Being in the "Big Chair"... What and what not to plan.

[Drano]

The whole idea of being the CiC is being the man with the plan for your whole side and that's no small task. It's also no small responsibility to ensure everyone sees a good bit of action so that everyone has a good time--which is the idea. That's job one for whoever is that guy that week. Forming a plan takes a good bit of time. A lot of test flying the missions offline to find the proper timings and fuel loads. At least as far as attack missions go, I'd rather they had more detail than less whether I'm CiC, squad CO or just a pilot. The different roles in the plan need to be explained. The defensive missions are fairly self explanatory most of the time. Keep the bad guys out of this area. They're probably gonna come from this direction--or maybe that direction.

When I'm CiC I form an idea of how I might attack a target and also how my opposite might defend it. I like adding a little misdirection to my attacks in order to draw off the defenders and give the bombers and/or jabos a better chance of success. Not unlike how these missions might have actually worked in RL which is what we're trying to simulate in FSO. Timing is critical tho and you have to have squads that understand what's expected to pull off the plan and you can't explain that in 10 words or less. I've never been a fan of orders that lack imagination. I mean, if it was just a matter of attacking base A and flying directly from base B then we could just stay in the MA as that's happening in every other arena right now. We're supposed to be getting away from that in FSO I think. If you overly simplify the mission it's not really a mission, IMO, so much as a rabble of planes headed over yonder. Again--not my thing. I actually like the whole "strategery" thing. And I love it when a plan comes together. I think somebody said that before. But sometimes the fog of war rolls in and it all goes to hell. I'm OK with that too as I know it's all part of it. I remember this past spring one of my well thought out attacks was ruined by guys on the other side that just literally stumbled into it. Their CiC was a first timer and pretty much let his squad CO's do their thing. They were way away from anything just wandering easterly too. So either way WILL work I guess LOL.

I like the idea of the separate missions. The bombing, jabo, close escort, detached escort, fighter sweep, etc., are all cogs in the wheel of an attack. Different tools in the attack planner's toolbox for different applications. Helps to understand how they're used and why. Have to understand the limits of the planes allotted to you as well. I like flying all of the different planes in these very different setups too. I might not fly any of these in other than an FSO. You'll have to pry my P-38 from my cold dead hands most nights! But on Friday nights from 11 to 1 eastern I'm glad to fly whatever they put me in.

I'd agree that trying to plug in the rides is the biggest challenge right off the bat. You have to balance requests against what was previously flown against numbers requirements of certain planes against what types you're actually gonna need to assign to achieve the objectives of the frame. And things just won't always fit perfectly but you try your best. It's tough every frame. Having had to do that more than a few times whether here in FSO or as a scenario CiC believe me I know! That's why I've never had a particular hangup insofar as what ride I'm assigned. I've walked a few miles in that guy's shoes! I'm always more interested in what my particular mission is and how I'm gonna make my little corner of the overall plan work than anything else.

Great discussion btw.

Drano

[Viper61]

Nice post Drano and everyone else on this thread that has provided insight into what is needed, what they like to see in the form of a Op Ord and what they do as planners.  Always good to see and understand how the rest of you do it.  After all I may be opposing you very soon 

A great point above that Drano makes and most of us already do but didn't state it is the missions need to be challenging and fun for the majority.  And the well thought out and planned Op Ord is the first step in that process.  FSO attendance in my opinion has been increasing over the past few years because of the well thought out plans and command and control of the good CIC's.  And a good CIC is one that cares and try's    I know our guys get fired up when a great set of orders are published on time.  I also know that motovation drops a notch or two when the orders have major holes or lack care in planning from the CIC.  I am referring to the "receive the orders late Thursday night" and the mission statement is more of a "get'em boys" kind of plan.

A good post also from GD on the "non flying" CIC.  Here's what I have done:
       Up in a gas filled aircraft and fly around in a quiet area while I type and chat.  If I am needed at the end at least I'm at altitude to help
       Up in a gas filled aircraft and fly recon out to the flanks or to areas where I can see the main effort.  But I don't get involved in the fight.
       Gun in a bomber on a "main effort".  Nothing like a view from the nose to see whats going on
       Up in a fighter and sit on the runway or fly to a vacant airfield and land.  Good for typing and chatting and you can up if your needed at the end.

Also as the planner of the 325th, CUTT and Swoop73 are still the CO and XO of the squad.  By my taking the task of CIC the squad stays in tack with its internal leadership for any missions I task my own squad with.  When I am the CIC I never fly with them.  In my opinion theres no way you can command and control your side if your involved in any part of the mission itself.

And I just cant say enough about this dancing banana     

[AKP]

I think one of the major points we can all draw from this... is that being a CiC isnt a "one trick pony".  We are all going to have to be flexible in the type of orders, and level of detail we put into them depending on factors such as:

- The objectives we are given by the CM's
- The squads assigned to our side for that frame
- The aircraft we have to use.

Just like Viper, I have been serving as CiC for VF-15, which allows the primary flight leaders to continue to serve in that capacity on FSO nights.  But, someone else may want a turn sometime too.  It is my hope, that when they do get to "Sit in the Big Chair", they can draw from the past experience that ALL of us share from serving as CiC... and that goes for anyone who takes on the job of being a Frame CiC.

[ghostdancer]

One of things I think some CiCs overlook is what to do after their first strike missions are over with. Some just let the squads figure out what to do next after they finish their first task (i.e. go back and hit the base again since most times the target is never 100% destroyed).

The most successful CiCs usually stay actively engaged in direct the battle for the whole frame and retask their surviving forces as needed. Such as Squad X reports 60% of target destroyed. Okay Squad X rearm and then hit this target instead. Our force was slaughtered there and no damage. Or survivors of Squad X and Squad Y rearm and then link up with each other 10,10,1 then proceed to hit target 2.

Doing this basically allows the CiC to use his dwindling forces as effectively as possible. Versus the CiCs that basically let things play out on their own and allow each squad decide what to do next after their first flight is done. Squads sometimes don't see the big picture so their choices are based on their little slice of the battle field. For instance going back and hitting their assigned target again not knowing that the CV 4 sectors away is badly damaged and just need a few more bombs to sink.