Strategies were used to fool the enemy and try to use them to win. The Aztecs used these very often. They used things such as a buffer zone - areas that were treated better - allowing greater autonomy and to use them to get the  neighboring states to give less tributes. They also had ambassadors to go to the enemy and remind them what the price was if they were to lose the battle/fight, in hope that it would persuade a different option then war. Spies were also sent out into target areas and were disquised as merchants dressed in something local.