Situations may be encountered when, in the equation referred to in
Section II-B (page 135), no value can be assigned the factor of the
appropriate effect desired which will constitute a sufficient basis
for deducing enemy courses of action. Such situations are not unusual,
especially in problems of lesser scope. In such cases, the commander
is compelled to consider all possible enemy courses of action which
can materially influence his own plan. Therefore, in instances of this
nature, it is apparent that the procedure of giving first
consideration to the commander's own courses of action affords the
advantage of (see page 134) narrowing the field as to the enemy
capabilities.
B. Survey of Enemy Capabilities.
If, then (to repeat, because of the importance of the matter), the
commander believes that he has, in the deduced enemy effect desired, a
sufficient basis for evolving all pertinent enemy capabilities, he now
proceeds, by the mental process described in Section II, to list the
enemy courses of action which he thinks merit attention. If there be
no adequate basis, the commander will find it desirable to list all
enemy courses of action which can materially affect his own effort.
The survey of fighting strength (Section I-B) has established, through
consideration of the "means available and opposed", and of the
"characteristics of the theater", the limitations of enemy
capabilities from the standpoint of feasibility. Because, however, so
much of the enemy's situation is usually conjectural, it is important
to give the most searching attention to the comparison summary in
Section I-B,--in fact, to consider fully every element of weakness and
strength, and of advantage and disadvantage. Such a study will
disclose every possibility which the enemy might exploit. The
commander may thus determine, for example, the enemy strength which
can be moved into positions within time limits that can affect the
commander's courses of action; he can also examine into possibilities
of obtaining information concerning the enemy's moves.
Such a study enables the commander to envisage the enemy operations
which presumably can materially affect his own plans. He may now list
the presumed capabilities of the enemy, in the form of courses of
action, for purposes of further analysis. Naturally, he lists courses
which appear to be suitable, feasible, and acceptable as to
consequences, but formal tests are deferred until the next phase of
the estimate.
C. Application of Tests for Suitability, Feasibility, and
Acceptability.
Having listed pertinent enemy courses of action as described above,
the commander next tests them for suitability, for feasibility, and
for acceptability as to their consequences.
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