How the Mongols Conquered the World: A Masterclass in Strategy

The Mongols weren’t superhuman. They weren’t exceptionally large or strong, and their diet didn’t exactly scream “warrior elite”.

So what made them the most successful empire builders of their time?

To their enemies, they were demons sent from hell. But the truth? The Mongols dominated because of strategy.

Let’s break it down.

1. Meritocracy Over Nepotism

The Mongols didn’t care who your father was or how much wealth your family had. Promotions were based entirely on skill, discipline, and loyalty. Everyone had to prove their worth on the battlefield. This merit-based system created a culture of competence.

Compare that to their enemies, where leadership was often handed to the least qualified person simply because of their bloodline. The Mongols weren’t just a step ahead, they were an entire league ahead.

2. Everyone Was in the Fight

In the Mongol Empire, every man was a soldier. There were no exemptions. This meant that when they mobilised, they brought an unparalleled number of trained fighters. No one sat idle.

On top of that, the Mongol army was entirely mounted on horseback. This wasn’t just an army, it was a war machine capable of travelling vast distances and executing attacks with brutal precision.

3. Organisation That Worked Like Clockwork

The Mongols organised their armies into strict units:

• Arban: 10 soldiers
• Jaghun: 100 soldiers
• Mingghan: 1,000 soldiers
• Tumen: 10,000 soldiers

Each unit had a leader, and each leader reported to the next level. Communication was seamless, orders were clear, and chaos was minimised.

Here’s the kicker: if one soldier retreated without orders, their entire squad faced execution. This ensured absolute discipline and created an army that operated as one. When they charged, they charged together. When they retreated, they did so with precision.

4. Communication on the Battlefield

The Mongols mastered battlefield communication like no one else. Using smoke signals, flags, drums, and relay riders with fresh horses, they ensured every unit was in sync, even across vast distances.

This allowed them to adapt in real time, whether it was responding to reinforcements, regrouping after a feigned retreat, or coordinating multi-front attacks.

5. Mobility That Left Their Enemies in the Dust

Speed was the Mongols’ greatest weapon. Each soldier had multiple horses, allowing them to swap mounts and maintain pace over long distances.

This mobility wasn’t just for travel. It let them attack multiple locations simultaneously, creating chaos in enemy kingdoms. Entire armies would be caught off guard, unable to respond fast enough.

6. Psychological Warfare

The Mongols didn’t just fight with swords and bows, they fought with fear.

• They would leave entire cities in ruins, massacring populations that resisted, as a warning to others. Word spread fast, and many surrendered without a fight.
• They used feigned retreats, dropping loot to tempt pursuing armies. Once the enemy was overextended, the Mongols would ambush them, wiping them out completely.

One of their most brilliant tactics? Leaving small gaps in their lines to give the enemy a “way out.” Panicked armies would flock to these gaps, only to be funneled into corridors where they were decimated by horse archers.

7. Adapting to Siege Warfare

Initially, the Mongols were masters of open-field combat, but they didn’t stop there. They absorbed siege tactics and technologies from the people they conquered.

• They recruited engineers to build catapults, battering rams, and siege towers.
• They used captured soldiers and civilians as human shields, forcing them to take the brunt of defending armies’ arrows.

The result? Even fortified cities fell to the Mongols.

8. Intelligence and Spying

Before the Mongols attacked, they already knew everything they needed to. They used spies, scouts, and local agents to gather information on enemy troop positions, weather, terrain, and political alliances.

This intelligence gave them a massive advantage. They didn’t just fight battles, they controlled them before they even began.

9. Talent Acquisition

The Mongols didn’t just chop heads, they also headhunted.

• They identified talent within the people they conquered, from engineers to artisans to skilled warriors.
• They brought these people into their ranks, strengthening their military and administrative capabilities.

This wasn’t just about manpower, it was about absorbing the best ideas, technologies, and strategies their enemies had to offer.

10. Division and Coordination

One of their greatest strengths was the ability to divide their forces and attack multiple key locations at once. This created confusion and spread enemy resources thin.

While one Mongol army sieged a city, another would destroy reinforcements on the way. By the time their enemies realised what was happening, it was too late.

11. Sacrifice and Ambush Tactics

The Mongols weren’t afraid to sacrifice small units if it meant achieving a larger victory.

They would send small detachments to lure enemies into overconfidence or lead them into well-planned ambushes. Entire armies were destroyed because they underestimated what seemed like “easy prey.”

12. Herding the Enemy Like Animal

The Mongols’ animal herding background influenced their battle tactics. They often left narrow escape routes open for panicked enemies, corralling them into predictable paths. Once the enemy was trapped, Mongol archers rained arrows down, annihilating them.

It wasn’t just brute force, it was calculated and methodical.

What We Can Learn

The Mongols didn’t just dominate, they created a blueprint for success that transcends war.

• Meritocracy wins: Reward skill, not connections.
• Discipline matters: A unified team outperforms even the most talented individuals if there’s no cohesion.
• Speed is king: In business or battle, the faster you adapt and execute, the more you dominate.
• Learn and integrate: Absorb the best practices, ideas, and talent from others, even competitors.
• Control the narrative: Whether it’s fear or respect, how people perceive you shapes their decisions.

The Mongols weren’t just warriors, they were strategists, innovators, and master organisers. Their lessons still hold value today. Use them wisely.