Developing a Battle Plan

[zdoofop]

Some of you may be aware that I'm taking a course in Private Investigation. I just finished the section on setting up a surveillance plan, and I noticed that some of the basic elements can be used in developing battle plans for base invasions. Partially due to copyright concerns and partially due to the fact that I don't want all the techniques for surveillance available to everyone, I won't post the entire file, but here are a few applicable excerpts (keep in mind that this unit is about surveillance only, not military. Just replace the surveillance terms with more applicable ones, for instance, read 'surveillant' as 'player'):

"...Every surveillant must be aware of every aspect and step of the surveillance operation. The plan...considers the general concepts of the surveillance and specific duties of each surveillant."

what I mean by this is that for a successful base invasion, a plan needs to be thought up, and each player should know his/her role.

"...The actions of all surveillants must always be coordinated so the plan may include alternate courses of action and backup procedures. Planned alternatives provide the surveillants with information needed to adapt to constantly changing situations that often occur when conducting surveillance."

Basically, we not only need a plan to take a base, we need backup plans and alternatives

"Communication among surveillants must be coordinated to ensure the success of the operation. Radio equipment should be checked...Each surveillant must know the appropriate hand signals that will enable him or her to communicate with another surveillant when it’s not practical to use radio equipment..."

What this means is that we should see who has a mic and who does not, and develop a shorthand for those who don't.

"...Detail the specific responsibilities for each surveillant and identify the individual responsible for the surveillance. There can be only one person in charge of a surveillance...This might seem so obvious it doesn’t need mentioning, but the failure to designate the person in charge can lead to disastrous results when two people of equal status work together on a case."

This part should be obvious. Each platoon needs a leader. Otherwise we're just running around like headless chickens.

"The types and methods of surveillance to be used should be identified."

I'll go into this more at the end of the post

"The plan...requires that a site survey be conducted at the time and location where the surveillance is going to be conducted. The purpose of the site survey is to provide the...surveillants with as much background information as possible before conducting the surveillance. The site survey can include the following elements:
-Access to location/target area â Route of ingress (entrance)
-A Route of egress (exit)
-Area information
-A Description of possible observation posts

The site survey should be accomplished as soon as possible before conducting the surveillance. If there’s too much time between when the site survey was conducted and when the surveillance begins, the survey should be updated to provide current information...A written site survey should be prepared and...become part of the written surveillance plan."

Whew that was a long one. TL;DR, recon should be part of any battle plan, as extensive as possible.

"Private investigators should be very familiar with their equipment and with how to use it effectively..."

Every successful battle tactician should know what frames he has to work with and how best to use them effectively.

"Before the actual surveillance, the surveillants should familiarize themselves with the area...where the target is located. A good map of the area is essential. The more detail on the map the better.

A grid map is used for the general geographic area where the surveillance is going to be conducted, identifying surrounding...areas. Maps of cities and counties usually have some sort of grid system adapted to them.

A strip map is used for a specific area where the surveillance is going to be conducted, highlighting key areas and items of interest...Maps should be as current as possible, and each surveillant should have the same map. Two individuals referring to two different maps can be confusing. In addition, the maps should be used in any briefings conducted before beginning the surveillance."

I put this in here to point out that although the in-game map provided is useful, it will likely not be a substitute for proper pre-battle reconnaissance.

Back to procedures, I believe a "playbook" will be useful in making battle plans. The AI will no doubt have a set of strategies for their npcs, we need one for the players. It will develop and adapt over time, of course, not be available immediately, but developing one will be probably the most effective tool in developing battle plans.

 

[Omnires]

As a person who was a master at games like hide-and-go-seek as a kid (Note; most people think games like hide-and-go-seek are just mindless and harmless fun kids have. But in truth the game teaches a number of key things for both survival and combat. For example two of the most obvious things being that seeking teaches kids hunting skills while hiding teaches kids how to avoid predators and dangerous humans while also teaching both sides how to think ahead and out smart your opponent.). As will as having to learn about different battle tactics and strategies in my later years as part of anthropology studies. And the four key things you need to do to up the odds of success is always.
1) Information ; having most information as possible as well as controlling the flow of information is key to every battle.

It would be nice if that in Em-8er we could do things like spread misinformation and/or disrupt their communications to the enemy and confuse them. Delaying their response to things we do or even trick them into attacking each other.​

2) Having clear goals and conditions ; because sometimes it is not the fact that you won but how you won that really matters.

In real life how you fight a battle or war matters just as much as anything else. It can mean the difference between following the rules of engagement and what to do captured enemies or being listed as a war criminal.​

3) Discipline ; having enough self-control not to jump the gun or to be baited into a trap. Knowing when not to act is just as important as knowing when to act.

Just remember. "The two most powerful warriors are patience and time."​

4) Adaptability ; always be ready to throw way any plan once to you are aware that the risks are to high. This is what back-up plans are for. And why a good tactician is someone who is both well versed in conventional problem solving as well as thinking about things in the abstract to notice things other people would have missed.

But this rules work just as well for protecting and area as they do for attacking one. Funny how the mind sets of attackers and defenders are often the same just with different end goals. Kind of like how psychologically there is really not much of a difference between the cops and criminals they hunt. lol

 

[Thorp]

I don't have much to add here however I have always liked games with the ability to draw lines on the minimap for nearby players to see. A sort of MSpaint tool that allows drawing on the minimap and the lines are replicated to local players. This will provide straight forward coordination without microphones or text chat. The downside of course is in choosing which players are authorized to doodle on the map. In a game called Savage: Battle for Newerth the team commander had control; for Em8er perhaps the base owners or guild officers can control the local map for all players in the area.

 

[Pandagnome]

What if you could preplan and have it downloaded straight to your mech

An example you are approaching the Kaiju Fort

- Plan A = Infiltration with hilighted areas of entry
- Plan B = Direct assault with highlighted areas for cover
- plan C = Both plans simultaneously combined A+B

With what Torp mentioned also the commander could send out a premade plan so
perhaps there already was a recon team who had accessed the area before and relayed back the information to the commander.

This would be very useful for highly defended areas including co-ordinating more than 1 team.