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LESSON 3
PLAN AN ATTACK ON URBANIZED TERRAIN AT COMPANY/TEAM LEVEL
The task taught in this lesson consists of identifying combat missions for an attack on urbanized terrain at company/team level.
Task: |
Plan an attack on urbanized terrain at company/team level. |
Condition: |
Given extracts of doctrinal literature, an offensive tactical situation for a team commander, and a series of multiple-choice questions relating to tactical reasoning or tactical situations. |
Standard: |
The attack plan will be developed IAW subcourse text and will include the use of artillery and other types of combat support. |
EXERCISE 1: IDENTIFYING COMBAT MISSIONS FOR AN ATTACK ON URBANIZED TERRAIN AT COMPANY/LEVEL AND COMPLETING PARAGRAPH 3 OF A COMPANY/TEAM OPORD
Common offensive operations for a company/team on urbanized terrain include:
- The company attack of a block in an urban area
- Hasty attack against an outpost in an urban area
- The seizure of a bridge
- Movement to contact on a commercial ribbon
- The seizure of a traffic circle.
The Company Attack of a Block in an Urban Area
For this mission, a company should be reinforced with tanks and engineers.
The mission can be accomplished either by an infantry unit or by a dismounted mechanized unit using its carrier-mounted guns for fire support.
This operation is characterized by platoon attacks supported by both direct and indirect fire. Success depends on:
- Isolating the enemy positions assigned as platoon objectives
- Suppressing enemy weapons
- Seizing a foothold in the block
- Building-by-building, room-by-room clearance.
In order to isolate a position, weapons are deployed so that they control the streets and the open areas between the buildings. Mortar fire between buildings helps to isolate them.
Tanks, machineguns, and other direct fire supporting weapons fire on the objective from covered positions. They fire from a series of positions, displacing from one to another for more and better fields of fire. Direct fire support tasks are assigned as follows:
- Machineguns fire along streets and into windows, doors, etc.
- TOW's and Dragons fire at enemy tanks and carriers
- Tanks fire at targets protected by walls and make entrances in buildings (mouseholes)
- Riflemen hit targets of opportunity.
Before an assault, smoke is deployed to conceal the assaulting platoon. The flanks of platoons are secured by direct fire weapons firing down nearby streets, and by employment of the reserve, if necessary.
Concealed by smoke and supported by direct fire weapons, an assaulting platoon attacks the first isolated building. The platoon must close in the building quickly while the enemy is still stunned by supporting fire.
The company commander must closely coordinate the assault with its supporting fire so that the fire is shifted at the last possible moment.
Each building is cleared systematically. After seizing the block, the company consolidates and reorganizes to repel a counterattack or to continue the attack.
A mechanized company would be organized on similar lines. The assault platoons should be dismounted. The carriers' caliber .50 machineguns and attached tanks can provide fire suppport.
Hasty Attack Against an Outpost in an Urban Area
In this case, the team commander uses a form of fire and maneuver. His tanks and TOW's take up overwatch positions from which they can fire on the outpost, keep the enemy from escaping, and destroy any reinforcements.
The team's rifle platoons then move into the village. They do not attack head on, but from a covered route so as to hit the outpost at a vulnerable point. As the platoons approach the output, smoke screens its movement, and supporting fire is shifted. Once the platoons close on the outpost, they clear the buildings quickly and consolidate. The company is then ready for its next mission.
The Seizure of a Bridge
A bridge or overpass which spans a canal, highway, or railroad is an example of key terrain in a city. Therefore, seizing such a crossing point intact and securing it for friendly use is a likely mission for a rifle company. For this mission, a rifle company should:
- Clear the buildings on the near bank which permit a clear view of the bridge and the firing of supporting weapons
- Quickly suppress enemy weapons on the far bank with direct fire and smoke
- Seize a bridgehead (buildings which dominate the bridge) on the far bank by an assault across the bridge
- Secure a perimeter around the bridge, so that the engineers can clear any obstacles.
Movement to Contact on a Commercial Ribbon
In a fast moving situation, a company may have a movement to contact through an urban area along a commercial ribbon. Similarly, a company may have to reconnoiter such a route in preparation for a TF attack. Such an action is generally followed by use of the route by the TF. That type of mission is best given to a mechanized company/team with an attached tank platoon.
The company/team should seize the key points of the commercial ribbon (crossroads, bridges, and overpasses, etc.) by a combination of actions:
- Between key points, the team moves with troops mounted behind its lead platoon, which is dismounted
- At key points, or when the enemy is contacted, the team moves dismounted to clear the key point or all enemy positions; tanks support the dismounted troops.
The Seizure of a Traffic Circle
A company may have to seize a traffic circle to secure it for friendly use or to deny it to the enemy. This operation consists of seizing and clearing the buildings which control the traffic circle, bringing direct fire weapons into position to cover the traffic circle itself, and either clearing the routes of mines and obstacles so that they can be used by friendly traffic or laying mines to deny it to the enemy.
After gathering all available intelligence on the terrain, enemy, and population, the commander plans for the following steps:
- Isolate the objectives
- Under cover of tanks, ATGM's, and machineguns, seize and clear the buildings along the traffic circle
- Consolidate and prepare for counterattack.
Friendly troops should not venture into the traffic circle until it is under friendly control. A traffic circle is a natural kill zone.
An important platoon mission within the enemy team attack of a block in an urban area is the attack and clearance of a building.
Attack of a Building
The most common platoon offensive mission in an urban area is the attack of a building. The platoon must kill the defenders and secure the building. The attack involves isolating the building to prevent the escape or reinforcement of its defenders (normally coordinated at company level), suppressing the defenders with tank, machinegun, and mortar fire, entering the building at the least defended point or through a hole breached by tank fire, and clearing the building. To clear it, troops normally go quickly to top floor and clear from the top down. There must be close coordination between the assault and support elements of the platoon, using radios, telephones, hand-and-arm signals, or pyrotechnics.
If a platoon is attacking a building independently, it should be organized with an assault element, a support element, and a security element to cover its flanks and rear. In addition to its own support element, the platoon can be supported by tanks, mortars, and other elements of the company.
If one platoon is attacking, supported by the rest of the company, security may be provided by the other rifle platoons.
The assault has three steps:
- Isolate the building
- Enter the building
- Clear the building methodically, room by room, floor by floor.
The clearing is done by the rifle squads, which pass successively through each other (leapfrogging) as rooms and floors are secured.
Platoons that clear buildings should be reinforced with engineers to help with demolition.
Proceed now to Practical Exercise 1.
