II. 作 戰 第 二 - The Art of War [Waging War][Public]

[dragon_of_wei]

As the famous scholar, Ts`ao Kung, has the note:

"He who wishes to fight must first count the cost," which prepares us for the discovery that the subject of the chapter is not what we might expect from the title, but is primarily a consideration of ways and means."

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Sun Tzu wrote: In the operations of war, where there are in

Comments

[date_with_death]

Makes me think of the 3rd March on Vohemar, back during the war. Where the Bellicus troops tried to circle around theNorthern edge of the Badlands and promptly froze to death and were eatten by monsters. Fasinating stuff.

[dragon_of_wei]

...My, such a gruesome death they suffered.

The fiends certainly had a bountiful feast upon that day.

[date_with_death]

Sure was. That's what happens when you're not prepared. Interesting article, Sir.

[dragon_of_wei]

Exactly, if a commander wanders off into battle without knowing a single thing about the terrain or climate...

They shall surely lose. The balance between Heaven and Earth is a delicate balance that must be respected even by those who wish to paint such tranquility with bloodshed.

I thank you.

[nohoppityskip]

Having enough provisions seems like common sense that all too many military leaders ignore. Sun Tsu seems perfectly logical in all of his reasonings, though I must question what he means by a profitable war.

I suppose some scenarios, such as defending against an aggressor could be considered profitable for the survival of those attacked. But one would think a war fought for the gain of a small plot of land would be made unprofitable when someone else will fight over it in another hundred years.

I don't think you'll find many that will argue that the value of blood spilled is less than a lump of rock.

[dragon_of_wei]

You would be amazed at how many officers in Ivona's history that were not as logical as this scholar. They overlooked such facts and found themselves welcomed into the jaws of failure

[nohoppityskip]

Why thank you, Mengde, yours is lovely as well.

An empire is nothing in a thousand years when it crumbles. And yet battle is not the only way to build such conquests. My father's job consisted of negotiating between countries, getting them not to fight. Ivona did not acquire all its land through bloodshed. The Sto Lat area, for example, in the North. Future wealth need not come at the cost of slaughtered people.

Yet invention also comes from those who wish to advance humanity beyond. Many of these machines are perverted away from the original vision of the inventor by those who wish to pursue better ways of killing their fellow man. Airships do not need canons or other weapons to fly into the free, open air, yet that is what they are used for: to kill.

[dragon_of_wei]

Such flattery, I am merely grateful for a fellow scholar.

You speak a truth that has not been spoken of as of yet. Agreed, bloodshed alone is not the way a empire can come to power. Be too violent of a ruler and the people shall grow to fear and hate you. Thus what happened to great dynasties of the past that has crumbled into ashes.

When becoming a ruler, you must play a perfect balance between 'Good and Evil'. You must appear humble and devoted to your people but must remain as sharp as your blade in case there are those who wish to challenge your might.

Although, sayings do claim that the 'pen' is always mightier than the 'sword'.

A saying that is is a fact in my opinion.

Is it not amazing, Susan, at how methodical and cruel humanity can be to its self? We can build the most beautiful crafts but we ruin such art with our lust for warfare.

Humanity's self-loathing stems farther beyond the years presented in Holy text.

[stoneface_vimes]

An awful lot of this seems to be just common sense.

Although enough leaders are lacking in that to make it worthwhile, I suppose.

I'm also not sure there is such a thing as a profitable war.

[dragon_of_wei]

Knowledge can be found even in the simplest of words, so there should be little surprise that such knowledge comes from the 'common sense' we all should have.

There is such thing as a profitable war if one means on the level of experience...

[stoneface_vimes]

That's true. It's just that you shouldn't have to tell anyone that fighting wars costs money and tires people out. The knowledge that needs giving out is the sort that isn't immediately obvious.
Or it should be.

Experience? Yes. But if all you get from a war is 'how to fight a war', it's not profitable at all in the long run. For it to be profitable, there'd have to be something coming out of it that wasn't just more war.

[dragon_of_wei]

When is anything in life ever like it should be? We have fools within Parliament now that seem not to understand this concept but still are lustful for war.

Experience is only one-third of the reward while the rest of it lies upon the gaining of new land and possibly new allies. Wealth will always be the incentive for a dynasty to grow but there has to be something more profitable than just acquired wealth alone...

How war be profitable if the so called 'wealth' you have claimed are going end up paying the heavy debt of the war you've just fought?

This where I begin to think that perhaps the experience I was speaking of is not entirely wrong but more in the shape of 'technology' rather than experience.

[karmauberalles]

War is war. What comes of it isn't my business; it's the business of those who decided to start it in the first place.

[dragon_of_wei]

You think like a soldier, Admiral, and that is perhaps the best mentality to have rather than question the motives of our leaders.

[karmauberalles]

Hn. Sometimes our leaders aren't in the position to be giving orders in the first place.

[dragon_of_wei]

So true, it is a shame we allow the fools to be the ones to lead our society in the first place.

[voice]

[theschmotone]

Vhen hyu's fighting a var, no matter de var, provisions are goot to have, dot's certain. However, it iz also helpful to have soldiers who are efficient und who can fend for demselves if dey haz to. Simple hunting und foraging techniques haz saved many lives, und sadly, dese days not many varriors zeems to be dot versatile

[voice]

[dragon_of_wei]

I agree with your sentiments about today's warriors...ah! I do believe we have spoken before. Good to hear from you again.

The focus is solely upon how well a soldier can take orders rather than on actual skill. This would be the reason as to why their is so many floundering buffoons aboard this vessel...

Mechanicsburg? I have heard of that town...no one from Ivona would dare attack it considering the rumors that float about the 'guardians' that supposedly protect it.

The Masters? Hm...the Heterodynes, am I correct? I have heard tales about the Heterodynes being the ones who created the Jägermonsters but I never once believed in such until now. The Heterodynes's legacy is legendary even in Ivona...

[voice]

[theschmotone]

Precisely! Now, granted, taking orders iz important. Oddervise, vhat goot iz a chain of command? Vhat hyu gotta know iz vhen to obey directly, und vhen to get, shall ve zay...creative. Zometimes de clever zee vhat de commanders don't, und zo long as dey's not disobeying, it all vorks out fine.

*amazed-sounding snort* Ho, yez, de guardians! Und dose iz just de clenks dot guard de place. Vhen all of us iz dere as vell, to zay noting of de townsfolk, no vun gets in. No vun.

Und yez, dot's correct! Iz goot to zee zomevun else who knows de history outside of deir own country. Dunno who said it, but it reminds me of zometing I heard vonce: "De vorld iz a book, und dem vhat doesn't travel reads only vun page."