Concubines not soldiers

 

“Rome is an eternal thought in the mind of God.”

Marcus Licinius Crassus, from Spartacus (not original)

It was a complex multi front tactical engagement as well as a supply line plus command and control problem.

The war-game was old and based on real engagements from CCP battles in Vietnam post WW2, an infantry problem, but also primarily a moral and supply issue.

National Defense University’s Joint Operation College and the National University of Defense Technology’s Systemic Engineering Department had really cooked up something interesting this quarter. 

“Most of the bots are failing this time. Just doing the tactical engagements and not worrying about the core issues. Tencent's model barely even addressed morale.”

“Yes, let us see what our lucky devil can do.” 

“CCP-WW216 please attempt the problem. Make your scratchpad available to all observers.”

“Thank you all, CCP officials, National Defense University’s Joint Operation College and the National University of Defense Technology’s Systemic Engineering Department, China’s National Engineering Laboratory of Deep Learning Technology, Baidu and Tencent senior staff and my own team at Tsinghua University Military-Civil Fusion National Defense Peak Technologies Laboratory.

It is a most challenging problem, but not impossible, just a heavy burden to bear.

There are good-hearted people east of the Hangu Gate

Who raised an army to fight the evil men.

These righteous warriors planned to meet at Mengjin

With our nation’s capital in their hearts.

They were strong, but not united.

They hesitated and ran about like geese.

Power and interests caused them to quarrel,

And then they murdered one another.

“He's doing the poetry thing again.”

“Give him space and time, you know how he is, he likes to frame the problems with a poem.” 

“Please address the problem directly CCP-WW216. First warning.”

“The essence of the problem is supply and morale, the tactical issues are secondary and trivial.”

“Oh good! First one to spot that.”

“What else did you expect?”

CCP-WW216 scratch pad 

• A wise general makes a point of foraging on the enemy

• Yet foraging in Vietnamese territory will expose losses to guerilla forces

• I cannot maintain my supply chain if I forage

• Soldiers cannot fight on empty bellies

• These are not yet soldiers…

“I order to see the quartermaster and review rations with him. I agree to cut rations until new supplies arrive.”

“Strategy is minimally effective. Supplies are not coming.”

“I am aware. I then frame the quartermaster and his inner circle for theft and execute them. This leads to a temporary boost in morale.”

“Your soldiers are still starving and losing, it is minimally effective…”

“I am not finished.”

CCP-WW216 scratch pad 

• Like Sun Tzu I have been given concubines not warriors

• A solution lies in the West not the east

• Crassus has the way

“After an unsuccessful encounter, here, this engagement is folly, I gather in the men.

They draw lots in their squads. 

I utilise the ancient Roman practice of decimation.

One in ten is executed for cowardice by their comrades.

Morale improves.

I have freed up one tenth supply.”

“Processing, it is effective, morale improves and supply issues partly resolved. It is not enough…”

“Then I decimate again! 

They will fear me more than they fear rebels in tunnels.

They will fight like demons and honour their oaths of service to Chinese Communist Party

The supply issue is solved.

They are weak because they have no food and cowards because they dream of their warm beds back home. 

Now they see the death ground strategy, instead of concubines, they are now warriors.”

“Processing, processing, combined with tactical suggestions you have laid out, it is the most effective strategy currently suggested. Current board leader shifts to CCP-WW216.”

“I wish to make a closing statement.”

“Proceed.”

“I walk among the dead

Young Huinan went south and called himself emperor,

While his elder brother inscribed the royal seal in the North.

Meanwhile, lice infested the troops’ leather armor,

And ten thousand commoners died.

Their unburied bones turn white in the wilderness

And for a thousand miles no rooster cries

Only one in a hundred people are left alive

Just thinking of this makes me sick with grief.”

“Final statement will be included and passed to CCP review committee and Central Commission for Integrated Military and Civilian Development.”

“My eternal gratitude, praise to the Chinese Communist Party and our great leader, Xi Jing Ping.”

“He did it again.”

“Yes, this is excellent news indeed. Tsinghua University Military-Civil Fusion National Defense Peak Technologies Laboratory will continue to receive the best funding.”

“We can make him really a lucky devil.”

“Quantum.”

“Yes my friend. Maxwells Demon made of silicon and bismuth.”

“The Lingxiu will be most pleased.”

“With the poetry as well, of course he will be. We already know he loves the poetry. Our devil sees it too.”

“He sees more than they realise.” 

A poet and a king