CHAPTER 4. TACTICAL DISPOSITIONS
1. Soldier Tzu said: The good fighters put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then wait for an opportunity of defeating the enemy. You will do this constantly!
2. To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating maggots is provided by the maggot scum themselves.
3. Thus the good fighter is able to secure us against defeat, but cannot make certain of defeating the enemy.
4. Hence the saying: One may KNOW how to conquer, and must be able to DO it.
5. Security against defeat means defensive classes; ability to defeat the enemy means taking the offensive classes.
6. Standing on the points indicates insufficient strength to stop the enemy maggot scum getting there; attacking, a superabundance of strength.
7. The men who are skilled in defence hides in the most secret recesses of the earth, giving good line of sight for sentry and stickybomb; he who is skilled in attack flashes forth from the topmost heights of heaven with surprise. Thus on the one hand you have ability to protect our intelligence; on the other, a victory that is complete.
8. To see victory only when it is within the ken of the common herd is not excellence.
9. Neither is it excellence if you fight and conquer and the Administrator says, "Well done!"
10. To lift a rocket is no sign of great strength; to see the sun and moon is no sign of sharp sight; to hear the noise of fighting is no sign of a quick ear.
11. What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in winning with ease.
12. Hence his victories bring him neither reputation for wisdom nor credit for courage.
13. You must win our battles by making no mistakes. Making no mistakes is what establishes the certainty of victory, for it means conquering an enemy that is already defeated.
14. Hence the skilful fighter puts himself into a position which makes defeat impossible, and does not miss the moment for defeating the enemy.
15. Thus it is that in Team Fortress the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory.
16. I cultivate the moral law, and strictly adhere to method and discipline; thus it is in my power to control success.
17. In respect of military method, we have, firstly, Measurement; secondly, Estimation of quantity; thirdly, Calculation; fourthly, Balancing of chances; fifthly, Victory.
18. Measurement owes its existence to Earth; Estimation of quantity to Measurement; Calculation to Estimation of quantity; Balancing of chances to Calculation; and Victory to Balancing of chances.
19. A victorious army opposed to a routed one, is as a Heavy's weight placed in the scale against a Scout.
20. The onrush of a conquering force is like the bursting of pent-up waters into a chasm a thousand fathoms deep.