Re: Initiative - was RE: Piquet

On Wed, 29 Sep 2004 11:46:36 -0400, laserlight@quixnet.net
<laserlight@quixnet.net> wrote:
> >From: John Atkinson
> <much snippage>
> >Besides which, motivating people to pull triggers is NCO business at
> the fireteam/squad level, and not appropriate subject matter for a
> wargame at the platoon/company level.
> 
> Okay, so what would you say are appropriate "uncommanded" actions? 
Perhaps
> separated into QD levels--for instance, being QD8 Marines might allow
> "assault through ambush" as a battle drill, but QD4 Heathen Mob would
be
> limited to "flee".

A lot of it depends on the initial OPORD.  Given a clear idea of what
the headquarters one or two levels up really wants to accomplish in a
mission, junior leadership can take an amazing amount of initiative. 
Or they can sit and freeze.

But give them no clear idea what they are supposed to accomplish, and
most of them will sit in one spot and defend that spot until it gets
too hot.  And not much more.

Mobs are an interesting case--they tend to reinforce each other's
attitudes so that either their morale is really, really good, or
really, really bad.

> The other thing I want to think about taking into account is what
someone,
> probably Dupuy, called "forced posture changes"...eg if you're moving
> forward and take effective fire, you have a chance of being stopped. 
Or if
> you see an enemy fleeing, you have a chance of moving to Pursuit
posture,
> even if your CO wants you to stay put.

Hard to model, but worth trying.

John