Top 10 Generals of the period

[Sun Fin]

Xu Huang and Huangfu Song are very solid choices with lots of achievements to their names.

Sima Yi I wouldn't consider. He won lots of battles true. However almost all of them were defensive battles against a far weaker force. Sima Yi should have beaten Zhuge Liang considering the advantages he had, it's not really an achievement to do so. Especially considering his strategy of staying behind the walls. At no point did he launch a stunning counter attack that crippled Shu which considering how strained Shu's baggage train was should have been an option. Worse still his bad decisions lead to the death of Zhang He, another officer who could be considered in this topic!

[Han]

Sima Yi conquered Liao Dong in a single stroke. Something another great general in Guanqiu Jian could not do. He also defeated Meng Da another decent general.

His defensive strategic victories were against the likes of Zhuge Liang while he defeated Zhuge Jin and Zhu Ran in tactical battles.

The death of Zhang He was kinda horrible. But all great generals even Cao Cao have suffered losses. Meanwhile, this wasnt really a battle losses but simply an ambush.