In 496 BC the army of King Goujian of Yueh put three ranks of criminals in the front of their battle formation. Their task was to impress the enemy with their ferocity and commitment by chopping off their own heads as soon as battle was joined.

The tactic was a success; while their opponents from the State of Wu were recovering from their astonishment they were overrun by the rest of the Yueh army. The convicts, who were condemned men anyway, had been coerced by the threat that if they didn’t comply with this plan their families would be executed also.