Phase GAR: 3

”孤纵横兵场无数，竟不及儒将一人邪？“ ~曹操。孟德 

Nishiyama Yuriko=Artist/author of the manga Harlem Beat. No j/k.

“I have been through countless battles, yet to think that I'm no match for a Confucian general..."

~Cao Cao. Mengde

[夏侯渊败，曹公争汉中地，运米北山下， 数千万囊。黄忠以为可取，云兵随忠取米。忠过期不还，云将数十骑轻行出围，迎视忠等。值曹公扬兵大出，云为公前锋所击，方战，其大众至，势逼，遂前突其陈，且斗且却。公军散，已复合，云陷敌，还趣围。将张著被创，云复驰马还营迎著。公军追至围，此时沔阳长张翼在云围内，翼欲闭门拒守，而云入营，更大开门，偃旗息鼓。公军疑云有伏兵，引去。云雷鼓震天，惟以戎弩于后射公军，公军惊骇，自相蹂践，堕汉水中死者甚多。先主明旦自来至云营围视昨战处，曰：“子 龙一身都是胆也。”作乐饮宴至暝，军中号云为虎威将军。]

《云别传》

[Upon Xiahou Yuan's demise, Duke Cao entered the fray to fight for Hanzhong. Upon reaching Mount North, a massive amount of rations were gathered under the mountain's foot. Huang Zhong deemed it possible to take the supplies as Yun's soldiers accompanied him for the mission. As Zhong had yet to return after the appointed time, Yun led mere scores of light cavalry out of the encampment in order to look out for Zhong. 

Beset by the forces led by Duke Cao, Yun chose to do battle. Yet no sooner had he engaged the vanguard, the rest swiftly closed in. Pinned against the ropes, Yun disrupted the formation lines continuously as he retreated along the way. Cao's army had recovered by that time, yet Yun managed to break their ranks as he raced back to the camp. The general Zhang Zhu was left injured, yet Yun returned with urgency to escort him back. 

As the Duke's army continued their pursuit, the Chief of Mianyang Zhang Yi attempted to defend the camp by closing the gates. However when Yun entered the fort, the gates were left open with flags lowered and drums silenced. Upon suspecting an ambush, the enemy retreated. Suddenly the drums thundered as Yun merely gave orders to snipe the forces from behind. The Duke's soldiers panicked and trampled against each other as countless were left dead in the Han River. Upon supervising the battleground come the next morn, Liu Bei said: "Zilong is indeed full of valour!" As they wined and made merry unto sunfall, the army lauded Yun as General of the Tiger's Might.]

(Tales of Zhao Yun)

Point 1:

山林、险阻、沮泽，凡难行之道者，为泛地。。。

《孙子兵法：九地第十一》

Mountains and forests, hard ground, impassable marshes... all terrain hard to cross are deemed as treacherous... 

(Sun Zi's Art of War: Chapter 11, The Nine Grounds)

Analysis: The former statement refers to Hanzhong as a terrain. Simply put, only a moron will try to force a cavalry battle where the conditions WON'T allow you to do so. In fact due to Xiahou Yuan's expertise in cavalry tactics, he would have sent Liu Bei packing home if he's able to. But unfortunately, he lost and died for a very good reason. Bar faulting Fa Zheng aside of course.

Point 2:

。。。疾战则存，不疾战则亡者，为死地。

《孙子兵法：九地第十一》 

...the ground where swift battle ensures survival while inability to do so will spell death is deemed as critical.

(Sun Zi's Art of War: Chapter 11, The Nine Grounds)

Analysis: This statement refers to the given combat situation where Zhao Yun must engage the enemy or die. Now given what has been implied above, there's a need to create a limited space between the main forces and the vanguard for Cao Cao's case since joining forces together would always be key in any given battle, let alone this one. In fact, Zhao Yun could have bailed out to defend, but would it be a viable option? His guys has scooted off with Grandpa Huang on his very own Mission Possible. Simply put, there's not much of a big ass number left holding fort. Simply put, fleeing was NOT an option in this case. 

Point 3:

斗众如斗寡，形名是也。。。 故善动敌者，形之，敌必从之。。。

《孙子兵法： 兵势第五》

Combating many akin to fighting little in numbers, such is shaping the battle... hence those adept in disrupting the enemy will be able to control the war by such means.

(Sun Zi's Art of War: Chapter 5, Momentum)

Analysis: Now given what's been said on Hanzhong, its only natural for any big ass army to hit snail mode upon crossing the ground. And excruciating as well if you're the commander in charge. At least you won't die from a laggy PC barring that self-inflicting torture called WoW. For Zhao Yun's case, its not an issue. Those having a layman's knowledge in terrain warfare can tell you that guerrilla warfare is legit for a very good reason. With smaller numbers per unit, the mobility will increase accordingly. And in any form of terrain combat, disruption is the key and no prizes for guessing the crux. Alpha strike, anyone?

Point 4:

能使敌人自至者，利之也。。。

《孙子兵法：虚实第六》

故知胜有五：知可以战与不可以战者胜。识众寡之用者胜。上下同欲者胜。以虞待不虞者胜。将能而君不御者胜。此五者，知胜之道也。

《孙子兵法：谋攻第三》

To lead the enemy unwittingly is an advantage gained...

(Sun Zi's Art of War: Chapter 6, Manipulation)

Know there are five keys to winning: Understanding when to fight a battle, knowledge of utilizing all at your disposal, unified under a common cause, deceiving the unsuspecting and having capability interfered by none. Hence the five being the knowledge to victory.

(Sun Zi's Art of War: Chapter 3, Strategy)

Analysis: The Hanshui screwjob - Mental emasculation since AD 219. The greatest evidence ever?

[三月，王自长安出斜谷，军遮要以临汉中，遂至阳平。备因险拒守。九州春秋曰：时王欲还，出令曰“鸡肋”，官属不知所谓。主簿杨脩便自严装，人惊问脩：“何以知之？”脩曰：“夫鸡肋，弃之如可惜，食之无所得，以比汉中，知王欲还也。”夏五月，引军还长安。 ]

《武帝纪》

[曹公自长安举众南征。先主遥策之曰：“曹公虽来，无能为也，我必有汉川矣。”及曹公至，先主敛众拒险，终不交锋，积月不拔，亡者日多。]

《先主传》

[Come March, The Lord set off from the Xie Valley via Chang An unto Yangping of Hanzhong. Hence Liu Bei ordered an all out defence. The Spring and Autumn of Nine Lands: Back then, Cao Cao contemplated on retreating with the words "chicken ribs" mumbled. His subordinates knew not what he meant while the Chief Scribe Yang Xiu began to pack up his own belongings. Upon being question, Xiu stated: "A chicken rib will seem a pity to throw aside, yet there is no meat on it. By comparing it with Hanzhong, Our lord's intention is clear." In the summer of fifth year, Cao Cao ordered a retreat back to Chang An.]

(Records of the Wu Emperor) aka Cao Cao's biography.

[The Duke Cao came south from Chang An, yet the First Lord stated: "Even with his might, Duke Cao won't be able to do anything. Hanchuan (i.e. the entire Hanzhong territory) will be mine for sure. Indeed the First Lord ordered an all out defence in response to Cao Cao's arrival. With little engagement in combat, the dead accumulated within months.]

(Account of the First Lord)

Additional info: There are only two main routes to Hanzhong: the Xie Valley and via Chencang itself. （陈仓道） Cao Cao's route was the former due to the very fact that Chencang was way too far flung towards the west from Chang An itself. In fact the former route would be the most direct way down south with Yangping as the focal junction between two.

Moral of the Story:

故其疾如风，其徐如林，侵掠如火，不动如山，难知如阴，动如雷震。

《孙子兵法：军争第七》

Hence one must be swift as the wind, silent as the forest, advancing like fire, unmoving like the mountains, unpredictable as the shadows and act like lightning itself.

(Sun Zi's Art of War: Chapter 7, Conflict)

Apparently, Cao Cao wasn't the only one with ego bombed. The human ostriches denying this very factual episode got carpet-bombed as well. :D