Previous: 2-8: Movement to Contact
2-9. An attack destroys or defeats enemy forces, seizes and secures terrain, or both. (Refer to FM 3-90-1 for more information.) Attacks incorporate coordinated movement supported by direct and indirect fires. They may be decisive or shaping operations and hasty or deliberate, depending upon the time available for assessing the situation, planning, and preparing. However, based on METT-TC, the leader may decide to conduct an attack using only fires. An attack differs from a movement to contact because enemy main body dispositions are at least partially known, allowing the leader to achieve greater synchronization. This enables the massing effects of attacking forces combat power more effective in an attack than in a movement to contact.
Next: 2-10: Exploitation
Go Back To: U.S. Army FM 3-21.8: The Infantry Rifle Platoon and Squad