(c) Target Area of Interest (TAI) - Place on the battlefield where the enemy is vulnerable, or where the friendly commander may influence the action through fire and maneuver, and deny the enemy force a particular course of action . TAIs are usually areas suitable for attacking HVTs (which may later become HPTs). Therefore, we can say that TAIs are normally developed by the S2 and the rest of the staff as a product of wargaming, and targeted by the FSO. For every TAI there must be at least one High Payoff Target (HPT), and a DP. There are Point TAIs and Area TAIs. Area TAIs may later become Engagement Areas (EAs).

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(d) There is a direct correlation between Intelligence requirements and decisions the commander must make, as well as what targets will be engaged at a certain time and place. The Priority Intelligence Requirements (PIR) will drive decisions made by the commander.

COROLLARY: For every HPT there should be a PIR and an NAI for collection and DP and a TAI for engagement.

(e) "Bootlacing" - Some of the HVTs developed by the S2 will become HPTs as the staff wargames each COA. This will derive additional PIR and NAIs for collection on those HPTs. To engage an HPT, the S2 must determine where that HPT is the most vulnerable or when the engagement of that HPT will be of the most benefit to the friendly operation. There places will become TAIs. The commander and S3, must then determine what asset will be used to engage the HPT, and when is the latest time/place where the employment of that asset will be effective against that HPT (the time and place where the commander must decide whether to use that asset). That time and place then becomes a decision point. Tying HPTs to PIR/NAIs and then to DPs and TAIs is what we call " bootlacing".

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(5) STEP 5 - SELECT A WARGAME METHOD -

a) Avenue in Depth -

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b) Belt Method - This is the preferred method as it ensures simultaneous consideration of all forces that could affect a particular event.

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c) Box Method -

(6) STEP 6 - RECORD AND DISPLAY RESULTS

a) Narrative - This technique describes the visualization of the operation in sequence in sentence form. Provides extensive detail and clarity.

b) Sketch Note - This technique uses brief notes concerning critical locations, requirements, or task.

(7) STEP 7 - WARGAME THE BATTLE AND ASSESS THE RESULTS - Visualize the battle from initial unit locations using a logical sequence (Avenue, Belt, Box ). Wargaming sequence is ACTION - REACTION-COUNTERACTION. Conduct until critical event is successfully completed or you must employ other means to conduct the operation. The wargaming session consists of the concept that for every ACTION on the battlefield from wither side, there will be a REACTION from the opposing side, and subsequently, a COUNTERACTION. The cycle will then repeat itself with another REACTION, then COUNTERACTION, REACTION, etc., until the conclusion of the battle. The ACTION always starts with the force analyzing the battle or COA.

a) The results of a wargaming session are recorded on the synchronization matrix. The S2 plays the enemy commander, while the S3 and the rest of the staff play friendly forces. The battle is "fought" on paper hour by hour (using the H-hour sequence from the BHL in the defense or the LD/LC in the offense as a guide), analyzing each critical event to determine the viability of the courses of action, identify possible branches and sequels to the operation, and determine the approximate expected duration of combat. The entries on the synchronization matrix will synchronize critical events that should happen on the battlefield so that the desired effects of the friendly combat power are brought to bear on the enemy force at the decisive time/place.

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b) A technique that some units use is to synchronize to critical events, rather than a specific time:

EXAMPLE: The priority of fires will change to SEAD upon commitment of the Attack Helicopters

.... RATHER THAN- The priority of fires will change to SEAD at H+3.

In this example, the launching of the helicopters may be driven by another event which may or may not happen, or the helicopters may get delayed for some reason. In that case, firing the SEAD mission at H+3 may be useless if the helicopters are not flying at that time.

c) Results of wargaming:

1) Elimination of poor COAs
2) Recommendation of best COA to commander
3) Modifications/refinements to selected COA (main effort, task org, reserves, control measures)
4) Tasks to maneuver units
5) Tasks to support units
6) Possible branches/sequels
7) Estimated duration of the battle
8) Awareness of potential NBC effects
9) Additional critical events/PIR/HPT/NAI
10) Projection of combat losses
(8) WARGAME EXAMPLE

a) Let's look at an example of wargaming in more detail.

• ACTION: We will define this as friendly Maneuver action. The S3 will explain what maneuver forces are doing at this critical event. The statement should be simple: "I am attacking (or defending) with 2 M2 and 1 M1 Company." At the time corresponding to the critical event in the synchronization matrix, the recorder records "2 M2, 1 M1 Co".
• REACTION: Reaction is what the enemy is doing about the friendly action. It is always enemy action. The S2 provides this information. It may be looked on as a list of HVTs that the enemy has in use at this point in the battle. Be sure to cover all battlefield operating systems from the enemy's standpoint. In another sense, this also corresponds to a paragraph 3 and 5c and d of the intel estimate specific to this critical event. The S2's response might look like this:

1 MR CO, 1 TNK PLT, AT5 50%

1 MTR BTY, 1 D-30 BN, 2 2S5 BN

4 SA-7, 2 ZSU 23-4

6 HIND-E

CHEMICAL

GMZ, IMR

• COUNTERACTION: Counteraction consists of the staff presenting what they can do to neutralize, limit or delay the enemy's reaction. They are in response to the reactions the S2 has presented. The S2 and the S3 will have additional input but initially we will look to the rest of the staff. Counteractions will be recorded at the point they will have to begin in order to be complete/or have their effect at the critical event. For instance, the Chemical Officer says: "If the enemy is going to use chemical, we need to raise our MOPP from MOPP 0. I recommend MOPP I at LD/LC, and since it will take five minutes to go from MOPP I to IV and we don't want to make the change under fire, that we go to MOPP IV 20 minutes prior to the critical event."

On the other hand, the commander might say: "I don't want my troops in MOPP IV unnecessarily; S2, can you determine with certainty when and where he will use chemical?" In the matrix we record at 20 minutes prior to the event: "ANS PIR 1." The S2 notes that PIR 1 is "When and where will the enemy use chemical?" The recorder puts DP 1 (a numbered star in the DST) and records on the M/CM/S line "DP 1 CHG MOPP IV."

The FSO says that he can limit enemy direct fire weapons with Smoke and WP. We determine that we will be within the enemy's direct fire range fan 15 minutes prior to the critical event. The S2 notes where the principle weapons systems will be and we record these as TAI 1 thru 6. This is where the FSO will shoot 15 minutes prior. On the Fire Support line the recorder notes 15 minutes prior to the critical event "SMOKE TAI 1 THRU 6." The enemy systems (HVTs) we are attacking have now become HPTs.

The FSO also notes that the lead company, Co A, our main attack, will be in the best position to direct artillery fires. So we also record "PRIORITY OF FIRES TO CO A."

We continue until we have suppressed, limited or delayed all of the enemy's reaction or as much as we can.

b) MODIFYING THE COURSE OF ACTION: If we don't reach a point where we feel we can defeat the enemy as a result of our action and counteraction, we may at this point abandon our course of action, or more likely if time is short modify it to provide more focused combat power or more combat multipliers.

c) COMPLETE THE WARGAME: Complete the wargame by gaming the remaining critical events in the same manner.

d) WARGAME AGAINST OTHER ENEMY COAs: A friendly course of action may have been created to defeat a specific enemy course of action, but in order for us to select a course of action to turn into an order it should be capable of defeating all probable enemy courses of action. To determine this we wargame all enemy courses of action against our friendly course of action. The simplest way to do this is to retain the DST we used for the first wargame and record the results of the second wargame in a different color: say black for the first wargame and blue or red for the second and third.

You will find that subsequent wargames go much faster than the first. Many actions and reactions will be the same or very similar. There will be no need to record a change since there is none. You will also find that the new enemy course of action may force the commander to make decisions: Do we send the reserve to point A or point B? Some of these will become adjustments that we make to the course of action; many others will require decisions during the battle. These will be reflected with decision points in the DST and matrix. They will result in BRANCHES.

The S2 must also remember the enemy equivalent of branches. If we neutralize, delay or limit some of the enemy's HVTs, we must remember that he has FAILURE OPTIONS. These will result in modifications to the enemy course of action even as we wargame it. For instance, the enemy might be attacking to cross the FULDA River. We identify as an HVT his GSP ferries and attack them successfully as an HPT. The S3's next critical event is our counterattack into an objective four kilometers to our side of the river. The S3 says, "Hey, we stopped him at the river; I guess that finishes this wargame." The S2 needs to respond, "No, if he doesn't make it with the GSPs, he'll bring up his bridges; it'll take him one hour to bring up the bridges and a half hour to put them in." This also generates a Branch.

e) PREPARATION: When preparing the synchronization matrix and aligning it with the time phase lines, leave one third of the space in the matrix to the side of your TPL corresponding to H hour for actions taking place prior to the start of the battle. This will allow you to conveniently record actions that must be taken prior to the beginning of the battle. The S2 and S3 must be prepared to Wargame.

• S2 Prep:
  

• S3 Prep
  

f) FOCUS: Stay focused on the event not on time. Do not try to fill out what each BOS is doing at the time corresponding to a critical event. Note instead what the BOS's in use are doing at various times to have an effect at the time of the critical event.