FM/C96 - Defensive tactics

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The FM outlines our core skills, policies and guides to ensure every member stands ready for the mission ahead.

Apply sufficient fire to reduce the enemy’s ability to return effective fire.

• Direct fire toward known or suspected enemy positions to suppress them.
• Increase volume, accuracy, or tempo of fire until enemy fire becomes ineffective or sporadic.
• Use suppressive fire as the primary method; at closer ranges or against small elements, deliberate fire may be sufficient.
• Maintain fire until friendly manoeuvre or disengagement is achieved.

Fire superiority enables freedom of movement and reduces friendly casualties.

Engage the enemy while repositioning to prevent being fixed in place.

• Apply effective fire to suppress or fix the enemy.
• Reposition elements after limited engagement time from the same position.
• Use movement to deny the enemy predictable targeting and control.
• Exploit new positions to gain improved firing angles and observation.
• Maintain coordination so fire and movement remain mutually supporting.

Prolonged firing from a single position increases vulnerability. Continuous manoeuvre preserves initiative and survivability.

Effectively allocate firepower to cover likely enemy approaches while preventing overlap and friendly fire.

• Identify likely enemy avenues of approach within the assigned area.
• Divide the sector into clearly defined fire arcs covering only viable threat directions.
• Assign each individual, buddy team, or weapon system a specific arc using bearings, clock directions, or terrain references.
• Ensure arcs do not overlap unnecessarily, especially across friendly positions or movement routes.
• Confirm all personnel understand their assigned arc and engagement limits.
• Adjust arcs as the situation, terrain, or friendly positioning changes.

Reposition the element away from the enemy in a controlled and deliberate manner to end the engagement.

• Issue a clear command to disengage; explicitly order personnel to cease fire when required.
• Establish suppression or covering elements as needed to enable movement.
• Reposition by bounds or controlled movement to increase distance from the enemy.
• Maintain element cohesion and accountability throughout the movement.
• Once clear, re-establish security and prepare for follow-on actions.

Breaking contact creates a short period of vulnerability. Speed, discipline, and clear leadership are critical, as personnel may instinctively continue engaging unless directed otherwise.

Breaking contact is the act of deliberately disengaging an active enemy and withdrawing from contact, instead of defeating the enemy.

We can break contact from the enemy for multiple reasons, including but not limited to:

• The engaged element is no longer combat effective (Through either casualties or lack of ammunition)
• The engaged element is not able to defeat the enemy (e.g. Has no AT capability strong enough to defeat the OPFOR vehicle attacking them)
• Engaging the enemy would expose the Task Force tactically (e.g. the leader wishes to ensure the engaged element is available to assist another element, rather than engaged in their own fight

It is not the case that if the instruction is given to break contact, that the lead element does not believe that the engaged element could have won the fight! We often break contact from fights we can win due to operational/tactical reasons.

When given the order to break contact, immediately stop engaging the enemy and move according to the orders of the element leader. Be prepared to throw smoke grenades, as the element leader may order smoke to be deployed as concealment.

Mobile defense prioritises the preservation of manoeuvre over holding fixed terrain.

Instead of establishing a continuous defensive line, elements retain mobility and engage the enemy through movement, repositioning, and selective engagement. The aim is to disrupt the enemy’s advance, draw them into unfavourable positions, and apply combat power at chosen points.

Key characteristics of a mobile defence:

• Limited reliance on fixed positions.
• Emphasis on freedom of movement and flexibility.
• Engagements are initiated and broken deliberately.
• Use of maneuver to avoid being fixed or enveloped.
• Counter‑attacks are used to exploit exposed enemy elements rather than to retake ground.

Mobile defence is most effective when space is available, situational awareness is maintained, and coordination allows rapid concentration of force at decisive moments.

The purpose of delaying actions is to trade space for time without becoming decisively engaged.

Elements conducting a delay do not seek to hold ground. Instead, they engage the enemy briefly to slow movement, force deployment, and disrupt momentum before repositioning.

Key characteristics of a delaying action:

• Ground is conceded deliberately.
• Engagements are short and controlled.
• The enemy is forced to pause, reorganise, or redeploy.
• Element cohesion and freedom of movement are preserved.

A delay often transitions into a fighting retreat, defence in depth, or a counter‑attack once conditions become favourable.

A counter-attack is an offensive action conducted by a defending force to regain lost ground, restore the defensive line, or exploit an enemy overextension. It is executed after the enemy has been fixed, exposed, or disorganised.

Counter-attacks are deliberately timed and focused. They target enemy flanks, gaps, or overextended elements rather than the enemy’s main strength. Success relies on coordination, surprise, and rapid execution rather than prolonged engagement.

Key principles of a counter-attack include:

• Launching only when the enemy is vulnerable or committed
• Maintaining control and coordination with adjacent defensive elements
• Re-establishing the original defensive posture or transitioning to a new one immediately after completion

A counter-attack is not a pursuit. Once the objective is achieved, forces consolidate, re-orient security, and prepare to resume the defence or repel follow-on attacks.

Defense in depth employs multiple prepared defensive lines arranged in depth rather than relying on a single position. Each line is designed to absorb, delay, and disrupt the enemy while preserving friendly combat power.

Forces transition between static defence and fighting retreat as pressure increases. Forward elements fix and attrit the enemy, then withdraw in a controlled manner to subsequent positions, maintaining cohesion and mutual support throughout the depth of the defence.

Defence in depth emphasizes:

• Layered positions to prevent a single point of failure
• Planned displacement between lines rather than ad hoc withdrawal
• Continuous engagement to degrade enemy momentum over time

This approach is effective when terrain allows depth, preparation time is available, and the commander intends to delay, exhaust, or canalize the enemy before decisive engagement.

A fighting retreat is a controlled withdrawal conducted under continuous enemy pressure. The force maintains contact with the enemy while deliberately moving rearward to preserve combat power and prevent decisive engagement.

All elements apply consistent fire to slow, fix, and disrupt the enemy while displacing in a coordinated manner. Movement is synchronized across the line to prevent gaps, isolation, or collapse of individual elements.

Key characteristics of a fighting retreat include:

• Continuous fire to maintain pressure and deny freedom of movement
• Coordinated displacement to keep the defensive line intact
• Emphasis on discipline and timing to avoid disorder or pursuit exploitation

A fighting retreat is used to delay an advancing enemy, trade space for time, or draw the enemy into more favourable terrain without breaking cohesion.

An elastic defense allows elements to give ground deliberately while maintaining overall cohesion of the defensive line. Positions are not fixed; controlled withdrawal is used to preserve combat power and prevent encirclement.

The primary objective is to maintain a continuous defensive frontage while trading space for time and positional advantage. As the enemy advances, their formations extend and become increasingly exposed, creating opportunities to engage flanks and overextended elements.

Elastic defence emphasizes:

• Controlled displacement rather than collapse
• Maintaining mutual support across depth
• Exploiting enemy overextension instead of contesting every position

This approach is best suited when terrain allows depth, command and control can be maintained, and flexibility is required to counter superior enemy pressure.

A static defense relies on holding fixed positions with no planned maneuver or displacement. Defensive success depends on all elements maintaining their assigned ground.

Static defenses offer strong initial control over assigned sectors but lack flexibility. If one element is forced to withdraw or loses its position, adjacent sectors may become exposed, often resulting in the collapse of the entire defence.

Because repositioning is not anticipated, static defences require:

• Reliable mutual support between positions
• Clear sector responsibility and fire control
• Early threat detection to prevent breakthrough

Static defence is best suited for terrain that naturally restricts enemy movement or when withdrawal and manoeuvre are not feasible.

A spoiling attack is a limited offensive action conducted to disrupt an enemy attack before it can be launched.

Rather than holding ground, the intent is to force the enemy to deploy early, break coordination, or abandon prepared plans. Spoiling attacks aim to reduce the effectiveness of an enemy assault by striking at a time and place of advantage.

Key characteristics of a spoiling attack:

• Conducted with defensive intent.
• Limited in scope and duration.
• Targets enemy preparations, staging areas, or lead elements.
• Seeks disruption rather than decisive engagement.
• Followed by a planned withdrawal or transition back to defense.

Spoiling attacks are most effective when executed before the enemy fully commits, allowing friendly forces to regain time, initiative, or positional advantage without becoming decisively engaged.