Tactics Flashcards
What is tactics?
The employment, ordered arrangement, and directed actions of forces in relation to
each other.
What is the the art of tactics?
The creative and flexible array of means to accomplish missions, decision making under conditions of uncertainty when faced with a thinking and adaptive enemy, and the understanding of the effects of combat on Soldiers.
What is the science of tactics?
The understanding of those military aspects of tactics—capabilities, techniques, and procedures—that can be measured and codified.
What is the difference between the art and science of tactics?
An art, as opposed to a science, requires exercising intuition based on operational experiences and cannot be learned solely by study.
What is unified action?
The synchronization, coordination, and/or integration of the activities of governmental and nongovernmental entities with military operations to achieve unity of effort.
What are some unified action partners?
Joint Forces
Multi-national forces
U.S. Government agencies
What is the Army’s contribution to unified action?
Unified land operations
What is unified land operations?
The simultaneous execution of offense, defense, stability, and defense support of civil authorities across multiple domains to shape operational environments, prevent conflict, prevail in large-scale ground combat, and consolidate gains as part of unified action.
What is the goal of unified land operations?
To establish conditions that achieve the JFC’s end state by applying landpower as part of a unified action to defeat the enemy.
What is the central idea of ULO?
How the Army applies combat power through:
1) simultaneous offensive, defensive, and stability, or DSCA, to
2) seize, retain, and exploit the initiative, and
3) consolidate gains.
What are the foundations of ULO?
Executed through decisive action
By means of Army core competencies
Guided by mission command
What are the beginning and end points of ULO?
The exercise of individual and operational initiative.
What is decisive action?
The continuous, simultaneous execution of offensive, defensive, and stability operations or defense support of civil authority tasks.
What is an offensive operation?
An operation to defeat or destroy enemy forces and gain control of terrain, resources, and population centers.
What is a defensive operation?
An operation to defeat an enemy attack, gain time, economize forces, and develop conditions favorable for offensive or stability operations.
What is Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA)?
Support provided by DOD personnel in response to requests for assistance from another primary agency, lead federal agency, or local authority.
Where does DSCA take place?
In the homeland and U.S. territories.
Who has lead responsibility for homeland defense?
The DOD
What are the four tenets of Army operations?
Simultaneity
Depth
Synchronization
Flexibility
What does the operations structure consist of?
Operations process
Combat power
Operational framework
The ________ provide a common organization for critical functions within the operations structure.
Warfighting functions
What is combat power?
The total means of destructive, constructive, and information capabilities that a military unit or formation can apply at a given time.
How do Army forces generate combat power?
By converting potential into effective action.
What are the eight elements of combat power?
Leadership Information Command and control Movement and maneuver Intelligence Fires Sustainment Protection
What are the six warfighting functions?
Command and control Movement and maneuver Intelligence Fires Sustainment Protection
How do commanders apply combat power through the warfighting functions?
Using Leadership and Information
Commanders apply ______ through mission command.
Leadership
_____ enables commanders to make informed decisions on how to best apply combat power.
Information
______ encourages the greatest possible freedom of action from subordinates.
Mission command
Movement and maneuver include what tasks?
Move Maneuver Employ direct fires Occupy an area Conduct mobility and counter-mobility operations Conduct reconnaissance and surveillance Employ battlefield obscuration
_____ includes understanding threats, adversaries, and weather; and synchronizes information collection with the primary tactical tasks.
Intelligence
What warfighting function includes delivering fires; integrating all form of Army, joint, and multi-national fires; and conducting targeting?
Fires
Sustainment includes what tasks?
Conduct logistics
Provide personnel services
Provide health service support
_____ determines the degree to which potential threats can disrupt operations and then counters or mitigates those threats.
Protection
______ is the process a small-unit leader goes through to prepare the unit to accomplish a mission.
Troop Leading Procedures
When do the TLPs begin?
When the leader is alerted
What are the TLPs?
Receive the mission Issue the WARNORD Make a tentative plan Initiate movement Conduct reconnaissance Complete the plan Issue the order Supervise and refine
What must happen after receiving the mission?
Mission analysis using METT-TC
What is METT-TC?
Mission Enemy Terrain and weather Troops available Time available Civilian considerations
What is the 1/3 - 2/3 rule?
Leaders use no more than 1/3 of available time for planning and issuing OPORD
Subordinates get 2/3 of available time to plan and prepare for operation
Use _______ to schedule preparation time.
Backwards planning
When is the WARNORD issued?
As soon as possible after receiving the mission
Things to cover in WARNORD:
Who is participating
Time of the operation
Time and place for OPORD
Use _____ as the basis for an estimate of the situation while developing a tentative plan.
METT-TC
When can movement be initiated?
Anytime throughout the
sequence of the TLPs.
What should a leader seek to do with a reconnaissance?
Confirm the PIR supporting their tentative plans.
What is the minimum reconnaissance a leader must conduct?
Map recon
The leader completes the plan based on ______ and _______.
Reconnaissance
Changes to the situation
During the OPORD, leaders must ensure all soldiers _________.
Understand the mission
At a minimum, each subordinate
leader should be able to back brief ______, _______, _______, and _______.
Unit mission and intent
Immediate higher commander’s intent
His own tasks and purpose
Time he will issue his unit’s OPORD
Supervise by conducting ______ and ______.
Rehearsals
PCCs/PCIs
What is a patrol?
A detachment sent out by a larger unit to conduct a specific mission that operates semi-independently and return to the main body upon completion of mission.
Patrolling fulfills the Infantry’s primary function of _______ or report his disposition, location, and actions.
Finding the enemy to engage him
Patrols act as ______ or ______ for larger units and the planned action determines the type of patrol.
Ground sensors
Early warnings
A patrol can consist of a unit as small as ______.
A fire team
Regardless of the type of patrol, the unit needs a clear ______.
Task and purpose
What are several specific purposes which can be accomplished by patrolling?
Gathering information on the enemy, on the terrain, or on the populace.
Regaining contact with the enemy or with adjacent friendly forces.
Engaging the enemy in combat to destroy him or inflict losses.
Reassuring or gaining the trust of a local population.
Preventing public disorder.
Deterring and disrupting insurgent or criminal activity.
Providing unit security.
Protecting essential infrastructure or bases.
What are the two types of patrols?
Combat
Reconnaissance
What are the three types of combat patrols?
Raid
Ambush
Security
What are the three types of reconnaissance patrols?
Area
Zone
Route
What are the elements of a patrol organization?
Headquarters element Aid and litter team Detainee teams Surveillance team En route recorder (RTO) Compass and pace man Assault team Support team Breach team Search team
Small unit leaders plan and prepare for patrols using ______.
Troop Leading Procedures
Because patrols act semi-independently, move beyond the supporting range of the parent unit, and often operate forward of friendly units, ______ must be thorough and detailed.
Coordination
What must the leader give when he or other individuals separate from the main body?
A five-point contingency plan (GOTWA)
As the patrol leader completes his plan, the following elements are considered:
Essential and supporting tasks Key travel and execution time Primary and alternate routes Signals Challenge and password Location of leaders Action on enemy contact Contingency plans
The departure from friendly lines, or from a fixed base, must be thoroughly ______
and ______.
Planned
Coordinated
The following patrol base activities at a minimum should be taken into consideration:
Use Site selection Planning considerations Security measures Occupation Priorities of work
What are the types of rally points?
Initial Enroute Objective (ORP) Reentry Near- and far-side
During ______, the leader pinpoints the objective, selects positions for his squads, teams and adjusts his plan based upon his observation of the objective.
His reconnaissance
The leader ensures that the objective ______ once he decides to return to the ORP.
Remains under continuous observation
A ______ provides security and harasses, destroys, or captures enemy troops, equipment, or installations.
Combat patrol
What is a raid?
A surprise attack against a position or installation for a specific purpose other than seizing and holding the terrain.
What is an ambush?
A surprise attack from a concealed position on a moving or temporarily halted target.
What are the types of ambush?
Point
Area
What are the two planning factor times for an ambush?
Hasty
Deliberate
A ______ is sent out from a unit location when the unit is stationary or during a halt to search the local area, detect enemy forces near the main body, and to engage and destroy the enemy within the capability of the patrol.
Security patrol
What are the three essential elements for a combat patrol?
Security
Support
Assault
______ elements accomplish the mission during actions on the objective.
Assault
_____ elements suppress or destroy enemy on the objective in support of the assault element.
Support
______ elements assist in isolating the objective by preventing enemy from entering and leaving the objective area as well as by ensuring the patrol’s withdrawal route remains open.
Security
A ______ collects information or confirms or disproves the
accuracy of information previously gained.
Reconnaissance patrol
What is the intent of a reconnaissance patrol?
To avoid enemy contact
To accomplish its tactical task without engaging in close combat.
______ reconnaissance patrols focus on obtaining detailed information about the enemy activity, terrain, or specific civil considerations within a prescribed area.
Area
How does an area recon differ from a zone recon?
Areas are normally smaller than zones, so units conduct an area recon quicker than a zone recon.
______ reconnaissance patrols focus on obtaining detailed information about a specified route and terrain where the enemy could influence movement along a route.
Route
______ reconnaissance involves a directed effort to obtain detailed information on all routes, obstacles, terrain, enemy forces, or specific civil considerations within a zone defined by boundaries.
Zone
What type of recon patrol is deliberate, time-consuming process that takes more time than any other recon mission, and is normally conducted over an extended distance and starts from a line of departure?
Zone reconnaissance
What are some methods of conducting a zone recon?
Fan Box Converging route Successive sector Stationary element
What are some special types of recon patrols?
Point recon Contact recon Civil recon Tracking recon Presence recon
What are some urban patrolling considerations?
Restricted movement
Mounted vs. dismounted
Combined arms
Fire control measures
Offensive tasks impose _____.
The commander’s will on the enemy
What are the characteristics of the offense?
Surprise
Concentration
Audacity
Tempo
_____ is not a characteristic of the offense.
Flexibility
What are the four types of offensive operations?
Movement to contact
Attack
Exploitation
Pursuit
______ is a type of offensive operation designed to develop the situation and to establish or regain contact.
Movement to contact
Subordinate variations
of a movement to contact include ______ and ______.
Search and attack
Cordon and search operations
______ is a type of offensive operation that destroys or defeats enemy forces, seizes and secures terrain, or both.
An attack
Ambush, counterattack, demonstration, feint, raid, and spoiling are variations of what type of offensive operation?
Attack
An attack may be _____ or _____, depending on the time available for assessing the situation, planning, and preparing.
Hasty
Deliberate
______ are distinct tactical combinations of fire and movement with a unique set of doctrinal characteristics that differ primarily in the relationship between the maneuvering force and the enemy.
Forms of maneuver
What are the six forms of maneuver?
Envelopment Turning movement Frontal attack Penetration Infiltration Flank attack
_____ is a form of maneuver in which an attacking force seeks to avoid the principal enemy defenses by seizing objectives behind those defenses that allow the targeted enemy force to be destroyed in their current positions.
Envelopment
_____ is a form of maneuver in which the attacking force seeks to avoid the enemy’s principle defensive positions by seizing objectives behind the enemy’s current positions thereby causing the enemy force to move out of their current positions or divert major forces to meet the threat.
A turning movement
_____ is a form of maneuver in which an attacking force conducts undetected movement through or into an area occupied by enemy forces to occupy a position of advantage behind those enemy positions while exposing only small elements to enemy defensive fires.
An infiltration
_____ is a form of maneuver in which an attacking force seeks to rupture enemy defenses on a narrow front to disrupt the defensive system and gain access to the enemy’s rear.
A penetration
_____ is a form of maneuver in which an attacking force seeks to destroy a weaker enemy force or fix a larger enemy force in place over a broad front.
A frontal attack
_____ is a form of offensive maneuver directed at the flank of an enemy.
A flank attack
What is an example sequence of events for an attack?
Assembly area Recon and surveillance Movement to LOD Maneuver Deployment Assault Consolidation and reorganization
The _____ warfighting function is the related tasks and a system that enable commanders to synchronize and converge all elements of combat power.
Command and control
The _____ warfighting function is the related tasks and systems that move and employ forces to achieve a position of relative advantage over the enemy and other threats. Direct fire and close combat are inherent in maneuver.
Movement and maneuver
The _____ warfighting function is the related tasks and systems that facilitate understanding the enemy, terrain, weather, civil considerations, and other significant aspects of the operational environment.
Intelligence
The _____ warfighting function is the related tasks and systems that create and converge effects in all domains against the adversary or enemy to enable operations across the range of military operations.
Fires
The _____ warfighting function is the related tasks and systems that provide support and services to ensure freedom of action, extend operational reach, and prolong endurance.
Sustainment
The _____ warfighting function is the related tasks and systems that preserve the force so the commander can apply maximum combat power to accomplish the mission.
Protection
A combat patrol can be organized into what essential elements?
Assault element
Breach element (when needed)
Support element
Security element
An attack can be organized into what elements?
Security force
Main body
Reserve
The following comprise what?
- Mass the effects of fire.
- Destroy the greatest threat first.
- Avoid target overkill.
- Employ the best weapon for the target.
- Minimize friendly exposure and fratricide avoidance.
- Plan for limited visibility conditions.
- Develop contingencies.
Principles of direct fire control
What are the types of indirect fires available?
M320/M203 Mortars Artillery Close air support Naval gun support
What are the methods of fire control?
Oral Hand-and-arm signals Prearranged signals Personal contact Range cards SOPs
A _____ is an operation to defeat an enemy attack, gain time, economize forces, and develop conditions favorable for offensive or stability operations.
Defensive operation
The immediate purpose of the defense is generally to create conditions favorable for the _____.
Offense
What are the characteristics of the defense?
Disruption Flexibility Maneuver Massing Effects Operations in Depth Preparation Security
What are the three types of defensive operations?
Area
Mobile
Retrograde
What are the three types of obstacles?
Tactical
Protective
Supplementary
What are the seven defensive techniques?
Sector Battle Position Strongpoint Perimeter Linear Defense Non-linear Defense Reverse Slope
A _____ defense consists of phase line sectors arrayed in depth as mutually supporting BP’s on armor restrictive terrain.
Sector
A _____ defense is a series of mutually supporting BP’s that cover likely enemy areas of approach in a more linear and centralized way.
Battle Position
A _____ defense holds key or decisive terrain by providing a pivot point and canalizing the enemy.
Strong Point
A _____ defense disperses the unit in a circular configuration for all around security when there are no adjacent friendly units.
Perimeter
A _____ defense is used when interlocking and overlapping fields of fires and observation to the front are needed.
Linear
A _____ defense is used when leaders find it hard to select one decisive point on which to focus combat power.
Non-linear
A _____ defense is used on terrain that is masked from enemy direct fires and controls the crest of a hill.
Reverse Slope
What is an engagement area?
Where the commander intends to contain and destroy an enemy force using the massed fires of all available weapons.
What are the steps for Engagement Area Development (EA DEV)?
Identify likely enemy avenues of approach
Determine likely enemy schemes of maneuver
Determine where to kill the enemy
Plan and integrate obstacles
Emplace weapon systems
Plan and integrate IDF
Rehearse the execution
What are some defensive priorities of work?
Establish security Position key weapons Clear fields of fire and prep range cards Prepare fighting positions Emplace obstacles Prepare alternate positions Stockpile supplies
What is the primary purpose of the reserve force?
To regain the initiative through counterattack.
An _____ is a communication, written, oral, or by signal, which conveys instruction from a superior to a subordinate.
Order
What are the two types of orders?
Administrative
Combat
What are the five types of combat orders?
OPORDs Service support orders Movement orders WARNOs FRAGOs
A _____ is a preliminary notice of an order to follow and does not authorize execution other than planning.
WARNO
A _____ is an order issued by a commander covering the details for a move of the command.
Movement Order
An _____ is a directive issued by a commander to subordinate commanders for the purpose of effecting the coordinated execution of an operation.
OPORD
An OPORD contains, at a minimum, what essential elements?
Task organization Terrain analysis Situation Mission Execution Sustainment Command and Control
An OPORD must always specify _____.
An execution date and time
A _____ is an abbreviated form of an operation order usually issued on a day-to-day basis that eliminates the need to restate unchanged information.
FRAGO
A _____ is an order that directs the service and support of operations, including administrative movements.
Service support order
A _____ may be issued with an OPORD.
Service support order
When is the task organization always given?
Before the situation paragraph.
What are the two formats for task org?
Matrix
Outlined
In which paragraph of the OPORD would you find the verbatim mission statements of two echelons higher?
Situation
What is a mission statement?
A short sentence or paragraph describing the unit’s essential task and purpose.
In which paragraph of the OPORD would you find the Commander’s Intent?
Execution
The execution paragraph should contain at a minimum ______ and _____.
Scheme of maneuver
Concept of fires
Who typically briefs the sustainment paragraph of an OPORD at the platoon level?
Platoon sergeant
______ are directives given verbally or portrayed graphically by a commander to subordinate units in order to assign responsibilities, coordinate fires and maneuver, and control combat operations.
Control measures
Graphical control measures include:
Land maneuver Fire support Mission command Mobility operations Sustainment
True or false: Maneuver requires a base of fire to suppress or destroy enemy forces with accurate direct fires; and bounding elements to gain positional advantage over the enemy.
True
Approach march is historically used when?
When fighting conventional military.
What publications cover:
Infantry Platoon and Squad
Infantry Rifle Company
Infantry Battalion
ATP 3-21.8
ATP 3-21.10
ATP 3-21.20
What publication covers Operations?
ADP 3-0
What publications cover Offense and Defense?
ADP 3-90
FM 3-90-1
FM 3-90-2
