TACTICS and what they break down to.

[Max Gotzmer]

The five Army operations tenets are the basis for the development of all current US Army doctrine, tactics, and techniques. Success on the battlefield will depend on our ability to fight according to these tenets: initiative, agility, depth, synchronization, and versatility.

 

INITIATIVE sets or changes the terms of battle by action. It is the effort to force the enemy to conform to our operational tempo and purpose while rettaining our freedom of action. This will require commanders to understand the intent of their commandrs two levels above-- centralized planning but decentralized execution.

 

AGILITY is the ability to act faster than the enemy- a prerequisite for seizing and holding the initiave. Quickness permits the rapid concentration of combat power against the enemy's vulnerabilities. It requires the commander to constantly read the battlefield, anticipate, make quick decisions, and act without hesitation. This may require commiting forces quickly without complete information when situations are time-sensitive. Agility is both mental and physical flexibility- seeing and reacting to changing situations.

 

DEPTH is the extension of operations in time, space, resources, and purpose. The commander uses these factors in thinking in depth to forcast, anticipate likely events, and expand his freedom of action. He then applies them to arange all available resources to attack the enemy simultaneously and sequentially throughout the depth of the battlefield.

 

SYNCHRONIZATION is the focus of resources and activities in time and space to mass at the decisive point. Although the activities such as intelligence, logistics and fires and maneuver may occur at different times and places, they are synchronized when their combined consequences are felt at the decicive time and place. The product of effect synchronization is the maximum use of every resource where it will make the greatest contribution to success.

 

VERSATILITY is the ability to shift focus, to tailor forces, and to move from one mission to another rapidly and efficiently. It implies a capacity to be multifunctional, to operate across regions throughout the full range of military operations, and to perform at the tactical, operational, and strategic level.

 

[Spartan]

Good thoughts, but if i had to break down tactics into one element it would be common sense. Knowing what to do without having to wait for orders. When I go over a what happened in a battle and someone asks, "Why didn't we win that fight. We had communication, heavy firepower, and we outnumbered them", I answer," You didn't have common sense.

[Max Gotzmer]

Oh I forgot to post up top that I found this in an Army tactics book and they aren't my thoughts. I just found some sense in them and decided to share it with you all. But I do think that common sense should be one of them, now that I think about it.

[Komissar]

Something to add to the list: TRAINING and PRACTICE. A little training will give you and your team options on the field. Practice with your team until you know and trust what they are going to do. Learn from those who have the understanding.

[Spartan]

Shoot move and communicate. You always need to have 2 of the 3. If you do, you basically can accomplish anything.

[Komissar]

"To shoot without moving is a waste of ammo. To move without shooting is suicide". - unknown soldier.

So when is our next training day?

[Spartan]

Hopefully soon. I've been wanting to go to one. Do you do them at draex?

[Phoenix]

In high school I knew this kid named Pat. He had that lack of common sense that almost seemed pathological. We started saying anyone who had that same deficiency of common sense as having Pat Syndrome. When encountered in the military setting, training and practice can be the treatment for Pat Syndrome. Just like friendly fire, common sense is anything but. We see glaring examples of people failing to use their heads and botching an otherwise simple task.

 

There's a reason why 18-24 year old men are the most desirable for infantry: the ability to see no fault in risking their lives thus proving Napoleon was right when he said “A soldier will fight long and hard for a bit of colored ribbon.” Given a normal situation (say a draft as opposed to a homeland invasion) would any of you in your late 20's and older be willing to grab a gun and run at a machine gun nest?

 

Training -> practice ->re-training ->perfection. That's it needs to be done, don't focus so much on the tenets get the soldier to be proficient at what he or she needs to do and then build up the support for it so it sticks.

[Ziggy]

Purpose should also be added. Without purpose combat is pointless. If you must make a move on the chess board do it with a point, dont just send pawns out with no purpose. Ive seen this a few times where newer players not fitted with an experienced leader charge a point, may or may not take it, then if they did are stuck and asking for support on a position we didnt have a purpose for. Therefore wasting more soldiers, resources, and time without an actually purpose.

I like your posts Phoenix, they always have something historical and interesting to think about.