Six Secret Teachings, Tiger Teaching — Breaking Out for Certain六韜 必出
1How to break out for certain — gear is the treasure, brave fighting comes first
武王問太公曰：「引兵深入諸侯之地，敵人四合而圍我，斷我歸道，絕我糧食。敵人既眾，糧食甚多，險阻又固。我欲必出，為之奈何？」太公曰：「必出之道，器械為寶，勇鬥為首。審知敵人空虛之地，無人之處，可以必出。將士人持玄旗，操器械，設銜枚，夜出。勇力、飛足、冒將之士，居前平壘，為軍開道；材士、強弩為伏兵，居後；弱卒、車騎居中。陳畢徐行，慎無驚駭。以武衝扶胥，前後拒守。武翼大櫓，以備左右。敵人若驚，勇力冒將之士疾擊而前。弱卒車騎，以屬其後。材士、強弩，隱伏而處。審候敵人追我，伏兵疾擊其後，多其火鼓，若從地出，若從天下。三軍勇鬥，莫我能禦。」武王曰：「前有大水、廣塹、深坑，我欲踰渡，無舟楫之備。敵人屯壘，限我軍前，塞我歸道；斥候常戒：險塞盡中，車騎要我前，勇士擊我後，為之奈何？」太公曰：「大水、廣塹、深坑，敵人所不守；或能守之，其卒必寡。若此者，以飛江、轉關與天潢以濟吾軍。勇力、材士，從我所指，衝敵絕陳，皆致其死。先燔吾輜重，燒吾糧食，明告吏士，勇鬥則生，不勇則死。已出者，令我踵軍，設雲火遠候，必依草木、丘墓、險阻。敵人車騎，必不敢遠追長驅。因以火為記，先出者，令至火而止，為四武衝陳。如此，則吾三軍皆精銳勇鬥，莫我能止。」武王曰：「善哉！」
King Wu asked Taigong, "Troops are led deep into the land of the feudal lords, and the enemy closes in from all four sides and surrounds us, cutting our road home and cutting off our food. The enemy is already many, their food is very plentiful, and the steep places are firm as well. If we must break out, what should be done?" Taigong said, "The way of breaking out for certain takes gear for its treasure and brave fighting for its first thing. Know closely the enemy's empty ground and the places with no men in them, and the breakout is certain. Let the officers and men each take a black banner, hold their gear, put gags in their mouths, and go out by night. Men of strength and swift foot, who will face the enemy's general, go in front to level the ramparts and open the road for the army. Able men and strong crossbows are the troops in ambush and stay behind. The weak soldiers and the chariots and horsemen are in the middle. When the ranks are all drawn up, go slowly, and take care not to be startled. Hold the front and the rear with the assault carriage, and make ready the left and the right with the great shield carriage. If the enemy takes fright, the men of strength who face their general strike quickly and go forward, and the weak soldiers and the chariots and horsemen follow behind them. The able men and the strong crossbows stay hidden, and watching closely as the enemy pursues us, the troops in ambush strike quickly at their rear, with many fires and drums, as though they had sprung out of the earth or come down from the sky. When the three armies fight bravely, no one can hold us back." King Wu said, "Ahead there is great water, a broad trench, and a deep pit, and we wish to cross over, but we have no boat or oar ready. The enemy is camped behind ramparts, barring the front of our army and blocking our road home, and their scouts are always on guard, so that the steep passes are all in their hands, while chariots and horsemen bar our front and brave men strike our rear. What should be done?" Taigong said, "Great water, a broad trench, and a deep pit are what the enemy does not guard, and if they do guard them, their soldiers there are surely few. At such a time our army is taken across with the flying river bridge, the swivel joint, and the heavenly pool. Men of strength and able men go where we point, charge the enemy and cut through their ranks, and all of them give their lives to it. First burn our own baggage and burn our food, and tell the officers and men plainly that those who fight bravely live and those who are not brave die. When they are out, have our following army (踵軍) set beacon fires and far scouts, and keep always to the grass and trees, the hills and grave mounds, and the steep places. Then the enemy's chariots and horsemen will surely not dare to chase far or drive on long. So make the fires the sign, and have those who came out first halt when they reach the fire and form the four-sided martial assault formation. In this way our three armies are all picked and brave in the fight, and no one can stop us." King Wu said, "Good."
Interlinear notes 1
勇力、材士，從我所指
Some editions join yongli (勇力) and caishi (材士) into one group, "able men of courage and strength." Because the following "all" takes more than one group, they are read here as two. — translator