This study applies Thunholm and Henåker’s Ideal Model sequence to the counterattack carried out by the German 11th Panzer Division at Tschir from December 7th to 9th, 1942. The Ideal Model stems from cumulative research conducted withing the German school of maneuver warfare and of-fers a theoretical framework of a seven-step sequence on how to achieve success in tactical combat. The aim of the study is to investigate the pres-ence and interplay of the steps outlined in the Ideal Model during actual combat accounting for the dynamic elements of danger, stress and friction that differentiate real-life combat from theoretical concepts. The results shows that all steps are present to a varying degree although with a slightly different sequence. The study finds the step “Maneuver and out-pacing the opponent by focus on timing and by a short decision-action loop” to be of central importance in the successful counterattack.

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The Swedish Air Force's security forces consist of small units specifically designed to counter security threats including sabotage, espionage, and criminal activity. In times of war, their primary duty is to defend vital air force operations and terrain. Their dimensioning opponent’s airborne forces are believed to have the capacity to airdrop battalions equipped with armored personnel carriers with automatic grenade launchers. As a result, it is likely that these smaller, company-sized units may encounter a more substantial and advanced force. In 2020, Peter Thunholm and Lars Henåker proposed a theory on land-based tactics called The Ideal Model. This theory consists of seven sequential steps aimed at causing organizational breakdown and ultimately improving the chances of winning a battle. The Ideal Model has been put to the test in 48 mechanized battles using the Swedish Defense University's battle simulator, and the results show that this theory has some explanatory value in mechanized warfare. This study aims to test Peter Thunholm's and Lars Henåker's theory on non-mechanized battles, specifically on defensive infantry battles, to determine if the Ideal Model is applicable to the Air Force's security forces' defensive tasks during wartime. By analyzing two cases, Goose Green 1982 and Zhawar 1986, this study shows that the Ideal Model has explanatory value on defensive land-based infantry battles at the tactical war level.