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Taking the High Ground
3 movement strategies:
1. Travelling.
Used when contact with the enemy is unlikely.
2. Travelling Overwatch.
Used when there is a possibility of contact with the enemy.
3. Bounding Overwatch.
Used when contact with the enemy is expected or likely.
Your armoured personnel carrier is bullet-proof and protects you from shell splinters, but an anti-tank missile will smash through its thin armour with horrific consequenses.
When on the move you must scan the ground ahead for possible killing grounds where the enemy anti-tank teams are lying in wait and use the principles of fire and movement, one APC covering another.
The US Army's Field Manual FM 7-7 gives three standard strategies for APC movement. The one you select depends on the strength of your chances of making contact with the enemy.
Although this 'contact status' determines which of the three movement strategies will be used, you as platoon commander must consider the terrain and the job to be done when deciding which of the five movement formations the mounted infantry unit will adopt.
In theory, any one of them can be used in any of the three contact statuses, though in conditions Two and Tree this can be done only by splitting the platoon into two parts or by joining up with another of the Company's platoons.
1. Travelling: Single-unit movement
When contact with the enemy is thought to be unlikely, your APC formation moves as a single unit, without splitting up into two elements that protect and cover each other. Because speed across the ground and control are the two most important factors, the column movement formation is used most often.
The is not likely to have to go into action, and it's important to keep moving as fast as possible, so the platoon commander will generally take the point position. You will use hand and arm signals to indicate the direction that the unit is to take, and also to signal changes of formation.
The APC's rear door is left open, and one member of the squad is detailed to maintain a watch on the vehicle following, reporting to you if he loses contact.
Travelling in this way, each of the platoon's vehicles is responsible for observation and first-line security in one sector. The lead vehicle looks out ahead; the second vehicle, which is staggered to the right in column formation, to the right; the third to the left; and the fourth to the rear.
Sometimes it becomes necessary to travel with the troops dismounted from the vehicles, though this is unusual because contact with the enemy is unlikely in Condition One. If it does become necessary, you will generally dismount with your men while the platoon sergeant, your second in command, stays with the vehicles.
2. Travelling Overwatch: two-part movement.
The second stage of readiness is called Travelling Overwatch. This technique
splits the travelling force into two parts, a small spear-head group and a larger
overwatch force, and requires them both to position themselves so that the larger force
can cover and protect the other all the time.
The lie of the land, together with whatever information about enemy positions and strengths that's available, will decide which movement formation your unit will take up. By definition, it won't be the line formation, but any one of the other four may be used.
Moving into country that may conceal enemy forces is part normal advance and part patrol activity. It's important to keep the forward movement going, but at the same time you must present the enemy with as small target as possible - if he can be persuaded to attack a single vehicle, he gives away his position without being able to do much good for himself in the process.
Because you must be in a position to control all four of your vehicles, you drop back to number two position in the movement formation in Travelling Overwatch, and send the lead vehicle out 400 to 600 metres ahead, staying in visual and radio contact all the time.
Because its armour will withstand anything less than an Anti-Tank Guided Missile, the APC is well suited to this decoy role. If he does succeed in drawing enemy fire, the heavy .50 calibre machine-guns mounted on the platoon's vehicles will stand a very good chance of winning a fire-fight even at ranges of up to 1000 metres, and the distance involved will give them every chance to reform into the most effecive grouping possible in order to mount an assault.
Moving while dismounted:
Even though the object of the exercise is to move forward as fast as possible, it
may sometimes be necessary to move using the Travelling Overwatch technique with the
platoon dismounted from the vehicles, especially if you suspect that the enemy forces may
have their anti-armour specialists deployed.
In this case the lead section will take the place of the lead vehicle, and will stay in closer contact with the rest of the platoon - perhaps 100 metres in front. The vehicles must keep to positions where they can cover both the lead section and the rest of the dismounted element.
Remember, both these techniques - Travelling and Travelling Overwatch - have the same objective: to advance on an objective as fast as possible. Separating the men from their vehicles takes away the speed advantage that is the main part of the difference between Mounted Infantry and ordinary footsoldiers. Keep the men in the carriers. Dismount only when it's absolutely necessary.
3. Bounding Overwatch: fire and move:
The third movement technique, called Bounding Overwatch, is used when contact
with the enemy is expected. The attacking force is split in two equal parts, the bounding
force and the overwatch force, and are used in a way very similar to the infantryman's
fire-and-move tactics.
Bounding Overwatch is the most deliberate and cautious of the three movement techniques. While the other two assume that the enemy may be about, and arrange the unit to counter any move he may make. Bounding Overwatch assumes that the enemy is definitely there waiting to attack.
Approaching the enemy:
The overwatch force covers the bounding force from a static position that offers
a good field of fire against possible enemy operations. How far the bounding force
will go is decided in advance. The sort of things that you will look for when selecting a
target site depends on which of two types of movement you use at the time. These could be:
Advance to Contact:
Your job as a platoon leader is to make certain that everyone knows what to
do before the movement begins. You need to make clear: (1) What is knownabout the enemy
situation; (2) The next overwatch position: this is where the bounding team will halt; (3)
The route of the bounding team to the next overwatch position; (4) What you intend to do
when you got there; (5) Target reference points and sectors of fire.
The bounding element travels towards the objective under covering fire from the overwatch force. As it approaches the objective the supporting fire shifts to engage targets further ahead.
The Overwatch force will deploy its dismount teams in some circumstances. This enables them to make full use of all squad weapons, including the DRAGON anti-tank missile.
The APC driver manoeuvres the vehicle under the direction of the vehicle commander, but it is his job to make the best use of the ground when on the move.
The Browning .50-cal. machine-gun provides effective long-range firepower: you can hit an individual target at up to 500 metres, a vehicle at up to 800 metres and an area target at up to 1000 metres.
When firing the Browning .50-cal. from the APC, hold it tightly to the chest. Aim slightly low of the target and 'walk' the round into it. Cease fire when the round go high and repeat the process.
In heavily forested or urban areas or when an enemy ambush appears likely, the dismounted teams will work ahead of the APC's. However, dismounted operationsshould be kept to a minimum because they dramatically reduce the movement rate.
Hull down to enemy fire:
