December 31, 2013

Estimate the Situation

Estimate the Situation

When estimating the situation, you should use the factors of METT-T as a basis: METT-T is Mission, Enemy, Terrain and Weather, Troops, and Time.  All of these factors are rolled into this estimate by following this checklist: 

  • Mission
    • What is the main mission of the scenario?  For example, defend the town, attack the ridgeline and clear the zone, etc.
    • Are there any mission specific tasks?  For example, kill the enemy armor; do not lose more than 15% of your force, etc.
    • What are the mission essential tasks?  For example, what objectives need to be captured or defended, what is the type of each objective (i.e. touch, occupy, preserve, etc.)?
    • What constraints and limitations does your force have?  For example, is your force mainly leg infantry, while your opponent has a mostly armored force?
  • Enemy
    • What are his intentions?
    • What do you know about his force capabilities?
    • What do you know about the enemy order of battle (OB)?  Note: you will continually add to your knowledge of the enemy OB as the game progresses.
    • Does the enemy have any strengths that you know about (i.e. is he expected to field Tiger tanks)?
    • What do you know about the equipment he is using?
    • Does the enemy have any weaknesses you know about (i.e. is the enemy entrenched, thus immobile)?
    • What are the enemy’s most obvious Courses of Action (COA)?  Note: this will get more detailed treatment in the OCOKA section.
  • Terrain & Weather
    • What type of terrain are you operating in?  For example, mostly urban, mountainous, wooded, etc.  Note: this will get more detailed treatment in the OCOKA section.
    • What is the weather?
      • What is the temperature(i.e. hot, warm, cold)?
      • From which direction is the wind blowing and how strong is it? Note: this is very important information and should be referred to when plotting smoke missions and predicting how quickly dust and smoke will dissipate.
  • Troops
    • What is your order of battle?
    • What equipment do you have available?
    • What are your strengths?
    • What are your weaknesses?
    • What resupply capabilities do you have?
    • What courses of action (COA) are available to you?  Note: this will get more detailed treatment in the OCOKA section.
  • Time
    • What is the time schedule that you have to work with?  In other words, how long is the scenario, is the end time variable, etc.?
    •  At what time of day does the scenario take place?
    • What is the reinforcement schedule?
I will have an Estimate the Situation exercise for you to do in the near future, after I complete the OCOKA section.  Should be a hoot, so stick around.

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