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Donald Featherstone's Advanced Wargaming

Chain of Command and the Fog of War by Brigadier Peter Young, DSO.,MC.,MA.,FSA.

Many past contributors to Wargamer's Newsletter have been men who have made their mark in the military world few more than Brigadier Peter Young DSO.,MC., one of the best known Commando leaders of World War Two. In Issue No. 4 July 1962 he wrote this article.--DF

"The onlooker sees most of the game" they say, and one such -- my wife -- assures me that one thing is essential in wargames, and that is an umpire.

Brig. Peter Young and Don Featherstone at the first-ever wargames convention, held in Southampton around 1959.

Most of us are sufficiently candid to admit that our rules are imperfect. If, then, rules are made too simple any resemblance to actual war vanishes. If the rules are made too complicated the game tends to take too long. But, simple or complicated, the best rules in the world are the better for judicious and impartial interpretation. And, as in other games, it is not a bad law that the 'Umpire's decision is final'.

In general, wargamers take more note of SPACE and TIME. Six inches represents 100 yards, or whatever it may be, but the length of time which a move is supposed to take is never in mentioned. Yet an attack nowadays is commonly calculated that infantry advance 100 yards in 3 minutes. Perhaps there is food for thought here?

I did once time an attack in which I took part -- the assault of the battery at Maaloy, Norway (27 December 1941). It took 8 minutes. But the reconnaissance had been done beforehand, from air photos and the orders had been given out in the ship during the voyage. Normally one calculates that even a relatively simple platoon attack takes three-quarters of an hour. Even in the musket period, commanders had to reconnoitre and to transmit orders, and these processes obviously took some time, then as now.

The worst feature of all amateur wargames that I have seen -- this does not apply to wargames conducted in the Army for experimental or instructional purposes -- is the chopping and changing, the butterfly-mindedness of the commanders. Every threat seems to call forth an immediate reaction, often in the very move! This could not happen in war. This is partly because in a wargame army there is seldom any CHAIN OF COMMAND. One player often acts as all the Generals, Colonels and Captains in the one army. There is, of course, a reconnaissance of the terrain before the battle, but one seldom see, written plans or orders even in note form. The player dreams up a few rather short-term objectives ii the first place and thereafter, keeping a weather eye open plays if 'off the cuff'.

I would like to see a game where the set-up consisted of an Umpire, and four players, two on each side. Each side would have a General responsible for overall planning. The wargame table would be erected in one room, but each General would have his HQ in another, even the sanctity of the kitchens and 'telly-parlours' being invaded for this purpose!

Given the usual data as to ground and forces available, the Supreme Commanders would make their plans and give out their orders. These would be passed to the Umpire and to the two Junior Commanders. The role of the Junior Commander, as I would like to see it, would be to move the army in accordance with the orders of his senior; reporting by galloper any information that he felt to be important but NOT TALKING to his superior.

The Senior General would station himself at his HQ, but he would be allowed to come to the rear of his side of the wargames table and review the situation at the end of each move. Should he wish to give out fresh orders these would have to be transmitted by galloper or by calling in subordinate commanders to HQ. These gentlemen can only move, say, two feet in a move.

If the Senior General -- very wrong of him -- should wish in a crisis to take command of a particular sector, as Vendome did at Oudenarde (with disastrous results), he must necessarily expose himself to the fate of a Wolfe or a Schwerin.

The implications of these suggestions are obvious and I do not propose to elaborate upon them hem. It is better, I feel, to keep this article brief and let players work out the details for themselves, if they feel that there is something in my idea.

Of course, if your table is in a room which is, as it were, a cul-de-sac, the idea of the Senior General retiring to his HQ may not work. But at least let the Umpire see that he gives out proper written orders and does not talk to the officer responsible for moving battalions and brigades, except on the rare occasions when it would be physically possible for them to confer.

The Junior Commander would, of course, be allowed minor tactical discretion. It is for the Senior Commander to lay down objectives rather than to dictate whether, for example, units should be in column or in line. But too much initiative on the part of the Junior may well land him with a Court Martial, so it will behove him to carry out his orders willingly and to the best of his ability, not halting his battalions and forming square every time he fancies he might be attacked by cavalry and so on. After all, he may be the Senior General next time out!

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