Art of War

I will be doing a series containing a few different articles which will compare Sun Tzu's the Art of War to Halo 3. If you have ever read the Art of War, you may know that not very much of what was written directly applies to Halo, since it was in fact designed for actual war. Despite this setback, I took up the challenge and specifically chose sections that will illustrate some important concepts.

SECTION IV: TACTICAL DISPOSITIONS

1. To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.

Securing against defeat is synonymous with playing defensively. But we do not play to simply avoid losing, as this will often ensure defeat. Defeating the enemy implies more of an offensive action. So Sun Tzu says that the enemy himself provides the opportunity for his own defeat. There are a few different ways to interpret this, but I think the best way in regards to Halo is this; When the opposing team makes a mistake, take advantage of it. If they separate themselves from one another to the point of being without backup, pounce on the opportunity to overpower or surprise them. In the same regard, if the enemies are all dead, this is an opportunity they have given you to start an aggressive action and meet their re-spawn with guns blazing. Do not be lazy, and pay close attention to every positional aspect of the game, ensuring that you will not miss a good opportunity.

2. Standing on the defensive indicates insufficient strength; While attacking indicates a superabundance of strength.

Of course we do not play to lose, but this does not mean defense is a bad thing. If only two members of your team are alive during a CTF game, while the entire enemy is rushing your side, it will usually pay off to play defensively until your teammates can re-spawn and supply assistance. This illustrates insufficient strength. Halo is give and take, a balance of offense and defense, with the superior team usually inflicting their will on the enemy more-so than the other way around.

3. The general who is skilled in defense hides in the most secret recesses...; he who is skilled in attack flashes forth from the topmost heights...

Do not be obvious when playing defensively, and your team should strive to take up good defensive positions when necessary. Positions that will give you an advantage over any incoming enemies. When attacking, do so from a position that will give you an advantage. This could be a position that offers quite a bit of cover, or a position that allows you to view and put shots over the largest area.


4. What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in winning with ease.

Do not reinvent the wheel so to speak. If your team utilizes some awesome strategy by accident, you should go into theater and see exactly what was done, so it can be used again. Learn everything you can from every game you play, and you will excel much faster.

5. He wins his battles by making no mistakes. Making no mistakes is what establishes the certainty of victory, for it means conquering an enemy that is already defeated.

You may have heard me talk about mistakes in Halo if you have read any of my other material. I often say that the team who wins is the team who makes the least amount of mistakes. Mistakes lead to advantages and disadvantages, and these allow for the tactical and strategic opportunities that are the deciding factors of a game's outcome. If your team is very well practiced, you can be fairly certain that you will make less mistakes than the other team, and you may very well be conquering an enemy that is already defeated.

6. Hence the skillful fighter puts himself into a position which makes defeat impossible, and does not miss the moment for defeating the enemy.

This ties into everything that I described earlier. Reiteration however is the key to learning. Only place yourself in positions where you know you will have the upper hand. This will usually be a position in which you cannot be flanked or double teamed, and one with sure escape routes in case things go south. More importantly, a position that will allow for the creation of tactics, such as the bait and switch, or a position that will allow you to surprise an enemy. With that said, do not pass up the opportunity to engage an enemy when the advantage lies in your hands, as long as you are not hurting the overall strategy of your team.