The attack by fire

Abstract

The basic driver for all business is profit, and therefore, as in all business, the financial aspects of a project operation must be to give a return on investment. There is much in common between finance and fire. While fire can create heat and energy, it also has a great destructive capability. Similarly in the life of a project, the financial aspects of the business can be destructive if not taken on carefully and managed correctly.

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 order to carry out an attack, we must have means available. The material for raising fire should always be kept in readiness.

There is a proper season for making attacks with fire, and special days for starting a conflagration.

The proper season is when the weather is very dry; the special days are those when the moon is in the constellations of the Sieve, the Wall, the Wing or the Cross-bar, for these four are all days of rising wind.