A scenario provides the setting, context, and essential information for designing and playing a miniature wargame.  Unsurprisingly, scenarios for fighting a battle within the larger context of a campaign and with greater emphasis on the operational art are far more detailed than those for a tactical level game.  However, the extra work pays off in tying together and expanding knowledge obtained through reading, map study, and miniature gaming.  Going through the scenario development process is also an excellent way to prepare for a battlefield visit.

Terms Definitions and Explanations of Miniature Wargaming First, let’s define and explain some terms.

* Campaign — A series of related major operations aimed at achieving strategic and operational objectives within a given time and space.   For our purposes, the focus on the campaign is at the corps level.

* Campaign Scenario — A scenario that emphasizes the Operational Art and interface between the Operational and Tactical levels of war.

* Operational Art — The cognitive approach by commanders and staff—supported by their skill, knowledge, experience, creativity, and judgment—to develop strategies, campaigns, and operations to organize and employ military forces by integrating ends, ways, and means.

*  Operational/Tactical Level — To game in miniature a battle that was part of a campaign; the ruleset to be used must provide for both operational and tactical level play with a solid interface between these two levels.

* Scenario — The starting point, context, and guidelines for a miniature wargame.

Expectations from a Campaign Scenario

The scenario provides an operational problem centered on a battle between opposing division-sized forces.  The scenario starts with a historical time, date, weather and ground conditions, the intelligence estimate held by each side, and the overall logistical situation.  The battle doesn’t need to be between two opponents evenly matched in terms of combat strength or proficiency.  

Historical decisions and events off the battlefield, especially those adjacent to the miniature wargame, should be taken into account, limiting or creating opportunities for the commanders in the game.  Events off the battlefield that should impact play on the miniature gaming table include breakthroughs off the battlefield that would require the withdrawal of one commander’s forces or the unanticipated opportunity for an advance by the other; the reassignment of corps artillery, engineers, and other forces pooled at that level; and opportunities for flanking movements through another division’s zone off and then back onto the miniature battlefield. 

Ideally, the battle should be the historically important event in the campaign or be operationally and/or tactically challenging in itself.  Examples of the latter include the taking of a critical terrain feature dominating the gaming table or the area immediately off the battlefield, severing an enemy line of communication, an assault crossing of a waterway or an airborne assault, fighting a delaying action, and breaking into and through fortified lines.  

The scenario may also modify the rules being used to allow for a more historically accurate facsimile of the operation.  Alternatively, variations and “what if” events could be addressed by a table of possible alternative events,

These expectations place a much higher priority on the practice of the operational art and reduce the likelihood of a miniature wargame being unrealistically played in isolation from events off the table.

A Great Learning Opportunity

Gaming a particular historical scenario of interest allows for hands-on learning about the armies’ doctrine and equipment, the battlefield proficiency of their leaders, the effects of terrain and weather, and a deeper understanding of the commanders’ practice of the operational art.

I have obtained a much better understanding of distance over land in terms of lines of sight, weapon ranges, movement rates, and the limits of command and control; terrain effects; the impacts of weather and ground conditions; and a far greater sense of what can and cannot realistically be done in a set period of time.  I’ve also learned what my initial plan must address and how to more quickly modify or replace a plan.  In addition, it focuses my attention on what I must see on a battlefield visit to better understand what happened there, and make informed decisions on which analyst/historian/authors really “got it right.”  In that way, I know whose additional works I would enjoy — important when there are “so many books and so little time.”

The Scenario as a Document  

The scenario is also a document that, when completed, provides insights into the challenges and selection of courses of action available to the commanders, and a deeper understanding of the strategic background, operations, and tactics that will improve the experience of visiting the battlefield and enhance the overall understanding of how the armies fought as they did.

Major Components of a Campaign/Operational Level Scenario

The considerable time required to develop a campaign scenario document is time well spent.  From a miniature wargaming perspective, I consider scenario development to be an integral part of the hobby, similar to the enjoyment that others receive from painting and basing figures and preparing terrain and structures — skills that I admittedly lack.

At a minimum, a campaign scenario document should provide:

* Historical Overview —  A summary of the battle within its campaign content to include a chronology of events on and off the battlefield to guide and inform both sides’ practice of the operational art.  

* Analysis of Key Events — An informed understanding of what worked and did not work in the battle based on reading and study, and if possible a thesis statement on what to address through miniature gaming.  List all helpful references for future use.

* Maps — Gather/copy wargame reference maps extending beyond the marked-out battlefield/gaming table boundaries.  Determine the precise boundaries of the miniature battlefield.

* Battlefield Description — There are several reasons for developing a detailed battlefield description.  The first is to assist in setting up a battlefield in miniature at a scale of 100 yards per inch.  The second is to view that battlefield from the perspectives of the opposing commanders.  The third is to identify what standard rules need to be modified or replaced to allow for more realistic battlefield conditions and the historical impact of those.  

At a minimum, this description should address: environmental conditions including ground and weather conditions over the scenario’s duration, as well as the seasonal impacts of crops and trees; a  terrain analysis, particularly terrain that had a significant impact; characterization of waterways (width, current speed, bank weight capacity and extent of vegetation or other potential obstacles along approaches and exits) and the density of forests; road and rail network analysis of roads and their conditions, the extent to which roads and rail lines are elevated or level, and bridge weight capacity; primary construction materials (wood and brick or stone), size, and shape of built-up areas (towns, villages, hamlets, farms, military and industrial facilities); and the location and nature of permanent fortifications (depth, obstacles, strength, capacity, etc.).

* Orders of Battle (OOB) — The historical OOBs of both sides with identification of the corps; divisions and their organic and attached units; historical task organizations at the regiment and battalion levels as known; and historically available separate tank, anti-tank, anti-aircraft, reconnaissance, combat engineer, and artillery battalions, to include their type of weapons.    

* Assessment of Combat Proficiency —  Doctrine, training, combat experience, historical manpower, and material levels, etc.  Identify commanders to the extent possible from corps to battalions to assist in determining their command ratings and battlefield proficiency.  

* Historical Intelligence Assessment — Identify each side’s intelligence on enemy forces, capabilities, strength, and disposition; current or expected operations; possible responses to friendly courses of action; road and bridge conditions; battlefield obstacles and fortifications; river conditions, etc, which may have been incorrect, vague, or misleading.

* Basic Scenario Information — Establish the start and end dates and times and, based on the opponents’ historic missions, the victory conditions for both sides.

* Special Scenario Rules — Modifications, deletions, and additions to the baseline rulesets to better replicate the setup and resolution of the battle.  Examples include the impacts of significant logistical factors; special or unique terrain impacts on movement, sighting, cover, and concealment; dates and times of historical withdrawal of initial units and the arrival time and location of reinforcements; impacts of unusual weather, availability of special ammunition or weapon types; etc.

The Commanders’ Briefings

Based on the above, I develop a Commander’s Briefing for each side.  Think of this as the format and content that a corps commander and his staff would use in briefing their initial operational plan to their next-level subordinate commanders and their staff.  It is from the information in this briefing that the division and regiment commanders develop their initial plans and task organizations before the start of play.  

The composition and level of detail in the Commanders’ Briefings is up to the scenario designers, but at a minimum should address the following for both of the two opposing senior commanders:

* The Situation — This provides the division commanders’ initial Situational Awareness, a starting snapshot of the strategic context, the operational perspective, and the roles of the corps and division within the higher-level operations.  Logistical constraints should also be addressed.

* Mission — This provides the coordinated actions of military units at multiple levels of command in response to a strategy or operational plan resulting in a specific outcome that will achieve specific goals through the execution of enabling tasks.  The mission leads to the statement of objectives and tasks for subordinate formations

* Available Forces, Task Organization, and Assigned Zones — Establishes force composition and task organization including attachments, detachments, and cross-assignments based on higher-level allocations of pooled forces.  Assigns artillery to Direct Support, General Support, Counter-Battery, and other tasks in support of maneuver elements.  Assigns engineer support.  Allocates air support.  Also establishes unit operational areas and zones, as well as boundaries in general terms.

* Concept of Operations — A statement that directs how subordinate units cooperate to accomplish the mission and establishes the sequence of actions the command will use to achieve the desired end state.

* Intelligence Estimate — Use the historical intelligence estimate, to the extent it is known, even if it is incorrect.  Whatever was known or believed at the time was used by the commander to assist in his decision-making.  This serves as a baseline that will change as the battle evolves.  

* Weather — A forecast of several days in length including impacts on ground conditions, visibility, movement, and the availability of artillery and air support.

* Terrain — Identify key terrain from the perspective of friendly and enemy forces.  Discuss road and bridge conditions and identify other natural and manmade obstacles to the conduct of operations.

* Commander’s Intent — A clear and concise expression of the operation and its intended end state to assist subordinate commanders in achieving the higher commander’s desired results without further orders, even when the operation does not unfold as planned.  

Keeping Track of All This

I use the scenario as the first entry in a “Battle Log” that I maintain on a laptop throughout the game.  This provides easy access to the essential information needed throughout the game, and a workspace for the subordinate commanders to practice the operational art through their planning for and conduct of operations at the division and regimental levels.  Changes to force allocation and status, requests to higher commanders for support, the provision of new information to update intelligence estimates, periodic unit updates to higher-level commanders, etc., also can be maintained in the Battle Log.  In addition, players can document operational and tactical lessons learned, issues for further study, and the noting of specific spots to visit on the battlefield.  In short, the Battle Log provides an easily accessible record of what you learn from your miniature wargaming that will advance your tactical and operational expertise, better inform you for visiting the battlefield, and test the realism of your preferred miniature wargaming ruleset.

Closing Thoughts  

I hope that you find this information interesting and helpful.  Future related topics will include what to look for in finding a subject for operational/tactical level wargaming and additional rules covering the operational art.

Your thoughts and comments would be greatly appreciated!  So please leave a comment or begin a discussion.  Also, feel free to share what other topics you would like to see addressed in this blog.  Thanks for joining this journey!