1. Battle Drills Break Contact React to Ambush React to Contact
Knock Out a Bunker
Enter a Building and
Clear a Room

2. Battle Drills
Very similar to Standard operating procedures (SOP’s) which are pre- established unit guidelines. Battle Drills are an immediate response to enemy contact that require fire and maneuver in order to succeed.

3. Battle Drills: a collective action rapidly executed without applying a deliberate decision-making process, in which a unit applies fire and maneuver to common situations of enemy combat – FM
Speed
Minimal Leader Commands
Trained Responses to Enemy Actions or Leader Orders
Sequential Actions: Vital to Success in Combat and Preserving Combat Power
Standard throughout the Army
Platoon or Smaller Units

4. Speed Soldiers ability to execute key actions quickly
Response to enemy contact has to be automatic
No hesitation on movements
Seconds can mean the difference between life and death

5. Minimal Leader Commands
Trained responses to enemy actions or orders
Actions are sequential (conducted in a specific order)
Standard throughout the Army
Both offensive and defensive

6. Trained Responses Like reflexes and result from continual practice
Help build unit strength, cohesion and aggressiveness
Continually fine tune

7. Sequential Actions Outlined in FM 7-8 Detailed instructions
Memorize steps
Practicing the sequence
Rehearsing again and again
Don’t think Just DO

8. Why are Battle Drills standardized throughout the Army?

9. The survival of your Troops and preservation of combat power depends on your units proficiency at BATTLE DRILLS

10. KEY TYPES OF BATTLE DRILLS
REACT TO CONTACT
BREAK CONTACT
REACT TO AMBUSH
KNOCK OUT A BUNKER
ENTER A BUILDING AND CLEAR A ROOM

11. QUESTIONS

12. Squads in the Offense

13. The Purpose of Offensive Operations
Destroy the enemy and his will to fight
Seize terrain
Learn enemy strength and disposition
Deceive, divert, or fix the enemy

14. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OFFENSE
SURPRISE
CONCENTRATION
TEMPO
AUDACITY

15. SURPRISE Surprise is crucial Delays enemy reactions
Shocks enemy Soldiers and Leaders
Confuses enemy Command and Control
Press your advantage before the enemy knows what's going on

16. CONCENTRATION
The Massing of overwhelming force to achieve a single purpose
Massing of weapons (squads) and forces (platoons)
Overwhelm or hold in place (fix)
Both indirect and direct fires

17. TEMPO Speed or timing of an attack Control tempo to retain initiative
Destroys enemy before they can react
Prevents regrouping, reorganizing, counter attack
Squads and platoons support larger force’s tempo with rapid execution
Maintains momentum not allowing defenders to recover

18. AUDACITY Developing bold, innovative plans to achieve decisive results
Elements violently apply combat power (maneuver, firepower, protection & leadership)
Know when and where to take risks
DO NOT hesitate to execute
Inspires soldiers to overcome adversity and danger

19. Offensive Operations Movement to Contact Deliberate attack
Hasty Attack
Raids*
Ambushes*
Reconnaissance and security operations*
* fall under patrolling missions (chapter III FM 7-8)

20. Movement to Contact
Purpose: Gain or regain contact with the enemy.

21. Movement to Contact Planning Considerations
Make enemy contact with the smallest element possible
Prevent detection of elements not in contact until they are in the assault
Maintain 360-degree security at all times
Report all information quickly and accurately
Maintain contact once it is gained
Generate combat power rapidly upon contact
Fight through at the lowest level possible

22. MTC: Infiltration
Offensive mission normally conducted by platoons or squads
Purpose is to move into or through enemy area without fighting through prepared defenses or being detected
Usually supports next higher mission or intent; not an end in itself but a means to an end

23. Purposes of Infiltration
Gather information
Attack enemy positions from the rear
Conduct raids or ambushes in enemy
rear areas
Capture prisoners
Seize key terrain in support of other operations
Aid a main attack

24. Attack
An offensive action characterized by violence of action and fire and maneuver
Three types of attacks:
Hasty
Deliberate
Raid
Ambush

25. Initiative in the Attack
Seizing and retaining the initiative involves more then just achieving tactical surprise. It involves a process of planning and preparing for combat operations, finding the enemy first, avoiding detection, fixing the enemy, locating or creating weakness, maneuvering to exploit that weakness with a quick and violent assault

26. Hasty Attack
Conducted with the forces immediately available to maintain momentum or to take advantage of the enemy situation
Does not normally allow for extensive preparation
Could be a React to Contact developed into a squad attack

27. Deliberate Attack Carefully planned and coordinated
Time available to perform thorough reconnaissance
Evaluation of all available intelligence and relative combat strength
Analysis of various courses of action and other factors affecting the situation
Generally conducted against a well-organized defense when a hasty attack is not possible or has failed

28. Attacks during limited visibility
Attacks during limited visibility achieve surprise, avoid heavy losses, cause panic in weak and disorganized enemy, exploit success and maintain momentum, and keep pressure on the enemy.

29. Keys to limited visibility attacks
Planning: same considerations but they require additional control measures to prevent Fratricide and keep focus on the objective.
Recon: key to success; done in daylight to the lowest level; recon movement routes, positions and OBJ; Balance need for info vs. detection; maintain surveillance on OBJ, situation may change from recon
If no recon available consider using illuminated attack
* A night attack with marginal information of the enemy’s defense is risky and difficult to conduct

30. Questions?