ATP-5-0-2-1 Staff Reference Guide Volume 1 Download
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Planning 07 December 2020 ATP 5-0.2-1 55 than others, but the level of detail reached and synchronization across the staff is minimal, especially if analyzing only a critical event. War game 2-170. War gaming is a disciplined process with rules and steps that attempt to visualize the flow of the operation, given the force's strengths and dispositions, the threat's capabilities, and possible friendly COAs. A war game gathers the staff around a visual tool that represents friendly, threat, and relevant terrain and uses an action-reaction-counteraction method to assess friendly and threat interaction. A visual tool can be a paper map, a terrain model, a CPOF screen, a PowerPoint slide, a white board, or a sketch. Friendly and threat icons are represented by models, cut-outs, Post-it notes, "stickies," or icons drawn on the visual tool. Having a visual representation that everyone can follow and understand is key. The staff then uses the action reaction-counteraction process to refine the COA. Establishing this method and integrating new members who are unfamiliar with a unit's SOPs can take time. An advantage of war gaming is that it is a known process that planners conduct in analog or digital form. Note. The war-gaming process can overwhelm staffs, causing them to lose focus on solving the problem. Leaders must clearly define desired outputs and how to conduct the war game, which removes some of the friction associated with this process and allows leaders to focus on the problem. Modeling and Simulation 2-171. Modeling and simulation can be used to enhance COA analysis. A given COA can be represented in a physical model or computer aided simulation and evaluated against multiple conditions in the operating environment. A key planning consideration related to modeling and simulation is understanding what exactly needs to be modeled and simulated. Advantages of this technique include the ability of modeling and simulation to provide quantitative data to inform decision making. A disadvantage includes the limited availability of resident modeling and simulation tools and expertise across organizations, installations, and staffs to consult and advise on modeling and simulation options. Select a Technique to Record and Display Results 2-172. Analysis results provide a record from which to build task organizations, synchronize activities, develop DSTs, confirm and refine event templates, prepare plans or orders, and compare COAs. Two techniques are commonly used to record and display results: the synchronization matrix technique and the sketch note technique. In both techniques, staff members record any remarks regarding strengths and weaknesses they discover. The amount of detail depends on the time available. Unit SOPs address details and methods of recording and displaying analysis results. COA Synchronization Matrix 2-173. A COA synchronization matrix is a tool staffs use to record the results of war gaming. This matrix helps staffs synchronize a COA across time, space, and purpose in relation to potential enemy and civil actions (see figure 2-10 on page 56 for an example of a COA synchronization matrix).