Recognition of Initiative in an Infantry Company’s Battle Exercise to Support Tactical Overall Analysis

Jari Sormunen,Harri Eskelinen

doi:10.32565/aarms.2013.2.16

Abstract

The scientific goal of this paper is to demonstrate, from the viewpoint of tactical overall analysis, how different quantitative (e.g. distribution analysis) and qualita- tive research (e.g. text analysis) methods could be used to support the traditional ways (tactical maps and event catalogues) of analyzing tactical phenomena ― in this case the initiative in a battle ― and how different types of instruments could be utilized and developed (e.g. NASA-TLX) for analyzing subjective human factors during the battle ― in this case especially the feeling of having initiative. In this paper, as an example, numerical values are calculated to determine whether there is a correlation between the casualty ratio and initiative. The results are verified based on battle space situation pictures. In addition, the analyses of distributions describing the variation of the feeling of one’s own force and of the adversary of having the initiative are used to support the results showing which fighting side has the initiative.

Highlights

Background and IntroductionThe tactical basic research, “Success Factors of Company Attack” (SCA–research), which was carried out in the Finnish Defence Forces (FDF) during the years 2004–2007 forms the empirical background of this paper
This paper has shown that initiative has a key role when analyzing the aspects affecting the success of an attack
39% of positive ob- servations and approximately 41% of negative observations of initiative were directly con- nected with timing or a time window

Summary

Background and Introduction

The tactical basic research, “Success Factors of Company Attack” (SCA–research), which was carried out in the Finnish Defence Forces (FDF) during the years 2004–2007 forms the empirical background of this paper. The classification of the qualitative analysis produced five types of speed which are relevant for analyzing different tactical phe- nomena connected with the time window in which the tactical action should be carried out to lead to success in the battle. It is necessary to establish which fighting side has the initiative at each moment of the attack and how strong the initiative is This is carried out by calculating the size of the overlapping area of the two distributions at each measurement (progress) level of an attack describing the variation of the feeling of having the initiative of one’s own force and of the adversary (see Fig. 6). The soldiers’ feelings and opinions dealing with initiative were measured at all seven levels with the previously de- scribed relative range of 0...100 mm

Battle engagement of the soldier

Findings

Conclusions