ATP-5-0-2-1 Staff Reference Guide Volume 1 Download
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Planning 07 December 2020 ATP 5-0.2-1 59 Concluding a COA is "infeasible" is completely acceptable, but be sure to apply an appropriate amount of effort to try and make it feasible. Do not encounter a minor issue and conclude a COA is infeasible. Avoid comparing one COA with another during the war game; this occurs during COA comparison. Do not get frustrated with the intelligence officer for effectively role playing the threat. Be prepared for COA analysis. High quality input results in optimal solutions. Avoid off-topic discussions to reduce distraction. Briefing "no change" is an acceptable response. Explain how adjudication works. Remind everyone that the war game's purpose is to improve the plan by synchronizing actions in time, space, and purpose. 2-184. The first turn is an explanation of the initial set in time and space of the action being war gamed and uses the synchronization matrix as a guide. All assets brief current location, task, purpose, task organization updates, and actions they are conducting at the start. If, after the initial set, enablers are completely task-organized to other units (for example, air defense or engineer), those assets are briefed by the element that now controls them, not the parent organization. 2-185. After the initial set is complete, the staff conduct turn 1. First, the action is conducted by the side with the initiative-usually the attacking side. For this example, friendly forces are attacking. First, brief environmental factors such as light and weather followed by friendly higher echelon and adjacent assets that could impact the AO. Friendly forces then brief-by warfighting function and from DO to the lowest priority SO-what they would like to accomplish during the turn. If using a synchronization matrix, the order that the units are listed in the matrix should be the briefing order. 2-186. The threat then briefs the reaction for turn 1. The intelligence officer briefs the threat's higher assets that could impact the AO and then, by warfighting function, briefs what actions the threat would like to take during the turn. 2-187. Then, for the first turn, friendly forces brief the counteraction. In the offense, the goal of the counteraction step is to ensure the friendly COA is the best it can be. Understanding how the threat will react to friendly action, the counteraction allows friendly forces to go back and adjust their previous actions in the turn to provide the most favorable outcome, while still meeting the COA guidance. 2-188. Once the action, reaction, and counteractions for turn 1 are complete, the leader adjudicates what actually happened and how it affected friendly forces, threat, population, and terrain. The most common technique to adjudicate friendly forces and threat effects is the COFM calculator. Numerous versions exist, but they all accomplish the same thing. After inputting each side's combat power, the calculator estimates relative combat power and casualties. Leaders still apply judgement and experience to account for factors such as unit morale and environmental considerations. 2-189. If a COFM calculator is unavailable, leaders rely solely on their experience and judgement to assess how friendly forces and the threat were effected. Adjudicating impacts on population, terrain, unit morale, and environment is more difficult and always relies on a leader's judgement and experience only. Once adjudication is complete, the turn is complete. Continue conducting turns until you meet your war- game objective or as time allows. 2-190. When friendly forces are in the defense, the only difference for the turn is the threat takes the action step; friendly forces react; and the threat describes any adjustments, based on their event template, they would make during the turn as the counteraction step before adjudication begins. The intelligence officer does not improve the threat COA, but they continue to refine the threat event template. Staffs brief neutral environmental factors, such as population and nongovernmental organizations, during the reaction and counteraction phases, regardless of who is attacking. Note. During an operation, if a side loses the initiative, the briefer of the action step can change.