Junior Staff Course A Guide to Tactical Appreciation 1987

112 Pages·2012·2.86 MB·English

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3.T.I
A guide to the
Tactical Appreciation
1987
J23-007 JAN 88
LAND WARFARE CENTRE
JUNIOR STAFF WING
3.T.1
1988
A GUIDE TO THE
TACTICAL APPRECIATION
References: A. JSP(AS)102 (Second Edition) - Service Writing, 1984
B. MLW One 5.1 - Staff Duties in the Field, 1986
C. MLW One 5.2 - Aide-memoire, 1987
This manual replaces all previous handouts from the Junior
Staff Wing on the subject of military appreciations.
The manual does not replace References A, B and C. Rather it
binds together the philosophy and directs the students' attention to
interpretation applicable to the appreciation at unit level.
The manual is published under the authority of the Chief
Instructor of Junior Staff Wing for use by students attending the Junior
Staff Course.
.123-008 JAN 87
I
AMENDMENT CERTIFICATE
Proposals for amendment or additions to the manual should be
referred to the Module Master for Operations. Such proposals should
include a draft of the suggested amendment.
Amendment List
Amendment Made By Date
No Date
J I 9-001 JAN 88
LAND WARPARK CENTRE
JUNIOR STAFF WING
MILITARY APPRECIATIONS
'At the beginning of 1944, Lieut-General Scoones was
commanding 4 Corps on the Assam front. He was an
informed, thoughtful soldier with a clear mind of
the analytical type. My staff sometimes complained
that he produced lengthy appreciations in which all
factors and courses of action were conscientiously
considered. I always pointed out that these
appreciations could be re-read after the event and
found uncannily accurate. A General whose
appreciations can stand this test is not perhaps as
rare as a politician whose speeches can equally bear
re-reading, but such far sightedness is one of the
foundations of real Generalship and is not too
common a gift. Scoones had, too, a steadiness in
crisis that was, for the battle he was to fight, an
invaluable quality.'
Defeat into Victory
Field Marshal Viscount Slim
References: A. JSP (AS) 102, Service Writing (Second Edition), 1984,
Chapter 16
B. MLW One.5.1 - Staff Duties in the Field, 1986
Chapter 5
C.
MLW One.5.2, Aide-Memoire, 1987 Chapter 10
INTRODUCTION '
1. An estimate or appreciation of a situation is the military term
defined as a 'logical process of reasoning by which a commander
considers all the circumstances affecting the military situation and
arrives at a decision as to the course of action to be taken in order to
accomplish his mission' (Reference A, Chapter 16, paragraph 1601).
-2-
2. The appreciation is essentially the process whereby operational
information is collected and then used to produce outline plans. The
references cover the appreciation as it relates to strategic, tactical,
and administrative problems at formation level. While the basics remain
the same ft»r all levels, there is a need for amplification of the unit
level appreciation.
3. The purpose of this manual is to explain the steps inherent in
an appreciation applicable to unit level tactical problems.
4. In considering this purpose students should be aware of the
following:
a. This manual does not replace the References in any way but
rather binds together the philosophy. Students are
encouraged to read the References to gain a broader
viewpoint.
b. There are no drills or simple keys to success. The
appreciation is simply one person's thought process on
paper. Each person's approach is going to vary
particularly on points of detail and interpretation of
what is of relative importance. This manual gives
detailed explanation but DOES NOT encourage slavish
adherance to every example*
5. This manual is set out in six parts as follows:
a. Part 1. (White). Part 1 encompasses some background
reading by giving:
(1) some explanation of the logic inherent in the
appreciation process,
(2) a reading list with explanatory notes, and
(3) some hints on the collection and layout of
information.
b. Parts 2 to 5. (Part 2 Yellow, Part 3 Blue, Part 4 and 5
White). Parts 2 to 5 consist of a step by step guide to
the factor analysis appropriate to offensive and defensive
operations.
c* Part 6. (Green). Part 6 is a glossary of definitions and
explanations of tactical terms.
6. Parts of this manual will appear repetitive. This is necessary
because of the variation in needs among students. Some can understand
the process from a logic diagram. Others prefer a general overview of
each section of the process and what it does. Again others need a
detailed factor guide. Most seem to gain from examples. One may
therefore find the same information presented in four different ways.
7. The information given in this manual should be examined
critically. The emphasis and many of the explanations are based on the
author's viewpoint. The coverage is particularly geared to the JSC and
is therefore not an exhaustive overview of the military appreciation
process. The appreciation is a creative and a thinking exercise and
student submissions should reflect this.
\
J19-002 JAN 87
PART 1
BACKGROUND TO THE APPRECIATION PROCESS
The Tactical Decision and Military Judgement
1. To make a tactical decision requires sound military judgement.
Inherent in judgement is experience and analytical thought. These two
aspects require perspective as both are clearly evident in every
deduction in the appreciation process.
2. The analytical process is based on propositional thought (the
logical connection of given truths or facts) and is the basis of the
'scientific' solution. It is characterized by a computer style binary
operation where factors either fit a programme or blue print (of
doctrine) or they do not. It is the process of logic which tends to
lead to the 'black or white and no grey' solution.
3. The conceptual process is based on appositional thought (the
placing of the complete problem next to solutions found in the past for
similar problems) and operates on the basis of experience and is
characterized by 'gut feeling'. It does not operate on the building
blocks of data or propositions but rather on whole images drawn from
what the brain has been exposed to or experienced. The expression of
this thought process in any endeavour is often regarded as 'artistic'.
Rommel called it 'fingerspitzenfuhl' (finger feeling).
4. Arms officers frequently operate in the conceptual mode more
than the analytical and tend to arrive at a solution on first sight of
the problem. This accords with unit training. The temptation is then
to situate the appreciation.
5. Both the analytical and the conceptual process must be brought
together. The conceptual provides inspiration or hypotheses for the
analytical to test. Officers who do operate with a conceptual bias must
exercise extreme self discipline to subject the 'gut feeling' to an
objective analysis. Service officers frequently do not suffer from this
distraction and therefore tend sometimes to produce better technical
appreciations than their arms counter-parts. Their analysis, however,
suffers from lack of detailed hypotheses and sound practical premises.
6. Both arms and service officers currently suffer from a lack of
operational experience. It is only by the application of the discipline
inherent in a sound appreciation that both the conceptual and analytical
skills can be truly developed in peace-time.
Complete the following reading in the sequence given:
f
a. Study the remainder of Part 1, less Annexes A, B and C.
b. Scan the remainder of Part 1.
c. Study the description of the following terms and ensure
that you understand them thoroughly:
(1) Aim. See Parts 2 and 3. See also Part 6 Glossary
for the words:
(a) aim,
)
(b) clear, )
(c) defend,
)\
(d) delay, ) These words are listed
)
(e) deny, ) in the glossary under
)
(f) destroy, )) 'Task Verbs'.
j)
Cg) contain,
(h) secure,
)
\)
(i) support, and
(j) limitation.
Key Terrain. See Part 6 Glossary. As
indicates, the identification of this terrain is the
key to the appreciation. Key Terrain is often on
approaches but may not always be so. Where a piece
of Key Terrain outside an approach is used in an
enemy defence and therefore becomes an objective, a
preliminary operation may be required.
(3) Objective. See Part 6 Glossary.
(4) Vital Ground. See Part 6 Glossary.
(5) Approach. See Part 6 Glossary.
(6) Time and Space. See Parts 2 and 3.
(7) Assessment of Tasks. See Parts 2 and 3.
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(8) Courses Open to Own and Enemy. See Parts 2 and 3.
Note that courses should be fully stated. Enemy
courses should be kept broad but are not simply re-
statements of doctrine. From these descriptions
effect is derived (see Part 6 Glossary) which in turn
leads to own courses. Own courses are described in
detail and include support aspects.
(9) Mission. When examining the statement of the mission
in the outline plan be aware of the relationship
between it, the original task and the aim. The
limitations are not expressed in the mission because
they are already included in courses and will be
reflected in the outline plan. Often, but not
always, the mission will be the fundamental task
given by the superior commander. It may be that the
fundamental task was to deny penetration in strength
through an area and that the best method of achieving
this (from courses open) is to attack the enemy. In
such cases the wording of the mission may be quite
different from the task or the aim even though it is
achieving both. Thus the aim 'to def within bdry'
becomes the mission 'to def HILL X', HILL X being the
vital ground. Check the task verbs in the Glossary.
(10) Outline Plan. It is here that you apply what was
taught for operation orders including precedence,
double entry book-keeping, use of Annex A to Chapter
6 of Reference B for command status and its wording,
and the statement of tasks. If a platoon is to
capture objective one in phase two then that becomes
its task '(Phase 2 : capture Objective 1)'. See
paragraphs 2, 3 and 6 of Annex B to Part 1.
d. Now relate these terms to the flow diagram at Annex A,
the 'Deductive Reasoning Process' explained below and the
hints for appreciation writing. Relate this, in turn, to
the example appreciations in Parts 2 and 3.
e. Study Part 3.
f. Read Part 6.
\ The Deductive Reasoning Process
8. Level of Thinking. The level' of the reasoning process sets the
scene. A battalion commander in giving a task to a company commander
will have considered the problem to platoon level to ensure that the
company commander has the necessary resources. In like manner the
brigade^ commander considers down to company level and tasks battalions,
and the company commander considers section level and tasks platoons.
The frame work for this 'two down' level of consideration is set by the
context of 'two up' both in terms of own forces and enemy. Thus a
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battalion commander examining a defence problem will analyse his problem
to platoon level while at the same time being mindful of the brigade and
divisional commander's aim and approaches to the battalion and brigade
vital ground. While considering that a battalion or regiment of enemy
will attack his position he will consider that regiment in a divisional
setting being mindful of the normal allocation of divisional resources
to that regiment.
9. Fact. A fact is a thing assumed as a basis for inference. It
is assumed, therefore, that the data given in the texts, manuals and
narratives to problems are facts upon which we may infer information not
given.
10. Factors. A factor is a useful fact from which deductions can
be drawn. This means that a fact which pertains to the achievement of
the aim of an appreciation is a factor. thus in a set of references, a
narrative and a map, we find many facts and we select the relevant ones
and list them under the heading 'FACTORS' and sub-headings 'Relative
Strengths', 'Ground', 'Assessment of Tasks', 'Time and Space' and 'Enemy
Courses' and others that may seem relevant. The relationship between
Aim, Factors, Own Courses and Outline Plan is shown in the flow diagram
at Annex A to Part 1. Note that Own Courses and Outline Plan are not
factors.
11. Deduction. A deduction is inference from general to
particular. Thus given the factors that there are two LMGs and one RPG
identified on Hill X causing delay to our advance, one can use the
general information in MLW Three 2.2 -The Musorian Armed Forces 1980
under doctrine, organisations, and order of battle, and a map to deduce
such things as:
a. it is possibly a platoon position;
b. there is a third squad which, by doctrine, in this phase
of war, would be located in the vicinity of area Y;
c. there are two more RPG 7s;
d. there are probably some other heavier weapons such as HMGs
or AT3s (the general idea and narrative would give clues
here);
e. the platoon would be within range of at least the RAG; and
f. most important, what does all this mean to you? This
leads to such deductions as:
(1) number of objectives,
(2) size of targets and therefore size of fire unit
required,
(3) likely enemy DF tasks which you need then to avoid,
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(4) the ratio of fire units to objectives and manoeuvre
elements and therefore the requirements for the
development of adequate combat power, and
(5) the emphasis to be given to your own resources such
as employment of support section to destroy a bunker
or use of air burst to destroy enemy in open pits.
Note that a deduction 'I must maintain momentum' is nonsense because it
is a statement of principle. It is from this principle and its
application to given facts that you deduce how you can achieve momentum
in the particular scenario. For amplification of the 'so what' process
see Part 6 Glossary.
12. Quantity of Deductions. What is needed from deductions is
usable information. Thus at unit level you seek information which
relates directly to how you deploy platoons, direct and indirect fire
support, and any other assets under your command to achieve the aim.
That is the reason for applying the 'so what' process; 'so what' relates
to your level of reasoning and your aim. The deductions should be
sufficiently developed so that they can be picked up in later sections
of the appreciation (time and space, assessment of tasks, courses open).
For example the air situation may lead to a general deduction that some
precaution is needed. This is of little use unless adequate resources
are identified (eg level of digging, air sentry per platoon or company
area etc) so that these can in turn be listed under assessment of tasks.
13. Summary of Deductions. There are two ways of looking at
summary of deductions: ,
a. At the end of a large unwieldly subject such as ground it
is useful to summarize the main points as they inter-
relate. It may also be useful to do the same between some
major headings such as ground and enemy.
b. A tabular layout of an analysis of approaches summarizes
in note form all the deductions in a host of perspectives
and then gives the assessment of the approach on the same
. page.
Either way it is a useful tool to condense information in the context of
the aim and its limitations.
Re-Appreciation
14. Note that on completion of the appreciation the situation could
change. If you are involved in a long term task (eg defence or
deliberate attack) it may be worthwhile to end the appreciation with
either:
a. 'Re-appreciate at ' (time/date); or
b. 'Re-appreciate when '