Terminology Flashcards
What is offensive ops?
The purpose of offensive ops is to defeat the enemy by imposing our will on him by the application of focused violence. It is the decisive op of war.
Whai is deliberate attack?
A deliberate attack is a type of offensive action characterized by preplanned coordinated employment of firepower amd manouvre to close with and destroy or capture the enemy.
What is hasty attack?
An attack in which preparation time is traded for speed IOT exploit an opportunity. It seeks to take advantage of an enemy’s unpreparedness and involves boldness, surprise and speed.
CA and Spoiling attack
The aim of a CA is to defeat an enemy made vulnerable by his own offensive action, by revealing his ME or creating an assailable flank. The spoiling attack attempts to strike the enemy while he is most vulnerable or while he is on the move prior to crossing the SL, it has the more limited aim of disruption.
Attack by a part or all of a defending force against an enemy attacking force, for such specific purposes as regaining lost groung or cutting off or destroying en advance units, and with the general obj of denying the en the attainment of his purpose in attacking.
Raid
The purpose of raid is to disrupt the en. More specifically, a raid is carried out to destroy or capture a vital en asset.
Feint attk and Demonstration
The purpose of a feint is to fix the en by distracting him, if necessary, engaging in combat. The purpose of a demonstration, in contrast to a feint , is to distract the en’s attention without seeking combat.
Recce in force
The purpose is to compel the en to disclose the location, size, str., disposn or intent of his force by making him respond to offen. action.
Exploitation
Exploitation is taking adv. of a successful attk by following - up and harassing a dislocated en with the aim of further disorganizing him in depth. This may provide the opportunity to capture grnd which was not part of the obj in original attk. It is necessary for a cdr to lay down a LOE.
(a). Taking full adv of success in battle and following up initial gains.
(b). Taking full adv of any info that has come to hand for tac and strat purposes.
(c). An offn op that usually follows successful attk and is designed to disorganize the en in depth.
Reorg
Reorg is the restoration in a unit after action by replacing casualties , reassigning men if necessary, replenishing the ammo supply and performing whatever other actions necessary or possible IOT prepare the unit for a CA by the en.
Firm base
An area of grnd selected to give adequate protection, admin and support for troops embarking on a specific op or series of op. It is an area of grnd of tac. importance,the occupation of which by troops enables the cdr’s plan to be implemented. From it ,ptls can be sent out, recce and planning can be carried out free from interference. In the wider sense, a firm base includes admin installations capable of maintaining a force operating from it.
Start point
A clearly defined control point on a route at which specified elements of a column of troops, vehicles or flight or aircraft come under the control of the cdr ordering the move. It can also be defined as the point in the route of advance which unit and fmn pass at a specified time. In addition to a principle S.P. there may be secondary SP for diff. elements.
Start line
Start line is an imaginary line, normally the forward edge of the FUP and sq. to the obj. which is crossed at a fixed time by the leading troops in an attk so as to coordinate the fire plan with the move plan.
H hour
H hr is the time for the start of an op. All other timing of that op is fixed in relation to it. Hours preceding or subsequent to the time of commencement of an op will be indicated as under:
(a). Three hours before H hr: H minus 3
(b). Two hours after H hr: h plus 2
When it is necessary to indicate mins. this must be stated. For eg. H minus 20 minutes.
Forms of Manoeuvre
Frontal
Infiltration
Penetration
Turning movement
Envelopment
Frontal attk
An offensive manoeuvre in which the main action is directed against the front of the en force.
Infiltration
A technique and process in which a force moves as individuals or small gps over, through and around the en posns without detection.
Penetration
A form of offn which seeks to break through the en’s defences and disrupt the def. system.
Turning movement
A variation of envelopment in which the attacking force passes around or over the en’s principle def. positions to secure objs deep in the en’s rear, IOT force the en to abandon his posn or divert major forces to meet the threat.
Envelopment
A form of offen mvre in which the main effort is directed against the flanks of the main en posn or towards on obj to the rear of the en.
It usually contains a secondary attk directed against the en’s front.
FUP
The last posn held by the asslt echelon before crossing the SL aka ATTACK POSN where they may take their asslt formations.
If it is outside the FEBA, it must be recced and protected before the asslting troops move into it.
Assembly Area
Assembly Area is the area in which the attacking troops assemble for prep of attk. Attacking troops complete their prep for attk . Time spent here may vary from 2 - 6 hrs.
Actions includes
(a). Marrying up with Sp arms.
(b). Admin arrangements.
(c). Prep of wpns and ammo.
(d). Netting of radio sets.
Forward Assembly Area
In case , the distance between AA and obj is excessive, a FAA may be interposed for gaining control/halting during DAYLIGHT hrs.
Subsidiary attack
An attack launched in conjunction with the main attk along an alt. or subsidiary axis or appch with the aim of dividing the reaction of the en. Depending on the success achieved the attacker may switch forces from the main axis towards the subsidiary axis.
Mopping up
The liquidation of remnants of en resistance in an area that has been surrounded, isolated or bypassed or through which other units have assembled/ paused without eliminating all active resistance.
Main attk
The principle attk or effort into which the cdr throws the full weight of the offn power at his disposal against the main obj. of the campaign or battle.
Holding attk
attk designed to hold the en in posn IOT deceive him as to where the main attk is being made and to prevent him from reinforcing the elements opposing the main aatk and/or to cause him to commit his reserves prematurely at an indecisive location.
Diversionary attk
An attk in which a force attack or threatens to attk a tgt other than the main tgt for the purpose of drawing en attention away from the main attk.
Local CA
An attk organized at the Bde, unit or subunit level to destroy local en forces that have penetrated or threaten to penetrate into the defended sector/area/locality.
Local CA should be mounted quickly so as not to allow en to reorg and consolidate his gains.
Deliberate CA
A planned and coordinated attk organized by a Div or Higher cdr. employing his reserves. It is launched if VG is lost or en pen reaches a point where it threatens the overall sy of the def.
Opportunity of deliberate CA mat arise before VG is lost or before the en reaches the LOP.
