苏茂 / Su Mao (Eastern Han)

Overview

苏茂 / Su Mao is currently a source-scoped Guangwu-era opponent in Hanji 692. He appears as the commander whose Wuxiao force helps defeat 马武, overpresses after 王霸 refuses immediate rescue, loses to Wang Ba’s delayed rear-cavalry strike, and later fails to draw Wang Ba into a quick battle under supply pressure.

Current Profile

Hanji 692 places Su Mao at Chuihui, coming with Wuxiao troops to rescue 周建. Together they defeat Ma Wu, creating the crisis that sends Ma Wu to Wang Ba’s camp for help.

Wang Ba’s reading of Su Mao drives the episode’s military lesson. Su Mao’s troops are described as elite and numerous enough that immediate rescue would be dangerous. Once Wang Ba refuses battle, Su Mao and Zhou Jian attack Ma Wu for a long time, which exhausts them and opens the window for Wang Ba’s rear cavalry.

Su Mao later returns with Zhou Jian to challenge Wang Ba, but Wang Ba infers that Su Mao’s force has poor provisions and needs a quick battle. When Wang Ba refuses to leave his fortified camp, Su Mao withdraws; after Zhou Song closes Chuihui’s gate against Zhou Jian, Su Mao flees to Xiapi and joins Dong Xian.

Key Characteristics

• Opposing commander whose initial strength makes immediate rescue risky.
• Tactical overpresser whose long attack on Ma Wu creates the exhaustion Wang Ba waits for.
• Supply-constrained challenger whose second attempt depends on drawing Wang Ba into quick battle.
• Source-scoped figure whose broader career is not developed in the current wiki.

Evidence

• Initial pressure: Hanji 692 says Su Mao comes with Wuxiao troops and joins Zhou Jian in defeating Ma Wu.
• Wang Ba’s assessment: Hanji 692 treats Su Mao’s elite force and Ma Wu’s fear as reasons not to fight immediately.
• Defeat mechanism: Hanji 692 says Wang Ba waits until Su Mao and Zhou Jian have fought long, then attacks their rear.
• Later flight: Hanji 692 says Su Mao withdraws after failing to draw Wang Ba out and later flees to Xiapi to join Dong Xian.

Qualifications

The current page should not infer Su Mao’s full factional biography from this single source note. Dong Xian, Xiapi, exact Wuxiao composition, Chuihui’s location, and the campaign sequence after flight remain source-scoped until additional source notes require expansion.

What Changed

• Created this source-scoped page from Hanji 692.
• Established Su Mao as the enemy whose strength, overattack, and supply pressure make Wang Ba’s patience legible.

Relationships

• 王霸 - opposing commander who defeats Su Mao by refusing his preferred timing.
• 马武 - Han commander Su Mao defeats and then overattacks before Wang Ba’s rear strike.
• 周建 - ally who fights alongside Su Mao at Chuihui.
• 坚壁耗敌式耐心 - concept illustrated by Su Mao’s forced exhaustion and supply-constrained challenge.
• 战场信息控制 - related mechanism because Wang Ba’s visible non-rescue changes Su Mao’s expectations.