How to win a battle using light infantry tactics The purpose of these instructions is to inform the reader on how to win a battle with a squad sized element. This set of instructions will include how to maneuver a squad sized element while engaged with the enemy to defeat them and move on to the next objective. A squad includes 8-12 men, lead by a squad leader, that include two teams, alpha and bravo team. Each team has a leader and includes at least one rifle man, grenadier, and squad automatic rifleman. The most common formation will look like this to the left called, a squad column fire team wedge. It gives the most protection if attacked from all direction Squad column fire team wedge WARNING THIS IS WAR AND DANGEROUS AND THERE IS NO GUARANTEE FOR YOUR SAFETY List of what s needed 1. Squad Leader Leads the squad through the battle. He is in charge of maneuvering the squad and telling the team leaders what they are supposed to do. 2. Team leaders In charge of one of the teams. They take orders from the squad leader and maneuver their team based on what the squad leader wants 3. Automatic Rifleman Uses his weapon to suppress the enemy so that the other members of this team and maneuver 4. Grenadier In charge of demolitions for the squad. He has the m203 which is a grenade launcher that is attached to his rifle. 5. Rifleman Usually the lowest ranking team member. He does not have any immediate responsibility to his team unless directed by his team leader. Definitions Operations order (opord) This is a five paragraph report that is briefed to the squad before the mission takes place to inform the squad on what the plan is to complete the mission.
Terrain model kit Used during the oprod when briefing the plan. It consists of pieces used to represent each person in the squad to show how they will maneuver in battle. Line of Departure (LD) A line that is crossed that signifies when the squad has gone from a friendly environment to a hostile environment. Objective The area in the mission where the enemy is located Buddy team rushes 2 people cover each other as they move through the objective. One person covers his buddy while his buddy advances for no more the 5 seconds at a time then gets behind cover and the process repeats. LOA (line of advance) The farthest point of the assault LD (line of departure) line crossed leaving the base and headed into hostile area EPW (enemy prisoner of war) team Check and clear all dead and live enemy to prevent the squad from further attack Aid and litter team Medic team that treats the wounded Demo team Team that destroys all enemy weapons and intelligence Those are the terms needed to understand the rest of this instruction manual. The process begins with an opord brief and then continues with squad rehearsals. After the rehearsals the squad crosses the LD and starts their movement to the objective. Then there is the attack on the objective and the actions on the objective. Finally there is the movement back to base. This can be performed outside and inside, in the woods, in a grassy field, in a town and inside buildings. The whole mission depends on how long the distance is to the objective and how many enemy occupy the objective. This can take anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours. Prelude Opord process and rehearsals The opord has five paragraphs: Situation This describes what the enemy is doing, how many enemy there are, what weapons they have, their most probably course of action and their most dangerous course of action. Also tells the plan of what the higher unit s mission is and what the adjacent unit s mission. Mission Answers the five questions, who, what, where, when, why. As in who is doing the mission, what they are trying to accomplish, where they travelling, when the squad is starting the mission, and why they are doing the mission. Execution This paragraph describes the plan for the entire mission. This is where the terrain model kit is used to show how the squad will complete the mission. Example of mission statement First squad conducts an attack on object Romeo, grid coordinates GF 12345678 no later than 1600 in order to destroy a weapons cache and cut off the enemy s supply route
Squad leader giving an oprod Sustainment This paragraph describes what equipment is needed to complete the mission which include o Water resupply o Smoke o Ammunition o Food o Transportation Command Signal this paragraph tells the chain of command so that the squad knows who to look to if a leader becomes a causality. The next parts tell of the call signs for the higher unit, which in a squad s case is a platoon. After comes the passwords used to get back into security. The squad leader receives this information from the platoon leader and then briefs it to his squad. The next part is the rehearsals. For an attack the rehearsal will be exactly what was briefed during the execution paragraph of the opord. Shown first with the terrain model kit the squad members know what the plan is and can rehearse it. Step 1 Movement and Attack Form the squad up in a squad column fire team wedge (as shown from the diagram on the first page) o The squad leader sets up a pace man and compass man so the squad knows how far the platoon is going and the direct they need to go Call the platoon leader to tell him you are crossing the LD (line of departure) and entering hostile lands Start the movement in the direction of the objective with each team 10 to 50 meters apart from each other o If the terrain is open it would lean more towards 50 meters and of the terrain is heavily wooded or in a city the teams would be more towards 10 meters apart When at a suitable distance away from the objective set up security to begin the leader recon
o Leader s recon is when the squad leader recons the objective to find the best place to assault from Call signs Platoon leader T 16 Platoon sergeant T 17 1 st squad leader C 31 2 nd squad leader C 32 3 rd squad leader C 33 Squad getting security Takes one team leader and two riflemen from the same team and leave the security to go recon the objective o This becomes the recon team o Meanwhile the other team leader they did not take with him is left in charge of the security and counts out the recon team so he knows how many are leaving Quietly and cautiously approach the objective and recon the place without being seen o A recon involves checking out where the enemy is, what they are doing, how many there are, the best place to attack from and weapons and equipment they have. Once you have eyes on the objective leave the two riflemen at that point o This is done so they can keep an eye on the object so that if something changes they can tell the squad leader when he gets back from recon. Have the team leader recon one side of the objective while you recon the other side o This is done in a fan method as shown in figure below Meet back, after a designated time, where you left the two riflemen and discuss what everyone saw Keep the two riflemen there to keep that spot to set up the support team. Go back and get the rest of the squad. o Inform the other squad leader of the plan to attack
Take the team where you took the riflemen from and set them up as a support team o This is done by telling the team leader to line them up 5 to 10 meters apart and in a line facing the objective o This becomes the support team o The team with you becomes the assault team Tell the team leader to initiate the attack in 1 minute o This is done so to give you enough time to get into position Maneuver the assault team in a flanking position (as shown below) o This is the position you discovered from the recon you did The support team initiates the attack and you wait one minute before assaulting through the objective Radio the support team leader to shift fire o This is when the support team shifts their fire 45 degrees away from the side you are assaulting from Radio the support team leader to lift fire o The support team lifts their fire so that it goes over the head of the objective and after a few seconds they cease fire Assault through the objective o Use buddy team rushes o Once the assaulting team passes the last person on the support team they stop and call LOA Radio the support team to assault through the objective Get security around the objective Step 2 - Actions on the objective and movement back to base Have team leaders get LACE reports from their teams, then report them to higher o LACE (liquid, ammo, casualty, equipment) the team leaders tell the squad leader how much water their team has left, how much ammo they have left, if there are any casualties, and if they re equipment is all up to par
Have the EPW team clear the area o They search the enemy to find intelligence and anything that can be helpful to the mission or further missions From the intelligence found give SALUTE report to higher o SALUTE (size of the enemy, actions of the enemy, location of the enemy, uniform they are wearing, time, and equipment the enemy has) the EPW team reports this to you then you report it to the platoon leader Have the Aid and Litter team check the area for wounded o Treat wounded if there is any and radio for MEDIVAC if there is wounded to be taken to a hospital Call for the Demo team o Gather all enemy weapons and equipment and destroy it Form up into squad column fire team wedge Leave the objective in the direction you came and head back to base o Be ready for any counter attacks on the way back Trouble shooting If overwhelmed with enemy you can call for an air strike, air support or artillery o Fighter jets can bomb enemy, helicopters can dominate the battle and artillery can bomb the objective If lost on the way call up to higher and report position so the platoon leader can get you back on track If squad leader gets hit then the higher ranking team leader takes control, if they are the same rank then the alpha team leader (lead team leader) takes control