Action
Intelligence
(signal, photo, agent
), reconnaissance (air and ground), and patrol actions
probe and test adversary before and during combat
operations to uncover as well as shape changing patterns of strengths,
weaknesses, moves, and intentions.
Adversary
patterns, and associated changes, are weighed against friendly situation to
expose attractive, or appropriate, alternatives that
exploit adversary vulnerabilities and weaknesses, hence help shape mission
commitment and influence command intent.
Mission
assigned. Schwerpunkt (focus of main effort) established
before and shifted during combat operations to bypass adversary strength
and strike at weakness. Nebenpunkte (other related or supporting
efforts) employed to tie-up, focus, or drain-away adversary attention
and strength (elsewhere).
Special
seizure/disruption teams infiltrate (by air or other means) enemy rear areas
where, with agents already in place, they: seize bridges
and road crossings, sever communications, incapacitate or blow-up power
stations, seize or blow-up fuel dumps,
as well as sow
confusion/disorder via false messages and fake orders.
Indirect
and direct air firepower efforts together with (any needed) sudden/brief
preliminary artillery fires are focused in appropriate areas to
impede (or channel) adversary movement, disrupt communications, suppress
forward defensive fires, obscure the advance, and divert
attention.
Armored
reconnaissance or stormtrooper teams, leading armored columns, advance rapidly
from least expected regions and infiltrate adversary
front to find paths of least resistance.
Armored
assault teams of tanks, infantry, anti-tank guns, and combat engineers as well
as other specialists, together with close artillery
and air support, quickly open breaches (via frontal/flank fire and movement
combinations) into adversary rear along paths of least
resistance uncovered by armored reconnaissance or stormtroopers.
When
breakthrough occurs, relatively independent mobile/armored teams led by
armored recce with air support (recce, fire, and airlift when
necessary), blow-through to penetrate at high speed deep into adversary
interior. Object is to cut lines of communication, disrupt movement,
paralyze command and envelop adversary forces and resources.
Motorized
or foot infantry further back supported by artillery and armor pour-in to
collapse isolated pockets of resistance, widen the breaches
and secure the encirclement or captured terrain against possible
counter-attack.
Idea
Conquer an
entire region in the quickest possible time by gaining initial
surprise and exploiting the fast tempo/fluidity-of-action of armored
teams, with air support, as basis to repeatedly penetrate, splinter, envelop,
and roll-up/wipe-out disconnected remnants of adversary
organism in order to confuse, disorder, and finally shatter his will or
capacity to resist.