ABSTRACT
Chapter 9 is the last chapter of the book and details the final process in the perfection of combined arms in battle that is incorporating elephants most usefully into the battle plan. This chapter is almost entirely focused on elephants in battle and breaks away from the chapter subdivisions used in the rest of the book, since it is by this point unnecessary to separate infantry and cavalry. It examines numerous battles as examples of elephants in war but is most concerned with the battles of Paraetacene, Gabiene, and Ipsus as the final realisation of the best way to use elephants. This was as flank screens against cavalry that carry the threat of destructive offensive action (though actual offensive action was usually more detrimental than effective) while simultaneously maintaining an imposing physical barrier to any enemy attacks. With this final integration of elephants into the battle plan the continuum of combined arms reaches its peak as integrated warfare making use of all available types of units in the best possible ways.
