I'm beginning to get opsheets from the commanders (which is great).
A few pointers (both to give my general style and to give pointers
to the new folks):
I'm working on the assumption that opsheets are only going to
be narrative. So you don't need to send me graphics unless
you feel you need to. I'd rather have everyone working the same
way if possible. Try to keep nicely geometrical lines (i.e. wild
curves are frowned upon).
Each opsheet should have a narrative paragraph on the intent. This
is so I know what the purpose of the operation is and can adjust
if weird things happen. Spell out how you envision the operation
going.
Then give the operational boundaries (either between units or
whatever) that constrain the movement involved and the points
attacked. Make sure that they are reasonable in terms of unit
frontage. If different units are cooperating together in a zone,
spell out how this cooperation is to happen (such as armor and
infantry working together, infantry units moving in echelon, etc).
Lines of movement should be specified, either in terms of terrain
or boundaries. Use of hex numbers is fine for this (I'm going
to allow use of hexes more than I originally thought because
the folks involved did have maps afterall with coordinate systems.)
If you are using times, give the times for each phase of an operation
to begin. This is not mandatory, but if communications are lost,
it may be handy (or a unit is isolated).
Indicate a Line of Departure (where the operation officially begins).
You may use preliminary instructions or consider it part of an
implemented opsheet to get to the LOD.
Indicate any phase lines where the operation changes directions
or purpose or whatever.
IMPORTANT: Each opsheet need failure instructions. This is an
outline of where to go if the operation fails. Some sort of
rally point is needed, as well as what path to take to get there.
For you beginners, in version 3.1 you cannot mix operation types
on an opsheet. So if you are attacking, you should be working on
some sort of defensive opsheet to implement once the point under
attack has fallen. This may leave a counter-attack window if you
cannot implement the defensive opsheet and you are counterattacked.
The opsheet doesn't have to say which units will move in which
formation. Such details you will tell me in instructions, which
can change from turn to turn. Note that it's good to issue
instructions that can last a while, in case you lose control
of the units for any reason. You may operate fairly freely within
opsheets, but remember to keep units close together if you want
to maintain complete control, and companies do best when together,
etc.
BOUNDARIES:
My restrictions on boundaries are not to prohibit units absolutely
from being on different opsheets but operating in the same zone.
Different commands (i.e. multiple players) may operate in the
same zone, as long as the cooperation is explicitly outlined.
So an infantry command and an armor command may of course work
together. What I don't want is different commands weaving in and
out of each other at will in order to pursue a momentary tactical
advantage when it would have been an unwise stunt in actuality.
Units on different opsheet can even coexist, as long as provision
is made in each opsheet. If you want to move a unit on a new
opsheet through a unit that doesn't have such cooperation noted,
you can radio for permission, and after some time, passing through
may be allowed. So I'll work with some exceptions, but there should
be impelling reason, and there may be movement and combat penalties
involved. Putting it in both opsheets negates such penalties.
We'll see how all this works is practice :-) When all the opsheets
are in, I'll review how they interact and check for any problems.