text: Attack
  * Gain fire superiority.
  * Suppress enemy forces in their defensive positions.
  * Facilitate the attacking force’s maneuver.
  * Deceive enemy forces.
  * Isolate enemy forces.
  5-45. These preparation fires may initially destroy or disrupt only the enemy’s reconnaissance and security
  forces and their positions if attacking forces are in contact with the enemy’s disruption zone. In either case,
  counterfires conducted as part of preparation fire can degrade the enemy’s fire support systems and assist in
  achieving fire superiority.
  5-46. Commanders ensure that attacking maneuver forces have the functional and multifunctional support
  and sustainment assets necessary to conduct the operation and maintain the momentum of their attacks as
  part of the preparation process. That support and sustainment effort must anticipate future maneuvers to
  ensure the uninterrupted advance of maneuver forces.
  EXECUTING AN ATTACK
  5-47. An attack consists of a series of advances and assaults by attacking units until they accomplish their
  mission. Commanders at all echelons use their initiative to shift their main effort among units as necessary
  to take advantage of opportunities and momentum to ensure the enemy force’s rapid destruction. Attacking
  units move as quickly as possible, following reconnaissance elements through gaps in the enemy force’s
  defenses. Units shift their efforts to reinforce success and carry the battle deep into the enemy force’s rear.
  Commanders do not delay their attacks to preserve the alignment of subordinate units or adhere too closely
  to their preconceived plans.
  5-48. Units strive to retain their freedom of action while protecting their forces. They continually seek
  opportunities to defeat, destroy, or reduce the enemy force’s combat power or shatter the enemy force’s
  cohesion and capability to fight even if those opportunities deviate from their previous detailed plans for
  defeating the enemy force. Units avoid strict adherence to plans no longer appropriate to battlefield
  conditions.
  5-49. Commanders avoid becoming so committed to their initial plan that they neglect opportunities. They
  remain mentally prepared to abandon failed attacks and exploit unanticipated successes or enemy errors by
  designating other units to conduct their main effort in response to changing situations. Commanders follow
  the tactical framework when attacking.
  FIND THE ENEMY
  5-50. Gaining and maintaining contact with an enemy force, who is determined to break contact, is vital to
  the success of offensive actions. A defending enemy force generally establishes a disruption zone around
  those forces occupying the main line of defense to make early contact with attacking forces to determine their
  capabilities, intent, COA, and to disrupt their approach. An enemy unit uses that disruption zone to defeat
  friendly reconnaissance forces and hide enemy dispositions, capabilities, and intent. An enemy commander’s
  goal is to compel the attacking force to conduct a movement to contact against defending enemy forces that
  know the exact location of the attacking force.
  5-51. Units employ their combat power to overwhelm enemy forces based on their situational understanding.
  However, echelons below division do not normally have the detection, tracking, and weapon systems
  necessary to conduct supporting efforts directed against enemy forces not currently committed to close
  combat. The way a unit gains and maintains contact depends on whether the unit is in contact with the
  enemy’s disruption zone or the enemy’s battle zone. It also depends on the echelon of the unit in the nested
  layers of reconnaissance and security. For example, the intent of a corps’ reconnaissance effort is to determine
  the dispositions, composition, direction of movement, and rate of movement of a defending enemy’s
  significant forces. A reinforced armored BCT, task-organized as a covering force or advance guard, can fight
  through most disruption zones, develop the situation, confirm information provided by technical means, and
  force enemy forces to reveal additional information prior to divisions executing close operations. This
  additional information often includes locating the enemy’s tactical and possibly operational reserves. At a