"These are the arts of the warrior. He who masters them wins. He who neglects them is defeated."
— Sun Tzu, The Art of War, Chapter I
Doctrine note: The Ten Maxims are observations about how outcomes are actually produced — drawn from the warfare tradition and tested at the highest stakes over centuries. They do not tell you what to do. They tell you what is always true.
The Ten Maxims are the governing code of the commander. They do not tell you which play to select. They tell you whether the conditions under which you are selecting it are sound.
I
Know the field before you enter it. The first act of every operation is assessment — never engagement.
The commander who assesses first and engages second always has more information than the one who does both simultaneously.
II
Never underestimate your opponent. Overconfidence defeats you before the opponent does.
The overconfident commander selects plays requiring higher SHIH than the honest assessment supports.
III
Occupy the terrain advantage before the engagement begins.
The commander who moves to key terrain before its value is obvious takes it without contest.
IV
Win without fighting where possible. The battle not fought was already won in the preparation.
Supreme excellence consists in breaking the opponent's resistance without direct engagement.
V
The commander's character determines the force's results. No strategy survives a weak command layer.
Every degree of command virtue failure is a degree of strategic failure.
VI
Intelligence before action. A decision made without foreknowledge is a guess wearing the clothes of strategy.
The intelligence pipeline is not optional. It is the first act of every operation.
VII
Divide the opposing force before engaging it. A unified opponent is always more dangerous than a divided one.
Target what holds the opposing force together — the Tao — not the force itself.
VIII
Capitalize immediately upon gaining advantage. An advantage not pressed is an advantage returned.
The moment of success is the moment to advance. The opponent not pressed will recover.
IX
Know when to advance and when to wait. Both require the correct reading of SHIH.
Acting prematurely wastes force. Waiting too long wastes advantage. SHIH determines the timing.
X
The Masterstroke is built over time — not seized in a moment.
Short-term pressure to act prematurely is pressure — not strategic intelligence.
Field Reference
- IAssess first. Engage second. Never simultaneously.
- IIOverconfidence defeats you before the opponent does.
- IIITake key terrain before it is contested.
- IVWin without fighting where the position supports it.
- VCommand quality determines execution quality.
- VIIntelligence before action — always.
- VIIDivide the opposing force before engaging it.
- VIIICapitalize immediately upon gaining advantage.
- IXRead SHIH correctly. Act at the correct moment.
- XThe Masterstroke is built — not seized.