Leaders use strobe lights, luminous tape, or chemical lights to mark assault personnel to prevent fratricide. The enemy must not be able to see the markings. Two techniques are to place tape on the back of the helmet or to use small infrared chemical lights (if the enemy has no NVGs).

The supporting elements must know the location of the lead assault element. To reduce the risk to the assault element, the platoon leader may assign weapons control restrictions. For example, the squad on the right in the assault might be assigned weapons free to the right flank because no friendly soldiers are there. The squad on the left may be assigned weapons tight or weapons hold, which means that another friendly unit is located there.

The platoon leader may use the following techniques to increase control during the assault:

•Prohibit use of flares, grenades, or smoke on the objective.

•Allow only certain personnel with NVGs to engage targets on the objective.

•Use a magnetic azimuth for maintaining direction.

•Use mortar or artillery rounds to orient attacking units.

•Assign a base squad or fire team to pace and guide others.

•Reduce intervals between soldiers and squads.

Mortar, artillery, and antiarmor fires are planned as in a daylight attack. However, they are not fired unless the platoon is detected or is ready to assault. Some weapons may fire before the attack and maintain a pattern to deceive the enemy or to help cover noise made by the platoon’s movement. This is not done if it will disclose the attack.

Indirect fire is hard to adjust when visibility is poor. If the exact location of friendly units is not clearly known, indirect fire is directed first at enemy positions beyond the objective and then moved (creeping fire) back onto the objective.

Illuminating rounds that are fired to burn on the ground can be used to mark objectives. This helps the platoon orient on the objective but may adversely affect NVGs.

Smoke is planned to further reduce the enemy’s visibility, particularly if he has NVGs. The smoke is laid close to or on enemy positions so that it does not restrict friendly movement or hinder the breaching of obstacles. Employing smoke on the objective during the assault may make it hard for assaulting soldiers to find enemy fighting positions. However, if enough thermal sights are available, smoke on the objective may provide a decisive advantage for a well-trained platoon.

Illumination is always planned for limited-visibility attacks, giving leaders the option of calling for it. Battalion commanders normally control the use of conventional illumination but may authorize the company commander to do so. If the commander decides to use conventional illumination, he should not call for it until the assault is initiated or the attack is detected. It should be placed on several locations over a wide area to confuse the enemy as to the exact place of the attack. Also, it should be placed beyond the objective to help assaulting soldiers see and fire at withdrawing or counterattacking enemy soldiers.

Note: If the enemy is equipped with NVGs, leaders must evaluate the risk of using each technique and ensure the mission is not compromised because the enemy can detect infrared light sources.

SPECIAL PURPOSE ATTACKS

When the company commander directs it, the platoon conducts a special attack. The commander bases his decision on the METT-TC. Special purpose attacks are subordinate forms of an attack and include the ambush, raid, counterattack, spoiling attack, feint, and demonstration. As forms of the attack, they share many of the same planning, preparation, and execution considerations of the offense. Feints and demonstrations are also associated with military deception operations.

Note: To eliminate confusion, this guide will cover the ambush and raid in Chapter 7 (Patrolling) until current doctrine agrees on category. These techniques are actually a member of both offensive operations as much as they are a member of patrolling. See Chapter 7 for their explanation.

Counterattack

The counterattack is a form of attack by part or all of a defending force against an enemy attacking force, with the general objective of denying the enemy’s goal of attacking. This attack by defensive forces regains the initiative or denies the enemy a successful attack. The platoon may conduct a counterattack as a lightly committed force within a company or as the battalion reserve. The platoon counterattacks after the enemy begins his attack, reveals his main effort, or creates an assailable flank. As part of a higher headquarters, the platoon conducts the counterattack much like other attacks. However, the platoon leader must synchronize the execution of his counterattack within the overall defensive effort. Counterattacks afford the defender the opportunity to create favorable conditions for the commitment of combat power. The platoon should rehearse the counterattack battle drill and prepare the ground to be traversed. Counterattacks are more useful to the higher headquarters when the platoon anticipates employment; plans and prepares for employment; and executes with the other defending, delaying, or attacking forces in conjunction with the higher commander’s plan.

Spoiling Attack

A spoiling attack is a form of attack that preempts or seriously impairs an enemy attack while the enemy is in the process of planning or preparing to attack. The purpose of a spoiling attack is to disrupt the enemy’s offensive capabilities and timelines while destroying his personnel and equipment. The purpose is not to secure terrain or other physical objectives. A commander (company or battalion) may direct a platoon to conduct a spoiling attack during friendly defensive preparations to strike the enemy while he is in assembly areas or attack positions preparing for his own offensive operation. The platoon leader plans for a spoiling attack as he does for other attacks.

Feint

A feint is a form of attack used to deceive the enemy as to the location and time of the actual operation. Feints attempt to induce the enemy to move reserves and shift his fire support to locations where they cannot immediately impact the actual operation. When directed to conduct a feint, the platoon seeks direct fire or physical contact with the enemy, but avoids decisive engagement. The commander (company or battalion) will assign the platoon an objective limited in size or scope. The planning, preparation, and execution considerations are the same as for the other forms of attack. The enemy must be convinced that the feint is the actual attack.

Demonstration

A demonstration is a form of attack designed to deceive the enemy as to the location or time of the actual operation by a display of force. Demonstrations attempt to deceive the enemy and induce him to move reserves and shift his fire support to locations where they cannot immediately impact the actual operation. When directed to conduct a demonstration, the platoon does not seek physical contact with the enemy. The planning, preparation, and execution considerations are the same as for the other forms of attack. It must appear to be an actual impending attack.

BATTLE DRILLS

Infantry battle drills or immediate action drills (IAD) describe how platoons and squads apply fire and maneuver to commonly encountered situations. The battle drill is not intended to replace the estimate of the situation but to reduce the estimate of the situation and the decision-making process to the essential elements. (Experience at the Army’s combat training centers revealed a deficiency in the action and reaction of small units.) The emphasis on drills is intended to instill an immediate, aggressive response. Battle drills must be performed immediately in order to gain the full benefit. This type of rapid response can only be accomplished by sustained rehearsal. Soldiers must react without hesitation in order to take advantage of gaps in the attack.