नवागतदूरायातयोर्नवागतमन्यत उपलब्धदेशमनवमिश्रं युध्येत न दूरायतमायतगतपरिक्लेशम् ॥ कZ_०८.५.०४ ॥
navāgatadūrāyātayor navāgatam anyata upalabdhadeśam anavamiśraṃ yudhyeta na dūrāyatam āyatagataparikleśam
Between a newly arrived force and one that has come from far away, he should fight the newly arrived—one that has obtained local ground and is not mixed with unfamiliar elements; he should not fight the far-marched force that is distressed from the hardships of travel.
A far-marched force may choose defensive postures, disperse, or evade; decisive engagement may be hard. Kautilya prioritizes fights where the enemy is present, cohesive, and can be decisively fixed.