Understand threat in all phases of unit's plan. Stay abreast as templates are confirmed or enemy assets located. Understand your unit's plan thoroughly, in all phases. Know the most likely, know the most dangerous. Conduct thorough analysis.
Height wins over distance in the desert.
Use the height and protection of corridor walls rather than isolated hills along valley floors. Avoid hills in mobility corridors, ours or theirs. It gives very useful line of site data. You can duck out of a wargamming session and quickly poke in grids, returning with an answer in minutes. Figure out how long it would take you to move any accordingly.