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Military

CHAPTER 8

Offense

OPERATIONS IN DEPTH

Engineer support in offensive operations occurs throughout the depth of the battlefield. Engineers provide continuous and coordinated support to deep, close, and rear operations.

Engineers plan obstacles that forces can emplace in the enemy's rear. Knowledge of the terrain can identify locations where friendly forces can stop enemy reinforcements.

Engineer reconnaissance identifies areas where friendly forces cannot move or where the movement requires the engineer effort. Attacking forces task-organize engineer units to provide mobility support to the main and supporting attacks and to the reserves. Engineers provide countermobility support to secure vulnerable flanks.

Engineers sustain the momentum of the offense by establishing and maintaining LOC and by providing force protection to C2 and CSS elements.

PERSPECTIVE:

In the VII Corps's initial breach of the Siegfried Line in September 1944, the task force conducting the operation consisted of a tank battalion, two infantry companies, and two platoons of engineers. A preliminary reconnaissance succeeded in identifying the numbers and types of obstacles to be overcome. During the assault, the force reached the line without difficulty, but came under intense mortar and machine-gun fire when among the dragon teeth. Suppressive fire from the tanks and other heavy weapons relieved some of this fire. The engineers were able to remove one roadblock by hand but were not able to remove the other until after nightfall. The final roadblock was eliminated with demolition charges on the major supporting steel beams and gates. A tank dozer quickly filled in a road crater and a tank ditch in the obstacle belt. Of the two engineer platoons in the initial operations, one man was killed and sixteen were wounded.

ENGINEER FOCUS IN THE OFFENSE

Engineer commanders and planners focus on sustaining the offense's momentum. Attacking forces must retain the initiative. Engineers, with breaching assets organic to the maneuver unit, provide the mobility capability to overcome obstacles. Combat engineers are forward in the attack formation as an integral part of the combined-arms team. They respond rapidly to conduct breaching operations and other mobility tasks. Additional mobility capability, integrated throughout the formation, will improve movement avenues. This provides the flexibility needed to respond to changing tactical situations. Follow-on engineers develop and maintain multiple routes to build combat power and logistics.

Units must carefully plan countermobility operations. The maneuver commander must use obstacles discreetly to shape the battlefield and concentrate combat power. These obstacles must not inhibit friendly movement. Also, the commander must conserve manpower, haul, and obstacle resources. Engineers plan obstacles, especially SCATMINEs, to disrupt enemy counterattacks.

Engineers enhance the survivability of forces, in part, by maintaining the tempo of the offense. Engineer mobility efforts and counterobstacle operations assist in synchronizing the offense by preventing a loss of momentum or an incomplete commitment of forces. Engineer digging assets provide survivability to key systems or units during operational halts or when transitioning to the defense. Engineer assets, because they have distinct appearances and uses, can assist in deception operations. For example, moving bridge trucks to various river-crossing sites can deceive the enemy about the actual crossing location.

The ability to mass combat power and conduct continuous offensive operations for an extended time is key to the success of the offense. General-engineering operations focus on the requirements to sustain operations and ensure that commanders can commit follow-on forces decisively. Besides maintaining MSRs, engineers­

PLANNING ENGINEER OPERATIONS IN THE OFFENSE

 Planning engineer support for offensive operations follows the tactical-planning process. Planning considerations specific to the offense include­

MISSION, ENEMY, TERRAIN, TROOPS, AND TIME AVAILABLE

 The maneuver commander must consider METT-T factors when planning engineer support for offensive operations. Examples are as follows:

PERSPECTIVE:
The 1st Infantry Division's attack at Cantigny was the first American offensive action in World War I. The purpose of the attack was to seize the high ground on which the small village stood. The division was to use this ground as a defensive position in anticipating a continuation of the 1918 German Offensive. The engineers supporting the assault force rehearsed the assault for several days before the actual attack. In addition, they constructed aid stations, established forward supply dumps, and built command and observation posts. Much of this was done under shellfire, which inflicted 20 percent casualties in the direct support engineer company. When the infantry seized the objective, the engineers immediately began work on fortified fighting positions. Although returned to the reserve when this work was done, they were called forward to act as infantry to strengthen the line. Engineers continued to work on emplacements, stringing wire at exposed positions and searching for timber and other construction material to shore up bunkers against the German's massive artillery fires.

TASK ORGANIZATION

 The commander must carefully consider how to task-organize engineers. In the offense, engineers must be well forward in the attack formation and responsive to the maneuver units. They must make quick transitions to support all phases. A steady relationship between engineer and maneuver units enhances agility and flexibility. Engineers must link up with their maneuver unit well in advance of an operation. As engineers travel to where the maneuver force needs them, their ability to react to a situation could depend on their positioning before the battle. During an offensive mission, the commander should keep changes to the engineer task organization to a minimum. Once the battle starts, there normally is not time to restructure the engineer organization or move them across the battlefield.

The engineer commander and staff should determine which engineer scheme of operations best supports the maneuver commander's intent. The engineer's main effort may not be the same as the maneuver commander's. However, the engineer's main effort may be a combat multiplier elsewhere and help ensure the success of the commander's overall intent. Often, the engineer's main effort ensures the success of a maneuver's supporting effort. The engineer unit may weigh the main effort through the presence of the commander or the senior staff or logistically through MICLIC or Volcano mine reloads. The designated priorities of engineer support should identify the principal focus (M/CM/S) and a point of application. For example, the priority may be mobility along a certain axis of advance.

There are other considerations for task organization. The engineer must recommend the best command or support relationship to the maneuver commander. The engineer staff must anticipate future missions and organize appropriately.

PREPARATION

When preparing for combat, engineer involvement begins early with a staff engineer supporting the operation's planner at all levels. Engineer forces align themselves according to initial task organization and position themselves to rapidly develop routes through obstacle systems or conduct covert breaching before initiating the action. Engineer units, like maneuver units, must have adequate time to conduct their TLP. This involves preparing and issuing orders, conducting precombat checks and inspections, and coordinating logisticsresupply. Rehearsals are very important in offensive operations. Coordination between moving units on the battlefield is difficult. Engineers must know what they have to do. Commanders and staffs identify critical operations involving engineer support to the plan and rehearsals as part of the preparation for combat.

ENGINEERS IN THE OFFENSE

Besides terrain, engineers are the experts on obstacle siting and employment. They provide the maneuver commander with an engineer analysis of the terrain. The analysis focuses on trafficability, and it identifies likely enemy obstacle locations as part of the IPB process. To find weaknesses in the enemy's defense, a thorough EBA is essential. Accurately templating the obstacle system facilitates attacks through gaps and against flanks. This avoids the enemy's strength. The template also provides the basis for the engineer reconnaissance plan.

PERSPECTIVE:

With his forces approaching Mexico City, General Winfield Scott began to develop his final attack plan on the city. Two of his engineers, Robert E. Lee and Pierre G. T. Beauregard, conducted a reconnaissance of a lava field known as the Pedregal. The two convinced Scott that a road could be built through the lava field, allowing artillery to move forward and enfilade a principal defensive position of the Mexicans. Scott agreed and Lee began supervising the construction. Mexican forces attempted to stop the construction and precipitated the Battle of Contreras. A short time later, American forces, moving along a path found by engineers, flanked the Mexicans at Churubusco and routed them. Years later, General Ulysses S. Grant remembered, "This affair, like that of Cerro Gordo, was an engagement in which the officers of the Engineer Corps won special distinction. In fact, in both cases, tasks which seemed difficult at first sight were made easier for the troops that had to execute them than they would have been on an ordinary field."

RECONNAISSANCE

 Reconnaissance is vital to verify the accuracy of the assessment. Detailed information on existing (natural or cultural) and reinforcing obstacles identifies obstacle limits. It also determines whether a bypass or an in-stride breach is an option, which will require reconnaissance from all elements on the battlefield. Engineers identify specific reconnaissance requirements and augment patrols and scouts to identify obstacle characteristics. The maneuver unit must integrate engineer reconnaissance into their reconnaissance plan.

During the attack, engineer reconnaissance teams and engineer units provide continuous surveillance along the routes of advance. They pay special attention to the MSR, bypassed obstacles, minefields, and engineer materials in their assigned areas.

MOVEMENT TO CONTACT

A MTC is conducted to gain or reestablish contact with the enemy. It is used to develop the situation early to provide an advantage before decisive engagement. The brigade conducts a MTC as part of a larger formation. The commander concentrates the engineers at the front of the MTC formation. Engineers with the maneuver force allow it to move through undefended obstacles and restrictions and to fight through defended obstacles. Engineers must conduct armored earth moving, rapid minefield breaching, and assault bridging.

The engineer force trains in reconnaissance. Engineers identify the best routes for forward movement. They also identify lateral branch routes to provide the commander flexibility as he develops the situation. Units conducting a MTC must train in breaching obstacles in stride. They should expend only the minimum effort needed to complete the assault breach. Follow-on engineers are responsible for widening lanes and clearing obstacles.

Engineers with the advance guard assist rapid movement, develop the situation, and maintain the momentum of the main body. Like the covering force, their support to the advance guard is critical. Their mission in the advance guard is to breach obstacles along the routes where the main body is moving.

Engineers with the flank and rear guards prepare to block enemy AA into the zone. To counter enemy mobility, the engineers quickly emplace obstacles that the maneuver force covers with AT and indirect fires. Engineers must have sufficient quantities of ground-delivered SCATMINEs, cratering munitions, and hasty-bridge demolition materials.

The main body has most of the combat power. It is organized for immediate commitment against major enemy forces or for exploiting disorganized, surprised, or weakened enemy forces. It must not be slowed or deflected before commitment. Engineers in the main body are also well forward. Besides supporting immediate attacks on contact, they reinforce or replace engineers in the security forces and improve on their work.

A result of a MTC is a meeting engagement, during which the unit fixes the enemy in front and attacks from the flank simultaneously. Rapid obstacles provide protection against enemy flank attack. SCATMINEs emplaced directly on the opposing force fix it. These are critical during a meeting engagement to allow friendly forces to retain the initiative. Likewise, the enemy will use rapidly emplaced obstacles to protect their flanks and fix friendly forces. Engineers must prepare to attack through these obstacles to continue the offensive.

ATTACKS

Attacks defeat, destroy, or neutralize the enemy. They are either hasty, deliberate, spoiling, counter, raid, feint, or demonstration.

Hasty

A hasty attack is the most likely result of a meeting engagement. Forces deploy, maneuver rapidly, and attack quickly and violently before the enemy can organize an effective resistance. Units bring combat power to bear rapidly. Responsive combat-engineer support is vital. Quick reconnaissance to locate obstacles, either to bypass or breach in stride, is critical to a hasty attack.

Well-trained engineer units, familiar with supporting-unit operations, contribute to successful hasty attacks. They and the maneuver forces must rehearse breaching operations. Engineer staff planners and commanders should consider the engineer organization for the hasty attack when task-organizing to support a MTC. Success of a hasty attack depends on whether an attacking force can maintain the desired tempo and maneuver within the decision cycle of the enemy.

Deliberate

Units carefully plan deliberate attacks against well-organized defenses that they cannot bypass. Deliberate attacks normally continue deep into enemy-held territory to destroy CPs, capture logistics, prevent the escape of retreating forces, and develop the situation for exploitation. They normally require significant engineer support. As in a hasty attack, the first priority is bypassing obstacles and breaching in stride. However, when the strength of the enemy's defense requires the maneuver unit to conduct a deliberate attack, it normally also must conduct deliberate-breaching operations.

The combined-arms team must dedicate substantial effort to overcome complex obstacle systems and conduct river crossings. Engineers in the deliberate attack are in-depth to support the lead elements, follow-and-support elements, and the reserve.

Deep operations are vital to the success of hasty and deliberate attacks. Using SCATMINEs is one way to attack the enemy's rear area. The engineer is the commander's main advisor on tactically employing SCATMINEs.

Spoiling and Counterattacks, Raids, Feints, and Demonstrations

These types of attacks require obstacle breaching and other mobility tasks. Engineers may do some countermobility tasks in these attacks. The diversionary operations of feints and demonstrations may need engineer units and equipment to complete the deception.

EXPLOITATION AND PURSUIT

Exploitation and pursuit operations begin directly from the attack with minimum regrouping or reconstitution. Engineers plan support for an exploitation and a pursuit before the attack phase to help transition into these operations. Because of the distances, engineers are usually in a command relationship to the exploiting and pursuing forces. Engineer missions are like those for a MTC and an attack. To aid movement, engineers are well forward, since tempo is essential. Their equipment must keep up with the exploiting or pursuing forces.

As exploitations develop, forward engineers hand over missions to follow-on engineers. They assume all engineer tasks behind the attacking force so that forward engineers can accompany and support the exploiting maneuver units.

Armored and mechanized TFs usually conduct an exploitation. Light forces, with engineer support, might assist by seizing critical bridges or destroying key facilities. Success can quickly change an exploitation into a pursuit operation.

Once a pursuit begins, the enemy usually does not have time to employ extensive obstacles. Engineers must expect to meet obstacles that the enemy can employ quickly. Such obstacles could include nuclear or chemical contamination, destroyed bridges, road craters, abatis, and surface-laid mines (manually placed and remotely delivered). Breaching equipment must be well forward to reduce such obstacles.

In an exploitation and a pursuit, LOC are very important. Engineers must open and maintain supply routes, construct and secure support facilities, and mark bypassed or partially cleared obstacles. They move assault and tactical bridging forward to sustain both operations.

TRANSITIONING TO THE DEFENSE

The culminating point in the offense is the time and location that an attacker's combat power no longer exceeds that of the defender. At that point, the attacker either halts to avoid operating at a disadvantage or proceeds, thus becoming weaker than the defender. Ideally, the attacking force does not reach its culminating point before attaining its objective. Engineers must anticipate the culminating point. It is essential that they do not reach their culminating point before the unit they support reaches its. For example, engineers should not expend all of their breaching assets before the force reaches the tactical obstacles in front of the objective.

At the culminating point, the force, or a portion of it, may transition to the defense. The maneuver commander and the engineer must plan for this transition. During the attack, units may reach their culminating points before mission accomplishment. Engineers must prepare to provide the support necessary for the attacking force to maintain its initiative.

When the enemy is the objective, it is unclear where and when the culminating point may occur. In this case, planning for the transition to the defense will be less detailed. When changing from the offense to the defense, engineer-effort priorities shift from mobility to survivability and countermobility. Success depends on the ability of the force to make this shift rapidly. The initial task organization for the offense must consider this transition.

Offensive objectives are those that focus on the enemy and on the terrain. When the commander has a terrain objective, he must control key terrain in his zone. He will either seize or secure the objective. In either case, a portion of the force will transition to the defense. If the commander plans to secure the objective, he needs engineer support to prevent the enemy from regaining control of the terrain. The OPLAN will include a detailed plan for the transition. The engineers will be ready to develop fighting positions to protect the force. They will emplace obstacles to fix counterattacking forces in EAs.

The engineer force may reorganize on the objective. For example, an engineer company will shift internal resources among the platoons after the objective is secured. Engineer assets may be redistributed to support new missions. Once the maneuver force halts, engineers begin defensive preparations. They quickly move their digging equipment forward to assist. The defense requires extensive engineer Class IV and V materials that must be ready to move forward in the logistics system.

Engineers in the offense must prepare to transition to the defense, particularly if the attack is unsuccessful. This requires planning to ensure that Class IV and V materials are readily available. Once in the defense, engineer planners also must plan for resuming in the offense.



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