The Art of War (Commander / EDH MTG Deck)

The Art of War

Commander / EDH* Cats RGW (Naya) Tokens

Superverzocker

Land (37)

Artifact (8)

Creature (23)

Enchantment (9)

Commander (1)

Commander: foil Marisi, Breaker of the Coil

Sorcery (12)

Instant (8)

Planeswalker (2)

A Deck designed to Translate one of the most influencial Books ever written into a Magic Deck.

I have taken my Time to exerpt the Important Quotes and will Add my Cardchoices and Tablepolitics to Highlight my Intepretation of the Quotes. When in Doubt just Say: "All Warfare is Based on Deception" ;)

Chapter 1 to 6

1.

All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive;

when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.

Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him. If he is secure at all points, be prepared for him.

If he is in superior strength, evade him. If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him.

Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest.

If his forces are united, separate them. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.

Cards/Strategies Show

2.

There is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare.

It is only one who is thoroughly acquainted with the evils of war that can thoroughly understand the profitable way of carrying it on.

Bring war material with you from home, but forage on the enemy. Thus the army will have food enough for its needs.

Hence a wise general makes a point of foraging on the enemy. One cartload of the enemy's provisions is equivalent

to twenty of one's own, and likewise a single PICUL of his provender is equivalent to twenty from one's own store.

3.

Thus the highest form of generalship is to balk the enemy's plans;

the next best is to prevent the junction of the enemy's forces;

the next in order is to attack the enemy's army in the field;

and the worst policy of all is to besiege walled cities.

Thus we may know that there are five essentials for victory:

He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.
He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces.
He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks.
He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared.
He will win who has military capacity and is not interfered with by the sovereign.

Hence the saying: If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.

If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.

Cards/Strategies Show

4.

To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.

What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in winning with ease. He wins his battles by making no mistakes. Thus it is that in war the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory.

5.

Fighting with a large army under your command is nowise different from fighting with a small one: it is merely a question of instituting signs and signals. The clever combatant looks to the effect of combined energy, and does not require too much from individuals. Hence his ability to pick out the right men and utilize combined energy.

6.

Whoever is first in the field and awaits the coming of the enemy, will be fresh for the fight; whoever is second in the field and has to hasten to battle will arrive exhausted.

Therefore the clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy, but does not allow the enemy's will to be imposed on him.

By holding out advantages to him, he can cause the enemy to approach of his own accord; or, by inflicting damage, he can make it impossible for the enemy to draw near.

Appear at points which the enemy must hasten to defend; march swiftly to places where you are not expected. You can be sure of succeeding in your attacks if you only attack places which are undefended.

You can ensure the safety of your defense if you only hold positions that cannot be attacked.

Hence that general is skillful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend; and he is skillful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack.

By discovering the enemy's dispositions and remaining invisible ourselves, we can keep our forces concentrated, while the enemy's must be divided.

And if we are able thus to attack an inferior force with a superior one, our opponents will be in dire straits. Rouse him, and learn the principle of his activity or inactivity.

Force him to reveal himself, so as to find out his vulnerable spots.

So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak.

Chapter 7 to 10

7.

Let your rapidity be that of the wind, your compactness that of the forest.

In raiding and plundering be like fire, in immovability like a mountain.

Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.

8.

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.

9.

When an invading force crosses a river in its onward march, do not advance to meet it in mid-stream.

It will be best to let half the army get across, and then deliver your attack.

If the enemy sees an advantage to be gained and makes no effort to secure it, the soldiers are exhausted.

If our troops are no more in number than the enemy, that is amply sufficient;

it only means that no direct attack can be made. What we can do is simply to concentrate all our available strength,

keep a close watch on the enemy, and obtain reinforcements.

Cards/Strategies Show

10.

If we know that the enemy is open to attack, and also know that our men are in a condition to attack, but are unaware that the nature of the ground makes fighting impracticable, we have still gone only halfway towards victory.

Hence the saying: If you know the enemy and know yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt;

if you know Heaven and know Earth, you may make your victory complete.

Cards/Strategies Show

Chapter 11 to 13

11.

The art of war recognizes nine varieties of ground

Dispersive ground; When a chieftain is fighting in his own territory, it is dispersive ground. On dispersive ground, therefore, fight not.
Facile ground; When he has penetrated into hostile territory, but to no great distance, it is facile ground. On facile ground, halt not.
contentious ground; Ground the possession of which imports great advantage to either side, is contentious ground. On contentious ground, attack not.
open ground; Ground on which each side has liberty of movement is open ground. On open ground, do not try to block the enemy's way.
ground of intersecting highways; Ground which forms the key to three contiguous states, so that he who occupies it first has most of the Empire at his command, is a ground of intersecting highways. On the ground of intersecting highways, join hands with your allies.
serious ground; When an army has penetrated into the heart of a hostile country, leaving a number of fortified cities in its rear, it is serious ground. On serious ground, gather in plunder.
difficult ground; Mountain forests, rugged steeps, marshes and fens—all country that is hard to traverse: this is difficult ground. In difficult ground, keep steadily on the march.
hemmed-in ground; Ground which is reached through narrow gorges, and from which we can only retire by tortuous paths, so that a small number of the enemy would suffice to crush a large body of our men: this is hemmed in ground. On hemmed-in ground, resort to stratagem.
desperate ground. Ground on which we can only be saved from destruction by fighting without delay, is desperate ground. On desperate ground, fight.

Rapidity is the essence of war: take advantage of the enemy's unreadiness, make your way by unexpected routes, and attack unguarded spots.

12.

There are five ways of attacking with fire.

The first is to burn soldiers in their camp;

the second is to burn stores;

the third is to burn baggage trains;

the fourth is to burn arsenals and magazines;

the fifth is to hurl dropping fire amongst the enemy.

In attacking with fire, one should be prepared to meet five possible developments:

(1) When fire breaks out inside to enemy's camp, respond at once with an attack from without.

(2) If there is an outbreak of fire, but the enemy's soldiers remain quiet, bide your time and do not attack.

(3) When the force of the flames has reached its height, follow it up with an attack, if that is practicable; if not, stay where you are.

(4) If it is possible to make an assault with fire from without, do not wait for it to break out within, but deliver your attack at a favorable moment.

(5) When you start a fire, be to windward of it. Do not attack from the leeward.

Move not unless you see an advantage; use not your troops unless there is something to be gained; fight not unless the position is critical.

Cards/Strategies Show

13.

Thus, what enables the wise sovereign and the good general to strike and conquer,

and achieve things beyond the reach of ordinary men, is FOREKNOWLEDGE.

Knowledge of the enemy's dispositions can only be obtained from other men.

Hence the use of spies, of whom there are five classes:

Local spies; Having LOCAL SPIES means employing the services of the inhabitants of a district.
inward spies; Having INWARD SPIES, making use of officials of the enemy.
converted spies; Having CONVERTED SPIES, getting hold of the enemy's spies and using them for our own purposes.
doomed spies; Having DOOMED SPIES, doing certain things openly for purposes of deception, and allowing our spies to know of them and report them to the enemy.
surviving spies; SURVIVING SPIES, finally, are those who bring back news from the enemy's camp.

The enemy's spies who have come to spy on us must be sought out, tempted with bribes, led away and comfortably housed. Thus they will become converted spies and available for our service.

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Date added	3 years
Last updated	1 year
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	13 - 0 Mythic Rares 59 - 0 Rares 8 - 0 Uncommons 11 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	3.70
Tokens	Beast 4/4 RG, Cat Soldier 1/1 W, Centaur 3/3 G, Elemental 1/1 R w/ Haste, Emblem Domri, Chaos Bringer, Enchantment Golem 3/3 C, Goblin 1/1 R for Goblin Spymaster, Gold, Human Cleric 2/1 RW, Human Rogue 1/2 RW, Human Warrior 3/1 RW, Saproling 1/1 G, Servo 1/1 C, Soldier 1/1 W, Spirit 1/1 C, Survivor 1/1 R, Treasure
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