CHAPTER 9. THE ARMY ON THE MARCH
1. Soldier Tzu said: We come now to the question of setting up positions, and observing the enemy. Pass quickly over steep ground, and stay in low ground.
2. Deploy sentry farms in high places, facing the direction of the BLU spawn. Do not climb heights in order to fight. So much for warfare on high ground.
3. After crossing a river, you should get far away from it, especially when the BLU Pyro has the Neon Annihilator equipped.
4. When invading BLU team crosses a river on a march, do not advance to meet them in mid-stream. It will be best to let half the army get across, and then deliver our attack.
5. If you are anxious to fight, you should not go to meet the invader near a river which he has to cross.
6. We should be higher than the enemy, and facing them. Do not move up-stream to meet the enemy. So much for warfare in bodies of water.
7. In crossing salt-marshes, our sole concern should be to get over them quickly, without any delay.
8. If forced to fight in a salt-marsh, we should have water and grass near us, and get our back to a clump of trees. So much for operations in salt-marches.
9. In dry, level country, we need to take up an easily accessible position with rising ground to our right and in our rear, so that BLU danger may be in front, and safety lie behind. So much for campaigning in flat country.
10. These are the four useful branches of military knowledge which enabled Saxton Hale to pummel four sovereigns with his BARE DAMN HANDS.
11. All armies prefer high ground to low. and sunny places to dark.
12. If I am careful of you men, and camp on hard ground, you will be free from disease of every kind, and this will spell victory for RED.
13. When we come to a hill or a bank, we must occupy the sunny side, with the slope on our right rear. Thus we will at once act for the benefit of us all and utilise the natural advantages of ground.
14. When, in consequence of heavy rains up-country, a river which we wish to cross is swollen and flecked with foam, we must wait until it subsides or find a crossing.
15. Country in which there are precipitous cliffs with torrents running between, deep natural hollows, confined places, tangled thickets, quagmires and crevasses, should be left with all possible speed and not approached.
16. While we stay away from such places, we should get the enemy to approach them; while we face them, we should let the enemy have them on his rear.
17. If in the neighbourhood of our camp there should be any hilly country, ponds surrounded by aquatic grass, hollow basins filled with reeds, or woods with thick undergrowth, they must be carefully routed out and searched; for these are places where the BLU Pyro in ambush or their insidious Spy are likely to be lurking.
18. When the enemy is close at hand and remains quiet, they are relying on the natural strength of their position.
19. When they keep aloof and try to provoke a battle, they are anxious for our noble side to advance.
20. If their place of encampment is easy to access, they have a bait that they want us to take.
21. Movement amongst trees of a forest shows that our enemy is advancing. The appearance of a number of badly flopping corpses means that the enemy has too many Spies with the Dead Ringer.
22. The rising of birds in their flight is the sign of an ambush. Startled beasts indicate that a sudden attack is coming.
23. When there is dust rising in a high column, it is the sign of Scouts advancing; when the dust is low, but spread over a wide area, it betokens the approach of Heavies. When it branches out in different directions, it shows that parties have been sent to collect ammo and health. A few clouds of dust moving to and fro signify that their army is setting up a sentry farm.
24. Humble words and increased preparations are signs that the enemy is about to advance. Violent language and driving forward as if to the attack are signs that he will retreat.
25. When the Scouts come out first and take up a position on the wings, it is a sign that the enemy is forming for battle.
26. Peace proposals unaccompanied by a sworn covenant indicate a plot.
27. When there is much running about and their Soldier falls into rank, it means that the critical moment has come.
28. When some are seen advancing and some retreating, it is a lure.
29. When there men stand leaning on their melee weapons, they are faint from want of food.
30. If those who are sent to draw water begin by drinking themselves, the army is suffering from thirst.
31. If the enemy sees an advantage to be gained and makes no effort to secure it, the soldiers are exhausted.
32. If birds gather on any spot, it is unoccupied. Clamour by night betokens nervousness.
33. If there is disturbance in the camp, the BLU Soldier's authority is weak. If the banners and flags are shifted about, sedition is afoot. If the strongest of each division are angry, it means that the men are weary.
34. When an army feeds its horses with grain and kills its cattle for food, and when the men do not hang their cooking-pots over the camp fires, showing that they will not return to their tents, you may know that they are determined to fight to the death.
35. The sight of men whispering together in small knots or speaking in subdued tones points to disaffection amongst the rank and file.
36. Too frequent rewards signify that the enemy is at the end of his resources; too many punishments betray a condition of dire distress.
37. To begin by bluster, but afterwards to take fright at the enemy's numbers, shows a supreme lack of intelligence.
38. When envoys are sent with compliments in their mouths, it is a sign that the enemy wishes for a truce.
39. If the enemy's troops march up angrily and remain facing ours for a long time without either joining battle or taking themselves off again, the situation is one that demands great vigilance and circumspection.
40. If our troops are no more in number than the enemy, that is amply sufficient; it only means that no direct attack can be made. What we do is simply to concentrate all our available strength, and to keep a close watch on the enemy, and obtain reinforcements.
41. Any of you who exercises no forethought but makes light of his opponents is sure to be captured by them.
42. If you are punished before you have grown attached to me, you will not prove submissive; and, unless submissive, then you will be practically useless. If, when you have become attached to me, punishments are not enforced, you will still be unless.
43. Therefore you must be treated in the first instance with humanity, but kept under control by means of iron discipline. This is a certain road to victory.
44. If in training my commands are habitually enforced, the army will be well-disciplined; if not, its discipline will be bad.
45. If I show confidence in you, my men, but always insists on my orders being obeyed, the gain will be mutual.
46. Happy New Year. That slimy Frenchman says that it is 1968, but I do not trust him.
A/N As in the last chapter, ditto to Soldier.