Some notes on Deception by RPP Part 3

Continuing from yesterday's entry of RPP's Notes from Deception in War by Jon Latimer, here is Part 3, which he posted to Spladdle Forum.

If you missed the previous parts of the series, please read:

• Some notes on Deception by RPP Part 1
• Some notes on Deception by RPP Part 2

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Notes from H. John Poole's Phantom Soldier: The Enemy's Answer to US Firepower


H. John Poole's Strategies for Deception List (from the appendix of Phantom Soldier). I'll flesh these out with more notes when I get time, as some of them sound cryptic.


Stratagems when in a superior position

1. Openly cross an open area
2. Seize something valuable the enemy has left unguarded
3. Use the enemy against himself
4. Make the enemy come to you
5. Capitalize on a natural disaster
6. Pretend to attack from one side and attack from another

Stratagems for Confrontation

1. Make Something out of nothing
2. Attack from one side and switch to another
3. Give Murphy's law time to work on the enemy
4. Mask a sinister intention with a good impression
5. Sacrifice minor concerns for the sake of the overall mission
6. Seize the chance to increase the odds

Stratagems for Attack

1. Make a feint to discover the foe's intentions
2. Steal the enemy's source of his strength
3. Draw the enemy away from his refuge
4. Give a retreating adversary room
5. Discover a foe's intentions by offering him something of value
6. Damage the enemy's method of control

Stratagems for Confused Situations

1. Erode the enemy's source of strength
2. Create chaos to make an opponent easier to beat
3. Leave behind a small force to slow and deceive pursuers
4. Encircle the foe but let him think he has a way out
5. Concentrate on the nearest opposition
6. Borrow from the enemy the instrument of his own destruction

Stratagems for Gaining Ground

1. Attack the enemy's habits to undermine his foundation
2. Make an example of someone to deter the enemy
3. Feign lack of military ability
4. Lure the foe into poor terrain and cut off his escape route
5. Mislead the enemy with false information
6. Secretly occupy an enemy-controlled area

Stratagems for Desperate Situations

1. Lull the enemy to sleep with something beautiful
2. Reveal a weakness to cause the enemy to suspect a trap
3. Attack the enemy's cohesion from within
4. Feign injury to yourself
5. Combine stratagems
6. Refuse to fight

The third installment tomorrow. HTH!