Infantry Battalion in Attack Flashcards
- Preparatory Stage
a. Issue of Warning Order.
b. The collection of information.
c. Recce and appreciation by Battalion Commander.
d. Issue of preliminary orders.
e. Recce by sub-unit commanders and detailed recce by battalion commander.
f. Detailed orders by Battalion Commander.
g. Briefing of troops.
h. Arrival of troops in Assembly Area.
i. Move from Assembly Area/Forward Assembly Area to FUP and Start Line.
Recce and Appreciation
a. Objective
b. Phases
c. Grouping
d. Axis of advance
e. Assembly Area, FUP, and SL
f. Timings
g. Boundaries
h. Flank protection
i. Rate of advance
j. Re-organization
k. Exploitation
l. Employment of other arms
m. Crossing of obstacles
n. Logistics
Rate of Advance
Depends on: -
Whether the attack is by day or night.
Type of country to be crossed and the state of ground.
Density of enemy obstacle.
Degree of opposition.
Fire support available
In deliberate attack against well prepared defense: 100 m in 4 min.
In day attack in favorable ground against hastily prepared defense: 100 m in 2 min
Battalion Commander’s Consideration for Company Objective
Str and disposition of the enemy
Ground and obstacles which have to overcome
Frontage and depth of the obj
Troops and supporting fire required to capture and hold objective.
ASSAULT STAGE
- Control Battle
- Advance to the Objectivess
- Fighting through the objectives
- Open trenches
- Bunkers
- Trench system
- Mopping Up
- Success signal
RE-ORG STAGE
- Immediate siting of weapons.
- Re-adjustment of sub units.
- Adjustment of pre arranged artillery DF plan.
- Digging in and converting of enemy defense.
- Establishment of OPs, LPs and sending out patrols.
- Bringing up and siting close support weapons.
- Replenishment of ammunition and bringing up of re-organization stores.
- Laying of line communication.
- Evacuation of casualties.
- Reconstituting of reserves for exploitation.
Company Commander’s Orders Must Contain
a. All relevant information including the BN Commander’s outline plan.
b. Coy commander’s intention.
c. Formation for the attack.
d. Platoon’s objectives.
e. Inter - Platoon and Coy boundaries.
f. Assembly Area, FUP, and SL.
g. Axis of advance.
h. Rate of advance.
j. Method of crossing the obstacle.
k Actions on capture of objectives.
l. Fire plan including employment of armor, MMG and RL detachment.
m. H- hour.
n. Success signal.
o. Administrative details.
WHAT IS THE BATTLE PROCEDURE AFTER RECEIPT OF WARNING ORDER AT THE BATTALION LEVEL?
BATTLE PROCEDURE AT BATTALION LEVEL:
- CO, after receiving the warning order issues his warning order and moves to BDE ‘O’ Group and RV.
- Collection of information.
- BN commander’s recce and appreciation.
- Issue of preliminary orders by BN commander.
- Recce by Coy commander and detailed recce by BN commander.
- Detailed orders by BN commander.
- Briefing of troops.
- Arrangement of troops in assembly area.
WHAT TASKS CAN BE GIVEN TO AN INFANTRY BATTALION IN ATTACK OPERATIONS?
TASKS TO AN INFANTRY BATTALION IN ATTACK OPERATIONS:
- To clear/ capture BOPs.
- To capture advance position/forward z defense locations.
- Secure corridor independently or in conjunction.
- To clear the center line.
- To establish bridge head.
- Enlargement of bridge head.
- Occupy/capture enemy’s lightly held areas in depth.
- To provide firm base.
- Take over area captured by mechanized forces.
- Mopping up of area overrun by mechanized forces.
- To carry out heliborne operations to capture bridge head/vital area in depth.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT STAGES OF ATTACK?
DISCUSS BRIEFLY WHAT EACH STAGE ENTAILS?
- Preparatory Stage
- Assault Stage:
a. Advance towards the objective.
b. Fighting through the objective.
c. Mopping Up. - Reorganization Stage
- ASSAULT STAGE
a. Advance towards the objective:
* Advance from Start Line must confirm to the timing laid down.
* The assault inf should keep as close as possible to the artillery fire support in order to assault the enemy before he recovers from the effects of shelling.
b. Fighting through the objective:
* When the forward edges of the enemy defensive locations have been overrun, the difficult task of fighting through the objective begins.
* This is the most critical time of attack and success will depend largely on initiative, skill and determination of junior leaders.
c. Mopping Up:
* When the main resistance of the enemy has been overcome, small pockets of resistance may still exist on the objective.
* The liquidation of these is called mopping up.
- REORGANIZATION STAGE
o Reorganize as each objective is captured. It must be organized for defense immediately against possible Counter Attack and as Firm Base for further operations.
o Exploitation:
Full benefit from hard fighting is reaped and casualties saved by exploitation.
Every effort should be made to advance beyond the objective thereby upsetting enemy’s Counter Attack plan.
WHAT ARE THE FACTORS THAT A COMMANDER SHOULD CONSIDER WHILE FORMULATING HIS PLAN FOR ATTACK?
- Objective
- Approaches
- Relative strength and Assessment of troops to task
- Time and Space
- OBJECTIVE
FACTORS CONSIDERED BY A COMMANDER WHILE FORMULATING ATTACK PLAN
OBJECTIVE: Each objective is considered with reference to the following:
* Extent and size.
* Quantum of troops holding it, and weapons.
* Tankability of feature and terrain.
* Location in relation to other features i.e. Domination, depth and mutual support.
* Domination of ground in front both by observation and fire.
* Will its capture facilitate the capture of other objectives?
* Requirements of troops to capture and hold it.
DEDUCTIONS : ANALYSIS OF OBJECTIVE
* Order of capture of objectives.
* Phases.
* Employment of troops to capture and hold.
* Employment of armor in assault/fire support role.
- APPROACHES
FACTORS CONSIDERED BY A COMMANDER WHILE FORMULATING ATTACK PLAN
APPROACHES:
* Domination up to the last objective or limit of exploitation.
* Going of armor and infantry by day/night and deployment.
* Suitable assembly area.
* Suitable FUP, SL and its security.
* Order of capture of objectives.
* Distance from Assembly Area to FUP and to objective.
* Phases and requirement of troops for each phase.
* Interference on each approach, at what stage and from where.
* Move of vehicles, stores, support weapons for re-organization.
* Ground beyond objective with suitable as for establishment of reorganization.
BLOCKS AND LIKELY AREAS FROM WHERE ENEMY CAN LAUNCH COUNTER ATTACK.
DEDUCTIONS FROM APPROACHES:
* Preference of approaches.
* Day/night attack.
* Assembly Area, FUP, SL, troops to secure these, objectives, phases, fire plan and use of armor along each approach.
* Rate of advance.
* Reorganization.
