Do I need military experience?

 

No.

Military or professional planning experience will help, but this activity is open to anyone interested in operational planning, teamwork, command decision-making and serious wargaming.

 

Do I need to own Flashpoint Campaigns: Cold War?

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No.

Each team only needs at least one player with a copy of the game, although teams with multiple owners may find execution easier and faster.

 

I’ve never played Flashpoint Campaigns before. Can I still join?

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Yes.

You do not need to be an expert in the game. The exercise is more focused on planning, communication and execution than game mastery.

The Commander’s Reading File will help orient participants before planning begins.

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Is this a competitive tournament?

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No.

There is no formal scoring system.

The value comes from:

• planning,

• command handover,

• execution friction,

• adaptation,

• and feedback.

A failed plan with a strong AAR is often more valuable than an easy victory.

 

How much time will this take?

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Expected commitment is approximately:

• 2-4 hours during planning,

• 2-4 hours during execution,

• plus any optional coordination or AAR activity your team chooses to conduct.

Some teams may invest more time.

 

How are teams organised?

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Teams are grouped broadly by timezone to make coordination easier.

Each team will normally consist of 3-5 players.

Teams self-organise internally.

 

Will FCI appoint team leaders?

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No.

Teams are expected to organise themselves.

Part of the exercise is learning how collaborative planning groups naturally coordinate, distribute workload and make decisions.

 

What exactly are we producing?

Each team must produce:

• a minimum viable brigade operations order,

• save files from execution,

• and a short AAR.

Additional planning products are optional.

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What is a “minimum viable brigade order”?

​

A short, executable operational order.

The focus is on:

• clear intent,

• workable sequencing,

• priorities,

• contingencies,

• and communication.

Not:

• perfect doctrine,

• excessive formatting,

• or 25-page staff paperwork.

Maximum length is 5 pages excluding graphics and overlays.

 

Can we create extra planning products?

​

Yes.

Teams are encouraged to create anything they think helps execution:

• overlays,

• synchronisation matrices,

• fires plans,

• FRAGOs,

• briefing slides,

• logistics products,

• or reconnaissance plans.

They are not mandatory.

 

Can we modify the plan we receive?

​

Yes, but only when required.

Teams should attempt to execute the received plan faithfully until battlefield reality makes it unworkable.

When deviations occur, teams should capture:

• why they adapted,

• what assumptions failed,

• and what consequences followed.

That friction is a core learning objective.

 

Will there be intelligence updates or facilitator intervention?

​

No.

FCI will provide:

• the scenario,

• planning template,

• deadlines,

• Discord structure,

• and AAR format.

The quality of planning and adaptation is entirely on the participating teams.

 

What is the Commander’s Reading File?

​

An orientation pack distributed during the sign-up phase.

It provides:

• operational context,

• terrain familiarisation,

• force overview,

• scenario framing,

• and game orientation.

Its purpose is to accelerate understanding before collaborative planning begins.

 

What happens after execution?

​

Teams conduct an internal AAR and provide feedback to the team whose plan they executed.

FCI will then host a collective wash-up comparing:

• planning assumptions,

• execution outcomes,

• adaptation decisions,

• and lessons identified.

 

What do participants receive?

​

Participants who complete:

• planning,

• execution,

• and AAR participation

will receive the official FCI Planner Badge for Staff Exercise participation.