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Lesson 4
COMPLETE AN INFANTRY COMPANY ATTACK PLAN
The task taught in this lesson consists of:
Identifying doctrinal considerations of paragraphs 3 and 4 of a company OPORD
Completing paragraph 3 of a company OPORD
Completing paragraph 4 of a company OPORD.
Task: Complete an infantry company attack plan.
Condition: Given a tactical situation, a map pertaining to the simulated tactical situation, a battalion operation order, and a worksheet designed to test your ability to develop input for a company OPORD.
Standard: Paragraphs 3 and 4 of the company OPORD worksheet are completed. Paragraph 3 must contain a scheme of maneuver based on the assigned mission, enemy situation, terrain, weather and troops available, a fire support plan which complements the scheme of maneuver, special instructions to subordinate units, coordinating instructions (to include control measures, timings, consolidation and reorganization), and provide for the accomplishment of all unit tasks assigned in the battalion operation order. Paragraph 4 must cover the movement of company trains, provisions for the evacuation of wounded, handling of PW's, vehicle recovery, and instructions pertaining to service support.
Exercise 1: IDENTIFYING DOCTRINAL CONSIDERATIONS
Application of Doctrinal Considerations
To ensure that a company attack plan can be clearly expressed to subordinates, specific Army doctrine has been established. This doctrine provides specific considerations relative to the concept of paragraphs 3 and 4 of a company OPORD. When completing an infantry company attack plan, the company commander must know the doctrine relative to each of those considerations and apply it to the specific requirements of the tactical situation. In this exercise you will learn the doctrinal considerations that must be applied.
At this time re-read pages 3-25 through 3-30 from FM 7-10.
Paragraphs 3 and 4 of Company OPORD
An OPORD details the coordinated action necessary to carry out the concept of the commander. Paragraphs 3 and 4 of the OPORD express the commander's plan. Paragraph 3 gives the concept of the operation, tasks to be accomplished, and coordinating instructions. Paragraph 4 covers the administrative instructions and service support provided for the operation. You must know those considerations that apply to paragraphs 3 and 4 of a company OPORD so that you can express your plan of operation to subordinates. The considerations that apply to paragraph 3 of the OPORD include the following:
The concept of the operation:
a. Concept of the operation. This subparagraph contains the scheme of maneuver (direction of movement, movement technique, order of march, action at the objective, etc.) and plan of fire support (priority of fires and preparation of the objective).
Missions for subordinate units:
b. Co C.
c. Hv Mort Plt. (subunit paragraphs - specific instructions
d. Scout Plt. to only one unit be
e. ...... prepared or on-order missions)
Coordinating instructions:
f. Coordinating instructions. Apply to more than one unit. Critical control measures or phasing (time) may be discussed here.
The considerations that apply to paragraph 4 include the following:
Administrative instructions
Service support
This includes information pertaining to rations, ammunition, medical support, handling of prisoners of war and captured documents, transportation, and other combat service support matters. It includes as many subparagraphs as needed.
Effective application of the considerations that apply to paragraphs 3 and 4 of a company OPORD is achieved only if the commander evaluates and studies certain factors which can affect his unit's mission and develops his plan to take advantage of them. These factors are:
Mission
Enemy
Terrain and weather
Troops and time available.
Based upon the mission, enemy, terrain and weather, and troops and time available, the commander develops his plan by seeking solutions to certain questions as they apply to the individual factors.
What is my unit's mission?
What are stated and implied tasks of the mission?
What is the enemy situation?
What type and size units am I confronted with?
Where are they?
What weapons and units do they have in support?
Will they be mounted, dismounted, or both?
How can the terrain be best used?
How can the effects of weather be best used?
To arrive at solutions for the questions regarding terrain and weather, the commander must consider observation and fields of fire, cover and concealment, obstacles, key terrain, and avenues of approach. He also considers the effect the weather will have on personnel, equipment, visibility, and trafficability. A further indepth look at these considerations follows:
Observation and fields of fire dictate where platoons and weapons are positioned. In the offense, the overwatch element is positioned where it can support the bounding element. In the defense, platoons and weapons crews are positioned to cover likely enemy avenues of approach. The commander also considers the enemy's observation and fields of fire. If the enemy has good observation and fields of fire, the commander tries to reduce them by suppressing or obscuring the enemy's observation with fire and smoke.
Cover and concealment influence the choice of routes and positions. In the offense, the commander selects routes that provide cover and concealment. In the defense, he selects positions that provide the best cover and concealment.
Obstacles also influence the selection of routes in the offense and the selection of positions in the defense. In the offense, the commander may elect to bypass obstacles that will slow his unit's movement. In the defense, he positions troops and weapons to take advantage of obstacles that will slow or stop the enemy.
Key terrain is any feature that affords an advantage to either the attacker or the defender. The commander considers key terrain and the weather in the selection of objectives and routes in the offense, and in the selection of positions in the defense.
Avenues of approach are considered in conjunction with all of the foregoing considerations. They influence the selection of routes and the direction of attack in the offense, and the assignment of positions and sectors of fire in the defense. The commander also considers how the enemy avenues of approach or withdrawal can affect friendly operations.
How many troops are available?
How much time is available?
Solutions to the questions regarding troops and time available affect the selection of positions, routes, formations, and the degree of preparation.
Another consideration applicable to paragraphs 3 and 4 of a company OPORD is the use of control measures to facilitate coordination and understanding. The commander uses control measures to regulate or direct his unit's movement, positions, and fire. Control measures are normally related to terrain features which are easy to recognize. The commander should use only those control measures needed to control his operation. FM 7-10, pages 3-7 through 3-14, gives explanations and illustrations pertaining to the use of control measures. An extract of this material is found at the end of this lesson, of this subcourse. Be sure to read this before going on with this exercise.
Now that you've read the extract pages of FM 7-10 and have completed the instructional material of this exercise, let's see what you've learned.
Proceed to Practical Exercise 1 and begin.
Exercise 2: COMPLETING PARAGRAPHS 3 AND 4 OF A COMPANY OPORD
Paragraphs 3 and 4 of a Company OPORD
To complete paragraphs 3 and 4 of a company OPORD, you, as a company commander, must be able to do the following:
Determine the requirements of paragraphs 3 and 4
Determine the requirements of the situation
Identify all possible alternatives that meet the requirements of paragraphs 3 and 4 and the situation
Select the alternative that fulfills the requirements and doctrine.
Paragraph 3 of a company OPORD requires you to identify the following:
Your scheme of maneuver
Your platoon's principal missions
Your platoon's individual tasks
Any coordinating instructions.
The situation places requirements on you with respect to paragraph 3 because of such factors as:
Mission assigned to your unit
Enemy
Terrain and weather
Troops available to your unit (organic and attached).
Paragraph 4 of a company OPORD requires you to identify the following:
The applicable administrative instructions
The platoons responsible for evacuating casualties, handling of PW's, recovery and evacuation of vehicles, and the resupply of fuel, ammunition, and food.
The situation places requirements on you with respect to paragraph 4 because of such factors as:
Your mission
Location of trains
Resupply point
Disposition of PW's.
You must be able to identify the alternatives that will fulfill the requirements of paragraphs 3 and 4 and the situation, and then select the alternative that best fulfills the requirements and doctrine.
Proceed to Practical Exercise 2.
