In ancient feudal society, emperors did not hesitate to launch wars to expand their territories. However, aside from strategies, troop numbers could be considered the key factor in victory or defeat.
“The Art of War” by Sun Tzu once stated, “Know thyself and know thy enemy, and you shall win a hundred battles without loss.” The most important aspect of marching and fighting is to have a firm grasp of both sides’ strengths; this will enable accurate decision-making and execution.
In ancient wars, without radar and satellites, there were only four methods to ascertain enemy troop numbers. (Image: Pinterest)
According to recorded sources, ancient people primarily relied on four methods to estimate enemy troop strength.
The first method was to examine traces and footprints around the cooking area. The most crucial aspect during marching and combat is sustenance; soldiers need food to maintain their strength against the enemy. In ancient times, kitchens were divided into small teams, so by observing the enemy’s cooking area, one could estimate their numbers. This could also be confirmed by visible horse hoofprints and soldier footprints.
The second method involved observing the dust clouds raised by marching soldiers. The more troops that marched, the larger the dust clouds; conversely, smaller dust clouds indicated fewer soldiers. In ancient times, the general Zhang Fei (China) once ordered his troops to tie branches to the tails of their horses to intentionally create huge clouds of dust, misleading the enemy into thinking they faced a larger force, instilling genuine fear in them.
The third method was to count flags and drums. Flags and drums were important command signals in ancient armies. To effectively command troops, a certain number of flags and drums needed to be placed at corresponding positions. Therefore, by observing the quantity of both, one could roughly estimate the size of the entire army.
The fourth method was to assess food supplies and forage. As the saying goes, “If the army does not move, the provisions must be prepared in advance.” Generally, troops would bring enough food and forage for 1 to 2 months of battle. Thus, by observing the quantity of food and forage of the enemy, one could estimate the upper limit of enemy troop numbers.
However, even if you master these four methods of estimating enemy troops, they should only be seen as a reference. After all, if the opposing side is skilled in these techniques, they may become suspicious and deceive their adversaries.
