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Operational art provides the bridge between tactical actions and strategic objectives. It involves a systematic and deliberate campaign planning process for major operations in a theater of war. Operational art concepts have existed in Russia and the Soviet Union on a much grander scale then the scope of this analysis. Additionally, the scope will be narrowed to address three critical components of deep operations and operational art [ii] , depth [iii] , operational reach [iv] , and culmination [v].
Napoleon understood the vast expanse of the terrain and planned to achieve a decisive victory.
His goal was to destroy the Russian army within three weeks with a quick succession of battles in the western frontier of Russia. The focused sustainment preparation would produce the required tempo to force a decisive battle and destruction of the Russian Army.
Napoleon demonstrated his organizational genius and forward deployed ammunition and supply depots, artillery parks, hospitals, and coordinated twenty train battalions to keep the French supplied and maintain an aggressive tempo against the Russians. Napoleon began the campaign with tactical successes but eventually failed to defeat the Russian Army.
As the French lines of operations extended deeper into Russia the French failed to deliver sustainment adequately and in a timely manner. The French had surpassed the limits of their operational reach by the time they reached Moscow. The Russians learned several critical and lasting lessons from Napoleons campaign in , which left an indelible mark on the Russian concept of operational art. The Russian leaders understood that Napoleon sought a decisive battle in the frontier to destroy the Russian army.
Throughout the campaign Bagration, Barclay de Tolly, and Kutuzov provided expert leadership and denied Napoleon a decisive battle on his terms. The Russians pulled the French deeper into Russian territory until the French Army was on the brink of collapse and culmination in Moscow.
The French lines of communication became overextended and vulnerable to Russian attack. The French began falling apart and conducted a retreat allowing the Russians to pursue, attrit, and destroy the French Army. The interwar period following World War I brought about another critical evolution in Russian operational art.
The deep-operations concept traces its genesis to as early as with the writings of several leaders and theorist; Svechin, Triandafillov, Tukhachevskii, and Isserson.
He proposed a strategy of attrition as an option outside of destruction in a decisive battle. Triandafillov added to the theoretical debate with his discussions on the challenges of command and control and logistics for modern army conducting deep operations. He also highlighted the importance of the critical factors of depth, continuity, synergism and wholeness and developed an understanding of operational shock udar and impacts in the enemy as a system.
Isserson further developed the concept and provided models for the operational formations that would achieve a deep breakthrough. The continuity and simultaneity of deep battle presents multiple dilemmas to the opponent throughout the depth of the battlefield, limiting operational reach and creating unplanned culmination. Operational shock is created when the enemy can no longer continue operations, thereby creating windows of opportunity for continued attacks in depth to disrupt lines of communication.
World War II marks the final historical event for analysis of Russian operational art. World War II presented the opportunity for further development and proof of principle of the Soviet deep operations theory. Operation Uranus, the Soviet counter-offensive against the Germans in , is often seen as the turning point in the Second World War. The penetration would focus on the weakened positions of the Romanian defensive positions. Next, the penetration would be followed by an encirclement to destroy a German Army and other Axis forces in the region. The second echelon goal was to further disrupt the German lines of operation and sustainment by severing resupply routes and seizing airfields to prevent German air support.
Operation Uranus began on 19 November The Soviet forces achieved surprise against the Romanian forces and quickly penetrated the lines behind massed artillery preparation. The initial breach set the conditions for the second echelon to drive deep into the German rear area and the double envelopment was complete on 21 November. The Soviet application of the deep-operations theory and doctrine, trapped the German and Axis troops in the pocket.
The Soviets continued to close the pocket and destroy the German forces in detail until Field Marshall von Paulus surrendered on 2 February The Germans lost over , Soldiers as a result. Operation Uranus was a text book application of the deep-operations concept and Russian operational art. The commanders and the Stavka adeptly adhered to the theorist concepts of Svechin, Triandafillov, Tukhachevskii, and Isserson.
Operations in World War II provided the final testing grounds as the Soviets had adequate manpower, equipment, concepts and operational artist to fully realize the potential of the deep-operations theory against the Germans. Here's a listing of the stock alternate history scenarios that ship with the latest patch of TOAW3. Individual units are generally regiments, brigades or divisions detailed to the level of individual vehicles, major crew served weapons, and infantry squads. The Evolution of Operational Art. The following files are a combination of the Rugged Defense's scenario archives, plus other websites made during April-May Reviews Many of the original reviews are still archived on their parent sites, but most are no longer available at their original url's.
Scenario may be unbalanced and require correction, especially in regards to motor transport levels, as the design for that changed between TOAW I and III. In and , the South posted decisive victories that caused Abraham Lincoln to lose the election. The McClellan administration immediately sued for peace and the Confederate States of America were officially a sovereign nation of loosely connected entities. Lee's invasion of Pennsylvania proved to be the decisive campaign; a huge risk that paid off. The two armies met at Gettysburg and the day was won by Stonewall Jackson's bold flanking maneuver of the Union right on Cemetery Hill.
Jackson's Corps rolled down the Union line sending the Blue troops running. The subsequent capture of Harrisburg sealed the Union's fate. The two countries uneasily existed side by side for the remainder of the 19th century.
Both attempted to expand westward but failed to acquire much new territory. California and Oregon had broken away in and formed the Western Republic with Utah and most of the other territories. The South's only gain was the Texas annexation of the Indian Territories. Tensions over slavery and trade relations, particularly Texas oil, continued into the 20th century.
The triumph of Germany in the Great War only exacerbated the problem by isolating the Americas further from European influence. As the world's only super power, Germany attempted to mediate between the two Americas but to no avail. By the late s nerves were at a breaking point. It was just a matter of who attacked first. Union saber rattling caused the South to fortify Richmond and deploy the balance of their forces on the border. The Union responded with forts and deployments of their own.
On 1 May, the North struck. The primary targets were the capital at Richmond and the Texas oil fields. Germany Responds to a Preemptive Soviet Offensive. April 6, -- Aug. As the OKH commander, you must sweep through the Balkans as fast as possible to prepare for Barbarossa, and to prevent your forces from being caught flat footed by a First Strike. Part I The Manchurian Affair. This series of scenarios of an alternative history line for WWII is based on two premises.
The loss of the carriers at Midway has stopped any further US offensive operations in the Pacific. America goes on the defensive retaining more troops at home to defend any possible Japanese invasion, reducing support in N Europe and the Mediterranean and eliminating any imminent threat of Allied invasions.
This enables Hitler to transfer more divisions to the Eastern Front. The Axis now agree to conduct a joint campaign, with the Japanese opening a new front from Manchuria, designed to cut the Trans-Siberian Railway and isolate Vladivostok. Realising that they can only mount a limited offensive against the Russians, they plan to annexe the area running from Udskoye in the North East down to Blagoveshchensk and then defend their gains. In preparation for the anticipated counter attack on their left flank they are already building defensive forts along The Great Wall of China, at Yala and Mukden.
Best as Axis or 2 players. This series of scenarios is based on two premises, firstly that the US lost all their carriers at Midway and secondly that the Axis Powers had an effective cooperative Strategic Plan for fighting the Allies. The loss at all its carriers at Midway puts the Americans on the defence, and fearful, at least politically, of a possible Japanese invasion, they retain troops at home and reduce supplies to Europe. The scenario starts shortly after the start of the Japanese invasion from Manchuria but not late enough for the Russians to recover from their disastrous attack on Kharkov which resulted in severe tank losses and the virtual annihilation of the 6th and 57th Armies.
This series of scenarios covering an alternative history line for WWII is based on two premises. The loss of 3 carriers at Midway removed any chance of further US offensive operations in the Pacific. America goes on the defensive retaining more troops at home to defend any possible invasion.
The Operational Art of War (TOAW) is an open-ended operational wargame Middle East 73, Nato-Warsaw Pact 62, Sino-Soviet 69, Tet Offensive 68). The Operational Art of War: Volume I Wargame of the Year Edition Operation MI, Operation Overlord , Pacific at War PUBLIC RELEASE; DISTRIBUTION IS UNLIMITED. 5. Name of Soviet Operational Art, Zhukov, Khalkin Gol, Stalingrad, Kursk, Red Army. Abstract tested against the Japanese Kwangtung Army at Khalkin Gol in Mongolia. . It was Zhukov, along with General Vatutin, who planned Operation Uranus.
This drastically reduces support for N Europe and supply to the Russians and also eliminates any imminent threat of Allied invasions enabling Hitler to transfer extra divisions to the Eastern Front. We now move back to early Sept 42 and the delayed drive on Moscow has finally started. The Germans aware of the absence of the Reserve Armies are optimistic but then they do not know about "Operation Mars"!