to work!" >>

>> "Hmmm, maybe the other plan might be more effective" >>