Briefing

*This article is about the early part of a mission called the "Briefing Stage". For information about the text that describes the mission's details inside the map screen, see Briefing Text.*
The **Briefing** phase of a mission is a period of time near the start of the mission (before weapons go Hot) where each leader explains the mission's details and the Intent to his/her subordinates. This phase occurs right after the Planning phase, and before deployment/transport to the combat zone.

**Briefing** occurs in two or more stages: A top-level Briefing where Command explains the general strategy and movement to the Squad Leaders; And a low-level Briefing where the Squad Leaders pass this information to their Squad-members and add any tactical details as necessary. It is unknown whether large-scale missions, where multiple Platoons, Companies and/or Air Support assets are available, an additional Briefing stage occurs at a higher level.

As soon as all Briefings are concluded, the deployment stage begins with players getting into vehicles or occupying defensive positions as per the mission's requirements.

## Top-Level Briefing

As soon as Command completes their Planning for the mission, they call their direct subordinates to conduct the top-level **Briefing**. In a Platoon-scale mission, this meeting includes the Platoon Leader, Platoon Sergeant, all Squad Leaders, and any other unit leaders present such as a FAC, Vehicle Commanders, Pilots, and the Chief of Logistics.

During this meeting, the commander lays out the following information while placing important markers on the map:

* The objective(s) of the mission.
* A run-down of all available friendly assets and units.
* A run-down of any expected enemy forces, their strength, and their expected routes of attack.
* The Insertion method, the Insertion point for friendly ground forces, and the initial Staging of friendly forces in the combat zone.
* A broad movement plan for ground forces, along with the relative positioning of any supporting ground assets (Tanks, etc.). Details are typically left open.
* Expected tasking for each unit when arriving at each objective (may omit later objectives altogether).
* Expected Resupply opportunities, and the method by which they will be delivered.
* If an Extraction is planned, the method by which it will be performed.
* 148/152 long-range radio channels to be used by each group of units.
* Any unusual equipment that will be available and/or missing during this mission.

Additional information may be included as necessary. Some of the above may be omitted if it is irrelevant to the current mission, or if the commander does not have sufficient information (or is instructed to keep it secret from the other players).

Once the top-level briefing is concluded, any participant that has their own subordinates will then go off to have a low-level briefing with them. The Commander now has time to refine their plan while waiting for the Briefing stage to conclude.

## Low-Level Briefing

The Low-Level **Briefing** is delivered by each low-level leader (typically Squad Leaders, Vehicle Commanders, etc.) to their subordinates. NCOs and other participants in the Top-Level Briefing (see above) who do not have subordinates - such as Pilots - do not conduct low-level briefings.

During the low-level briefing, the leader imparts a summarized version of the information they received during the Top-Level Briefing. Some of the information is completely omitted, if it bears little to no relevance to the expected actions of the unit. The leader then adds to it the following information as relevant to their unit:

* Detailed movement paths, or the intended relative position of the unit during movement in relation to other units. For example, "we'll be staying on Alpha's left flank", or "we'll be moving along this treeline until we reach the intersection."
* Formation of the Squad / Vehicle Section during the first movement leg. For example, "we'll stay echeloned to the right, with One leading us in."
* Assigning specific squad-members to drive/operate the squad's vehicles (if any are available). For example, "I need two riflemen from One to man the HMMWV."

The low-level briefing is typically much faster than the top-level briefing, as much of the information is summarized and the rest is expected to change rapidly as the mission progresses.

Once a Low-Level Briefing has concluded, the leader reports this to Command, usually by radio. Once all leaders have reported in, Command will instruct them to begin loading into transports, assume defensive position, or any other order that prepares the units to start the mission itself.