On the way home from Fall In 2001 in Gettysburg, Pa., I gave some thought to the many games that I saw in which players tended to emphasize their troops more than their tactics. I have often wondered if the questions asked by players about amendments to the army lists are inspired by the need for additional troop types rather than historical considerations. Sometimes there is too much effort put into creating a “killer” army rather than developing a good sense of tactical options and good planning (including the choice of tactics based on your opponents’ capabilities and choice of army).

Terry has addressed the general types of offensive and defensive actions that can be employed on the tabletop. I want to address the use of the principles of war common to most military doctrines.

The principles of war are the basic guidelines by which military forces conduct both tactical and strategic operations. They owe their origin to the Napoleonic Wars and the research of such authors as Baron Henri Jomini and Karl von Clausewitz. These can be applied regardless of time period and forces involved. All of them are interdependent and can be incorporated into one another. Their role in any game can not be emphasized enough. Yet, they are fairly straight forward and easy to remember.

The modern principles of war include (British equivalent in parentheses):

Objective (selection and maintenance of the aim)
Offensive (offensive action)
Mass (concentration of force)
Economy of effort (same)
Manoeuvre (flexibility)
Unity of command (co-operation)
Security (same)
Surprise (same)
Simplicity (n/a)
(maintenance of morale)
(administration)

Objective: every military action should be directed toward a well-defined and obtainable objective. In each battle, players are encouraged to develop a plan of action for the course of the game. This can be offensive or defensive (or even a combination) as described by Terry. The outcome of a game is often a result of successful implementation of this plan and adherence to decision making that supports the plan. Sometimes, players tend to simply react to their opponents’ actions rather than following their own battle plan. So instead of executing a double envelopment, they try to block the opponent’s frontal assault. The result is usually that your opponent dictates the course of the battle.

Offensive: seize, maintain and exploit the initiative. If you have allowed your opponent to control the course of the action, then you have ignored this principle. Even a defensive plan can have offensive parts (the best defense is a good offence according to General George S Patton). This may be as simple as enticing the opponent to attack your missile-armed troops on ground of your choosing followed by a counter-attack to finish off his units. Try to consider how best to take advantage of any situation regardless of whether you move first, last or simultaneously.

Mass: concentrate combat power at the decisive place and time. It is difficult to be strong every where, although it is essential to concentrate your troops to achieve a significant defeat of your opponents’ units. This is true regardless of your numerical status. Local supremacy can be achieved by all armies and is one of the best ways to force your opponent to react to your actions (thus giving you the initiative). Timing is important particularly for inferior armies that need to realise this principle before the opponent can gain a significant advantage. You can even have more than one concentration point, either real or fake. The latter can be useful to force your opponent to attempt counter moves at each point. This gives you the option of switching so that you can focus on the one that is most likely to give you a decisive advantage.

Economy of force: allocate minimum essential combat power to less important actions. This definitely goes hand in hand with Mass. A good screen can often delay or (if very successful) thwart your opponents attempt(s) at Offensive Action and Mass. Light troops that rely on speed and firepower are ideal for such actions. In addition, some heavier troop types can be used to exploit any openings presented. A single unit charge can wreak havoc if your opponent exposes a flank or a wide enough hole in his line.

Manoeuvre: place the enemy at a disadvantage by the flexible use of combat power. This is an ideal way to employ light troops either en masse or in small numbers. Large numbers of skirmishers can easily tie up much of your opponents’ strength or as stated above counter his main effort(s). It is not always necessary to inflict casualties (and sometimes this is just not possible without risking your troops at close range), but rather you can create viable threats just by positioning your units within striking range of your opponents’ units. Just as one tends to react to insects buzzing in the general vicinity, players tend to be distracted by the mere presence of enemy forces. Even considering your probability to roll well or badly can be important.

Unity of command: directing and co-ordinating the actions of all units to a common goal. There should be one commander for every objective. This means giving a major task to each commander and conversely not tasking your commanders with too many objectives. This is an important principle to consider when organizing your commands so that each commander has the right troop types and numbers to accomplish the task. Even the attachment of support troops must be done with this in mind so that skirmishers are used to cover the advance of assault troops and can easily get out of their way when the main attack is ready to launch.

Security: enhances freedom of action by reducing friendly vulnerability to hostile acts, influence or surprise. This can be achieved by protecting yourself through vigilance so that you are not surprised and also by deception to limit your opponents’ ability to determine what you plan. Use of flank marches, keeping some troops off-board and doing a rough calculation of the opponents’ troop totals will help to minimize your vulnerability and make the other side more vulnerable. Few players take advantage of delayed deployment (keeping troops off board) to foil their opponents.

Surprise: is going against the enemy at a time or a place and in a manner for which he is unprepared. This is considered the reciprocal of security. It is not essential for the enemy to be taken unaware, but rather to delay enemy reaction until it is too late.

Simplicity: means keeping your plans as simple and direct as the attainment of your objective permits. This helps to limit confusion and misunderstanding, particularly in multi-player games. Try to avoid altering your plans during the battle, especially in reaction to your opponents’ actions.

Maintenance of morale: is keeping your forces supported and limiting their vulnerability to morale checks. Napoleon said that the ratio between morale and physical aspects are as three is to one. Many a game has been lost by units failing morale checks and then creating a domino effect among the surrounding friendly units. Watch for situation based on the plus and minus factors of any morale check; maximize the former and minimize the latter wherever possible.

Administration: is all those little jobs that help to achieve the above. Knowing the armor, weapons and morale of your units, good knowledge of the rules (particularly the ones for tournaments) and having all your required figures, terrain, dice, rulers and other aids. Writing done information after each battle (the lessons learned during the game, useful tips for future games and changes to your army) can assure that you are better prepared for the next game. Check lists, army lists, lists of terrain pieces and other notes can make it much easier to prepare for a game. Drawing a map and indicating the basic movements helps to clarify the objectives and roles of you units.

You may even wish to create simple acronyms to help you remember what to do. The modern militaries make great use of these and again they can be applied to wargames.

METTT

Mission (what is your aim?)
Enemy (What is the enemy likely to do and what has he got?)
Troops (What have you got and what is the task for each general?)
Terrain (How to make the best use and minimize enemy use of the battlefield)
Time (How long (turns) will it take to implement the plan and how long before the forces collide)

SMEAC

Situation (terrain, own troops, enemy troops, weather)
Mission (plan of action to achieve the aim)
Execution (actions to achieve aim such as left flanking or frontal assault)
Administration (assignment of forces to each command, supply, reinforcements)
Communication/Co-ordination (ensuring you can communicate follow-on orders, begin delayed actions and make changes as required)

These are but a few examples of how to enhance your enjoyment of the hobby by better understanding the methodology developed as part of the art of war.