What makes a good AAR?

John Galt · Post by **John Galt** » Fri Mar 22, 2002 6:08 pm

So what does make a good AAR? I've read many here and many seem like stories but certainly good and instructional reading. Should it be just the facts? Should they include the commander's thoughts about what he was trying to do or why he did what he did? Maybe what he hoped the enemy would do? Some are so detailed that I wonder how it could have been done at all. Are they written as the battle ensues? If not, how could so much be remembered for writing later? If so, would a commander actually take time to do this after every "move". (I am assuming here 6 minutes per turn, read that somewhere). And how many lower ranked men do you suppose write AARs on their own, just for their own records? Kind of like some sgt's kept their own journals with Lewis and Clark. My final questions would be: Are AARs a real thing and if so do they read as interesting as those I read on this forum? Is the writing of these actually taught during officer training or somewhere else using standard guidelines?

Thanks for any answers...

Alexandra · Post by **Alexandra** » Fri Mar 22, 2002 6:26 pm

Okay, let me take a swing at these questions:

What makes a good AAR?

I'll answer that with a question - what makes a good anything? That's personal preference, really. IMO, it's very hard to answer that. You certainly need to talk about the battle, but how detailed you get, and if you include commanders thougts, those are personal decisions when you write them.

Are they written as the battle ensues?

In the game, yes, for me at least. IRL - no.

As for lower ranked men writing them, irl, I can't speak for this, but I'd guess not. Men might write home about thier experiences, or in a journal, but that's not the same thing.

And, yes, they are real. It stands for After Action Report, and as far as I know, all Armies use them. That's how officers learn what works and what doesn't, what needs to be changed, and how doctrine gets dissimated around the Army as a whole.

Alex

Larry Holt · Post by **Larry Holt** » Fri Mar 22, 2002 7:13 pm

Some like AARs for the entertainment value and some for the technical value. In the first case, first person narrative and creating details (1st plt ldr was very worried at the sight of these heavy beasts). In the second case I would include:
-mission brief, what is to be accomplished and under what conditions (vis, time, etc.) & how did the player see these as favoring him, favoring the enemy or neutral. If they favor his side, how will he exploit them? If they favor the other side, how will he neutralize this advantage?
-concept of operation: how did the player see the battle going? How did the player intend to fight and shape the battle (atk early using covering terrain, stand off use long range fires, commit reserve when opponent reaches the river line, etc.)
-What went well and what did not
-lessons learned for next time.

laurentsx · Post by **laurentsx** » Fri Mar 22, 2002 7:16 pm

Hi John,

Good questions, i was thinking about posting a topic on writing aar’s myself

. I think they have (at least) two basic functions; they entertain and they give some insight on tactics and unit performance. The aar should be based on facts, i.e. describe the scenario played. The thoughts are an extra value to the aar, which add to understanding of what happened. Take a look at 11Bravo mc aar, the commanders thoughts are used as an asset to describe what every unit is doing and the use of the leaders name enhances the understanding of the battlefield, in my opinion. And they make nice literature.

For me, my aar is an added value for the wwII long campaign im playing (witch on it self is sometime repetitive). It’s a way to get more in to the game. And its nice to see ppl read and comment on your battles. It also shows the development of a core force, with its occasional hero’s (:D an engineer killing 3 tanks and some infantry in one shot).

As for writing aar’s, i take notes. At the start of a scenario i make note on the map, for my one use; the deployment of my army. During a scenario i take notes when something special happens, when and how is the engagement with the enemy, casualties (my one) and when is the battle won. After combat i have a look at my core force and write down which units made a special performance and make a note on changes in my core force. Im sure most aar writers make notes or use technical solutions (screenshots and the like) to keep track of a battle.

For some real aar’s you could take a look in larry holts tactical primer (documentation part if i remember correctly), and im sure there are a lot of other real life aar’s on the net.

Les_the_Sarge_9_1 · Post by **Les_the_Sarge_9_1** » Fri Mar 22, 2002 8:07 pm

For me AAR's are a way of letting you the fellow gamer, tell me a fellow gamer, how your latest game went.

It never hurts to liven them up with humour and input on your games successes or failures.

It helps to give your own personal slant on how the game went as you observed it. Did the battle suck or were you impressed.

Did you notice something that you thought would interest anyone.

A fully fictionalised account of your game though is not required. But no one here will likely complain.

Drex · Post by **Drex** » Sat Mar 23, 2002 2:50 am

I prefer AAR's with some entertainment value: commander's feelings, descriptive language so you feel you are there with him. Is this literature? I think so. I think it could become a specialized genre or maybe it already is: as a short war story.

Les_the_Sarge_9_1 · Post by **Les_the_Sarge_9_1** » Sat Mar 23, 2002 5:06 am

Elaborate AARs are essentially a learning tool to the ASL community. If you have never seen a copy of a story written in the pages of the General or the ASL Annual or as it is currently known the ASL Journal, they are called Replays.

The guys say what was done what happened and their thoughts. I have often seen fictions of games as if they were events. All good reading.

I think a good AAR here can do more to promote are hobby than anything else.

If anyone wants to TRUELY support Matrix, get those fingers moving and post an AAR guys.

Good PR is always a boost.

11Bravo · Post by **11Bravo** » Sun Mar 24, 2002 12:41 am

I enjoy reading AAR's, and started writing them first as a guide to improving my own tactics, then posted them as an attempt to help further the community and get some needed criticism. I used Alexandra's technique as a format, and then continued borrowing (stealing) whatever elements that I enjoyed in others. It can be a lot of work, but it has increased my enjoyment of the game, and improved my tactics. :p

John Galt · Post by **John Galt** » Sun Mar 24, 2002 2:51 am

I read about all the AARs posted here and find them entertaining and instructional. I am going to write one of them soon. Thanks for all the answers.