Battle drill

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An Infantry battle drill describes how platoons and squads apply fire and maneuver to commonly encountered situations. They require leaders to make decisions rapidly and to issue brief oral orders quickly.

[edit] Battle Drill 1 - Platoon attack

Situation - "The platoon is moving as part of a larger force conducting a movement to contact or a hasty or deliberate attack."-2

  1. Action on Enemy Contact
    1. The platoon initiates contact. The platoon leader plans when and how his base-of-fire element initiates contact with the enemy to establish a base of fire. This element must be in position and briefed before it initiates contact. if the platoon leader has not been detected, STEPS 1 and 2 consist of positioning the support element and identifying the enemy's positions.
    2. The enemy initiates contact. If the enemy initiates contact, the platoon takes the following actions:
      1. The squad in contact reacts to contact (Battle Drill 2). It attempts to achieve suppressive fires with one fire team and manoeuvers the other team to attack the enemy in the flank. The squad leader notifies the platoon leader of his action.
      2. The platoon leader, his RATELO (radiotelephone operator), the platoon FO, the squad leader of the next squad, and one machine gun team move forward to link up with the squad leader of the squad in contact.
      3. The squad leader of the trail squad moves to the front of his lead fire team.
      4. The platoon sergeant moves forward with the second machine gun team and links up with the platoon leader. If directed, he assumes control of the base-of-fire element and positions the machine guns to add suppressive fires against the enemy.
      5. The platoon leader assesses the situation. He follows the success of the squad's flank attack by leading the trail squads along the covered and concealed route taken by the assaulting fire team of the squad in contact.
      6. If the squad in contact cannot achieve suppressive fire, the squad leader reports to the platoon leader.
        1. The squad in contact establishes a base of fire. The squad leader deploys his squad to provide effective, sustained fires on the enemy position. The squad leader reports his final position to the platoon leader.
        2. The remaining squads (not in contact) take up covered and concealed positions in place and observe to the flanks and rear of the platoon.
        3. The platoon moves forward with his RATELO, the platoon FO, and one machine gun team.
  2. Locate the enemy
    1. The squad leader of the squad in contact reports the enemy size and location, and any other information to the platoon leader. The platoon leader completes the squad leader’s assessment of the situation.
    2. The squad continues to engage the enemy’s position.
    3. The platoon sergeant moves forward with the second machine gun team and links up with the platoon leader.
  3. Suppress the enemy
    1. The platoon leader determines if the squad in contact can gain suppressive fire against the enemy based on the volume and accuracy of the enemy’s return fire.
  4. Attack
  5. Consolidate and Reorganize

Section Battle Drills

Remembered as P-R-E W-A-R

P- Prepare for battle- Camouflage, clean/test weapons, orders

R- Reaction to effective enemy fire- Dash, Down, Crawl, Observe, Sights, Fire

E- Enemy Location- By looking, movement, firing

W- Winning the fire fight- Putting enough rounds in the enemy position to kill the enemy

A- The Attack/Assault- Main stage normally a section attack

R- Reorganisation- Reorg x2 at a safe distance normally in all round defence


ranger hannd book

FM 7-8