1. THE PLATOON ATTACK

2. The Platoon Attack The Aim of this lesson
Revision - Section Battle Drills
Platoon Battle Drills
Summary

3. The Aim To show you how a Section Attack fits into the broader picture
To demonstrate the drills and procedures used by the Platoon in an attack
This will give you a basic theoretical knowledge for when you work with the model and when you practice in the field

4. REVISION - SECTION BATTLE DRILLS
Battle Preparation
Reaction to Effective Enemy Fire
Locating the Enemy
Winning the Fire Fight
The Attack
Reorg

5. Platoon Battle Drills 1. Battle Preparation
2. Reaction to any Section coming under Effective Enemy Fire
3. The Attack
4. Reorganization

6. Platoon Battle Drills
Drill 1 - Battle Preparation
PAWPERSO

7. Platoon Battle Drills Drill 1 - Battle Preparation PAWPERSO PROTECTION
Sentries
All - round defence

8. Platoon Battle Drills Drill 1 - Battle Preparation PAWPERSO AMMUNITION
Scales:
Rifleman: 330
LSW Gunner: 390
GPMG :As the
LAW 94mm :op
51mm mortar: requires

9. Platoon Battle Drills Drill 1 - Battle Preparation PAWPERSO WEAPONS
Personal weapons
Platoon weapons:
GPMG
LAW 94mm
51mm mortar
Other

10. Platoon Battle Drills Drill 1 - Battle Preparation PAWPERSO
PERSONAL CAMOUFLAGE AND CONCEALMENT
Cam cream
Day / Night
Use of ground

11. Platoon Battle Drills Drill 1 - Battle Preparation PAWPERSO EQUIPMENT
Individual webbing, bergans, daysacks etc
Check own kit eg pouches closed, bayonet secured etc

12. Platoon Battle Drills Drill 1 - Battle Preparation PAWPERSO RADIOS
Functioning correctly
Frequencies
Spare batteries
Scales
Radio silence
Codewords
Report lines

13. Platoon Battle Drills Drill 1 - Battle Preparation PAWPERSO
SPECIALIST EQUIPMENT
Equipment specific to operation
CWS / NVG
Demolitions
Scaling eqpt, ladders, ropes etc

14. Platoon Battle Drills Drill 1 - Battle Preparation PAWPERSO ORDERS
Platoon Commander receives orders from the Company Commander
Does his estimate and prepares own orders

15. Platoon Battle Drills Drill 1 - Battle Preparation PAWPERSO ORDERS
Platoon Commanders Gives Orders to Section Commanders
Section Commanders Gives Orders to Section

16. Platoon Battle Drills
Drill 2 - Reaction to any Section Coming Under Effective Enemy Fire
Section carries out Reaction to Effective Enemy Fire
RTR
Section Commander controls firefight

17. 3 2 1
200 m

18. 3 2 1
200 m

19. 3 2 1
200 m

20. 3 2 1
200 m

21. Platoon Battle Drills
Drill 2 - Reaction to any Section Coming Under Effective Enemy Fire
Maximum fire is brought to bear on en, by section in contact and by Pl wpns, such as GPMG and 51mm
Pl Comd moves forward to observe / find out what is going on

22. 3 2 1
200 m

23. 3 2 1
200 m

24. 3 2 1
200 m

25. 3 2 1
200 m

26. 3 2 1
200 m

27. Platoon Battle Drills
Drill 2 - Reaction to any Section Coming Under Effective Enemy Fire
Pl Cmd may call on indirect (mors & arty) or direct (HMG, Milan) fire sp
Section in contact extracts from killing area

28. Platoon Battle Drills
Drill 2 - Reaction to any Section coming under Effective Enemy Fire
Pl Comd makes an estimate and decides on his plan
Pl Sgt calls in rear two Sect Cmds
Pl Comd sends runner to Pl Sgt with Warning Order (Wng O)

29. 3 2 1
200 m

30. 3 2 1
200 m

31. 3 2 1
200 m

32. 3 2 1
200 m

33. 3 2 1
200 m

34. Platoon Battle Drills
Drill 2 - Reaction to any Section coming under Effective Enemy Fire
The Warning Order contains:
P lan
O utline tasks
O Gp time and place
N MB / loc of Pl RV
A dmin / grouping changes
H Hour

35. Platoon Battle Drills
Drill 2 - Reaction to any Section coming under Effective Enemy Fire
The two rear sections move to the Platoon RV, under the Pl Sgt
The Section Commanders move to the ‘O’ Gp loc

36. Platoon Battle Drills
Drill 2 - Reaction to any Section coming under Effective Enemy Fire
The Pl Cmd delivers his Quick Battle Orders (QBOs)
Sect Cmds return to their Sects to deliver their own QBOs
The fire support section commander is briefed on the radio

37. 3 2 1
200 m

38. RV 3 2 1
200 m

39. 3 2 RV 1
200 m

40. 3 2 RV 1
200 m

41. Platoon Battle Drills
Pl Comd leads assault section from the Pl RV to the Forming Up Point, the FUP
The remaining section now becomes the reserve
Drill 3 - The Attack

42. Platoon Battle Drills
Pl Cmd points out direction of en, and the Line of Departure
On H-Hour, the fire support section increases its rate of fire
The assault section starts the assault
Drill 3 - The Attack

43. 3 2 RV
‘O’ Gp 1
200 m

44. 3 2
FUP 1
200 m

45. 2 3
FUP 1
200 m

46. 3 2D 2C 1 LD
200 m

47. Platoon Battle Drills Stage 2 - The Assault Drill 3 - The Attack
The fire teams of the assaulting Sect move forward
One fire team will form a firebase, and the other will assault the first en posn
Drill 3 - The Attack

48. 3 2D 2C 1 LD
200 m

49. 3 2D 2C 1 LD
200 m

50. 3 2D 1 LD 2C
200 m

51. 3 1 LD 2C 2D
200 m

52. 3 1 LD 2C 2D
200 m

53. 3 1 LD 2D 2C
200 m

54. 3 1 LD 2D 2C
200 m

55. Platoon Battle Drills Stage 3 - The Fight Through Drill 3 - The Attack
Once a foothold has been established, the rest of the enemy positions must be captured
Drill 3 - The Attack

56. Platoon Battle Drills The assault section now becomes fire support
The reserve section now becomes the assault section
The fire support section now becomes the reserve section
Drill 3 - The Attack

57. The Assault Cycle
ASSAULT
SUPPRESS
RESERVE

58. 1 3 2
200 m

59. 1 2 3
200 m

60. 1 2 3
200 m

61. 2 3 1
200 m

62. 2 3
200 m 1

63. Platoon Battle Drills
Once the en posn is taken the platoon is at its most vulnerable because
It is low on ammo and may have casualties
Men are disorientated and spread out
The en know this, and it is the ideal time for a counterattack
The position may have been DFd
Drill 4 - Reorganization

64. Platoon Battle Drills Drill 4 - Reorganization Pl Comd decides loc
Sect Cmds must : allot arcs as per QBOs (TBC by Pl Cmd)
Confirm link men
Check condition of Sect members
2ICs and men report to Pl Sgt for work party, with ammo and cas states

65. Platoon Battle Drills Drill 4 - Reorganization
Pl Sgt must : Give ammo&cas state to Pl Cmd asp.
Organise work party, which will treat cas, redistribute ammo, search en dead, escort PWs

66. Platoon Battle Drills Drill 4 - Reorganisation
Pl Comd must: Ensure fire sp sect rejoins, set up Pl HQ, site arcs (nb LSW & LAW), send SITREP
The Pl Comd must either order the advance to continue or the Platoon must begin digging in

67. Summary
The Platoon Attack is an attack by the sections planned and orchestrated by Platoon Headquarters
The principles of a quick attack are Speed, Concentration of Firepower and Simplicity

68. SUMMARY
You must understand all the drills and procedures because in war every man may at some stage end up in command of either a fire team or a section.

69. QUESTIONS?