Timing Military Attack

Overview

A decision framework for choosing when to attack an enemy, based on Fan Li's counsel to Goujian.

Steps

1. Wait for enemy to eliminate its own wise advisors - Wu killed Zixu before Yue attacked
2. Assess enemy's current deployment - Attack when elite forces are away
3. Look for internal decay - Confirm enemy is surrounded by flatterers
4. Verify strategic opportunity - Enemy leader distracted (at conference in Huangchi)
5. Strike with full force - Deploy trained troops (20,000 naval, 40,000 infantry, 6,000 elite guards)

Decision Criteria

• Enemy's best advisors eliminated or ignored? ✓
• Enemy forces deployed elsewhere? ✓
• Only weak defenders remain? ✓
• Enemy leadership complacent? ✓

Warning