Tactic

Revision as of 00:16, 23 February 2006

"Tactics are the actual means used to gain a goal. The US Department of Defense Dictionary of Military Terms defines the tactical level as the level of war at which battles and engagements are planned and executed to accomplish military objectives assigned to tactical units or task forces. Activities at this level focus on the ordered arrangement and maneuver of combat elements in relation to each other and to the enemy to achieve combat objectives." --From the Wikipedia entry [1]

Some examples of tactics

• Single Flank Envelopment

Using superior mobility to engage the side and/or rear of the enemy line or formation.

• Double Flank Envelopment

Engaging both flanks either independently or as part of a coordinated attack.

• Divide and Conquer

Using mobility to spread the enemy line out and then pass through the gaps in the line to exploit them. The small groups formed can then be contained and destroyed piecemeal.

• Frontal Assault

Generally the most costly of tactics since many formations have their combat power to the front. The enemy is engaged directly to the front in an attempt to overwhelm the enemy defenses.

• Hammer and Anvil

This is a variation of the Single Flank Envelopment. The team is normally divided into two elements: the hammer and the anvil. The anvil is typically heavily armored with several support weapons. The anvil is normally comprised of lighter forces that are more mobile. The anvil's purpose is to fix the enemy in position, keeping them in place long enough for the hammer to flank around and slam the enemy between the hammer and the anvil.