Tactical Fundamentals Flashcards
Definition of tactics?
“The art and science of winning engagements and battles”
What are the nine principles of war?
MOOSEMUSS
- Mass
- Objective
- Offensive
- Security
- Economy of Force
- Movement
- Unity of Command
- Surprise
- Simplicity
What are the 6 Tactical Tenants?
- Achieving a decision
- Gaining an advantage
- Being faster
- Adapting
- Cooperating
- Exploiting success and finishing
What is the “Art of Tactics”?
How we creatively form and apply military force in a given situation.
What is the “Science of Tactics”?
The technical application of combat power.
What is Mass?
The concept of concentrating the effects of combat power at the decisive place and time to achieve decisive results.
What is Objective?
The concept of directing every military operation toward a clearly defined, decisive, and attainable objective.
What is Offensive?
The concept that we, as a fighting force, are continuously focused on seizing, retaining, and exploiting the initiative. Offense being the decisive form of combat, it is the method by which we exploit the enemy weakness, impose our will, and determine the course of war.
What is Security?
The concept of never permitting the enemy to acquire an unexpected advantage. It does not imply the over-application of caution to eliminate risk, but rather seeks to enhance our operations through bold maneuver and acceptance of calculated risk.
What is Economy of Force?
The concept of allocating minimum essential combat power to secondary efforts. This goes hand-in-hand with the concept of Mass, as in order for us to concentrate decisive combat power at the decisive point, we must know where to economize forces at our secondary efforts.
What is Maneuver?
The concept that we seek to place the enemy in a disadvantageous position through the flexible application of combat power.
What is Unity of Command?
The concept that for every objective, we ensure unity of effort under one responsible commander.
What is Surprise?
The concept that we seek to strike the enemy at a time or place or in a manner for which he is unprepared. It does not require the enemy to be caught unaware, but rather that he becomes aware too late to react effectively.
What is Simplicity?
The concept that the preparation of clear uncomplicated plans; and clear concise orders, ensures thorough understanding and therefore ease of execution.
What are 3 ways to Gain an Advantage?
Through Mass and Technological Maneuver, Through Time and Spatial Maneuver, Through Psychological and Technological Maneuver
What 2 concepts quantify Being Faster?
Speed and Tempo
What is the OODA Loop?
Observe, Orient, Decide and Act - developed by John Boyd
What are five ways to increase tempo and speed?
- Simplicity
- Decentralization afforded by Unity of Command
- Experience and Communication
- Positioning leaders at points of friction
- Maneuver in time
What are the two elements that make up experience are:
- Implicit communication
- Lateral communication
What is implicit communication?
The mutual understandings that require little or no actual talking or writing.
What are two types of adaptation?
- Anticipation
- Improvisation
What is anticipation?
Having the situational awareness to understand a situation in advance and take preparatory action.
What is improvisation?
Adapting to the situation at the spur of the moment, without time for preparation, and often base don intuition with less situational awareness.
What are SOPs?
Practiced, pre-designated generic actions that cover common situations.
