3-56. The weapons squad is not a rifle squad and should not be treated as such. During tactical movement, platoon leaders have one of two options when it comes to positioning the weapons squad. The weapons squad can either travel as a separate entity or can be broken up and distributed throughout the formation. The advantage to keeping the weapons squad together is the ability to generate a support by fire—a tactical mission task in which a unit engages the enemy by direct fire in support of another maneuvering force (FM 3-90)—quickly and gain fire superiority under the direction of the weapons squad leader. The disadvantage to this approach is the lack of redundancy throughout the formation. The advantage to distributing the weapons squad throughout the rifle squads is the coverage afforded to the entire formation. The disadvantage is losing the weapons squad leader as a single command and control element and time required reassembling the weapons squad, if needed.
3-57. When the weapons squad travels dispersed, it can either be attached to squads or attached to the essential leaders like the platoon leader, platoon sergeant, and weapons squad leader. There is no standard method for its employment. Rather, the platoon leader places the weapons using three criteria: ability to generate fire superiority quickly, ability to protect high value assets, and the ability to control or deny enemy avenues of approach.
3-58. Like the rifle squad, the weapons squad, when traveling as a squad, uses either a column or line formation. Within these formations, the two sections can be in column or line formation.
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