sun tzu military applications 2

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Center For Advantage - 2005

How to Use theArt of War:Sun Tzu Strategy Card

Deckfor Military Planning

Robert Cantrell

Center For Advantage

[email protected]

(703) 379-9429
http://www.centerforadvantage.com/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.centerforadvantage.com/


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Contents

Innovation Planner Description Art of War: Sun Tzu Strategy Card Deck Description Basic Military Planning

1. Identify the Problem

2. Create a Cause and Effects Net

3. Initial Problem Solving Effort4. Expanding the Solution

Center of Gravity Decision Cycle Games

Additional Resources


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Art of War: Sun TzuStrategy Card Deck

DescriptionThe Art of War: Sun Tzu Strategy

Card Deck DescriptionCard Types


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The Art of War: Sun TzuStrategy Card DeckDescription TheArt of War: Sun Tzu

Strategy Card Deckis a

54 card set of competitive

strategies that helps

users make betterdecisions faster by

considering all aspects of

their power to succeed


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The Art of War: Sun TzuStrategy Card Deck

Description It is based on Sun TzuArtof Warand is derived from

the analysis of strategic

masterminds to include Sun

Tzu, Lao Tzu, Musashi,Boyd, Kasporov, Lawrence,

the unknown author of the

classic Chinese strategies,

and the concepts behindthe classic strategy games

of Chess, Go, and Poker.


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Art of War: Sun Tzu StrategyCard Deck - Applicability to

the Military The Art of War: SunTzu Strategy Card

Deck is militarily useful

for: Strategy education Threat analysis

Military planning key

topic of this brief


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Card Types

There are 4 card themes in theArt of War: Sun TzuStrategy Card Deck Elimination All spades involve eliminating something. That

something may be an adversary, an option, an objective, time,etc. You remove something from the contest.

Isolation All diamonds involve isolating something. This

something may be an adversary, an option, an objective, time,etc. You separate something from something else. Preparation of the Field of Contest All clubs involve

shaping the field of contest. You create the conditions, such asconfusion on the part of your adversary, that better allow you towin.

Preparation of Self All hearts involve shaping yourself. Youset your disposition to that best suited to reach your goal andpresent your adversary with appearances that cause him to actagainst his best interests.


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Underlying Principle

EIIN Eliminate Isolate Integrate Negate

At the core of all competitivestrategy, you are trying todo at least one of theseEIIN to your competitor

To win any conflict, you

have to be able to do atleast one of these EIIN toyour adversary


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Basic MilitaryPlanning

Basic Planning Steps

Steps 1 to 4


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Incorporate All Aspects ofPower The Art of War cards provides a comprehensive tool

to assess, decide, and act on objectives with all

physical, psychological, and moral aspects of

military, economic, political, and social power It is designed to supplement current planning

methods by increasing the menu of possibilities

considered for military operations


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Incorporate All Aspects ofPower It also serves to make the

powerful ideas behind

Effects Based

Operations (EBO)

tangible and useful evento those without much

training in EBO


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Basic Military Planning

Basic Military Planning

involves the Art of War

cards and any other

planning tools youmight be using


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Basic MilitaryPlanning


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Step 1: Identify theProblem


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Step 1: Identify theProblem Military planning takes place to resolve problems

typically caused by an opponents actions and

desires that go against our best interests

Ask and answer:1. What is the problem you wish to resolve?

2. What is the cause of the problem?

3. What is the effect of the problem?


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Step 1: Identify theProblem For example, consider

a problem involving

unrest and insurrection

YieldsCause Effect

Unrest Insurrection


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Step 1: Identify theProblem The problem to you is not necessarily the

insurrection itself, but the changes that insurrection

will create*

The first level cause is the unrest The first level effect of the unrest is the insurrection

*This is an important distinction in planning because

the best plans focus on the central problem, and youcan only focus on the central problem if you really

understand what it is


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Step 1: Identify theProblem The problem is a point of view and describes how a

cause or effect impacts you (the people leading the

insurrection might be delighted by the change)

The cause and the effect, however, are objective

facts i.e. in the absence of intervention, unrest may

or may not create an insurrection irrespective of your

point of view on the matter

Your goal is to change some aspect of the cause, the

causes of the cause, the effect, or the impact of the

effect so that you no longer have the central problem


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Step 1: Identify theProblem Sometime knowing the problem, its cause, and its

effect provides enough information to resolve the

problem. If so, skip to step 3 of Basic Military

Planning

Sometime knowing the problem, cause, and effect is

not enough to solve the problem. If so, go to step 2

of Basic Military Planning


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Step 2: Create aCause and EffectsChain or Net


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Step 2: Create a Causeand Effects Chain or Net A basic problem has a cause and an effect

However this cause and effect does not take place

in isolation

YieldsCause Effect

Unrest Insurrection


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Step 2: Create a Causeand Effects Chain or Net Another cause yielded your cause and your effect

will act as a cause for another effect

YieldsCause Effect

Unrest Insurrection

YieldsCause Effect

Deprivation Unrest

Yields

Cause Effect

ConflictInsurrection


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Step 2: Create a Causeand Effects Chain or Net Identify Root Causes Think of your original cause

as an effect and describe its preceding cause

Identify Ripple Effects Think of your original effect

as a cause for another effect and describe that nexteffect

Repeat backwards and forwards from the original

problem as many times and with as many branches

as makes sense


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Step 2: Create a Causeand Effects Chain or Net A cause and effects net develops that is limitless in

depth

YieldsCause Effect

Unrest Insurrection

Root Causes Ripple Effects


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Step 2: Create a Causeand Effects Chain or Net Your goal is to create your desired result as

effectively and efficiently as possible anywhere

along the cause and effects net that you can


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Step 2: Create a Causeand Effects Chain or Net For example If your goal is to keep unrest from

causing undesired change, you could: Remove instigators in advance Remove the regime in advance Provide alternatives to depravity Destroy the insurrection outright Contain the fighting Increase your presence to raise the stakes Decrease your presence to lower your risk Embrace whoever wins etc


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Step 2: Create a Causeand Effects Chain or Net Going through the cards helps

you to assemble such lists ofpossibilities: Remove instigators in advance Remove the regime in advance

Provide alternatives todepravity Destroy the insurrection

outright Contain the fighting Increase your presence to

raise the stakes Decrease your presence to

lower your risk Embrace whoever wins etc


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Step 2: Create a Causeand Effects Chain or Net The more extensive your cause and effects net, and

the earlier you deal with the problem, the more

options you have to resolve that problem

Ideally you will resolve the problem without directmilitary conflict

If military conflict is necessary, you seek to resolve

the problem in the fastest, most effective, and most

efficient way possible


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Step 3: InitialProblem Solving

Effort


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Step 3: Initial ProblemSolving Effort In step 3, you start using the Art of War cards to

help you resolve the problem

Each card has bullet points that serve a specific

function


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Step 3: Initial ProblemSolving Effort Browse the Art of War

cards for ideas to

change the cause or

the effect

If you have set up a

cause and effects chain

or net in step 2,

consider any of thecauses or effects in the

system


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Step 3: Initial ProblemSolving Effort Consider each card:

Is it useful?

Can you use it?

How might you use it?


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Step 3: Initial ProblemSolving Effort Sometimes the strategy and

basis provide enoughinformation to solve theproblem. If so, record yoursolution and put it into the

plan Sometimes the strategy and

basis do not provide enoughinformation to solve theproblem. If so, go to step 4

If the strategy is not useful,choose another card


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Step 4: Expandingthe Solution


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Step 4: Expanding theSolution Expanding the solution involves developing the

strategy or strategies chosen to resolve a problem

into the concept of a plan Situation

Mission

Intent

Execution

Service & Support

Communication


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Step 4: Expanding theSolution For example, lets suppose

that two neighboring

factions have postured to

fight and threaten,

therefore, to cut off a supplyof a needed resource


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Step 4: Expanding theSolution The problem is economic harm to you that will

come from the disruption of the needed resource

flows

The cause of the problem is a rival system of beliefsthat two opposing sides wish to impose over the

region containing the resource

The effect is a disruption of flows of the needed

resource that comes from the region


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Step 4: Expanding theSolution If Change the Scope of the

Engagement appears

useful for dealing with the

unrest or insurrection, you

might ask how you willimplement Change the

Scope of the Engagement

You may already have an

idea, or you can seek out

another or additional ideason other cards


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Step 4: Expanding theSolution You might decide to

Change the Scope of

the Engagement by

choosing to take sides,

at least initially


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Step 4: Expanding theSolution You might decide that

aiding the victim of one

adversary would allow

you to eliminate the

other adversary outright


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Step 4: Expanding theSolution Or in fact, it might help

you eliminate both

adversaries, since you

can deal with the other

after you have dealt

with the one.


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Step 4: Expanding theSolution This being the plan

behind the plan the

adversary you aided

does not see or cannot

do much about

Your planning does not

stop here


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Step 4: Expanding theSolution The deck allow you do go to any level of detail you

intend to go

You write each decided strategy into your plan


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Step 4: Expanding theSolution Keep in mind that the strategy on any given card

may serve as the answer to any other given card

The details of how to use a strategy require your

expertise in your particular domain, and a solidunderstanding of other domains

Change the Scope of the Engagement may mean

something different to a military officer versus an

intelligence officer or political appointee, eventhough the underlying principle is the same


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Center of Gravity


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CenterofGravity

The Center of Gravity

card prompts you to

consider all physical

and behavioral aspects

of a system in order to

achieve the desired

effect (resolved

problem) with the

minimal use ofresources


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Center of Gravity

The ideal military centerof gravity shuts downan opposing force witha minimal expenditure

of your own energy The target might

include a key individual,such as an inspirational

leader; it might includea key structure, such asa bridge or powersource


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Center of Gravity All systems have elements and processes that turn

input into output

Input Output

System

Energy Source

Transmission

Instrument of Work

Instrument of Control

Subsystem

Super system


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Center of Gravity Your goal is to find the most effective and efficient

place in a system to effect a desired change

Input Output

System

Energy Source

Transmission

Instrument of Work


Subsystem

Super system


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Center of Gravity For example, all enemy forces need to communicate

with each other and seek to improve that element of

control

Input Output

System

Energy Source

Transmission

Instrument of Work


Subsystem

Super system


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Center of Gravity A likely Center of Gravity is to turn this idea against

your enemy and make it difficult for him to

communicate

Input Output

System

Energy Source

Transmission

Instrument of Work


Subsystem

Super system


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Center of Gravity Which you might accomplish by allowing your

enemy no sanctuary. How do you do that?

Input Output

System

Energy Source

Transmission

Instrument of Work


Subsystem

Super system

f i


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Center of Gravity Perhaps through a mix of real acts and deception

that gives your force a larger psychological

presence than physical presence.

Input Output

System

Energy Source

Transmission

Instrument of Work


Subsystem

Super system


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C f G i


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Center of Gravity In a cause and effects net, you look for where you

can effect the most change with the least effort as aprime location for a solution

You also look for areas where an adversary cannot

make easy adjustments

YieldsCause Effect

Fire Boiling Water

Root Causes Ripple Effects

C t f G it


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Center of Gravity

The is an underlying

idea behind striking

with a borrowed hand

used successfully to

defeat the Taliban in

Afghanistan


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C t f G it


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Center of Gravity

Bottom line: Use the Center of Gravity card to

consider all aspects of where to best position a

solution for attack or defense


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Decision Cycle

D i i C l


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Decision Cycle

Winning on the battlefield involves resolving your

problems and directly or indirectly causing problems

for your enemy

For example, a plan that gives you control of a key

bridge creates a problem for an enemy that no

longer has that bridge

D i i C l


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Decision Cycle

Your objective is to win therace of decision cycles

whereby your plan can not

only work, but work despite

active opposition to your

success

You accomplish this by

creating situations that your

adversary cannot deal with

at your pace, which has thebyproduct of causing him to

make exploitable mistakes

D i i C l


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Decision Cycle

The intent behind the Art of War

cards is to accelerate transitions

in thought

You make better decisions

faster because you: Do not have to reinvent strategies

that are already known before you

use them

Are not limited, in a crisis, to

selecting only those strategies at

the top of your mind

D i i C l


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Decision Cycle

Bottom Line: You will have opposition when your

solutions create a problem for someone else

For Military Planning, you want to create rapid

transitions that keep an enemy off balance

What appears to be the best decision is

generally not your best decision if your enemy

can anticipate it


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Games

Art of War Cards Games

Description Strateffects

Strategy Sparring

Games Description Art of


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Games Description Art ofWar Cards Strateffects provides a game for seeking

problems along a cause and effects net

Other games act like sparring for the mind and

improve strategic mental agility

Strateffects A game for the


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StrateffectsA game for theworld as it is1. Select a strategic problem to solve.2. Describe what the problem is and what the problem means.

3. Build a cause and effects chain forward and backward from theproblem. For example, if the problem is I do not have outsidesupport, meaning I will have to proceed on my own, you mightgo forward with I will have to proceed on my own, meaning I willhave to succeed with the resources I have, and then I will haveto succeed with the resources I have, meaning I will have onlyone chance to reach my objective. You might go backward withI have moved beyond the capacity of my support to reach me,meaning I do not have outside support, and before that, myobjective is remote, meaning I have to move beyond the capacity

of my support to reach me. Go forward and backward at leasttwo steps from the central problem; branches are acceptable.(Within reason, the broader your cause and effects chain or net,the better your potential result.)



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StrateffectsA game for theworld as it is4. Deal at least five Strategy cards from the Art of War: Sun Tzu

Strategy Card Deck to each player.

5. Allow each player, on successive turns, to apply a Strategy cardanywhere along the cause and effects chain to includesupporting previously played cards in a way that supports theresolution of the original strategic problem. For the example in

#2 above, the card 10 of Diamonds, FEINT IN THE EAST, ACTIN THE WEST, evokes the possibility that you might draw anadversary away from your objective thereby eliminating yourneed for support at the objective. Queen of Hearts, CREATESOMETHING FROM NOTHING, evokes the possibility you mightcause your adversary to believe you have support even though

you do not. You might further develop the Queen of Hearts byplaying the 3 of Clubs, SOW A DISCORD, that evokes thepossibility you might allow your adversaries to discover secretsthat are actually false the secret in this example being that yoursupport has greater reach than it does.



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Strateffects A game for theworld as it is6. Draw cards to replace those used.

7. Play until you have a plan, succeed at a plan, or until cards run

out.

8. For real world problems, play is continuous as the situation

changes.9. You win as a team by solving the strategic problem, though a

moderator or group consensus can award the designation of

winner for training games.

Strategy Sparing


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Strategy Sparing

Strategy Sparring is a game developed with Foreign Servicesofficers. Just like physical martial arts sparing, there is no winner persay in this game. The goal is to improve the thinking skills under fire ofboth participants. You use the cards from theArt of War: Sun TzuStrategy CardDeck to exercise your mind and develop real-timestrategic agility on your feet.

Shuffle theArt of War: Sun Tzu Strategy Card Deck, and draw fivecards each. Decide who goes first. Draw another card from the deckand place the card face up on the table. In less than 10 seconds, havethe first player select a counterstrategy from his card deck, place thatcard face up on the table, and draw a replacement card from the deck.In less than 10 seconds, have the second player select a counterstrategy to the first players card, place that card face up on the table,and draw a replacement card from the deck. Continue this sparingcycle until you go through the entire deck. (If you have a chess clock ortwo stop watches, you can use them to keep up the pace and make thesparing more competitive.)


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AdditionalResources

This concludes How to Use the Art of War: Sun TzuStrategy Card Deck for Military Planning

Additional resources appear at

www.centerforadvantage.comwww.artofwarcards.com

Also by Robert Cantrell
http://www.centerforadvantage.com/http://www.artofwarcards.com/http://www.artofwarcards.com/http://www.centerforadvantage.com/


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Also by Robert Cantrell

Heartland Reviews

As a retired military intelligence professionaland conflict theorist, I must say this is thebest interpretation of Sun Tzus classicwork I have read. The author focuses onthe meanings behind this ancientChinese war philosophers writings. He

puts them into a modern context, makingthem easy to understand. Apparently theDepartment of Defense agrees with meon this, since they have selected Mr.Cantrells book as a text for the NationalWar College in Washington DC. This is amust read for all military officers andbusiness leaders. It rated a perfect fivehearts.

Bob Spear

Chief Reviewer for Heartland Reviews,Leavenworth, KS

sun tzu military applications 2

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