Bao Tao: Forest Warfare

King Wu asked:

"When leading troops deep into enemy territory, if we encounter forested terrain where both armies occupy sections of the woods in stalemate, how can we ensure solid defense and victorious offense?"

Tai Gong replied:
"Deploy our forces into assault formations (冲阵 chōng zhèn) in tactically advantageous positions. Arrange crossbowmen on the outer lines and halberd-and-shield units within. Clear vegetation to widen paths for troop movement. Hoist high banners and enforce strict discipline—deny the enemy intelligence about our disposition. This is the essence of forest warfare.

The methods for forest combat are as follows:

1. Mixed Unit Composition: Combine soldiers wielding spears, halberds (矛戟 máo jǐ), and other weapons into integrated combat squads.

2. Cavalry Support: In sparse woodland, deploy cavalry with chariots leading the front. Engage only when advantage is clear; hold position otherwise.

3. Defensive Formation: In rugged forest zones, adopt assault formations to guard against enemy strikes from front and rear.

4. Swift Offensive: Attack with relentless ferocity. Even superior enemy numbers will flee before decisive action.

5. Rotation System: Cycle troops between combat and rest phases while maintaining unit cohesion.

These principles govern forest warfare (林战 lín zhàn)."