How to Write a MUN Crisis Directive – With Examples

This guide is not about crisis, how to run a crisis, or how to be an effective crisis delegate. This guide is about one thing – MUN crisis directives – what are directives, the different types of directives, and how to write them.

If you want to understand how crisis works, the different types of crisis software, or anything else about crisis, there are other resources out there. If you want to learn specifically about crisis directives, this is the place for you.

Crisis Directive Basics

 

What is a Directive?

MUN Crisis Directives are written requests which are sent to, read by and approved, or denied, by the crisis staff (AKA Backroom). Directives are your main tool for affecting the crisis. They can be sent on paper, via email, google forms or through software specifically designed for MUN crisis.

To have the best chance of getting your directives accepted by the backroom they need to be clear, concise and well written. The objective of directives is to further your cabinet’s goals and/or your personal goals. Some of the actions you will want to achieve through directives will be complex and require multiple steps. In those cases you need to build up towards your goal.

Directives do not count unless they are approved the crisis backroom. Whether you want to contact a character in another cabinet, move your troops, establish spy networks, hire bodyguards, publish press releases or assassinate a member of your cabinet, you have to do it through directives. No request, or instruction, sent in a directive becomes “true” unless you either get a positive reply from the backroom, or you see the outcome of your directive in the crisis news.

Rules for Good Directives

MUN Crisis is a specialized committee of quick decisions and fast-paced action where a lot can happen quickly. Directives are what drive the story forward. Well-written and relevant directives can bring your character glory. Poorly written directives will result in defeat or even character death.

The directives you write need to be plausible and consistent with your character’s abilities and goals. To be most effective, you need to balance pragmatism, your long term goals and how you see your character developing. However, if your request is within your characters assets and abilities, a successful directive boils down to how good your idea is and how well your directive is written. The rules for effective directive writing are below.

1. Provide Clear Instructions

Once you have a clear idea of what you want to achieve – write it clearly. One way of knowing if your writing is to the point, or how much information to put in a directive, is to imagine that you are the one receiving the orders.

For example, if you are writing a directive to have an agent steal important papers, put yourself in the shoes of the thief and think of how much detail you would need, and what equipment you require in order to carry out the plan. You do not need to go into overly specific detail. For example, you do not need to write obvious points such as, carrying food or basic life necessities. Make sure to have the key details as you write instructions the reader can follow. When your idea is clear the backroom can properly evaluate your plans.

2. Be Concise and to the Point

Try to keep your directives from getting too long, while still being detailed enough to not leave room for misinterpretation
For example, don’t write “I want to kill person B”. Instead, use the information you know about them and write a plan. Where do you find them? Who should be the one to do the action? What is the weapon? Is there a contingency plan? Try to fill in as many plot holes as possible without writing an essay. When the plan is complex it will need to be built up in a series of steps, which leads us to the next point.

3. Create Your Plan Step-by-Step

You cannot create the most profitable business, build the best spy network, pull off the coup of the century, or steal the crown jewels through just one directive.
To continue with the crown jewels example: First, you might want to hire a spy. Then you might want to send that spy to work as castle staff to learn everything about the security around the jewels. Your spy will need to learn what security mechanisms exist, as well as the routines, rounds, and habits of the guards. Once you receive information, exploit it to create a successful plan and cover your tracks.

4. One Issue Per Directive

If you have to juggle your private affairs, spy on another character, and troop movements all at the same time, use separate directives for each issue. Not including multiple issues in one directive makes it easier for the backroom to process your directives and get back to you sooner. It also makes it easier for the backroom to track different directives and leaves less room for confusion or for directives to get lost.

5. When in Doubt, Refer to Your Previous Directives

When in the thick of it, don’t be afraid to remind the backroom of what already happened. This can be especially useful when you know different backroom staff members are answering your directives. It is best to do this briefly, either in the opening sentence, or right at the end. This is important because crisis can get hectic and the backroom can lose valuable time in trying to understand what you are talking about.

For example, if you have troops in region A, and want to move them to region B, it’s better to remind the backroom that they already approved this. It can also help if you had something special about them (possibly a special uniform color, strage flag design or equipped them with a unique piece of weaponry) instead of just writing “move my troops north”. Writing “Move my troops equipped with weapon X from region A to region B” will go a long way in reducing response time.

6. Use Exact Numbers

Whenever numbers are involved, use exact numbers, not percentages. This applies to personal business (e.g. using up your personal wealth for a plot) or committee/joint directives with other delegates (e.g. moving troops). Providing exact numbers will also make the backroom’s job easier, resulting in a faster response. This is especially helpful in latter stages of a crisis when a lot of plans happen simultaneously, which could get convoluted.

 In short, be as clear and concise as you can to get the message across, create a step-by-step plan, don’t mix multiple ideas into a single directive, refer to previous directives and use exact numbers. Got it? Good.

Motivations In Crisis

A crisis delegate needs to strike a balance between their personal aspirations and the interest of their cabinet. There will be times that you’ll write a personal directive for yourself, times when you’ll write a joint directive for a few members of your cabinet, and times when you will write cabinet directives on behalf of the entire cabinet. These requests usually work in tandem with the balance between your cabinet goals and personal goals.

Cabinet goals are directives written in the interest of the entire cabinet. These can be written by one, or a few delegates. They can often encompass the resources of multiple delegates or resources of the state that no single delegate can commans. These directives often need chair approval is the chair is the leading character. There can also be personal directives within the cabinet interest, such as an intelligence gathering, which can than be relayed to everyone once you get the necessary information.

Individual goals are used to further the personal interest of your character. These directives are usually used to improve your character’s position in the committee, so they often need to be kept secret from other participants, as your advancement could be at their expense. This is especially true if you want to be the leader of you cabinet and someone else, chair or otherwise, is already in that position.

Collective vs. Individual Requests

Between Cabinet Goals and Individual Goals there are three type of corresponding directives.

Personal directives are between you and the backroom. No one can see them except the backroom (unless someone is spying on you) and only you can see the responses. These directives can be used to further the cabinet interest, your personal interest, or both.

Joint directives are directives submitted on behalf of a few characters. Usually written by only one crisis delegate, joint directives are usually used to pool resources or are sent by characters with joint responsibilities. However, joint directives can also be sent by characters in different cabinets if they have a reason to be working together (for example one character is looking to jump ship to another cabinet or they have a third party they are trying to impact). Joint directives usually fall under cabinet goals, but can also fall under individual goals.

Cabinet directives are also usually written by one to two characters but must be approved by the entire cabinet, or at least the chair. These directives almost always serve the cabinet goals. They are often large scale directives, like battle plans or taxation reforms.

The types of directives you’ll see later on in this article can be written as cabinet directives, joint directives or personal directives.

Initial Build Up vs. Continuation / Final Execution

The Initial Build-Up (beginning of a plan)
When you start a plan from scratch, it is important to set up the foundation for the plan. Make sure to set up elements you will need for your plan further down the line.

Note: You do not need to explain to the crisis staff why you are doing this. Sometimes that can even work against you. What is most important is that the practical steps are in place and your requests are clear.

Initial Build Up Example

“STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL MISSION

If it is possible, enlist Philipp Friedrich Alexander, Prince of Eulenburg, one of my many brothers, to build a strong relationship with the Crown Prince Frederick III. The two have been known to be lovers of hunting, and I have arranged that my young brother attends one of the Crown Prince’s glorious hunting sessions in his favorite Rominten Hunting Lodge, where the Crown Prince hunts deer and elk. Their relationship will be founded on their common fondness of hunting, but will slowly progress into a powerful friendship between the Crown Prince and young Prince of Eulenberg. To ensure that my brother does not turn on me or spill information that he is not supposed to, I have manipulated him using my charismatic diplomatic skills and persuasive bravado without him being aware of what I am trying to do. I have taught him over the years the imperative verbal skills necessary to be persuasive, friendly and charismatic. My main aim is to try to create a strong alliance between the House of the Eulenberg and the Crown Prince, the Future King, ensuring that no attempt is made to end my life by the Emperor of Prussia.“

Continuation / Final Execution (using things that have already been built via previous directives)

Using previously approved elements is extremely is a great strategic way to help execute your final plan. Make sure to be as detailed as possible – A good rule of thumb is not to assume that the backroom recalls every directive so when referring to a previous directive. Detail your previous directives in the final execution plan.

Note: Make sure to only count on elements you are sure were previously approved. You will know that have been approved either because you got a direct reply from the crisis backroom, or you saw something in the crisis news. If it has not been confirmed, do not assume that it is there for you to use. This is especially important before you execute the final stage of a big plan.
When unsure err to the side of caution and write to the backroom to clarify that what you think in reality is indeed correct.

Example of Continuation / Final Execution

“Léon Gambetta and I are going to launch the revolution according to the following plan:

a. The day before the revolution: using the bakeries we have acquired we will poison the bread with ricin oil distributed for the police force so that most of them are unable to operate the next day.

b. The next day: referring to our directives on the emergency signals, these are supposed to be known by all of the republican soldiers, as well as the places where the weapons are hidden all over the capital. We will then be able to launch the revolution within a few dozen minutes, so that the local police forces will not have time to respond.

c. Out of the 10,000 armed men at our disposal, we will send 2,000 men to storm the National Assembly building from the 3 public entrances, and 100 men from the secret Catacomb passage, while the others will occupy other parts of the city, as was previously planned, with the other Republican leaders.

d. We clearly specify that the members of the Cabinet should be made prisoners to be judged, except, of course, for Léon Gambetta – who is the rightful leader of our movement, but including thiers, so as to reduce the opposition to the very minimum time for us to set up the republican institutions. They should not be killed nor be allowed to flee. We ask the revolutionary army to bring them to the main Parisian prison.” 

Directive Length

Crisis directives should be as short or as long as you need them to be to get the message across. There is no rule directives have to be lengthy, as long as they are clear. To the same degree, they can be as short as 2-4 lines. Crisis backrooms are sometimes overloaded with directives, and the simpler you make your directive, the more likely it is that they will reply quickly and not misunderstand what you are asking for. This does not mean that long directives don’t have their place. Do not give up important content for brevity, just remember that it’s an option. Directives are a matter of quality over quantity.

Short Directive Example I

“After our recent victory in Budapest, the city shall be searched and swept by the Reichspolizei (Imperial Police) to imprison all traitorous nobles. The main revolutionaries – Deak and Kossuth – will be on the top of the wanted persons list. Their capture is of vital importance. A bounty of 20,000 Reichsmarks from the interior budget is placed for this.

Short Directive Example II
“To quell further protests, bread will be distributed to civilians using our loyalist collaborators as distributors who will also be instructed to select only the innocent and collaborating neighborhoods. We allocate 100,000 Reichsmarks for this operation.”

Short Directive Example III
“We would like to work on an operation to reactivate the droid factory in Geonosis. Ozzel is the closest to the station, thus he will send 500 troops to secure the factories and ensure there are no rebels lurking about. Once the factory is secured, we will send a group of engineers to each factory to determine the resources we will need to restart the factory.
Before the troops are dispatched, a group of 50 scouts will be sent on Speeder Bikes to determine the factory’s exact location. If there is an attack, then the troops shall pull back and reconvene with Admiral Ozzel’s fleet, where they will inform me immediately and await further instructions. As Darth Vader, I will stay where I am and thus Ozzel will mainly be overseeing this operation.”

Example of Directive Progression from Poor to Clear

Directives are accepted or rejected based on how relevant the idea is, and how well written the Directive is.

The backroom might take creative license with what your meant and you could be very surprised by the outcome. Shortcuts, vague statement, jumbled sentences and typos will cost you (often in a humorous and horrible outcome for you, both in equal measure). Poorly written directive abuse is especially frequent later in the crisis when the backroom is overworked and looking to make examples of errors.

Example Of Typo Exploitation
One directive for personal protection was meant to say “A lookalike should sleep in my tent.”. However, there was a typo and the directive read ““A lookalike should sheep in my tent.” The news update painted a very different picture from the intended life protection move, and the character in question was the target of sheep related jokes for the rest of the crisis.

Example Of Missing Word Exploitation
One directive for personal protection said “A food taster should eat my food”. As a result, the news update said that the character was getting frail due to malnourishment and starvation because the taster ate all of their food. Not all backrooms punish in such a way but the simple difference “eat my food” and “taste my food” reaffirms that we should give our wording a second scan before sending it off.

The next example shows the progression from poorly written one-liner to well-written step by step plan that leaves the minimum open to interpretation.

Rendition 1 – Poor
“Boba Fett should cause trouble to the rebels by kidnapping a high ranking enemy general right now!”

Simply put, the directive above is only one sentence and just bad.

Rendition 2 – Better But Still Lacking Specifics
“Boba Fett should track down a high ranking rebel agent. He should go to a planet with the rebels and observe them to find an opening.

Once he has identified a worthy target, Boba is to kidnap them and bring them to Palpatine or Vader to be interrogated (let us know when he has captured someone so we can decide who they will go to). This is to be done covertly, Boba is not to cause major chaos or attract too much attention to himself. If Boba is caught or his location is compromised, he should escape as quickly as possible.”

This directive is more developed but insufficiently clear.

Rendition 3 – Well-Written and Clear
“Boba Fett should go to Bothawui. He is to act covertly and track down high ranking boffins or agents that are working for the Rebels. He should gain their trust by supplying them with information about the location of the imperial star destroyers in the sector that we will provide.

Once he has identified relevant targets, Boba is to lure them to a secluded area in the shipyards with a promise of further information about imperial movements that can be given only in private. This is to be done covertly, Boba is not to cause major chaos or attract too much attention to himself. He is to be given instructions saying ‘No disintegration.’ (let us know when he has captured someone so we can decide who they will go to). Once he has the captive he should bring him/her to the closest grand Moff, or to Darth Vader, to be interrogated.

If Boba is caught, or his location his compromised, then he should focus on getting out of Bothawui as fast as possible. His ship must be equipped with a boosted hyperdrive so getting away should not be an issue. If he is captured then he should keep quiet about our cabinet’s intentions and send a distress signal and we will send a party to rescue him.”

This directive is a pure homerun. It also likely builds upon previously approved directives to give an established solid base for the plan.

Types of Crisis Directives

Now that we know what directives are and what they are supposed to look like, we can move on to the types of Model UN Crisis directives and see examples of each.

A crisis directive can be many things. They can range from requesting information from other characters, directing troop moments, disseminating press releases and much more. Some directive forms will let you choose what you are trying to do, while others will have you write the directive purpose in the subject in free text. In the latter cases, make sure the main idea of the directive is clear from the beginning.

Information Request
The most basic of directives is the information request, which is a matter of getting numbers and other data. This is extremely important, both early on and late in the crisis.

Example of Short Information Request
(Second Schleswig War crisis)
“Regarding my mistress – I would like to receive un update on my mistress, namely I would need the following information: name, what family she comes from, occupation, age, hobbies, her closest friends, siblings, children, ancestors living and the reputation of her family name. Also, the nature of our relationship. If the latter is to be decided, is it within my power over the character to split up with her?”

Example of Long Information Request
(First Crusade crisis)
“Scout Establishment
We direct our scouts to find out where the Byzantium and Crusader armies are and how many of them are currently present. The sultan orders them to provide him with information about their numbers, equipment, cavalry, infantry ratio, where they are located, and where they are headed. If possible, they should also try and see who is leading the force.
If possible, several of our most stealthy soldiers should infiltrate inside the enemy camps and wait as sleeping agents. Until further orders, they will be spotting the ones who are willing to return to their homeland, the ones who are open to being bribed, and the ones who are willing to pursue their personal interests over Crusader interests. (quick reminder, please remember that they have a poison that will enable them to kill themselves rather than being exposed). The scouts should take special care to check the current Seljuk areas between Nicaea and Ankara/Konya, but also venture into Byzantine territory and find out where the Crusader and Byzantine forces are assembling and rallying. They are to be very careful not to be captured, and if they are captured they should commit suicide to avoid leaking information.”

Correspondence Between Characters
For correspondence, keep in mind that either the backroom or another delegate will be reading and responding. If you want more people to read your letter it’ll more likely happen when backroom circulate the letter to show how witty you are.

Example of Correspondence Between Characters
(Second Schleswig War crisis)

“Send this message to Vladimir:
My dearest Vladimir,
Thank you for your service.

Next I will ask you to send this reply to Mehmet the Spymaster
The message shall say: “Be patient, it will be of great benefit to you. I will need a guarantee that my agents won’t be disturbed. I shall send them into the battlefield of Mohacs to recover the bodies of the fallen nobles, as it would secure me trust within the Habsburg cabinet, which will be of great benefit until we can launch the destruction from within.

Thank you in advance,
John Zapolya”

Deals / Negotiations
Negotiation, whether macro or micro, political or personal, are essential parts of crisis. Keep this in mind when you negotiate with the backroom, another delegate or an entire committee.

Example of a Negotiation Directive
(Second Schleswig War crisis)
“The Prussian Government proposes integrating the Unionist United States of America to the Prussian/German Customs Union. This would hallmark a historic step forward of global economic integration in an age of industrialization. The proposed Economic Treaty of Costumes Unification between the Prussian Government and the United States will create an area of common economic policy between the two nation-states and would create a protectionist costumes union which would ensure our close economic alliance, whilst simultaneously protecting us from unfair competition from the likes of France. Within this Economic Union, the two states would engage in tariff-free trade, without any barriers to the exchange of goods, people or ideas. This exchange would involve the exchange of military weapons (ONLY WEAPONS, NOT SOLDIERS) too, highlighting that both nations are allied in their fight against the evil of Imperial hegemons worldwide, and are prepared to protect themselves against any threats, thereof. We would exchange research and development funds, and even personnel in our common aim of modernizing our states and our militaristic capabilities.

*THESE NEGOTIATIONS ARE STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL BETWEEN THE TWO NATIONS*”

Spying
The key difference between a spying directive and an information request is that a spying directive requires a wet up while an information request does not. An information request can be about how much money you have or if your letters can go beyond enemy lines. Spying requires an initial build-up directive before you move forward with the rest of your plan – make sure you don’t get caught. ?️

Example of a Spying Directive
(Aztec Civil War Crisis)
Creating a Spy School
“I send instructions to start a school of elite sports and dancing. The purpose of this school is to produce spies but it needs to be concealed from the public and any other interested parties. The opening of this school is to be public but, its purpose is to remain hidden. All who wish to join are to be invited in.

Once worthy recruits have been found, they will train in espionage, stealth, assassinations, and information gathering. Every once in a while, a few kids are to actually be taught dancing and sports to avoid suspicion. These spies will be referred to as An’givare from now on in letters and communication. This is to confuse anyone who happens to intercept my letters or messengers.

Once a few An’givare are trained, send them to Tizatlan disguised as cocoa bean merchants. Their goal is to try and gather as much information as possible on Xicotencal I and Xicotencal II. Whilst they are gathering information, they are to maintain their cover as cocoa bean traders and not ask too many questions regarding the targets. Also, they should try and see if the two targets are recruiting bodyguards or have any bodyguards. They should report back to me as soon as possible but they are to be stationed in Tizatlan from now on and will remain there with their cover until I instruct otherwise.”

Assassinations
Assassination usually require two stages – the set up and the execution. Follow the same guidelines in the opening part, and try to evaluate the importance of who you are trying to kill. An active and competent delegate likely has defenses that you’ll need to overcome. An active delegate central to the story might also not be someone who the backroom wants to keep alive. Take both of these into account as you go about your plan.

Short Assassination Request Example
(First Crusade Crisis)
“I want to send the assassins that I hired from Al-Mualim, (I have 50 of them) to infiltrate the camp of Boutros. His camp is in the Teke region and the assassins should infiltrate at night. The assassins are to be lightly armed and armored so that they can move quickly. 5 of these assassins are to slip into his personal camp and they are to kill him by slitting his throat whilst he sleeps. The assassins are well trained so they should be able to move silently. The rest will linger nearby and quietly dispatch of any patrols or followers nearby. This is a covert operation so they are instructed to remain out of sight and do things as quietly as possible. These assassins are dressed is black to go unnoticed in the dark. Because they have had espionage techniques they are very agile and efficient. Moreover, the assassins have horses stationed in a nearby forest in case they need to make a speedy escape, if the camp has been alerted. Boutros has massacred Christian towns and villages in Southern Anatolia stealing all of their money. Retaliation is necessary.”

Long Assassination Request Example
(Aztec Civil War crisis)
“I proceed to invite Cuitláhuac to my palace for a dinner as I wish to discuss the future of Mexica and how the military of Mexica will take part. The dinner starts off as normal, we talk about affairs and whatnot. The main course is to be a large piece of meat that should be enough for both of us to eat.

Regarding the rosary peas collected earlier, I take their seeds and crush them to create a toxic liquid substance. I take a knife and very carefully rub one side of the knife with mixture then set it aside and leave it to dry. I make sure it is only one side of the knife which is poisoned and mark the poisoned by inscribing a rune on the handle.

When the main course arrives, I pay attention to which side of the knife is poisoned and cut the meat from the middle. I offer Cuitláhuac the meat cut from the side which was exposed to the poison and take the normal cut myself. I then proceed to eat the food myself to gain his trust, at which point Cuitláhuac will assume I am not poisoning him and carry on with the dinner. Keep in mind, this is a slow acting poison so will not kill him immediately. After the main, I start coughing slightly and proceed to end the dinner and thank Cuitláhuac for joining me.

A few days later, he will die and I will feign to be very ill. I then interrogate the chef and announce my chef was blackmailed by Tangaxuan II to try and poison myself and Cuitláhuac and make this information public.

After Cuitláhuac has died, I put myself forward as being the new leader of Tenochtitlan and claim war is the only way we can fight for our honour.”

Press Releases
A press release is a text directed at members of the news media for the purpose of getting a message projected to the public. Historical crisis are usually limited to print media, with an even more limited spread when societies are mostly illiterate or before the invention of the printing press. Modern era crisis simulations allow us to utilize broadcasting networks and the internet.

It is easier to send press releases when your character owns a newspaper. It is harder to send one when another delegate in the room owns the only printing press and you need their permission to use it. In all cases, you need to make sure that your press release says what you want it to say, and that you use at least one method to reach your desired audience.

Requesting a Press Release
Before you use the press to your advantage, make sure that you know your abilities, limitations and goals.

 

The Steps For Releasing a Crisis Press Release

  • Know what you want to achieve – Press releases do not exist in a vacuum. The backroom and other delegates have interpretation mechanisms of their own. Make sure you know what you want to achieve before you throw some words together.
  • Make your plan clear – The backroom is probably busy. Make sure to clearly state how your press release will reach the public. Do not write “I want to publish a press release denouncing person X,” instead type it up and send it to the backroom saying “publish as press release!” and all the text ready to go.
  • Start writing your press release early – If you are certain that you have the power to deliver a press release, and know that you’ll need one later, you can start writing one as soon as you know you’ll need one. Writing one in advance is helpful for detailed or wordy press releases that require more than five minutes to come up with. Once the directive is ready, and you’ve gotten approval, you can send it to the backroom.
  • Write the press release yourself – you can start writing to the backroom, or even have it prewritten, for when you request a press release. If the backroom can copy and paste it, your press release will get out faster and with the exact wording that you want.

Picture This Simulation
(Second Schleswig War crisis)
After buying the Gutenberg press machine en masse, I shall continue with my plans.
Step 1: I will use my family’s merchant connections to bring the publications with the headline on the first page – an anonymous press release that cantons of Switzerland and southern Denmark were bought by the doge of Venice, so as to not disclose it was all part of my transactions.

The Press Release Would Go as Follows:
“Juicy gossip is circulating around! Apparently, the sleazy doge of Venice was the one who bought two lands near the Holy Roman Empire – eastern cantons of Switzerland and southern Denmark are now the doge’s personal territory. What are they planning to do?

Also, rumor has it that the highly wanted by the Habsburg Venetian diplomat Alvise Gritti, is going to transfer to one of these cantons – St. Gallen to party hard.”

Example of Press Release
This type of press release is used to influence the masses or NPCs. and either point out, agitate, or divert the attention of other delegates to a given crisis.

“Today begins a new era for the People of France. Eighty years after the first French Revolution of 1789, a new outburst of freedom and pride has wiped out the illegitimate bonapartist institutions. The Republican Revolutionary army has won a decisive battle against oppression and obscurantism, thus paving the way for a new brighter future for our Nation.

As a consequence, the Republican government will put an end to the war against Prussia by signing an armistice with the Prussian government and withdrawing the brave French soldiers from the German soil. Our new Prussian allies will support the rightful popular movement with 80,000 troops. This additional help will reinforce the French and American soldiers already engaging in this war for freedom and equality. Nations all over the world are backing our revolution against the treacherous Bonapartist government.

Moreover, Léon Gambetta and the French Republican Party strongly urge their fellow citizens to revolt and capture members of the former Bonapartist government, including the tyran Napoléon III himself.

Today, you have fought for your freedom.
Today, you have the power to choose your future and that of your children.
Today, you shall rally the Republican movement for the greater good of your Nation.

Vive la République et vive la France! “

Specialized Directives

Well Done Battle Plan
Battle plans are drawn, at best, a few times during a crisis. Many crisis directors will request a battle plan from both sides by a certain deadline, and then compare the plans and tally the outcome. Sometimes dice are rolled. Battle plans are the directives that take the most time and are rarely written alone.

When you write a battle plan, be as strategic as possible and try to account for as much as you can. This is the only way to win the war, or at least the battle.

Example of a Battle Plan I

(Second Schleswig War)

“All troops in Eastern Prussia, Posen, and West Prussia need to be moved to Dresden region. They will attack when all other troops that have taken over Chemnitz have been well-rested and re-supplied. They shall move to attack the city from two different directions – Chemnitz coming from the East, Prussian and Polish troops coming from the North.

(Tilsit division, Koningsberg infantry, Danzig infantry, Gnuesen infantry, Dresden Gatling guns (only 230), Koningsberg Cavalry, Rastenburg Grenadiers, Danzig cavalry, Danzig grenadiers, Thorn cavalry, Brouberg cavalry).

Seeing that the troops in Prussia & Poland are fresher and of more elite stature, they shall move first.

The infantry will be categorised in battalions of 800 men. They will deploy a front line of 67 skirmishers arranged in a row about 2.5 meters apart, snotter 67 skirmishers 150 paces behind them, and a supporting wave of 266 men snotter 150 paces back which would feed more skirmishers into the front lines to replace casualties. The distance between the troops leaves a lot of room, which lessens casualties from artillery and rifle fire. The other half of the battalion forms four small 100 man columns 400 meters behind the front line, ready to act as a reserve and charge into exploit victory or shore up defense in another battalion. This way we can attack rapidly, and be harder to hit.

Artillery will be situated 50 meters behind the soldiers that are 400 meters behind the first half of the battalion. They will fire upon the opponents artillery, so that they can neutralise them. They can find the opponents with the observation balloons we developed, when they spot all of their locations and movements, they can write it all down. They will be connected to the ground with strong iron cords to get them back to the ground, so that the information can be delivered when the spotters are back down. The observation balloons have to be at safe places behind all the battalions.

Gatling guns will be put on strategic positions around the army to rain down a rapid fire of death upon the soldiers that rush at us. They should be on higher points, and hidden behind boulders and bushes. The Gatling guns will be mannen by 6 soldiers, all working on their respective task.

Cavalry is meant to be used as a counter to take down opponents rushing cavalry that many attack Gatling guns, infantry and artillery. They will be situated behind the Gatling guns and artillery.

These movements are only meant as a measure to pin down the defenders in Dresden and to bail them out to go forth and attack outside of their fortress, in order to buy time for the army from Chemnitz to catch up. When the army from Chemnitz finally arrives, our full strength of 150,000 men combined should be placed within a perimeter of 5km from the city to begin the full siege and blockade of Dresden.”

 

Second Example of a Battle Plan II

(The Liberation of South America)

“The Siege of Bogota”

Dealing with spiked defences and defensive cannons on walls
Culverins and lil bombards are to be maneuvered and bombard the spiked defences and city cannons. We have the military advantage attacking the city as the enemy cannons cannot attack from within the city walls and the wall cannons do not have the range to fight off long ranged culverin and lil bombard fire. The city is also to be bombarded from all directions once the defences have been destroyed by our slowly encroaching artillery. The enemy troops will effectively be fish in a barrel and will die alongside the civilians as unfortunate collateral damage.

The pikemen and melee infantry are to protect the cannons with defensive squares and heavy lines.
The forward lines of 10,000 musketeers are to stay out of range of the defensive cannons whilst the reinforcements will reinforce the flank and protect our artillery whilst the reinforcements from Guyana will protect the rear with a mirroring formation.

Morale
I shall personally be leading these troops to ensure morale is high and I shall be well armored and carrying my legendary sword, which I have named Bolivar’s Bane.
Priests, marching bands, standard bearers and drummers are to be distributed throughout the army to ensure morale is also kept high alongside inspirational speeches and words from commanding officers.

Habsburg Mercenaries and Cavalry
The elite Habsburg Mercenaries are to act as the element of surprise alongside the heavy cavalry, Alba Cavalry and the Legion of Doom who are to carry out a cavalry charge wearing winged helmets and feathered wings at their back to appear large and intimidate the enemy and lower their morale.

Line infantry fire
If musketeers and line infantry, such as skirmishers and fusiliers, the engage troops are to fire in lines each turn to ensure there is a constant stream of fire.

If the city is taken quickly, Napoleonic square formations are to be utilised to combat enemy troops. Habsburg officers experienced in fighting Napoleon will have knowledge of the tactics required to use these battle formations.”

Note: Some crises do not do detailed battle plans and instead focus on pre-battle plans (such as movement of armies to an area ) set up through directives. The actual battle plan is explained to the crisis staff in the frontroom. This can be with charts, and often uses some kind of map (either google maps, or on a piece of paper). Once the plans are explained, the backroom do the crisis math and decide on an outcome.

Example of Military Restructuring
(Aztec Civil War crisis)

“Military formations and ranks:

Send instructions to all my other generals that the military will be restructured to create roles to suit different tasks. Training of any sort will be provided to those who need it. Any roles mentioned are not out of the ordinary to how the Aztecs fight so should not be too foreign to the soldiers.

The Aztec Army mainly consists of infantry troops and we will split them up into certain classes. The classes are as follows: Coyote Runner, Macehualtin, Puma Spearman, Arrow Knight, Eagle Runner Knight, Jaguar Prowl Knight, Warrior Priest, and Skull Knight. Each class will be trained with the following roles in mind:

Coyote Runner – Fast moving Melee infantry. Specializing in raiding settlements, kidnapping people, and scouting nearby areas. These soldiers are to be recognized by a coyote or wolf pelt. As they are trained to move very quickly, they should be hard to hit by any artillery or ranged units.

Macehualtin – Ranged light infantry slingers. Specializing in taking out enemy infantry. Whilst they are predominantly ranged, each Macehualtin also carries a melee weapon in case an enemy gets close. These soldiers are to be recognized by wearing a cotton vest.

Puma Spearman – Aztec Pikemen. These troops specialize in attacking enemy melee units and buildings. The spear should outrange any maces or swords the enemy might have and any cavalry units the enemy might have. These soldiers are to be recognized predominantly by their large spears.

Arrow Knight – Exceptionally long-ranged Archer. Despite their name, the Arrow Knights do not actually fire arrows but instead carry specialized heavy bows called “Atlatl” which are used to fire light spears. You could make the argument that these are mini mobile ballistae. These soldiers specialize in long-ranged combat and keep their distance. Arrow Knights are to be used to counter enemy melee infantry and buildings. Historically, the Atlatl is said to fire light spears accurately upto 150 yards. These soldiers are to be recognized by the large spears they carry.

Eagle Runner Knight – Very fast moving ranged infantry. These troops specialize in reconnaissance and scouting similar to the Coyote Runners but attack using ranged weapons, mainly throwing light spears. They are good against enemy hand units but only from a distance and largely use ‘hit-and-run’ strategies. These soldiers are to be recognized by their eagle pelts.

Jaguar Prowl Knight – Powerful shock infantry. These troops specialize in stealth and close-quarter combat. They fight using a melee weapon and a shield. That being said, these troops can sit still and be used to spy on enemy troops or caravans using stealth and blending in with the natural environment. These soldiers are to be recognized by their Jaguar pelts.

Warrior Priest – Soldier medics. These soldiers will come from religious backgrounds and will focus on healing fellow soldiers in combat if they are injured and will be used to pray to the Gods for the soldiers if needed be. That being said, they will be instructed and taught how to fight and should be able to hold their own in combat. These soldiers are to be recognized by their ceremonial clothing.

Skull Knight – Elite Heavy Infantry. These soldiers are to be nicknamed “Tzitzimitl” which translates to “frightful specters”. As they are elites, normal soldiers will not be able to join and the requirement is to be fiercely loyalty to myself and at least 7 confirmed captures in their battle record who were used as sacrifices. These soldiers will wear heavy armor which will contain ornaments made from bones of their enemies. The Skull Knights should give off the impression of undead horrors which should strike fear into the enemies. These soldiers are to be paid 2.5x the amount of regular soldiers. (To put in familiar terms, think of Praetorian Guard from Roman era or Janissaries from the Ottoman Empire). They are to be recognized by their heavy armor and weaponry and ornaments made out of bones.

Along with having classes, another layer to the military will be ranks within the classes. The ranks are Standard, Champion, and Legendary. They are to be distributed roughly in percentages of 55, 35, and 10.

Standard rank – normal troops within battalions. Given standard equipment and armour.

Champion rank – veteran troops within battalions. Will usually lead small divisions of Standard troops and will receive better equipment and more respect within the military.

Legendary rank – elite troops within battalions. Will be given command over several divisions and will be given the best equipment along with the utmost respect within the military. Legendary troops will be paid 1.5x their regular wage.

In order to move up the ranks, the soldiers have to show great acts of valour and must hold significant achievements. It is up to the General supervising the brigade whether a troop should move up the ranks or not.

Note: This applies to Skull Knights as well but within their class. Standard Skull Knights are still not to be treated lightly and are considered elite among other soldiers. That being said, Legendary Skull Knights will be the best troops in the Aztec Empire.”

Example of Tax Collection Directive

(Aztec Civil War)

In order to improve the economy of Mexican, a new tax system is to be put in place where the taxes will be more fair and consistent. To start things off, a new class of citizens is to be created who will be known as the ‘Deghans’. The Deghans will be from middle-upper class backgrounds and they will be chosen by me personally to ensure their loyalty.

The Deghans will begin by conducted a land survey of Mexica and it should include the following information:

  • How much taxes each citizen currently pay?
  • What resources does each citizen own? Property, trees, land, etc.
  • How much does each citizen earn?
  • What is their social status within the Aztec Empire?

Using the above information, the Deghans will propose a new tax code and taxes will be proportional to how much they make. So essentially, the citizens who are the wealthiest will end up paying the most taxes. The priests and any high authority religious figures are to be exempt from paying any taxes. This will be a very big project so I do understand that it will not come into play immediately. But this is mainly to help the long term economy of our Cabinet.

Once the Land Survey is complete, the Deghans will be in charge of collecting the taxes. Taxes will be collected biannually. Whilst the Deghans are doing the survey, and whilst they are out collecting taxes, they are to be accompanied by a battalion of Champion Skull Knights and Legendary Jaguar Prowl Knights to ensure their safety.

This is also to ensure that they are not engaging in corruption. The troops accompanying them will be very well paid so bribing them will prove to be extremely costly. If a Deghan is skimming off the top, then the soldier leading the Champion Skull Knights is to abduct the Deghan and bring him to me personally where I will sentence them to be sacrificed in the glory of the Chac-Chel, the Goddess of Destruction.

At the end of each week when the Deghans have been collecting taxes, a military escort will be sent to take the money and bring it to the Imperial Treasury. This helps ensure they are not carrying a vast sum of money when they are moving. Alternatively with this, a group of Legendary Skull Knights will be overseeing the money being moved. As mentioned above, Legendary Skull Knights will be the best of the best troops who will be extremely well paid so it is not expected from them to skim off the top with the taxes. Also, a different group of Legendary Skull Knights will be transporting money each week.”

The Wrap Up

As can be seen from the guide above, crisis directives are not a matter of simply throwing some words on a form.

At the same time, crisis directives are not rocket science. Writing them can be learned and perfected if you follow the principles of directive writing. We hope you found this guide helpful and wish you luck surviving and thriving at your next Model United Nations crisis!