Section Battle Drills

Section Battle Drill 1 — Preparation

Section Battle Drill 2 — Reaction to Effective Enemy Fire

Section Battle Drill 3 — Locating the Enemy

Failure to locate the enemy may prevent the section from moving without suffering heavy casualties. It could lead rapidly to loss of initiative by the section and the halting of the platoon advance. There are three stages to this drill:

a. Observation.

b. Fire.

c. Movement.

Target Indication.

Section Battle Drill 4 — Suppressing the Enemy

Section Battle Drill 5 — The Attack

Attack Briefs. Attack briefs should be as concise as possible and should as a minimum consist of the following:

The Assault.

Fighting Through.

Exploitation.

Section Battle Drill 6 — Regrouping

Regrouping will only take place when the section can assault no further due to enemy resistance, casualties, lack of ammunition or the platoon commander’s mission being achieved. Regrouping is not to take place as an automatic drill once an objective is taken; the section commander is to continue the assault in line with his platoon commander’s intent. When regrouping becomes necessary the following actions should happen:

a. The section commander will:

b. The fire support team will:

c. Rifleman should:

(1) Check weapons and equipment.

(2) Check ammunition and grenades.

(3) Recharge all magazines.

d. In principle the section commander is responsible for the tactical disposition of the section (arcs, positions, etc), whilst the 2IC deals with administrative reorganisation (ammunition, casualties, etc).

It should be stressed that during the fight through the completion of the mission is critical. Casualties are therefore left until the whole position is cleared.

The section hasty attack may take place from the line of march (a meeting engagement) or as part of a contact when the lead section may be required to mount a hasty attack to overcome a pocket of resistance or determine the strength of the enemy. There are 6 section battle drills:

a. Preparation.

b. Reaction to effective enemy fire.

c. Locating the enemy.

d. Suppressing the enemy.

e. The attack.

f. Regroup.