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Animals – like wolves – are masters of terrain. So make like a wolf…
No, it’s not a kid’s song and you don’t have to put your left leg in, take your left leg out and shake it all about.
Instead ‘OKOCA‘ is a handy acronym for analyzing the terrain you are facing to make sure you get a good grasp of your situation.
As we have said before, terrain is vitally important when wargaming and the winner and loser of many wargames can be seen to be the player who took best advantage of the ground and used it to multiply the power of his force.
The acronym explained
So let’s run through that little acronym and see what it’s all about.
O = OBSERVATION. What field of vision does the terrain give you. High ground allows you to get excellent views of the surrounding area, enabling you to see what the enemy is up to. Get your men in positions where they can observe the enemy unseen. They will be your eyes, enabling you to fight very effectively. This is less important in tabletop wargames, or boardgames, where both players normally have full view of the table – although some wargames are now bringing in the concept of troops only being able to see for a set distance which is dependent upon time of day and weather conditions. In this case, get some observers out there. When it comes to computer wargaming which is normally played with a ‘Fog of War’ effect, then seizing observation sites is a must. You don’t know where the enemy is deploying or advancing. Get on some high ground and find out; then prepare a nasty surprise.
K = KEY TERRAIN. This represents ground that will give either side a substantial advantage in the coming battle. Identify key terrain and fight for it. If you cannot hold it, then deny it to the enemy using obstacles or by dominating it with fields of fire. Holding the key terrain could be a vital part of winning the battle, so don’t miss out. An example would be the only bridge over a river. Whoever holds it would have a major advantage in the ensuing combat as they would be able to retreat over it and counter-attack across it, giving them more mobility than their opponents.
O = OBSTACLES. Obstacles are things that impede the enemy. A minefield, stakes dug into the ground, and barbed wire are all good examples. They don’t have to be offensive either – a simple ditch can do the job. They cost the enemy time to remove and time is a precious commodity on the battlefield. So tie up enemy resources in obstacle removal and that translates into less troops that are attacking you. Obstacles can also be used to funnel an enemy where you want him to go. If he doesn’t have the time or the means to destroy the obstacle, then he will have to go around it. And that can be right into your line of fire.
C = COVER AND CONCEALMENT. We have already talked about this in detail. Remember, cover provides protection, concealment hides you from vision. Either is good, but terrain that can accomplish both is especially valuable.
A = AVENUE. The avenue of approach is either the direction you are attacking the enemy, or the route he will use to attack you. Determine the avenue correctly and you can prepare accordingly. Often the avenue is decided upon by areas that provide concealment and the avoidance of obstacles. Analyze the terrain, see where the enemy is going to come from and hit him hard. At the same time, conceal your own avenues of approach with small attacks that make your opponent think the main attack is on the way. Remember, there may be more than one avenue of approach.
Next time you wargame, look at the terrain in front of you and use it as a weapon to attack your opponent with.
