Sometimes, when I'm winning... I like to wait around for the kill. I like to let my opponent build up her forces just a little bit. So that the last battle appears a little more epic than it really is. To pretend that there is a question of who will win.
Sometimes, when I'm losing... I like to give up before I can be humiliated in annihilation. I like to weigh my odds early and often--keep an eye on what my opponent is doing. Forego the epic battle--disappear into the earth. Become a forgotten civilization for archaeologists to discover and ponder.
Sometimes, when I'm winning... and I'm in that mock epic battle, I pull my forces and retreat to my base and allow my opponent to build back up her forces. Then I'll go and assassinate her commander with my airforce or missile strike... to end it all quickly. Because I've learned that epic battles are only great in loss.
Battles hold human meaning, whether in victory or defeat, in loss.
"We are victorious! But our faces are burned black--and forevermore our descendants will bear that mark!" said the monkey army after defeating the Demon-king.
We are victorious! But what will be our scar? My face is not burned black like Hanuman's legions... not yet.
