4. Tactical Dispositions

13

He wins his battles by making no mistakes.

Ch`en Hao says: "He plans no superfluous marches, he devises no futile attacks." The connection of ideas is thus explained by Chang Yu: "One who seeks to conquer by sheer strength, clever though he may be at winning pitched battles, is also liable on occasion to be vanquished; whereas he who can look into the future and discern conditions that are not yet manifest, will never make a blunder and therefore invariably win."

Making no mistakes is what establishes the certainty of victory, for it means conquering an enemy that is already defeated.