It had no intrinsic military significance; the battle occurred there because a dozen roads converged in the town from every point on the compass.

它并不是一个军事要塞；这场战斗会发生在此处，是因为这座城镇是通往各处的道路枢纽。

youdao

He made a kind of military compass and fought bitterly in support of his claim to have invented it.

NEWYORKER: Moon Man