戰騎

King Wu asked Taigong: "What about cavalry warfare?" Taigong said: "Cavalry has ten victories and nine defeats." King Wu said: "What are the ten victories?" Taigong said: "When the enemy has just arrived, their formation not yet settled, front and rear disconnected — charge their lead cavalry and strike their flanks, the enemy will certainly flee. When the enemy's formation is orderly and solid and their soldiers eager to fight — our cavalry should wing out without departing, galloping back and forth, swift as wind, violent as thunder, turning broad daylight into confusion, frequently changing banners and altering insignia — their army can be overcome. When the enemy's formation is unsteady and their soldiers will not fight — press their front and rear, sweep their flanks, wing around and strike them, the enemy will certainly be terrified. When the enemy wishes to return to camp at dusk and the three armies are anxious — wing their flanks, strike hard at the rear, press their camp entrance and do not let them enter, the enemy will certainly be defeated. When the enemy has no natural stronghold and we drive deep, cutting their supply route — the enemy will certainly starve. When the ground is flat and open, the enemy visible from all sides — chariots and cavalry charge them, the enemy will certainly be thrown into confusion. When the enemy is in flight and their soldiers scattered — wing their flanks or envelop their front and rear, their general can be captured. When the enemy returns at dusk with very large numbers, their march formation will inevitably be disordered — form our cavalry into squads of ten, garrisons of a hundred, chariot clusters of five, and groups of ten, set many banners and intersperse powerful crossbows, then strike their flanks or cut their front and rear — the enemy general can be taken prisoner. These are the ten victories of cavalry."

King Wu said: "What are the nine defeats?" Taigong said: "When cavalry charges the enemy but cannot break their formation, and the enemy feigns retreat only to wheel their chariots and cavalry to strike our rear — this is defeat ground for cavalry. When pursuing a fleeing enemy across dangerous terrain in a long chase without stopping, and the enemy ambushes both our flanks and cuts off our rear — this is encirclement ground. When you can go forward but cannot return, can enter but cannot exit — this is called falling into heaven's well and stumbling into earth's pit. This is death ground. When the entrance is narrow and the exit distant, where the weak can strike the strong and the few can strike the many — this is submersion ground. Great ravines and deep valleys concealed by forests and trees — this is exhaustion ground. Water on left and right, a great hill ahead, a high mountain behind, the three armies fighting between two rivers while the enemy holds both sides — this is hardship ground. When the enemy cuts our supply lines and we can go forward but not return — this is desperation ground. Low marshy land where advancing and retreating means sinking into mud — this is distress ground. A deep ditch on the left, pits and mounds on the right, the terrain appearing level when it is not, inviting advance that leads to a trap — this is entrapment ground. These nine are death grounds for cavalry. The brilliant general avoids them at all costs; the benighted general falls into them and is destroyed."