Which are the three phases of offensive combat?

Which are the three phases of offensive combat?

• A. Preparation
• B. Conduct
• C. Exploitation
• D. Fire and Maneuver

Answer: (A)

Offensive combat unfolds in three phases: Preparation, Conduct, and Exploitation. The Preparation phase covers everything done before the fight starts—mission analysis, intelligence gathering, route and objective selection, issuing the plan, rehearsals, and ensuring troops and equipment are ready. The Conduct phase is the actual assault: moving toward the enemy, applying fire and maneuver, seizing and holding terrain, and coordinating with supporting arms to disrupt and defeat the opposition. The Exploitation phase comes after a successful breach or disruption, where you push the advantage to seize critical objectives, secure the area, and set conditions for pursuit or consolidation. Fire and Maneuver is a core method used during the Conduct phase to combine fires with movement, but it isn’t a separate phase.

Offensive combat unfolds in three phases: Preparation, Conduct, and Exploitation. The Preparation phase covers everything done before the fight starts—mission analysis, intelligence gathering, route and objective selection, issuing the plan, rehearsals, and ensuring troops and equipment are ready. The Conduct phase is the actual assault: moving toward the enemy, applying fire and maneuver, seizing and holding terrain, and coordinating with supporting arms to disrupt and defeat the opposition. The Exploitation phase comes after a successful breach or disruption, where you push the advantage to seize critical objectives, secure the area, and set conditions for pursuit or consolidation.

Fire and Maneuver is a core method used during the Conduct phase to combine fires with movement, but it isn’t a separate phase.