Tactical Tasks

Tactical Tasks

3 Types: Enemy Oriented, Terrain Oriented, and Friendly Oriented

Enemy Oriented: 

  • Ambush
  • Attack by Fire
  • Block 
  • Breach
  • Bypass
  • Canalize
  • Contain
  • Destroy
  • Disrupt
  • Exploit
  • Feint
  • Fix
  • Interdict
  • Neutralize
  • Penetrate
  • Reconnoiter
  • Rupture
  • Support By Fire
  • Seize

Terrain Oriented

  • Clear
  • Control
  • Reconnoiter
  • Retain
  • Secure
  • Seize

Friendly Oriented

  • Breach
  • Cover
  • Disengage
  • Exfiltrate 
  • Follow & Assume
  • Follow & Support
  • Guard 
  • Protect
  • Screen

ENEMY ORIENTED TASKS:

Ambush: A surprise attack by fire from concealed positions on a moving or temporarily halted enemy

Attack: An offensive operation of coordinated movement supported by fire, conducted to defeat, destroy, neutralize, or capture the enemy

Attack by Fire: Fires (Direct or Indirect) to destroy the enemy from a distance, normally used when the mission does not require or support the occupation of the objective. This task is normally given to the Supporting element and as a control attack option for a reserve in the defense

Block: To deny enemy access to a given area or to prevent enemy advance in a given direction or AA. It may be for a specified time and units may have to retain terrain

Breach: To break through or secure a passage through natural or man-made obstacles

Bypass: To maneuver around an obstacle, position, or enemy force to maintain the momentum of advance. Unreported observations or bypassed enemies are reported up

Canalize: The use of existing or reinforcing obstacles or fires to restrict enemy operations in a narrow zone

Contain: To stop, hold, or surround enemy force, or to keep the enemy in a given area and prevent his withdrawing

Cover: Offensive or Defensive actions to protect the force

Defeat: to disrupt or nullify the enemy commander’s plan and overcome his will to fight, thus making him unwilling or unable to pursue his adopted COAs and yield to the friendly Commander’s will 

Destroy: Physically rendering an enemy force combat-ineffective unless reconstituted 

Disrupt: To integrate fires and obstacles to break apart an enemy’s formation and tempo, interrupt his timetable, cause premature commitment, or piecemealing forces

Exploit: Take full advantage of success in battle and follow up on initial gains, designed to disorganize the enemy in-depth 

Feint: An offensive action involving contact with the enemy to deceive him about the location or time of actual offensive action

Fix: To prevent the enemy from moving any part of his forces to either from a specific location or surround them to prevent withdrawal

Guard: To protect the main force by fighting to gain time, while observing and reporting information

Interdict: An action to divert, disrupt, delay, or destroy the enemy’s surface military potential before it can be used effectively against friendly forces

Isolate: To seal off an enemy from his sources or support, to deny freedom of movement, and prevent contact with other forces

Neutralize: To render the enemy or his resources ineffective or unusable

Protect: To prevent observation, engagement, or interference with a force or location

Reconnoiter: To obtain, by visual observation or other methods, info about activities and resources of an enemy 

Rupture: To create a gap in enemy defensive positions quickly

Screen: To observe, identify, and report info and fight in self-protection

Support by Fire: Where a force engages the enemy by direct fire to support a maneuvering force using overwatch or by establishing a base of fire. The supporting force does not capture the enemy or terrain (usually given as occupy Support by Fire and task is fix, suppress, etc.)

TERRAIN ORIENTED TASKS:

Clear: The removal of enemy forces and elimination of organized resistance in an assigned zone, area, or location by destroying, capturing, or forcing the withdrawal of enemy forces that could interfere with the unit’s ability to accomplish its mission

Control: To maintain physical influence by occupation or range of weapon systems over the activities or access to a defined area

Occupy: To move onto an objective, key terrain, or other man-made or natural terrain without opposition and control the entire area

Reconnoiter: To secure data about the meteorological, hydrographic, or geographic characteristics of a particular area 

Retain: To occupy and hold a terrain feature and ensure it is free of enemy occupation or use

Secure: To gain possession of a position or terrain feature, with or without force, and to prevent its destruction or loss to enemy action. The attacking force may or may not have to physically occupy the area

Seize: To clear a designated area and gain control of it.

FRIENDLY ORIENTED TASKS:

Breach: To break through or secure a passage through a natural or friendly obstacle

Counter-reconnaissance: All measures taken to prevent hostile observation of a force, area, or place

Disengage: To break contact with the enemy and move to a point where the enemy cannot observe nor engage the unit by direct fire

Displace: to leave one position and take another. Forces may be displaced laterally to concentrate combat power in threatened areas

Exfiltrate: The removal of personnel or units from areas under enemy control

Follow: The order of movement of combat, combat support, and combat service support forces in a given combat operation

Follow & Assume: An operation in which a committed force follows a force conducting an offensive operation and is prepared to continue the mission of the force it is following when that force is fixed or otherwise unable to continue. Such a force is not a reserve but is committed to accomplishing specified tasks

Follow & Support: A committed force follows and supports the mission accomplishment of a force conducting an offensive operation. Not a reserve, but is committed to - Destroying bypassed units, relieving in place any direct pressure or encircling force that is halted to contain an enemy, block enemy reinforcements; securing LOCs, guarding EPWS, key areas, and installations; securing key terrain; and control refugees 

Link up: A meeting of friendly ground forces
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