COMBAT

APPRECIATION

LT COL PR PATHIRAVITHANA psc- SLAC

INTRODUCTION
 LAYOUT AND SEQUENCE
• Considering the task allotted together with restrictions
on the method of carrying it out to get the TERMS OF
REFERENCE/LIMITATION AND AIM

• Collecting and collating all relevant info under

appropriate FACTORS and arranged at relevant
DEDUCTIONS, towards achieving the aim

• Review of the deductions to bring out possible ways

of achieving the aim to give the COURSES OF
ACTON

• The elaboration of the course selected to give the

OUTLINE PLAN
FORMULATION OF THE AIM

Aim is a statement of what is intended to be

achieved. A clear and concise formulation of the
aim is an essential pre-requisite of any military
appreciation. A faulty aim will lead to a faulty
plan. The task may be clearly laid down by higher
commander. If so, the task will become the aim.
If not, a review of the situation will be required
to set the aim.
REVIEW OF THE SITUATION
 At higher levels, review of the overall sit obtaining
at that time may be carried out under the following
heads:

• A general review of the situation and

environment.This may include terrain
evaluation,weather, political and
psychological conditions

• Terms of reference

• En forces and intentions

• Own forces and higher intentions

 At lower levels, Div and below, review of the sit

normally limited to listing the Terms of
Reference/Limitation only
 TERMS OF REFERENCE /
LIMITATION
• Time Stipulation
• Restrictions on use of troops and
equipment
• Purpose of an operation
• Ground stipulation
• Amplification of task
• Administration stipulation
 AIM
The Aim must be simple, clear and concise. It
should satisfy the following:
• Must be single
• Must not indicate the method of
achievement
• Must be positive. No negative verbs should
be used
• Must be capable of being attained with the
existing resources

• Must be confined to the boundaries of

immediate planning
QUESTIONS TO BE ASKED
TO BRING OUT THE AIM
• What exactly is to be done?
• What does this involve?
• How far can I plan now?
Example One.
If the task laid down by the higher
commander is ‘To capture Green Hill’, the
task itself may become the aim, as the
answers to all the three questions are the
same, ie, ‘To capture Green Hill’. At Bn level,
selection of aim is often simple, the task
itself becoming the Aim.
Example Two.
The task laid down by higher commander is
‘To capture Brown Hill’. The answer to first
question remains the same, ie, to capture
Brown Hill. However, the answer to second
question brings out - that capture of Brown
Hill also involves capture of Mound and
Knoll since the latter two are in close
proximity of Brown Hill and will interfere in
its capture and subsequent holding. The
answer to third question is that the capture
of all the three features can be planned
now. Thus the Aim is this case would be ‘To
capture Mound, Knoll and Brown Hill’.
Example Three.
The task laid down by the higher
commander is, ‘Act as advance guard and
establish a firm base in area Metipihibiya’.
The answer to first question is, ‘To act as
advance Guard’ and’ To establish firm base
in Area Metipihibiya’. The next question
‘What does this involve?’ brings out ‘To act
as advance Guard upto area Metipihibiya
and then secure Metipihibiya’ The answer to
‘How far can I plan now ?‘ is that I can only
plan to act as advance Guard.
 FACTORS

A factor may be defined as a series of

statement of facts or reasonable
assumptions bearing on the aim, from
which deductions also having a bearing on
the aim can be drawn.
 PURPOSE
The purpose of examining factors is to
carry out an analysis of all available
relevant info, facts and “ possibilities,
whether known or surmised, with a view to
deriving definite and relevant conclusions
‘(deductions), towards determining the
courses of action. Deductions that emerge
enable us to suggest the possible courses
that the en may adopt, to know clearly
what options are available to own forces to
achieve, the aim and finally to select the
best option or course of action to realise
the aim.
 SELECTION OF FACTORS

Selection of factors is dependent on the

aim of the appreciation only relevant info
and facts having a beating on the
attainment of aim should be considered. All
irrelevant matter not having a bearing on
the ‘aim or not leading to useful deductions
should be ruthlessly discarded.
 THE PROCESS OF
SELECTION
• The Question Method

• The Plan ingredient/Execution Paragraph

Method
CONSIDERATION OF
FACTORS
DEDUCTIONS
 METHOD OF DRAWING
DEDUCTIONS
• There is no cover on Northern Approach (A
statement of fact), So what?
• During day, enemy will be able to observe my
move on Northern Approach (An effect), So
what?
• Move on Northern Approach is likely to draw
heavy enemy interference (An inference), So
what ?
• I should move on Northern Approach during
night or I should cover my move with arty
fire. (These suggest a course of action and there
is no further answer to ‘So what?’ Therefore,
these are deductions)
 IMPORTANT POINTS TO
REMEMBER WHILE DRAWING
DEDUCTIONS
• Always use the word ‘should’ for wording
deductions
• Deductions should always be positive. Never
draw negative deductions
• Do not include facts from which no useful
deductions can be drawn
• Do not arrive at deductions without first
considering the relevant factors. Such deductions
may be termed as unsupported deductions.
Unsupported deductions go against the technique
of a written appreciation Cont ...
 Cont ...

• Do not confuse statement of facts with deductions

• Deductions are conclusions leading to courses of

action. A statement which is a fact and not a
conclusion is not a deduction as it does not lead
to a course of action
• Deductions pertain to own courses of action. Do
not include deductions pertaining to enemy
courses of action in the Factors

• Do not draw deductions from the wrong

factors/sub factors
 COURSES OF ACTION
• Courses of action are the various options
available to achieve the aim. Factors have to be
considered logically, the likely courses, both
own and enemy, will be derived by
considering the factors
• Most suitable course to attain the aim
has to be selected by detailed consideration of
the merits of each and weighing it against
likely en action

• Courses, which are obviously

unworkable, must not be included
 SEQUENCE
• When En Has the Initiative:
* State and examine en courses
* Determine en’s most probable Course
* State and examine own courses
* Decide own best course of action in
relation to enemy’s most probable
course
• When We Have the Initiative:
* State and examine own courses
* State and examine en courses
* Determine en’s most probable course
* Decide own best course of action in
relation to enemy’s most probable
course
 EN COURSES
En courses are discussed under the headings
‘Likelihood’ and ‘Effect’. Under ‘Likelihood’,
discuss the likelihood of adoption of that
course by the enemy and under ‘Effect’,
examine the fleet of that course on the
attainment of our aim.
ENEMY’S MOST PROBABLE
COURSE
If no concrete indication of the enemy’s most
probable course may be forthcoming from the
consideration of factors, assess the enemy’s most
dangerous course as his most probable course.
 OWN COURSES
• Own courses are the various methods of
achieving the aim, derived from
consideration of factors
• A course is a plan in nut shell. Hence while
describing own courses, describe briefly the
full essentials of each course
• No new own courses to be introduced it
should be a logical outcome of all factors
considered in the appreciation
• Each course should be examined in the light
of the aim under the headings ‘Advantages’
and ‘Disadvantages’
• Combination of courses may be considered
if they more likely to achieve the aim, such a
combination course should have been discussed
in the factors before hand
OWN BEST COURSE OF
ACTION
 OUTLINE PLAN

The plan is a statement of the method by which

derived through an elaboration of the course
selected to achieve the aim. It is a logical
outcome of the consideration of factors.
 THE GROUP HEADINGS
USED IN THE PLAN
• Aim
• Mission
• Execution
• Service Support
• Command and Signals
 RE-APPRECIATION
An appreciation may be re-appreciate at any
stage prior to execution of the plan if
warranted by change in original situation or
factors. It is a matter of judgement as to when
and under what circumstances re-appreciation
may be necessary.
DOs AND DONTs
 DOs
• Evolve a clear, concise and simple aim

• Keep the terms of reference at the back of

your mind while discussing factors

• Give due importance to all the factors,

courses of action and the plan

• Be brief and to the point

• Be neat and tidy in your writing

• Follow the rules of minor Staff Duties

 DONTs
• Do not situate an appreciation but
appreciate the Situation
• Do not include information facts in factors
from which no useful deductions can be
drawn
• Do not draw negative deductions
• Do not draw unsupported deductions
• Do not draw deductions from the wrong
factors
• Do not produce ‘Courses of Action’ out of
nowhere. These must be based on
consideration of factors
• Do not include new matter in the plan