Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:38:14-2:39:47

What should a plan provide beyond first contact?

First contact makes planning for disruption and replacement specialists more important, especially when the loss of one engineer can stop a siege.

Amphibious WarfareCommand And ControlMilitary PlanningRoyal Navy
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Question

If plans do not survive first contact, what should a sensible plan accomplish?

Short answer

It should prepare for contact and disruption, with spare specialist capacity so one loss does not make the operation unworkable.

Notes

A plan can prepare a force for what happens after first contact even when events disrupt its initial sequence. It should consider where contact is likely and retain enough flexibility to continue. Cartagena's single available engineer left no reserve when that officer died. Sending six engineers instead of one is offered as a modest increase beside a force of 12,000 troops. The example makes specialist redundancy a practical part of operational planning.