Tactical Mission Tasks and Obstacle Effects

Tactical Mission Tasks

• Interdict: Preventing, disrupting, or delaying enemy use of an area or route.
• Contain: Stopping, holding, or surrounding an enemy force.
• Neutralize: Rendering an enemy incapable of interfering with an operation.
• Seize: Taking possession of a designated area using overwhelming force.
• FWD Pass Line: A line, likely in a forward position
• Rear Pass Line: A line, likely in a rear position
• RIP (Replacement in Position): Transferring responsibilities of a unit to another incoming unit.

Obstacle Effects

• Disrupt: Obstacle effect focused on fire planning and effort; causing enemy formations and tempo to break up, interrupt schedules, and attack piecemeal.
• Fix: Obstacle effect focused to slow down attacker's movement in a specified area, normally the engagement area.
• Turn: Obstacle effect to divert the enemy's advance from one path to another.

Wargame Methods and Definitions

• Belt Method: Dividing an area into sections (belts) running width-wise through the area.
• Avenue-in-Depth Method: Focusing on one approach at a time, best for offensive COAs or defense when terrain limits mutual support.
• Box Method: Detailed analysis of a critical event, like a time-constrained attack. Useful for planning operations in multiple areas.

Key Outputs of MDMP (Military Decision Making Process)

• STEP 1: Initial commander's guidance and timeline
• STEP 2: Problem statement, mission statement, initial intent, planning guidance, controlling information requirements & execution factors, initial estimates (running), assumptions.
• STEP 3: Course of action (COA) statements/sketches, task organization (tentative), broad concept, refined planning guidance, updated assumptions.
• STEP 4: Refined COAs, decision points, wargame results, initial assessment measures, updated assumptions.
• STEP 5: Evaluated COAs, recommended COAs, updated running estimates, updated assumptions.
• STEP 6: Selected COA with modifications (if any), refined intent, refined controlling information requirements & execution factors, updated assumptions
• STEP 7: Approved operation order (OPORD) and annexes/graphics.

Techniques for Recording Wargame Methods

• Sync matrix of sketch notes

Key Inputs for COA Analysis

• Updated Running Estimates
• CDR's COA Analysis Planning Guidance
• COA Statements and Sketches.
• COA Analysis Specific Assumptions

Steps of Risk Management

• Identify hazards
• Assess hazards
• Develop controls and make risk decisions
• Implement controls
• Supervise and evaluate

COA Screening Criteria

• Suitable: Accomplishes the mission while staying consistent with the commander's concept and intent.
• Feasible: The company possesses the required tactical and technical skills and the resources to execute the COA.
• Acceptable: The military advantage should justify the cost of resources, primarily personnel.
• Distinguishable: The COA must differ significantly from alternatives.
• Complete: The COA should cover all doctrinal aspects of the mission.

SOSRA

• Suppress, obscure, secure, reduce, assault.

Implied, Specified, and Essential Tasks

• Implied: Tasks needed to accomplish specified tasks, not stated by higher headquarters
• Specified: Tasks specifically assigned to a unit.
• Essential: Tasks that must be performed to accomplish the mission, whether specified or implied.

Elements of Commanders Intent

Broad Purpose, Key Task, End State

Combat Power Elements

Leadership, Information, Mission Command, Movement and Maneuver, Intelligence, Fires, Sustainment, Protection

Breaching Fundamentals (TLPS)

• Receive the Mission
• Issue the WARNORD
• Make a Tentative Plan
• Initiate Movement
• Conduct Reconnaissance
• Complete the Plan
• Issue OPORD
• Supervise and Refine
• Analyze Relative Combat Power
• Generate options

PLAA Offensive Tactics

• Envelopment
• Penetration
• Pursuit
• Firepower
• Ambush
• Raid

PLAA Offensive Zones

• Deep Area
• Front Blocking Zone
• Frontier Defense Zone
• Depth Defense Zone
• Rear Defense Zone

Frontier Defence Group

• Troops assigned to the main line of defense. Divided into main and secondary defence groups depending on enemy predicted action.
• Primary tasks are to hold the defensive line, slow down enemy, inflict casualties and buy time.

PLAA Defensive Principles

• Depth
• Consolidation
• Integration
• Flexibility

Types of Chinese Defensive Operations

• Positional
• Mobile
• Hasty
• Urban
• Diversionary
• Specialized

PLAA Principles of Direct Fire Control

• Mass the effects of fire
• Destroy the greatest threat first.
• Avoid target overkill
• Employ the best weapon
• Minimize friendly exposure
• Plan for limited visibility
• Develop contingencies

Terrain-Based Fire Control Measures

• Concentration
• Audacity
• Tempo
• Surprise
• (Types of Offensive Operations- Movement to contact, Attack, Exploitation)
• (Types of Attacks- Ambush, Counter Attack, Demonstration, Feint, Raid, Spoiling Attack, Penetration)

Forms of Maneuver

• Turning Movement
• Penetration
• Frontal Attack
• MVMT Tech: Traveling, Traveling Overwatch, Bounding Overwatch

Components of CCIR

• Direct
• Indirect
• Non-hostile
• Obstacle
• CBRN
• Arial
• Visual
• Electromagnetic

7 Steps of MDMP

• Receive Mission, MA, COA Dev, COA Analysis, COA Comparison, COA Approval, order production