To wrap up the Five Principles of Patrolling as they apply to wargaming, we will hit up the final three principles in this post; namely Security, Control, and Common Sense.
SECURITY: Now we are onto the actual game. Security. The end all be all, alpha and omega of life in combat. A must always. I always deploy to mutually support and never leave units unprotected on accident. This can be as simple as leaving a dred to back up your devastor squad. Now this doesn’t mean that I don’t sacrifice models, or throw distraction and harassment units at my opponent, but those are always intentional. Sometimes security is found in speed, and I will make sure to move my tanks a little more to make them harder to hit if I think I am about to get charged. It can come in many forms, but basically, unless you are playing that monster hoard rush, where you have a thousand models on the table and can soak up losses while continuing to steam roll forward, always consider how to protect your pieces. Cover, supporting squads, over-lapping fields of fire, whatever just don’t leave them flapping in the wind and wonder why they got smashed before you could do anything about it.
Security: My back-up in a recent doubles match at Gamer's Hideout
CONTROL: Which
flows into the next principle; Control. You move your models; they don’t move
you (though I am sure some of you hardcore fanatic types out there hear them
whisper in your ears at night). Consider what you want and need them to do, and
move/shoot them accordingly. Have a plan, even one that changes, and act upon
it. I am going to talk more about this with the OODA loop and how to apply a
flexible plan a little later. In short for now though understand plans change,
and what you need to be looking for is that “correct” decision right now, and
how it applies to what you want that desired end state to be. You figure out
where you want to go and you keep inching towards it with every move, even the
moves backwards (we retrograde, never retreat) are still designed to get you to
that goal. You exert control where you can and keep focused on the goal, not
the flashy and shiny distractions out there.
Control: Lysander pulls the 'Nids off the back oblective at the same time keeps himself from eating mass volleys of low ap fire during the next turn.
COMMON SENSE:
The final and most important Principle of Patrolling and the one so rare and
uncommon that the Army had to write it down as a Doctrinal term: Common Sense.
I should stop here and say “Nuff said!” but I feel compelled to keep going.
THINK, THINK, THINK. Don’t run your scouts at some ThunderCav, or some other
one-sided craziness, unless it serves as a definite step towards your goal and
is a deliberate part of your plan. Even then, rethink the plan and make sure
you can’t come up with a better way. Before each move, before each shot, before
each assault stop for a second and apply this fundamental. Don’t get caught up
in the moment, lose track of the goal, or let your opponent play those crazy
Jedi mind tricks they like to try. Before you make a rash decision that may
cost you the game, pause and think about what is going on. Apply common-sense;
decide the best course and then act. Then rinse and repeat.
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