can help do this. Depending on the weather, terrain, and situation, additional smoke units may support
the movement to contact, attack, exploit, or pursue.
During offensive operations, two smoke companies are normally attached to each division. Smoke
is used to hide division assembly areas prior to the attack and to conceal the movement to contact once
operations have begun. One smoke platoon is usually placed in direct support of each brigade.
However, it may be wise to assign two smoke platoons to the brigade making the main attack. Never
attract all the attention to the attacking force. Except for purely diversionary smoke operations, dummy
screens should not be employed in support of critical target screens.
When contact with the enemy has been lost, a battalion task force conducts a movement to contact.
Hasty and deliberate smoke operations can conceal the movement of the main body. Placing smoke
between the main body and the enemy conceals the movement. This obscures enemy long-range visual
target acquisition systems and prevents the enemy from determining the size and composition of the
main body.
When contact is made, the lead element normally returns fires, deploys, and analyzes and reports
the situation. Smoke generator units take positions to produce a smoke screen to limit the vision of
enemy gunners and interfere with aimed fires.
Smoke is used in the hasty attack to screen friendly maneuver. When smoke generator units are
used, the task force commander positions smoke units and starts the smoke screen as he completes the
hasty attack plan. Smoke screens are placed between friendly and enemy forces, and the friendly forces
maneuver behind the screen.
It is normally best to use projected smoke and vehicular self-screening systems to obscure the
vision of enemy gunners and observers during a hasty attack. However, if weather conditions are right,
smoke units may be used to reduce friendly losses.
Deliberate smoke screens are used to screen friendly maneuver. They may also help conceal the
flanks of attacking forces. In both cases, smoke screens are placed in friendly operational areas or
between the enemy and friendly forces.
Momentum is the key to success in exploitation and pursuit. Forces engaged in these operations
strike deeply into their enemy's rear to destroy the enemy's defense. They bypass pockets of enemy
resistance. Smoke generator units may be employed to produce a smoke curtain between friendly forces
and suspected enemy locations along the flanks of exploiting or pursuing forces.
Figure 15 shows the use of smoke in offensive operations by concealing a flank attack.
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