text: Comprehensive Tactical Planning in Counterinsurgency
  Develop the Concept of Operation
  4-87. The staff describes the operation from start to finish. Extremely important is construction of the
  battlefield framework to include, for example, objectives, phase lines, building numbers, and target
  reference points. It is important to establish this early to ensure subordinate units doing parallel planning
  use the correct graphic control measures.
  Assign Headquarters
  4-88. The staff assigns headquarters, including HN security, joint and coalition forces.
  Prepare COA Statement and Sketches
  4-89. The S3 develops statements and sketches that show how the unit will accomplish the mission
  and explains the concept of operation.
  Step 4: COA Analysis (Wargame)
  4-90. It is during COA analysis (wargaming) that the most significant and unique considerations apply.
  COA analysis (wargaming) includes rules and steps that help commanders and staffs visualize the flow of a
  battle. Wargaming focuses the staff’s attention on each phase of the operation in a logical sequence. It is an
  iterative process of action, reaction, and counteraction. However, the standard wargaming methods of the
  belt, avenue-in-depth or box method may not capture the complexity of the COIN environment that
  commanders and planners must have to conduct successful counterinsurgency operations. The box method
  is the traditional method that comes the closest to facilitating COIN wargaming. The traditional wargaming
  process is shown in Figure 4-3.
  Figure 4-3. Course of action analysis (wargame).
  4-91. To wargame an operation, the staff visualizes it from start to finish, evaluating the enemy’s
  actions, and then modifying their plan. With only one COA, this step is often used to synchronize the plan
  across the warfighting functions. Analyzing a COA (modeling it) gives the staff a deeper understanding
  of the complex and adaptive OE of COIN, and how particular actions will affect it.
  Eight Steps of COA Analysis (Modeling)
  4-92. Conduct the model using the same eight steps as laid out in FM 5-0 for the wargaming process—
  gather the tools, list friendly forces, list assumptions, list critical events, determine evaluation criteria,
  select the wargame method, select a method to record, and war-game the operation. All of these steps are
  still valid and essential. Within some steps, there are modifications that must occur to successfully model.
  4-93. Different groups may conduct specific LOE modeling sessions prior to a larger group conducting
  a larger scale modeling session. For some LOE, the wargaming method may be more appropriate. Unlike