What do people like in their Briefings?

[JonS]

I've recently completed the first draft of a scenario that includes mucho background info in the briefings. It is based on an engagement that took place in Northern Tunisia in late April 1943. If you're interested in taking a look at it, drop me a line (email in my profile) - be warned though, it is a tad on the large side.

Regards

JonS

[SSG D]

I think the briefings should include the old five paragraph field order format. Those told the unit leader everything he needed to know.

Situation

Mission

Execution

Admin and Logistic

Command and Signal

SSG D

[Hans]

For those who don't have the Vpoo burned into their memory circuits......

The Five-Paragraph Operation Order

Task Organization

States how the unit is organized for the operation.

I. Situation

Provides information essential to subordinate leader's understanding of the situation.

A. Enemy Forces

Should include the enemy's composition, disposition, strength, recent activities, capabilities, and probable course(s) of action.

1. Weather and light data general forecast:

temperature (high & low), sunrise, sunset, moonrise, moonset, moon phase, % illumination, windspeed, wind direction, BMNT, EENT.

2. Terrain: OCOKA

3. Identification of enemy forces (composition).

4. Location(s): Known and suspected (disposition).

5. Activity.

6. Strength, morale, and capabilities/equipment.

7. Probable course(s) of action.

B. Friendly Forces

1. Mission and concept of next higher unit to include higher leader's intent.

2. Location and planned actions of units to the left, right, front, and rear. State how such actions influence your unit, particularly adjacent unit patrols.

3. Units providing fire support:

List the fire support mean available to your unit: mortars, artillery, CAS, etc.

C. Attachments/Detachments

II. Mission

This is a clear, concise statement of the unit's task(s) to be accomplished and the purpose for doing it (who, what, when, where, why, and how). The mission is always stated twice in full.

III. Execution

Intent

A stated vision that defines the purpose of an operation and the end state with respect to the relationship among the force, the enemy, and the terrain.

A. Concept of the Operation

This paragraph describes, in general terms, how the unit will accomplish its task(s) from start to finish. It should identify all mission essential tasks, the decisive points of action, and the main effort. This paragraph should be no longer that six sentences.

1. Maneuver:

This paragraph addresses, in detail, the mechanics of the operation. The main effort must be designated. All subordinate units with their tasks, related to the main effort, are identified also. Acions on the objective should comprise most of the paragraph.

2. Fires:

This paragraph describes how the leader intends for the fires to support his maneuver. It states the purpose to be achieved from the fires, priority of fires, allocation of any priority targets, and any restrictive control measures for the fires.

B. Tasks to Maneuver Units

This paragraph specifies all tasks and purposes of attached units not covered in paragraph III.A.1.

C. Tasks to Combat Support Units

This paragraph is similar to paragraph III.B except that it describes how combat support units will be employed.

D. Coordinating Instructions

This paragraph lists the details of coordination and control applicable to two or more units/subunits. Items that might be addressed include:

1. Order of movement, formations, and movement techniques.

2. Actions at halts (short/long).

3. Routes (primary/alternate).

4. Departure and reentry of friendly lines.

5. Rally points and actions at rally points (specify either IRP, ORP, PB, or RRP and include grid coordinates and/or terrain references).

6. Actions at danger areas (other than unit SOPs).

7. Actions on enemy contact (other than unit SOPs).

8. Reorganization and consolidation instructions (other than unit SOPs).

9. Fire distribution measures: point fires vs. area fires.

10. Fire contrrol measures: range cards, TRPs, visual/sound signals.

11. MOPP levels.

12. Troop safety and operational exposure guidance.

13. Time schedules (rehearsals, backbriefs, inspections, movement).

14. Priority Intelligence Requirements (PIR).

15. Debriefing requirements.

16. Reports.

17. Rules of Engagement (ROE).

IV. Service Support

This paragraph supplies the critical logistical information required to sustain the unit during the operation.

A. General

1. SOPs in effect for sustainemt operations.

2. Current and proposed trains/resupply/cache points.

3. Casualty and damaged equipment.

4. Special instructions for medical personnel.

B. Material and Services

1. Supply:

a. Class I: Subsistence.

b. Class II: Clothing and individual equipment.

c. Class III: POL.

d. Class IV: Construction.

e. Class V: Ammunition.

f. Class VI: Personal Demand Items.

g. Class VII: Major End Items.

h. Class VIII: Medical.

i. Class IX: Repair parts.

j. Class X: Agriculture/Economic Development.

k. Distribution Methods.

2. Transportation.

3. Services (laundry, showers, etc.).

4. Maintenance (weapons, equipment, vehicles).

C. Medical Evacuation:

Method of evacuating dead and wounded personnel, friendly and enemy (to include priorities).

D. Personnel:

Method of handling EPWs and designation of EPW collection point.

E. Miscellaneous:

1. Special equipment.

2. Captured equipment.

V. Command & Signal

This paragraph states where command and control elements are located during the operation.

A. Command

1. Location of the higher unit commander and CP.

2. Location of key personnel and type CP during all phases of the operation.

3. Succession of Command.

4. Adjustments to the unit SOP.

B. Signal

1. SOI index in effect (frequencies, call signs).

2. Method of communication by priority.

3. Pyrotechnics and signals, to include arm and hand signals.

4. Codewords.

5. Challenge and password.

6. Number combination

7. Running password.

8. Recognition signals (near/far, day/night).

9. Special instructions for RTOs.

Reference for this material can be found in FM 7-8 & SH 21-76

[Sergei]

Now I understand why US units had so much support personnel compared to combat personnel in WW2... they needed millions of typewriters to write all those battle orders!

[Hans]

Much of this info became SOP and didn't need to be discussed each time. Yes, to plan a small successful operation, like a patrol you needed to consider ALL of this stuff. I suspect the WWII German version would be complex.

[Snorri]

First, i wanted to say, more recon-suggestions[1stSergeant points out, that..or where the fire line is]

needed, but i do also agree that you simply have to think a little more..

i depends on the scenario (*tada*), if *you* lead an attack all your own (big-size), then you do reconnaisance yourself or noone does. taking over a frontpart or a "second battle" command, i like to have more *interaction* to my staff, sergeants, *pet* corporal and lieutenats. especially as german: hear(read) their suggestions

[ May 15, 2004, 09:05 AM: Message edited by: Snorri ]

[CombinedArms]

I think there's a strong context element to briefings. In some battles, the opposing units have been in contact for a long time, or the enemy position has been heavily scouted, or prisoners have spilled the beans, so a lot is known. In other contexts, one might have bad intelligence or be performing recon on an unknown location. So I think we have to allow for variation. Also, scenario's have different difficulty levels and for a really hard attack--or one based on an elaborate historical plan--and there the designer might give one a more detailed briefing.

I have noticed a trend toward more accurate briefings from CMBO on the one hand to CMBB and CMAK on the other. In CMBO it seemed like MOST briefings were downright misleading. I think this reflected the fact that attacking was easier and the designers were providing a challenge by heightening the FOW. In CMBB and CMAK they're often more detailed and accurate--this may reflect the greater difficulty of attacking...the planner of the attack needs a bit more help.

[Hans]

Combinedarms is correct - the scenarios and the briefings have gotten much better from CMBO to CMAK-the designers have learned the 'knack'.

If the new CMx2 is a revision of the ETO then I would suspect a lot of the old scenario will be redone and they will get even better with the new formats and expanded capabilities of the engine.

[RockinHarry]

Well..it´s probably beyond what flamingknives initially asked for, but I prefer to know "Before" the battle and "Before" purchasing any units, what the battle field looks like. Few armies (if at all) went out without any sort of map (germans prefered 1:100000 for marching and smaller scales 1:50000 and lower when it comes to prepare attacks or defenses). Off course not in every case there were maps available and it differes between nationalities and the point in chain of command; means divional commanders had them probably more often available than Btl. or Cpy commanders. I consider the complete absensce of maps in briefing screens and "Before" purchasing/setting up units in CM a big "faux pas"! Many other wargames have this feature available (Steel Panthers:WaW, Panzer Elite to name few..) and BFC should listen up for their CMII! Ok..beside that CM is a great game which I´m toatally addicted to, like everybody else here. Back to topic.

Beeing (skilled) scenario designer and with having had some contribution to commercial wargame products, I´m faced with the same problems as CM scenario makers and I once tried the above idea in a Steel Panthers scenario. I guess this one is not new amongst CM scenario makers: I made a screenshot of the whole scenario/battle map (sometimes required to make multiple shots when a large map did not fit on the computer screen) and loaded it into a Paint/Graphics application, in this case PS Pro. Then I used the screenshot as template for a way simplified NEW version for the same map, which only shows those details that usually can be seen on sketches made from real maps. That includes the most important details like roads, patches of woods, built up areas, heigth lines and all that stuff, but left out some "details" like swampy ground, fields, few minor roads. As the scenario was of the ASSAULT type, which "usually" means halfway good pre-battle recconnaissance, I also included "some" known enemy battle positions (that also can be vacant! during scenario) on the map and referred to them in the briefing. Also the most important features were named (hills, villages, ect.) At last I included some arrows indicating general attack directions of the units involved in the scenario (optional). The map draft then was put into a Word DOC format file with the rest of the briefing. This is usually the point. In order to make use of the "briefing" file you need to run a second application in the background which either can be Word (or Word pad) or the commonly used Acrobat Reader. I had some hundred downloads on this particular scenario, but beside reports from a handful of "official" tester volunteers, I had NO feedback at all from players, so I don´t quite know how useful or likable the external briefings are. I guess scenario makers have usual more fun making the stuff, than people using (or reporting on) it. But as any scenario can always be played without the external stuff, it doesn´t matter much.

Few month ago I was able to purchase a couple of contemporary german FM and TM´s and found the "recommended" german orders format described in good detail, dealing with infantry bataillon and its sub units. Also there are many examples which all are supplemented with some scetch map. The FMs stress non-mechanical style, "brief" orders, containing all what is necessary in a "clear" language.

Translated from "Taktik im Rahmen des verstärkten Infanterie-Bataillons. Verbesserte Auflage 4/5, Druck 1940/41" (tactics within the frame of a reinforced infantry bataillon...issue 1940/41^)

page59.

...

As a rough estimate of how a (battle-) order is to be structured, it´s worth knowing:

Enemy Forces (as reported from chain up and own comprehension);

Information on neighboring or miscellanous friendly troops;

Intention of the leader (the commander giving the order);

Reconnaissance;

Tasks for the various parts of the Btl. and possible subordinate or attached units;

Orders for Tr.V.Pl. (Truppenverbandsplatz=First aid post), Gef.Tr. (Gefechtstross=combat train) ect. (as necessary);

Determinations on the place of the leader/commander and about lines of communication;

"The clearness of the factual layout, under summing up of the to be correlated, is what counts most. It (the clearness) eases the receiver of the order the comprehension considerably."

...

(sorry for the bad translation!)

There´s 12 pages dealing with orders at all, but I´m way to lazy to tranlate them. There´s also couple of pages with interesting examples and scetchy maps.

However,...a good briefing for a Combat Mission scenario lies somewhere between what´s roughly described above and the VPOO posted by Hans, with consideration to the game limits and game style. As said, my example deals with orders within a german infantry Btl. units chain of command, while the VPOO further above most likely is post WW2 and better suited for larger formations, but beside that the general layout looks almost the same to me (no wonder).

Personally I think that (deliberate) assault briefings should contain much more info on the enemy positions and units than f.e meeting engagements or probe style battles. Many games lack in this regard (intel on enemy units ect.) and the only game that comes to my mind with inbuild intel, is HPS "Tigers on the Prowl" (and successors). At least some units and field fortifications are shown on the map (randomly) in assault style battles IIRC. A CM scenario maker can add map text to indicate "known" enemy units/positions or field fortifications, although in the game they need to be re-sighted and -ID´d again. At least this IMO is more realistic (in assault battles) than just giving vague info in the briefing. Off course it sometimes is sufficient to tell the player a certain village or hill is occupied by the enemy, but more detail usually can only be given by use of a map. At least in CM it´s possible to switch on/off map text with SHIFT-L, when the map is filled up with too many text. Games like SPWAW lack this feature unfortunately.

A bit off topic...

Although one could say that a typical CM scenario is too short to include new intel given during game play by units/HQs outside the players forces (Air recon, POW interroagation ect.), it also can be implemented with help of external applications. I think I even read it already somewhere in the CM boards. As CM unit leaders can be renamed, you can use the available 15 characters for other purposes, like ZIP file codes. Have a low point sniper/scout unit (with no ammo) coming in as reinforcement at a certain game turn and have the leader named as a ZIP file code. Example: Sgt. "CaseBlue", where "CaseBlue" is the code that you need to use to decode a ZIP file (shipped with the scenario file by the scenario maker btw.). This ZIP then contains a Word/Plain text or Acrobat file that gives you new intel of any sort. Example: "Corps Air reconnaissance reports armored columns moving from...to...". Or: "Interrogation of POW results in identifying of the crack "100th division" facing us..." ect. Off course you can do this sort of stuff in a CM operation, without the need to task switch out of CM and open Word/Winzip ect., but if you want it to make single scenarios more interesting...

Used it in some SPWAW scenario couple years ago, but again..didn´t receive any feedback on it. Oh well..

[Fredrock1957]

Quoted from RockinHarry

"Although one could say that a typical CM scenario is too short to include new intel given during game play by units/HQs outside the players forces (Air recon, POW interroagation ect.), it also can be implemented with help of external applications. I think I even read it already somewhere in the CM boards. As CM unit leaders can be renamed, you can use the available 15 characters for other purposes, like ZIP file codes. Have a low point sniper/scout unit (with no ammo) coming in as reinforcement at a certain game turn and have the leader named as a ZIP file code. Example: Sgt. "CaseBlue", where "CaseBlue" is the code that you need to use to decode a ZIP file (shipped with the scenario file by the scenario maker btw.). This ZIP then contains a Word/Plain text or Acrobat file that gives you new intel of any sort. Example: "Corps Air reconnaissance reports armored columns moving from...to...". Or: "Interrogation of POW results in identifying of the crack "100th division" facing us..." ect. Off course you can do this sort of stuff in a CM operation, without the need to task switch out of CM and open Word/Winzip ect., but if you want it to make single scenarios more interesting...

Used it in some SPWAW scenario couple years ago, but again..didn´t receive any feedback on it. Oh well.."

This is an awesome idea, bascially an on battlefield update via a "runner" of sorts... I believe this could greatly enhance "battlefield intelligence" during game play.. I am going to play around with this and test it out on some of my scenario's over at The Proving Grounds

Thanx RnH

FredRocker

[Hans]

A good method if somewhat complex. A less complex and also less secure system is to use an extended series briefing. Below is an example from the scenario Small Battles, Decision at Juvarra, if you continue to scroll down you will see messages that are time coded.

From the scenario:

..................

Scenario notes:

On turn 8 return to the briefing and read the 'next message'. In CMAK you can see the briefing again by using the alt B keys at the same time.

DO NOT READ PAST THIS POINT AT THIS TIME.

S T O P DO NO READ UNTIL TURN 8

Read on turn 8

Your radio operator reports:

(not to worry to avoid spoilers I changed the message)

"Enemy has broken contact with C & E Company and has headed west, I say again, west. Estimate two mechanized and two tank company. Estimated time of arrival at Juvarra, ten minutes."

I've used this method several times and it works well.

[RockinHarry]

Originally posted by Hans:

A good method if somewhat complex. A less complex and also less secure system is to use an extended series briefing. Below is an example from the scenario Small Battles, Decision at Juvarra, if you continue to scroll down you will see messages that are time coded.

From the scenario:

..................

Scenario notes:

On turn 8 return to the briefing and read the 'next message'. In CMAK you can see the briefing again by using the alt B keys at the same time.

DO NOT READ PAST THIS POINT AT THIS TIME.

S T O P DO NO READ UNTIL TURN 8

Read on turn 8

Your radio operator reports:

(not to worry to avoid spoilers I changed the message)

"Enemy has broken contact with C & E Company and has headed west, I say again, west. Estimate two mechanized and two tank company. Estimated time of arrival at Juvarra, ten minutes."

I've used this method several times and it works well.

thanks, in fact this one sounds much more easy to make and does not require to task switch out of CM at all. :cool: Unfortunately this method includes some sort of spoiling, as you already give away that something is to be expected on turn 8....until you fake of course and the next page infact is...empty.

For a past SPWAW scenario I already used the Zip file messages and included fake empty ZIP files as well. In fact none actually needs to contain anything if you prefer so. CM game engine has the advantage (before SPWAW) that you normally do not know that any reinforcements (or messages) come in later during the game,..until you mention it in the briefing off course. However...with some creativty...lots of interesting stuff can be made for scenarios, although I doubt that most gain a considerable popularity! At least that´s my experience as SPWAW scenario maker.

[junk2drive]

harry, i've never seen one of those sp scens. hans and fred have done some of my favorite battles, and it is hell not to peek at the pages hans instructs not to.

try fred's angel of sicily. or hans' small battles, east of elba. to win either you must follow the briefings. a.i. doesnt have to work as hard with these methods.

[Hans]

Mu ha ha ha ha

I like the idea of the passwords but the ability to insert a separate txt file is not doable (AFAIK) at the scenario depot. On scenarios that use the delayed message technique are Decision at Juvarra, Rest No More and CM Gunfight 1881.

[RockinHarry]

Originally posted by junk2drive:

harry, i've never seen one of those sp scens. hans and fred have done some of my favorite battles, and it is hell not to peek at the pages hans instructs not to.

try fred's angel of sicily. or hans' small battles, east of elba. to win either you must follow the briefings. a.i. doesnt have to work as hard with these methods.

thanks, will check the mentioned scenarios out. Think I´ve downloaded them already some time ago. All good ideas, that´s what counts!

[RockinHarry]

Originally posted by Hans:

Mu ha ha ha ha

I like the idea of the passwords but the ability to insert a separate txt file is not doable (AFAIK) at the scenario depot. On scenarios that use the delayed message technique are Decision at Juvarra, Rest No More and CM Gunfight 1881.

pack them into the same ZIP that contains the scenario file maybe? :confused:

[junk2drive]

both mentioned battles have newer versions, hans moved the ships closer to the islands, fred fixed a problem with exiting and the boats.

btw both play well as pto

[junk2drive]

another idea at the proving grounds, by mad russian iirc, was play battle 1 followed by 2a or 2b etc depending on your victory level in 1. can even be on different maps or a portion of a map.

[RockinHarry]

Originally posted by junk2drive:

another idea at the proving grounds, by mad russian iirc, was play battle 1 followed by 2a or 2b etc depending on your victory level in 1. can even be on different maps or a portion of a map.

yes..some sort of branching campaign would be great! I´ve seen some good stuff at the proving grounds, but failed to give any feedback due to lack of time.