FM/C100 - Leadership - Leadership of combat elements

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

The Fireteam Leader is responsible for quickly assessing the situation and ensuring their team responds effectively to sudden enemy contact.

Actions

• Order team to move to covered or concealed positions.
• Identify and report the enemy's position to the Squad Leader.
• Begin engaging the enemy.
• Direct team fire as needed.
• Prepare to manoeuvre as ordered by the Squad Leader.

The Squad Leader manages the squad’s response to contact by gaining fire superiority, reporting upwards, and deciding whether to hold, manoeuvre, or break contact.

Actions

• Achieve fire superiority.
• Confirm fireteams are reacting appropriately.
• Report contact to the Platoon Commander when possible:
• Prioritize squad command over reporting if needed.
• Assess the position:
  • Hold if viable.
  • Manoeuvre fireteams using bounding overwatch if needed.
  • Break contact if untenable.
• Coordinate with adjacent squads and listen for higher orders.
• Monitor flanks and casualty status via Squad Medic.

Breaking contact allows an element to disengage from the enemy while maintaining suppressive fire to avoid becoming decisively engaged.

Steps

1. Leader announces intent to break contact.
2. Assign a base-of-fire element (e.g., buddy-team, fireteam, or larger).
3. Base-of-fire takes hasty cover and suppresses enemy.
4. Other elements bound to the rear under fire protection.
5. Deploy smoke to conceal movement.
6. On signal, base-of-fire element bounds back to new position.
7. Repeat until disengagement is complete.

A near ambush occurs when the enemy is within grenade-throwing distance. Immediate aggression is essential to survive and suppress the ambush.

Actions

• If in the kill zone:
  • Return fire immediately.
  • Throw grenades or smoke.
  • Assault enemy position swiftly once cover is created.
• If outside the kill zone:
  • Provide suppressive fire on enemy position.
  • Shift or cease fire when friendlies assault to avoid fratricide.

A far ambush occurs when the enemy is over 50 meters away. Immediate fire and coordination enable manoeuvre to neutralize the threat.

Actions

• If in the kill zone:
  • Return fire and move to cover.
  • Target enemy high-volume weapons (e.g., MGs).
  • Deploy smoke to obscure friendlies or enemy line of sight.
• If outside the kill zone:
  • Move via cover to flank and assault.
  • Inform base-of-fire team before initiating assault to avoid friendly fire.

Fire Control Orders are used to rapidly direct and coordinate fires within an element. Orders follow the GRIT format to ensure clarity, speed, and shared understanding. 

• Group: Identify who is to fire. This may be a specific individual, buddy team, fireteam, or the entire element.
• Range: State the range to the target, either as an exact distance or a reference (e.g. “close”, “far”, landmark-based).
• Indication: Clearly indicate the target using clock direction, bearings, tracers, terrain features, or reference points.
• Type of Fire: Specify rate of fire FM/G139 - Fire control.

Convoy ambushes must prevent vehicles from escaping the kill zone and neutralize armoured threats rapidly.

Tactics

• Prioritize disabling the lead, then the rear vehicle.
• Engage soft targets by aiming for tires and drivers.
• Eliminate armored threats immediately—double up AT gunners if possible.
• Stay clear of wreckage due to secondary explosions.
• Use decoy vehicles to bait convoys into halting.

An L-shaped ambush uses two elements forming a right angle, enabling simultaneous frontal and flank fire into the kill zone.

Advantages

• Highly effective due to crossfire.
• Even a single flanking rifleman or marksman significantly increases ambush lethality.
• Can be employed by varied team sizes and roles.

Above: Visual representation of an L-shaped ambush

The linear ambush positions all friendly elements in a single firing line parallel to the enemy's expected path of travel. It is fast to set up and commonly used in hasty situations.

Considerations

• Works well with limited time and mobility.
• A longer line reduces enemy cover options.
• Avoid excessive spacing—ambushed enemies should not be able to breach the line.

Above: Visual representation of a linear ambush

Explosive devices can enhance ambush effectiveness by adding shock and confusion, especially against vehicles or in deliberate setups.

Applications

• Satchel charges and claymores are ideal for deliberate or vehicle ambushes.
• Initiating the ambush with explosives increases lethality.
• Not typically suited for hasty ambushes due to setup time.

An ambush is a surprise attack from concealment against a moving or halted enemy. Ambushes capitalize on surprise and firepower to destroy or disrupt enemy elements.

Key Elements

• Friendly Positioning: Use concealment and elevation to maximize survivability and lethality.
• Kill Zone: Select open terrain with minimal cover; ensure clear, overlapping fields of fire.
• Initiation of Fire: Initiated by the leader, usually with a verbal warning. Fire must be immediate, heavy, and accurate.

Contingency: If fire is accidentally initiated early, all elements must immediately engage to salvage effectiveness.

The crack/bang method uses sound delay between bullet crack and muzzle blast to estimate sniper range and direction.

Technique

• Listen for the supersonic "crack" of the round, followed by the "bang" of the rifle.
• Long delay = distant shooter; short delay = closer shooter.
• Use the muzzle blast direction to orient toward the shooter.

Snipers are best countered by coordinated team action rather than individual efforts. Flanking and suppression are critical.

Best Practices

• Suppress suspected sniper positions if feasible.
• Flank as a team to neutralize threat.
• Avoid peeking from the same spot repeatedly.
• Use smoke to conceal intended movement route, not current position.

Above: Visual representation of how to utilise smoke in a counter sniper situation

Snipers pose a long-range precision threat. Quick movement, cover usage, and coordinated suppression are key to survival.

Actions

• Identify direction of fire and seek hard cover.
• If sniper fire is suspected, call out "Sniper!" to alert others.
• If exposed, move unpredictably and avoid direct paths.
• Relay sniper’s position to friendly elements; use map marking if possible.

If spotted by enemy aircraft, quick dispersion and terrain masking reduce casualties from guided or area-effect weapons.

Actions

• Spread out immediately, avoid clustering.
• Move to terrain that limits aircraft attack angles: forests, urban areas, reverse slopes.
• Only engage aircraft with small arms if escape or survival depends on it.

Rotary-wing aircraft are the most dangerous CAS threat due to precision and persistence. Prevention through stealth is preferred.

Best Practices

• Avoid detection via low, concealed movement routes.
• If equipped with AA assets, engage helicopters on approach.
• If no AA is present, rely on concealment and avoid engagement unless certain of success.
• Engage low-and-slow helicopters only when confident in a kill.

Jets are fast-moving threats that rely on visual detection and powerful area-of-effect weapons. Survivability depends on movement and concealment.

Best Practices

• Move perpendicular to attack run to throw off aim.
• Use reverse slopes to block line of sight and reposition after each pass.
• Avoid exposure, jets struggle to detect infantry at speed.

Artillery and mortars can inflict heavy casualties. Early warning, rapid response, and dispersion are key to survival.

Actions

• Stay alert for distant firing sounds or incoming shells.
• Shout "Incoming!" at the first sign of artillery to warn others.
• If static, spread out and take cover immediately.
• If mobile, follow the element leader’s direction to escape impact area.

Indirect fire threats can be neutralized through accurate location, counter-battery efforts, or direct assault.

Countermeasures

• Call for counter-battery or CAS if available.
• Mortar positions can sometimes be attacked directly.
• Use triangulation with separated elements and compass bearings to identify artillery source.
• Expect delayed repeat barrages—stay in cover until confirmed clear.

Use a peel when moving laterally in relation to the enemy positions to always have firepower aimed at the enemy, and splitting the element would be detrimental to the engagement.

Use bounding overwatch when moving towards or away from enemy positions to always have firepower aimed at the enemy.

Explicitly set the distance between bounds in function of what is desired:

• Larger distances are faster
• Shorter distances are safer and more effective when engaging the enemy

Utilise an appropriate formation considering the following factors:

• Speed
• Expected direction of contact
• Terrain
• Desired profile (stealth)
• Difficulty of maintaining and steering the formation

Keep proper spacing and offset from lead.

• Communicate speed/distance issues.
• Observe sectors based on offset:
  • Left offset = watch left/front
  • Right offset = watch right/front
  • Rear = observe rear
  • Share rear security if no dedicated element

Leading elements set the pace and direction.

• Guide movement based on orders.
• Prevent outpacing of trail elements.
• Maintain observation forward and to flanks.
• Provide point element if needed.

Formation control ensures spacing and cohesion throughout movement.

• Leaders correct deviations using clear, relative directions.
• Control is maintained by the formation’s overall leader.

Use simple, relative directions when ordering formations.

• Reference direction of movement, not bearings.
• Use “front, left, right, rear” to describe offsets.

Leader roles and positions differ by echelon.

• Squad Leaders “push” fireteams from centre or rear.
• Fireteam Leaders “pull” teams by leading from the front.

Formations can be layered across command levels with Platoons, squads, and fireteams each using different formations. Each leader determines formation appropriate to their level to enables flexibility without micromanagement.

Formations guide positioning to support cohesion and control. They are adaptable, not rigid templates.

Principles:

• Use formations as a baseline, not a constraint.
• Leaders must understand strengths and weaknesses of each formation.
• Precision is less important than practicality, adapt to terrain and threat.

Danger areas are terrain features that expose friendly forces to heightened risk from enemy fire.

These may include:

• Bridges, streams, open lanes, streets, or other open spaces.
• Often observed or covered by enemy forces, including snipers or machine gunners.

Danger areas must be identified early and treated with deliberate caution.

Crossing a danger area is conducted using bounding overwatch principles.

• Cross in small elements to avoid detection and reduce exposure.
• Maintain continuous security throughout the process.
• Movement techniques used are an extension of basic infantry manoeuvre principles.

Step 1: Establish security

• Form a security element to cover the danger area before attempting to cross.
• Use at least half the force to provide overwatch.
• Ensure wide spacing to reduce visibility.
• Security observes flanks, rear, and the danger area itself.

Step 2: Scout the far side

• Send a scout element to cross and clear the far side.
• Typically fireteam-sized.
• Conduct limited penetration to check for threats.
• Provide overwatch for main body during their crossing.

Step 3: Controlled crossing

• Once scouts report clear, remaining elements cross sequentially.
• Cross one element at a time.
• Maintain spacing and speed.
• Do not bunch up or rush the crossing.

Step 4: Consolidate after crossing

• Once all elements are across, regroup and continue the mission.
• Re-establish control and situational awareness.
• Ensure no one is left behind or disoriented.

If taking fire during the crossing, shift to emergency reaction techniques.

• Deploy smoke to obscure movement.
• Use suppression fire to cover crossing elements.
• Maintain aggressive momentum to clear the area quickly.

Maintain a movement pace that preserves the element’s ability to react, manoeuvre, and fight.

This requires ensuring the following conditions are met:

• The element can immediately transition to fire and manoeuvre without delay due to exhaustion.
• Sufficient stamina is retained to cross danger areas at speed when required.
• Personnel are not degraded to reduced combat effectiveness due to unnecessary fatigue.
• The element can sustain tempo for the expected duration of the task.
• Movement speed does not cause fragmentation or loss of cohesion within the element.

Keep the distance between supporting elements small enough that in case of a bad situation, support can be given.

This roughly means the following:

• Fire support can be provided before the unit needing support is unable to sustain the engagement
• Medical support can be provided before the organic medical capability of the unit needing support is unable to keep people alive

When a situation develops, don’t wait for orders to act on it. Unless given a direct and explicit order, do what would be advantageous, and inform the superior element of your actions.

When taking initiative, it is important to consider the overall situation, and not only focus on your own element. Take into account factors like phasing/timing, the combat effectiveness of other elements, the current objective and risk factors.

Allow room for subordinate elements to take initiative. When sceptical, give them the benefit of the doubt, as they often have a better understanding of the situation relevant to them.

When countermanding initiative from a subordinate element, give reasoning as to why: this gives the element the context they need to judge when to take initiative in the future.

• Prevent people or elements from wandering off
• Actively steer people when needed
• Allow for looser formations when in low risk areas, as maintaining strict cohesion takes energy that is better used when in combat

When taking a casualty, focus on winning the engagement as the primary priority:

• If stationary, ensure the minimally needed amount of people are working on the casualty, and only if those people are not needed for the engagement
• If moving, ensure the movement continues, taking the casualty along deferring treatment to after the movement is complete

When the situation allows, transfer the casualty to higher levels of care, unburdening the element.

• Ensure people have access to enough supplies to sustain the current pace of combat, taking into account the speed at which new supplies can be delivered.
• Proactively request resupply as soon as a need can be anticipated, allowing for the maximum amount of time for the supply chain to work. 
• Share supplies to maintain all-around fighting ability
• Limit the usage of supplies when running short

An element can only move as fast as the heaviest person. This means that, to the greatest extent possible, all equipment should be distributed among the members of the element, to equalise weight.

A couple of examples:

• Have people carry their own PAK and other medical supplies
• Distribute ammo between members, instead of having the dedicated roles carry everything. This includes ammo that might not be usable by the person carrying it