The military approach you mentioned out of Kung Fu is a good guidline to be sure!
However, much can be said for dropping a right or left hand on the jaw. I thumped my share of louts in my time and never hurt my hand. I prefer a backknuckle as a whip life attack to the face as it is quick and easy on the hands. The backnukle is highly underrated as an attack in my book as many do not know how to deliver effective power in the strike.