Tactics 101 037 – Transitions

Forces not in contact should be in far better shape physically and mentally than those who were in contact. Fresh troops versus tired troops is the proverbial no-brainer!
Units should be at or near full strength logistically. This includes fuel and ammunition.
Forces can utilize the intelligence acquired from those units presently in contact. This is valuable because units can utilize maneuver routes facilitating their attack on the forward enemy.
Since units should not be currently significantly engaged with the enemy; they can use this time to plan and prepare for a potential attack.

This method does have some considerable disadvantages. These include:

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Obviously, this is not the more responsive of the two techniques. Units must maneuver from the rear area (potentially a significant distance away) to begin the attack.
Units may have to conduct a forward passage of lines through the established defensive positions (this could include through obstacles). This can be a complicated endeavor.
The units used in the attack may have not been in combat yet. Certainly, there is something to be said for experience in combat.

Critical Actions
No matter what technique the Commander chooses there are same basic actions that apply to each. These include:

First of all, the Commander must articulate his intent to his subordinates. As we discussed in Tactics 101: 027- Commander’s Intent, he must provide a purpose, key tasks, and endstate for the transition. Let’s face it; this is a very chaotic period. The Commander can ease much of the confusion with a quick, but well-formulated intent. He must ensure his subordinates understand why they are conducting the transition, what tasks are important to achieving success in the transition, and finally, what success should look like at the end of the operation.
Well-defined and understood graphics are vital in any operation. This is even more critical in the transition to the offense. We have discussed offense graphics in Tactics 101: 010 - Graphics, these same basic control measures should be used in the transition.
One of the first steps a unit should achieve before actually executing the transition is establishing a line of departure (LD). This LD is the start point for the offensive. Thus, terrain must be secured to establish the LD. In some cases, the unit may simply maneuver some smaller sized forces to the LD. In other cases, it may need to conduct some small-scale attack to secure the ground.
You must maintain contact with the enemy. There can be no surprises out there. As we have discussed in prior articles, contact is maintained physically, using technology, or preferably with both.
While maintaining contact, you should be continually acquiring information on your opponent. This information enables you not only to plan the transition, but make changes to the original plan if required.
Get your operating systems where you need them. During the planning of the transition, it is easy to become fixated with the maneuver forces. Consequently, the fire and maneuver support elements may get neglected somewhat. In any transition to the offense it is essential they are positioned forward to support maneuver. What good is fire support in the offense if it cannot range the targets you need?
As soon as you make the decision to transition to the offense, you should transition the emphasis of your engineer support from counter-mobility and survivability to mobility.
The priority for your air defense assets should focus on providing coverage for your maneuver units and engineer support.
During the transition to the offense, you must ensure adjacent units understand what you are doing. Your maneuver forward can be misinterpreted as enemy maneuver if there is no communication. The result of this could be a friendly fire incident. Additionally, adjacent units can protect your flanks during your maneuver from any enemy counterattacks.
One of the most critical pieces (if not, most critical) of setting the conditions for success in the transition is logistical support. As we have discussed in prior articles, the logistical priorities in the offense will differ from those of the defense. Once the decision is made to transition to the offense, the focus must be on fuel and ammunition resupply. Although you may assume that vehicles burn little fuel in the defense; that is not the case. Most tanks are guzzling fuel when they are simply idling in place. Thus, you must ensure vehicles have enough fuel to go on the attack. A quick drink before crossing the LD will pay off later. In regards to ammunition, it is likely most units have expended many rounds during the conduct of the defense. You must resupply units during any preparation time you have.