Offensive Operations 1: Fire Team Tactics

Question 1

What is dispersion?

Answer 1

• Dispersion is the distance between Marines, vehicles, or equipment.
• Dispersion between individuals is generally between 5-15 meters, but must be a minimum of 5 meters.

Question 2

Why is the fire team column used?

Answer 2

-Facilitates control and rapid movement.

Question 3

What are the strengths and weakness of a fire team column?

Answer 3

Pros: 
-Speed and control
-Favors firepower and maneuver to the flanks.
Cons: 
- Is vulnerable to fire from the front.
-Fire to the front is limited.

Question 4

When is a fire team column used?

Answer 4

-Used when speed and control are governing factors, such as when moving through densely wooded areas, fog, smoke, and along roads and trails

Question 5

What are the strength os a fire team wedge?

Answer 5

• Facilitates control.
• Provides all around security.
• Formation is flexible.
• Fire is adequate in all directions.

Question 6

When is a fire team wedge used?

Answer 6

-Used when enemy situation is uncertain and terrain and visibility require dispersion.

Question 7

What are the pros and cons for a fire team skirmisher?

Answer 7

Pros:
-Provides maximum firepower to the front.

Cons:
-Difficult to control.

Question 8

When is a fire team skirmish used?

Answer 8

-Used when the location and strength of the enemy is known, during the assault, and crossing short open areas.

Question 9

What are four general types of offensive operation?

Answer 9

(1) Movement to Contact
(2) Attack
(3) Exploitation
(4) Pursuit

Question 10

What is the purpose of an attack?

Answer 10

• Destroy or neutralize the enemy

Question 11

What are two types of attacks?

Answer 11

1. Hasty
2. Deliberate

The type of attack is based on the amount of time available for planning and preparing.

Question 12

What are two types of maneuver?

Answer 12

• frontal

- flanking

Question 13

What is a frontal attack?

Answer 13

• An attack against the front of an enemy force

- pitting the enemy’s strengths against your own.

Question 14

What is the goal of a frontal attack?

Answer 14

• To break through the enemy defense and disrupt the defensive system, achieving a penetration.
• push them off an objective by superior combat power/

Question 15

When may a frontal attack be appropriate?

Answer 15

(a) For overrunning a weak or disorganized enemy.
(b) During a pursuit.
(c) For fixing an enemy in place.
(d) When a commander possesses overwhelming combat power and the enemy is at a clear disadvantage.

Question 16

What is a flanking attack?

Answer 16

A flanking attack pits out strength against the enemy’s weakness in order to gain a position of advantage while avoiding the enemy’s combat power.

Question 17

What is an envelopemet?

Answer 17

Envelopment is an offensive maneuver in which the main attacking force passes around or over the enemy’s principal defensive positions to secure objectives to the enemy’s rear.

Question 18

What is a turning movement?

Answer 18

A turning movement is a variation of the envelopment in which the attacking force passes around or over the enemy’s principal defensive positions to secure objectives deep in the rear area of the enemy.

Question 19

What is infiltration?

Answer 19

• Infiltration is a form of maneuver in which friendly forces move through or into an area or territory occupied by either friendly or enemy troops or organizations without detection to assume a position of advantage.
• Infiltrations normally take advantage of limited visibility, rough terrain, or unoccupied or unobserved areas.

Question 20

What is penetration?

Answer 20

• A penetration is a form of maneuver in which an attacking force seeks to rupture enemy defenses on a narrow front to disrupt the defensive system.
• A penetration concentrates overwhelmingly superior combat power on a narrow front and in depth.

Question 21

What is METT-T?

Answer 21

Allows unit leaders to estimate the situation

-Enemy: In all environments, how could the enemy take advantage of the situation and kill my fellow Marines?
Always look at your unit from the enemy’s perspective first. What are his patterns?

Question 22

What does the M mean in METT-T?

Answer 22

-Mission: What is my unit tasked with doing or about to do? What is the next class on the training schedule, next PT event, next field evaluation and what is my unit doing to prepare for this event? Where does my fire team fit into the bigger picture of things?

Question 23

What does the the 1st T mean in METT-T?

Answer 23

-Troops (Friendly Troops): Who (which Fire-team, squad or platoon) is on my left, right, front, rear, above or below me? How will the impacts of my rounds (should my fire team engage an infiltrator that cleans the port-a-johns) affect 1st Fire Team on my right and 3rd Fire Team on the left (geometry of fires)? Have I talked to my adjacent leaders on my left and right or did I ASSUME they were “good to go”? Most important of these is the fighting spirit and combat mindset. Morale and possession of a good fighting spirit can overcome average tactics. Good tactics in planning cannot overcome poor morale, lax security or improper mindset to deal with the combat environment.

Question 24

What does the the 2nd T mean in METT-T?

Answer 24

-Terrain and Weather (Ground, surroundings, environment): How could I best maximize the ground or urban structures to my advantage? How can the enemy maximize the ground and the populace to his advantage? Do I have Marines in elevated, covered and concealed positions that can observe the entire battleground that my unit is responsible for? What is normal within my surroundings? Look for clues that indicate ABSENCE OF THE NORMAL and PRESENCE OF THE ABNORMAL!

Question 25

What does the 3rd What does the the T mean in METT-T?

Answer 25

-T- Time:
What are his patterns and when is the enemy most active? How does this match with your timeline? How much prep time do you have between now and your next class? How much time does it takes for a small unit leader to develop a plan to kill the enemy or plan the next mission? Will a good plan, well executed now; be better than a great plan executed too late? Opportunities to kill the enemy are fleeting, particularly in counter-insurgency operations where the enemy will want to limit his exposure.

Question 26

What does the E mean in METT-T?

Answer 26

Enemy. In all environments, how could the enemy take advantage of the situation and kill my fellow Marines? Where would he come from? What is his most likely avenue of approach? LEFT, RIGHT, FRONT, REAR, ABOVE or BELOW. Is he observing us now? What is he doing? What is his current location? What is he ultimately