• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 17:18
CEST 23:18
KST 06:18
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
ByuL, and the Limitations of Standard Play1Team Liquid Map Contest #22: Results and Winners7Code S Season 2 (2026): RO4 and Finals Preview12TL.net Map Contest #22 - Voting & Ladder Map Selection7Code S Season 2 (2026) - RO8 Preview8
Community News
[TLMC] Summer 2026 Ladder Map Rotation05.0.16 patch for SC2 goes live (8 worker start)63ZeroSpace at Steam NextFest - Last free demo31Weekly Cups (June 8-14): Clem and Solar double, PTR tested0RSL: S6 Finals played at BlizzCon 202611
StarCraft 2
General
Is the larve respawn broken? Mizenhauer's Douyu Cup Preview ByuL, and the Limitations of Standard Play 5.0.16 patch for SC2 goes live (8 worker start) Possible bug in the new patch?
Tourneys
RSL Revival: Season 6 - Qualifiers and Main Event Douyu Cup 2026: $20,000 Legends Event (June 26-28) INu's Battles#17 <BO.9> Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament GSL CK #4 20-21th June
Strategy
[G] Having the right mentality to improve
Custom Maps
New Map Maker - Looking for Advice - Love or Hate Work In Progress Melee Maps [D]RTS in all its shapes and glory <3
External Content
The PondCast: SC2 News & Results Mutation # 531 Experimental Artillery Mutation # 530 One For All Mutation # 529 Opportunities Unleashed
Brood War
General
Quality of life changes in BW that you will like ? ASL 22 Proposed Map Pool BW General Discussion [BSL22] Non-Korean Championship from 13 to 28 June BSL Season 22
Tourneys
[Megathread] Daily Proleagues The Casual Games of the Week Thread [BSL22] GosuLeague Casts - Tue & Thu 22:00 CEST CSLAN 4 is Coming!
Strategy
Creating a full chart of Zerg builds Relatively freeroll strategies Why doesn't anyone use restoration? Simple Questions, Simple Answers
Other Games
General Games
Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Path of Exile Beyond All Reason Nintendo Switch Thread ZeroSpace at Steam NextFest - Last free demo
Dota 2
Looking for a Dota Mentor Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
Heroes of the Storm
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug
TL Mafia
Vanilla Mini Mafia
Community
General
US Politics Mega-thread Canadian Politics Mega-thread Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine Russo-Ukrainian War Thread [H]Internet/Gaming Cafe Tips and Tricks
Fan Clubs
The HerO Fan Club! The herO Fan Club!
Media & Entertainment
Movie Discussion! Series you have seen recently... [Req][Books] Good Fantasy/SciFi books [TV/BOOK] *SPOILERS* Game of Thrones Discussion
Sports
2024 - 2026 Football Thread TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023 McBoner: A hockey love story Formula 1 Discussion Cricket [SPORT]
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread Facing Challenges in Mobile App Development
TL Community
The Automated Ban List
Blogs
Listen To The Coaches!
TrAiDoS
An Exploration of th…
waywardstrategy
I'm an arrogant trash talke…
FlaShFTW
Gauntlet SC2: A Retrospectiv…
Ctone23
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 8842 users

Sun Tzu was right all along - Page 2

Forum Index > SC2 General
Post a Reply
Prev 1 2 3 Next All
everclock
Profile Joined March 2010
United States28 Posts
August 05 2010 22:11 GMT
#21
On August 06 2010 07:09 guitarizt wrote:
What does sun tzu say about defending 5 gate allin as zerg?


that you scout that shit b4hand?
Nub4ever
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
Canada1981 Posts
August 05 2010 22:14 GMT
#22
I wants Art of War... But great read!
Dota 3hard5me
Deucegladlier
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
United States98 Posts
August 05 2010 22:18 GMT
#23
On August 06 2010 07:09 guitarizt wrote:
What does sun tzu say about defending 5 gate allin as zerg?


He says make a lot of spine crawlers.
Babe Ruth is known as the homerun king, but he was also known as the strikeout king.
gdroxor
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
United States639 Posts
August 05 2010 22:25 GMT
#24
On August 06 2010 07:11 everclock wrote:
Show nested quote +
On August 06 2010 07:09 guitarizt wrote:
What does sun tzu say about defending 5 gate allin as zerg?


that you scout that shit b4hand?


That's exactly what he said.

"Spies
Are a key element
In warfare.
On them depends
An army's
Every move."
TossFloss *
Profile Blog Joined February 2010
Canada606 Posts
August 05 2010 22:29 GMT
#25
On August 06 2010 06:44 ella_guru wrote:
Oh no, this again : ( (

There is very little in the art of war the is useful, as pretty much the entire text in this day in age is common sense, just eloquently worded. something so general like that , of COURSE it applies to SC

"Limit enemy troop movement, maximize your own" ok, how?

"Starve him for resources by keeping his people tired and then burn his bushels " ohhhh k


I find mushashi translations are much more interesting to read, with sun tzu in this day and age it just quite simply isn't as relevant in terms of actual application.


Uhhh... The Art of War gained popularity in standard American military readings after their defeat by Viatnamese General Vo Nguyen Giap, who intensely studied it.

There's a couple mistakes with your argument. First, something can be obvious without being immediately apparent. For example, what you may learn in driving school is all obvious, but not immediately apparent.

Second, there is a lot in the book which is not obvious. Such as: do not attack without an overwhelming majority, the types and importance of espionage, an team's effectiveness increases the deeper they penetrate enemy territory, and many more.
TL Android App Open Source http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=265090
Bananas
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
Sweden98 Posts
August 05 2010 22:29 GMT
#26
Very interesting read.

Someday i'll pick up that book
"terrible terrible damage"
tfmdjeff
Profile Joined June 2010
United States170 Posts
August 05 2010 22:30 GMT
#27
Generals and commanders and whatnot still read the art of war today (though as the US has shown in the abysmal war in the middle east, will sometimes choose to ignore what they read). Although over 2000 years old, everything written in that book still applies today.

And as Starcraft is a game simulating war, the Art of War certainly applies to it.

Although some things are a little different because maps are contained. For example, while you couldn't contain an army IRL because they could keep trucking in supplies from elsewhere and eventually overwhelm you (because real armies can't be maxed). In SC2, however, if you contain an enemy in his base (and assuming you have enough vision that you will know if he tries to sneak something out of his base to expand), you know that his resources will run out eventually, while you can take the entire map and get all the other resources for yourself so even if he has a maxed army and kills yours, you can continue to rebuild quickly.

Starcraft is just a little different because the conditions are more perfect. Maps are symmetrical and nothing exists outside the map.

But you're right; for the most part The Art of War applies to starcraft.
GGTeMpLaR
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
United States7226 Posts
August 05 2010 22:31 GMT
#28
My second favorite, next you should do one for Carl Von Clausewitz's "On War" xD
SiegeFlank
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
United States410 Posts
August 05 2010 22:32 GMT
#29
Excellent read. Definitely still very applicable to StarCraft, as at the higher levels there's so many intense mind games getting played.
Bird up
TossFloss *
Profile Blog Joined February 2010
Canada606 Posts
August 05 2010 22:33 GMT
#30
On August 06 2010 07:29 Bananas wrote:
Very interesting read.

Someday i'll pick up that book


Which can be legally obtained online for free.

I recommend an annotated version like below:
http://www.sonshi.com/learn.html
TL Android App Open Source http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=265090
Vei
Profile Joined March 2010
United States2845 Posts
August 05 2010 22:40 GMT
#31
On August 06 2010 06:47 cuppatea wrote:
"Terran is overpowered as fuck."
-Sun Tzu

fuckin rofl

and yeah vagueness is masked by eloquence all the time
www.justin.tv/veisc2 ~ 720p + commentary
Rasta Ninjah
Profile Joined July 2010
United Kingdom6 Posts
August 05 2010 22:59 GMT
#32
On August 06 2010 07:09 guitarizt wrote:
What does sun tzu say about defending 5 gate allin as zerg?



6 Pool - Sun Tzu

The best defence is a good offence.


The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy's not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable.

- Sun Tzu


The strong rule the weak but the wise rule the strong...
llortyag
Profile Joined August 2010
United States64 Posts
August 05 2010 23:24 GMT
#33
On August 06 2010 07:29 TossFloss wrote:
Show nested quote +
On August 06 2010 06:44 ella_guru wrote:
Oh no, this again : ( (

There is very little in the art of war the is useful, as pretty much the entire text in this day in age is common sense, just eloquently worded. something so general like that , of COURSE it applies to SC

"Limit enemy troop movement, maximize your own" ok, how?

"Starve him for resources by keeping his people tired and then burn his bushels " ohhhh k


I find mushashi translations are much more interesting to read, with sun tzu in this day and age it just quite simply isn't as relevant in terms of actual application.


Uhhh... The Art of War gained popularity in standard American military readings after their defeat by Viatnamese General Vo Nguyen Giap, who intensely studied it.

There's a couple mistakes with your argument. First, something can be obvious without being immediately apparent. For example, what you may learn in driving school is all obvious, but not immediately apparent.

Second, there is a lot in the book which is not obvious. Such as: do not attack without an overwhelming majority, the types and importance of espionage, an team's effectiveness increases the deeper they penetrate enemy territory, and many more.

While i agree that is it immediately apparent i dont agree that its not obvious because well its the same thing. Obvious things aren't innate they are something realized... well immediately lol Maybe what you meant is that Obvious things aren't common sense, which is what i would agree with. If you analyze a replay ( which hopefully every1 here as done) all these should come to you very quick. "do not attack without an overwhelming majority" is just another way of saying divide and conquer and any average person can understand ALL of these concepts which incorporate into your common sense as a starcraft player. So my point is this book is useless for starcraft players
This place is backwards
muta_micro
Profile Joined February 2010
United States183 Posts
August 05 2010 23:28 GMT
#34
Wow..anyway listen go read Clausewits, and Jomini and you will realize just how little you understand strategy. In fact I will go as far to say that you know absolutely nothing about real war. Ive read Sun Tzu many times and I can tell you that not only is that book only very decent, but that you understand nothing about it. Seriously dude your not a clairyovant. In fact your a military ignoramous.
You know when you see a planet and you see that light, that planet isn't even there thats just a light, that's just your neighbor shining a flashlight into your backyard looking for coons.
ioRa
Profile Joined May 2010
Canada14 Posts
August 05 2010 23:41 GMT
#35
On August 06 2010 06:44 ella_guru wrote:
Oh no, this again : ( (

There is very little in the art of war the is useful, as pretty much the entire text in this day in age is common sense, just eloquently worded. something so general like that , of COURSE it applies to SC

"Limit enemy troop movement, maximize your own" ok, how?

"Starve him for resources by keeping his people tired and then burn his bushels " ohhhh k


I find mushashi translations are much more interesting to read, with sun tzu in this day and age it just quite simply isn't as relevant in terms of actual application.


"Limit Enemy troop movement, maximize your own"
Expanding creep to maximize movement speed, meanwhile limiting mech army movement.

"Starve him for resources by keeping his people tired and then burn his bushels "
Muta harass to keep opponent unable to expand and busy(tired) microing his units to defend.
luckySe7en
Profile Blog Joined July 2010
148 Posts
August 05 2010 23:44 GMT
#36
On August 06 2010 06:18 bobbeh wrote:
Sun tzu and Miyamoto musashi are the gods of strategy


no, htey are not.

they sound great because they are so philosophical, but in reality, practical advice is always much better.
mill
Profile Joined July 2010
Sweden7 Posts
August 06 2010 00:04 GMT
#37
Wisdom will help you evolve and learn how to deal with alot of diffrent situations, while practical advice is more narrow imho.
BamBam
Profile Blog Joined November 2009
745 Posts
August 06 2010 00:18 GMT
#38
On August 06 2010 08:28 muta_micro wrote:
Wow..anyway listen go read Clausewits, and Jomini and you will realize just how little you understand strategy. In fact I will go as far to say that you know absolutely nothing about real war. Ive read Sun Tzu many times and I can tell you that not only is that book only very decent, but that you understand nothing about it. Seriously dude your not a clairyovant. In fact your a military ignoramous.


I have actually, guess that military science class I took was mildly useful xD

but as a safe starter, everyone knows Sun Tzu is really the grandfather as he was the one who brought the kingdom of Wu to great power, and if history taught me anything its that those who write it down first, receive the credit. Were there other generals before and after his time that were better then him? Honestly I believe that to be the case, but he was the first to really write down the guideline to war.

I personally am much more favored of the work done by alexander surov, the Apache tribe, and Khaled bin al-waleed (had to look that name up tbh). Could I of rewritten the article to incorporate more than just Sun Tzu and make it much more professionally acceptable? Certainly. But not only would it be A) Confusing but it also would of mitigate the underlying plot I wanted received from readers. I made this article with a level of simplicity for that exact reason.
"two is way better than twice as one" - artosis
KristianJS
Profile Joined October 2009
2107 Posts
August 06 2010 00:22 GMT
#39
People talking about the vagueness of The Art of War need to understand that it's not meant to be a manual for winning wars, like "follow these steps to win ezpz" or something. Obviously every war is different so that's impossible. The book is meant to teach you how to think about war (or any similar sort of contest, e.g. in the business world) in general terms. Are the lessons 'obvious' or 'common sense'? I think when you read them you might think that, but if you didn't read it the importance of these lessons would probably not really dawn on most people.

By the way, one of the central messages of The Art of War is pretty hilarious when seen in the context of recent BW complaints:

"Ultimate excellence lies not in winning every battle, but in defeating the enemy without ever fighting"


You need to be 100% behind someone before you can stab them in the back
Fontong
Profile Blog Joined December 2007
United States6454 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-08-06 00:29:31
August 06 2010 00:29 GMT
#40
Really interesting read OP. There have a been several other threads over the years where people tried to apply Sun Tzu to SC, but those ones did a poor job.
On August 06 2010 07:29 TossFloss wrote:
Show nested quote +
On August 06 2010 06:44 ella_guru wrote:
Oh no, this again : ( (

There is very little in the art of war the is useful, as pretty much the entire text in this day in age is common sense, just eloquently worded. something so general like that , of COURSE it applies to SC

"Limit enemy troop movement, maximize your own" ok, how?

"Starve him for resources by keeping his people tired and then burn his bushels " ohhhh k


I find mushashi translations are much more interesting to read, with sun tzu in this day and age it just quite simply isn't as relevant in terms of actual application.


Uhhh... The Art of War gained popularity in standard American military readings after their defeat by Viatnamese General Vo Nguyen Giap, who intensely studied it.

*ect*

Nice post too
[SECRET FONT] "Dragoon bunker"
Prev 1 2 3 Next All
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
Bombastic Starleague
20:00
GosuLeague Ro16 - Swiss
LiquipediaDiscussion
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
BRAT_OK 226
SpeCial 215
JuggernautJason110
mouzStarbuck 89
ProTech71
StarCraft: Brood War
Dewaltoss 138
ZZZero.O 78
Purpose 7
Dota 2
syndereN348
League of Legends
Doublelift2113
Other Games
summit1g6190
Beastyqt631
byalli447
shahzam375
ceh9334
ArmadaUGS101
Mew2King70
UpATreeSC45
Organizations
Dota 2
PGL Dota 2 - Secondary Stream1882
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
[ Show 16 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• Hupsaiya 75
• musti20045 14
• intothetv
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• Migwel
• sooper7s
StarCraft: Brood War
• blackmanpl 25
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
League of Legends
• TFBlade1007
Other Games
• imaqtpie877
• Shiphtur301
Upcoming Events
Douyu Cup 2020
7h 42m
Neeb vs Impact
MacSed vs Cyan
Scarlett vs Kelazhur
INnoVation vs Dear
Big Brain Bouts
18h 42m
Jumy vs eGGz
Harstem vs sebesdes
TriGGeR vs HeRoMaRinE
Douyu Cup 2020
1d 7h
Maestros of the Game
1d 15h
herO vs Classic
Maru vs Serral
BSL22 NKC (BSL vs China)
1d 16h
Douyu Cup 2020
2 days
BSL22 NKC (BSL vs China)
2 days
Online Event
2 days
RSL Revival
3 days
WardiTV Weekly
3 days
[ Show More ]
RSL Revival
4 days
RSL Revival
4 days
Bombastic Starleague
4 days
Kung Fu Cup
5 days
OSC
6 days
CrankTV Team League
6 days
Bombastic Starleague
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

Proleague 2026-06-24
WardiTV Spring 2026
Heroes Pulsing #2

Ongoing

IPSL Spring 2026
Acropolis #4
CSCL: Masked Kings S4
YSL S3
BSL 22 Non-Korean Championship
CSL Season 21: Qualifier 1
CSL Season 21: Qualifier 2
SCTL 2026 Spring
Douyu Cup 2026
Maestros of the Game 2
Murky Cup 2026
IEM Cologne Major 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 2
CS Asia Championships 2026
Asian Champions League 2026
IEM Atlanta 2026
PGL Astana 2026
BLAST Rivals Spring 2026
IEM Rio 2026

Upcoming

CSL 2026 Summer (S21)
CSLAN 4
Blizzard Classic Cup 2026
Kung Fu Cup 2026 Grand Finals
RSL Revival: Season 6
CranK Gathers Season 4: BW vs SC2 Team League
HSC XXIX
BCC 2026
Light Tournament 2026
Eternal Conflict S2 Finale
Eternal Conflict S2 E1
Heroes Pulsing #3
FISSURE Playground #5
BLAST Open Fall 2026
Esports World Cup 2026
BLAST Bounty Summer 2026
BLAST Bounty Summer Qual
Stake Ranked Episode 3
XSE Pro League 2026
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2026 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.