Combat HQ - Articles

Combat Mission: Planning your operations:
by: Carlos “Los” Lourenco

Introduction: The intent of this article is to give some insight on how real combat leaders go about planning their operations once they have received a mission. While not all of this is applicable to Combat Mission, it is nevertheless, an interesting insight into what your realworld counterparts have to go through in these situations. Keep in mind, that they go through this when they are cold, hungry, scared, and most of all dead tired. If troops get little to no sleep in combat then leaders get even less. After the troops have dug their positions, cleaned their equipment, eaten and pulled the ponchos and blankets over their heads, the leader is most likely being summoned to HQ for a quick mission briefing. It is at this point, when any human’s capacity for higher thought is at its lowest ebb, that you the combat leader must now think quickly, concisely and creatively since you and your men’s lives depend on it. Because of this, most successful armies have developed some guidelines to help leaders through the thought and planning process.

The Troop Leading Procedure (TLP)

I. Receive the mission: This is the first step in the TLP. You are given a mission from higher headquarters.

II. Issue a warning order: A soon as possible the leader makes a quick assessment of the mission and issues a warning order to the troops that a mission has come down. It is important to include the general situation, mission statement, and general instructions to the men including time, place, and uniform where the operations Order (OPORDER) will be given. Also include logistical needs required to prepare for the mission, and specific instruction to individuals who will help with the OPORDER.

III. Make a tentative plan (Estimate the Situation) Mission analysis begins with the receipt of a new mission. It is the thought process by which a leader ensures that he knows what is required and that he is acting upon the commander’s intent. You may not have all the information required but you must do your best with what is available.

A. Understanding the commander’s Intent. More important than the actual task you are given is the why of the mission. These tasks have been assigned to you, with the intent that doing them will accomplish a specific purpose. It is not enough to know that you must seize a hill. You must also understand why you must seize the hill. This is the commander’s intent. If seizing the hill no longer fulfills the commander’s intent, then you must seek another way to do so. For instance, your mission may be to capture a hill, however, your commander may want you to capture that hill because it overlooks a key enemy avenue of approach that he is trying to cut off, in order to trap them. Let’s say, that your company takes the hill then finds out, due to poor or outdated maps for instance, that you cannot place fires on that avenue of approach. You as the commander, understanding your commanders intent, can move or readjust your units position or dispositions in order to place fire on that avenue of approach. Without understanding the intent you are apt to just sit there. Many battles have been won or lost for just this reason. When analyzing commander intent you must look at the mission and intent of commander two levels up: (If you are running a company this would be the brigade, regiment or kampfgruppe commander’s intent.) and the Mission and intent of immediate commander. This would be your battalion commander.

B. Extract all assigned tasks. While analyzing the mission, the leader must extract a list of tasks he must do in order to accomplish his commanders intent. These tasks may be given to you in the OPORDER, they may be implied by the mission situation, the purpose of the operations or unit SOP (Standard Operating Procedure). Examples of tasks include: Reconnoiter, block, delay or destroy enemy forces, seize, secure, clear, occupy or retain ground, guard, seize or secure friendly forces, breach an obstacle or cross a river. Note that attack, raid, ambush are not tasks but operations comprised of subtasks. These tasks by definition require certain force structures, procedures and equipment to undertake.

C. Determine mission essential tasks (METL): From the list of tasks you are assigned, extract those, which are mission essential by asking yourself the following questions. A mission essential task gets a YES to the first three and NO to the last two:

· Is this task critical for my unit to fulfill the role assigned to it in my commander’s intent?

· Is it specified or implied by the order or the overlay with regard to the map?

· Does it need most or all of my troops to do it?

· Is it a routine action or SOP?

· Is it a limitation?

D. Determine constraints and limitations: It is assumed in all orders that leaders are free to make decisions, as they deem necessary. If the commander limits that freedom in any way then this must be specified in the OPORDER. For instance “No personnel authorized beyond phase line red prior to 0700” would be a constraint; or “There will be no start up of vehicles prior to 0600”; or no artillery support is available. These are constraints and limitations, which must be planned for or around.

E. Construct a restated mission statement: The leader starting with his METL, studies the commanders intent and his constraints and/or limitations. From these, he restates the unit’s mission. It should be a clear and concise statement of who, what, where and why. For example: C Company raids the radar facility at Drufeld (AB12345678) NLT (No later than) 2300 in order to deny enemy radar coverage along air corridor green.

F. Construct a tentative time schedule: Starting from the time schedule of events, the leader works backwards and allots time to critical activities. The leader allots this time based on his own experience and expert judgement. This is done for several reasons

First, in order to carry out the mission in the time allotted

Second, you want the mission to succeed. You make sure that it will, by planning for critical events and allotting time based on their importance to the mission (for example arriving at the objective in time to perform a final reconnaissance)

Third, in order to execute the mission well, you know that you must allot two thirds of the time between mission receipt and starting movement to your subordinates for their own planning and preparations. For example:

· 2300 Mission execution

· 2130 Establish ORP (Objective Rally Point), begin leaders recon

· 1900 Begin movement

· 1800 Rehearsals

· 1700 Meals

· 1600 Platoon OPORDERs

· 1500 Platoon leader briefback to the company commander

· 1400 Company OPORDER

· 1100 Receive Mission from battalion and give the Warning order.

G. Estimate Enemy Courses of Action (METT-T&OCOKA): There are four steps to the process of estimating the situation and developing a course of action: Analysis of the situation; Analysis of enemy situation and the most probable course of action; Analysis of the friendly situation, development of COA (courses of action)

1. Terrain and Weather: These factors are thought of first because they are neutral and effect friendly and enemy forces the same.

a) Terrain: In all military operations, terrain analysis uses the factors outlined in the key word OCOKA. So get out your map and consider how these factors will effect your mission:

· Observation and fields of fire. Observation applies to what can be seen. Fields of fire applies to what can be hit. When you look at a piece of terrain ask yourself, what can I see and hit from here? Or where can I be seen or hit from? The answers to these questions pinpoint terrain you can use for observation posts or terrain you want to avoid, as well as locating dead space (space which cannot be hit from any given position). The relationship between these positions and avenues of approach are important. If an avenue of approach is in a deadspace, then it favors the offense. If it can be seen and hit from many locations, then it favors the defense. If defensive positions can not support one another, then that favors the offense.

· Cover and Concealment. Cover protects the unit from fire. Concealment protects the unit from observation (Don’t confuse the two!) Every advantage given to the unit to protect it from enemy observation or fire must be used to gain an advantage over the enemy.

· Obstacles. This includes natural or manmade obstacles: rivers, gullies, minefields, roadblocks, anti-tank ditches. These are made or serve to destroy, canalize, impede, turn flanks or increase engagement times. All obstacles used should be covered by fire.

· Key Terrain. Key terrain depends on the mission. It is any place that, when seized or controlled gives either side a marked advantage in the battle. It is terrain important to mission accomplishment. Controlling key terrain denies it to the enemy.

· Avenues of Approach. These are considered in both offensive or defensive operations form both friendly and enemy standpoint. Enemy Avenues of Approach are analyzed in terms of maneuver space available and the number of enemy units the space can hold, obstacles which can be reinforced, and places where the commander can slow, stop and defeat the enemy. Friendly Avenues of Approach are analyzed in terms of the speed and cover or safety with which they can carry friendly forces to the objective.

b) Weather: Weather effects all men, equipment and operations. Bad weather effects unit employment. The worse the weather, the more time required to get men and material from point A to point B. The more time and effort which must be put in by leaders to ensure their mission gets done and soldiers remain combat effective. Maintenance becomes more difficult. Darkness, light, fog, snow and dust impede line of sight. Consider all weather factors in terms of their effect on both enemy and friendly operations. Weather is analyzed in terms of:

· Visibility: Fog, rain, snow, smoke, cloud covering, light data (Moonrise and sunrise)

· Mobility: Dismounted, wheeled, tracked, aerial

· Survivability: Danger of weather related casualties, special clothing and equipment requirements, and effect on men machines and munitions.

2. Enemy Situation and course of action. The goal is to predict what the enemy’s objectives will be and how he will try to reach them. This requires that you know enemy doctrine and tactics. Unit training must be oriented towards understanding a possible enemy’s doctrine and tactics. Once in combat, you combine this early training with facts from higher headquarters, experience in the theater and combat information form your own troops to develop an accurate estimate.

a) Intentions. Enemy forces have a main effort just as friendly forces. What are their intentions, what larger goals are they trying to obtain?

b) Capabilities. Examination of enemy capabilities can be either hasty or detailed depending on the time you have. A detailed list includes:

· Identification: Who is he, size and type of unit? You would tackle an SS Panzer company differently than a Volksgrenadier Company.

· Location: Where is the enemy and where are they going?

· Disposition: How are they organized? What are their formations?

· Strength: What is their strength vs. your strength?

· Morale: What is his esprit, spirit, and state of training? Are they reserve or regular?

· Air: Can they use tactical air, airborne or airmobile troops?

· Composition: Does the force include armor infantry (motorized or light), artillery or combat support?

· Artillery: What types are used, patterns of employment, types of fire, volume and duration?

c) Enemy Courses of Action: To figure out the enemy’s most probable course of action you start with what you know about the enemy. How will the enemy’s doctrine say he will accomplish his mission? What happened on the last time we fought? This is called a doctrinal template. Usually there are several courses of action to accomplish his mission. Staffs fit the doctrinal template into each course of action to develop a situational template. For each COA, analyze advantages and disadvantages of each from the enemy’s point of view. These are deductions which you then confirm or deny using facts from leaders recon, information supplied by subunits or other sources. In most cases, a tentative plan is formed based on deductions that were confirmed or denied through reconnaissance.

H. Friendly Situation: This is the troops and time available portion of METT-T. You must know what assets are available for you to use to accomplish the mission. It does no good to dream up a tank assault if you have few or no tanks! What is the availability of combat support and combat service support?

1. Troops Available: What are the number available, physical and mental condition, status of maintenance, equipment availability and supply? What attachments or detachments are being made? What are the command and support relationships within a combined task force? Keep these factors in mind while considering your task organization, special equipment and other troop factors.

2. Time Available: The following items are critical to the operation.

· Available time for planning and preparation.

· Movement times from assembly areas to sector or battle positions or attack positions.

· Attack (maneuver) times from line of departure or line of contact to the objective or intermediate phase line.

· Delay times.

· Time limits on holding key terrain.

· Assault (to destroy the enemy) timings.

3. Friendly COAs With the enemy’s most likely COA, the terrain and weather, restated mission and friendly situation in mind make up at least two general course of action. A course of action is a plan open to a commander, which allows him to do his mission. The COA must be:

· Workable: (You have the needed resources)

· Viable: (The unit is expected to remain combat effective)

· Distinguishable (The COAs are different enough to allow useful analysis and comparison)

· The time it will take for the enemy to close on the position.

I. Analyze Courses of Action. The analysis is made by pitting each COA against the most probable COA in a mental wargame. The wargame then weighs a set of significant factors. These include:

1. Mission Specific Factors

· Mission Essential Tasks and the commander’s intent

· Relative effectiveness (Takes into account time, casualties, and the ability to continue operations)

· Logistical Support

· General Factors

· The Principles of War

· Hits the enemy where it hurts him the most and does us the most good.

· Characteristics of the offense

· Characteristics of the defense

· The use of a reserve

· Use of crew served and key weapons to best effect.

2. General guidelines

· Let the process bring out advantages and disadvantages

· Do not compare friendly COAs to each other during analysis.

· As each COA is analyzed, change it as required to meet the needs of the mission.

3. Analysis

Establish the mission critical factors and put them in order of priority. These factors ALWAYS take priority over general factors. Choose a friendly COA and begin the battle using the map and any intelligence, situational overlays, terrain models or sketches. Fight the battle until the mission is complete or the COA fails. Make written or mental notes of advantages and disadvantages of the COA. Repeat for each COA. At the end of the COA you should be able to answer the following questions:

· What are advantages and disadvantages of each COA?

· What combat support and combat service support was needed for each COA?

· Who are the key leaders in each COA?

· How are crew served weapons and key weapons used in each COA?

· What are the possible changes in plan (contingencies) that could occur in each COA and how flexible is that COA to meet them?

· What are the critical friendly and enemy decision points in each COA?

· What is the degree of risk in each COA?

J. Compare Courses of Action. The remaining and modified COAs are now compared point by point down the list of significant factors. This is either a mental or a written process. For each factor one will be best. Put a plus there. Others get a minusDecision. When the comparison is complete the leader uses professional judgment to weigh the various factors and select a course of action. This is not just a matter of adding up pluses and minuses. Some factors are more important than others. In most cases, the COA column that acquires the most pluses gets the nod.

K. Expand the plan: The COA process produces a general plan. To this, you must add an obstacle plan, detailed fire plan, contingency plan, coordinating instructions,, service support plan and signal plan. Many of these are covered by SOPs but those that aren’t are planned in detail. Each unit must be given a specific role. This remains tentative until recon is complete.

IV. Initiate Movement: Often you will find your unit to the rear when you receive the mission or in a different sector than where it needs to be. If it is going to take time to get them up to their jump off positions then you need to start movement as soon as possible. Normally, this is delegated to one of the platoon sergeants or platoon leaders since you and your key leaders are either working on the plan or conducting leader’s reconnaissance. You will designate an individual to coordinate an assembly area close to the jump off point, with whatever unit is up there. Make sure that food and other supplies are also moved to the spot. It is from this point that the unit will get their OPORDER and conduct rehearsals and final inspections before moving out.

V. Conduct Reconnaissance: Although for each single mission, a leader’s reconnaissance and a reconnaissance plan are done, recon in general is a continual process throughout the TLP and mission planning process. This process is important since ALL OPERATIONS are based on reconnaissance. If recon reveals a change in situation then the scheme of maneuver or even the entire mission may change based on that information.

A. Map Reconnaissance: Information during the estimate process with regards to terrain comes from a map reconnaissance. Even if there is no time to actually go look out at the ground you have to do one of these.

B. Leader’s Reconnaissance: The leader’s recon is done as part of the tentative plan. During the estimate of the situation the leader makes certain assumptions based on the knowledge he has available. Throughout the process, he generates a list of items that must be verified through the leader’s recon. (I.e. what is the actual condition of the ground on my chosen avenue of approach? Is it flooded, passable, barren?) Most likely there will not be enough time to recon all the points you have put down so they must be prioritized. When going out on the recon, you must assign recon objectives or essential elements of information for each man to gather so that maximum use is made of the little time you have.

VI. Complete the Plan: once you have completed your recon you can now finalize your plan.

VII. Issue Operations Order: The operations order is now issued. It is outside of the scope of this article to cover combat orders. However, it is vital that all key leaders and personnel understand every aspect of your mission. If something goes wrong or key leaders become casualties, others must be able to step into their place and take over.

VIII. Supervise: Continual to the leadership process is to supervise. You must follow up on assigned tasks to ensure they are being done. After the operations order, it is vital to conduct briefbacks, inspections and rehearsals of key tasks to ensure everyone has understood your plan.

In Summary:

· Understand your mission. It’s victory conditions, time requirements, the intent of higher commander, and constraints or limitations

· Analyze the field of battle Understand how terrain and weather will effect both yours and the enemy’s mobility and observation. Remember the key word OCOKA.

· Analyze the enemy: How are they organized, what is their mission? What is their doctrine (how do they fight)? What state are they in (disposition, strength equipment, morale)? What is their most likely course of action?

· Understand your own forces: Strength, fitness, capabilities, dispositions, time requirements, attachments and detachments?

· Develop and select courses of action then make a decision: Run through in your head or on paper and select the one that best accomplishes your mission while leaving you a viable force.

· Task Organize your forces based on the missions they are to be assigned.

· Remember that reconnaissance and refining your plan are a continual process: Since you can’t walk the ground ahead of time in CM. Once in the operation you should find the answers to outstanding questions from you planning process. The limited intelligence at your disposal requires that you keep close tabs on enemy dispositions and movements. Be prepared to modify your plan based on the situation on the ground.

A quick note on plans. Combat is arguably the most chaotic of events humans undertake. It is a truism that no plan survives first contact with the enemy. So why plan at all? A number of reasons:

First: A plan serves as a common base for change. If everyone knows the original plan and general framework of the operation, then changes can be enacted quickly and accurately with little fuss.

Second: Planning serves to focus efforts during the preparation phase. And it is how well a unit prepares which often dictates how well it will function in the field. Remember the three Ps: Piss Poor Planning leads to Piss Poor Performance.

Third: A good plan infuses a unit and its leaders with confidence. That is half the struggle. Also, people default back to rote or muscle memory when in crisis. Hence the importance for SOPs, IADs (immediate action drills) and rigorous rehearsals before moving out. Doing is learning