text: Chapter 7
  ORGANIZATION OF FORCES FOR A PURSUIT
  7-5. Normally, commanders do not organize specifically for pursuit operations ahead of time, although unit
  staffs may plan for a pursuit as a branch or sequel to the current order. Therefore, units must be flexible to
  react when the situation presents itself. A unit’s maneuver and sustainment forces continue their ongoing
  activities, while the commander readjusts priorities to better support the pursuit and ensures subordinate units
  are as self-sufficient as resources permit. Units request and acquire additional support from higher echelon
  headquarters based on the mission variables. For most pursuits, commanders assign subordinate forces
  security, direct pressure, encircling, follow and support, and reserve missions. The direct pressure force is a
  force employed in a pursuit that orients on the enemy main body to prevent enemy disengagement or
  defensive reconstitution. The encircling force is the force that maneuvers to the rear or flank of the
  enemy to prevent the enemy’s escape. The enemy can be destroyed between the direct pressure force and
  encircling force. The encircling force advances or flies along routes parallel to the enemy’s line of retreat. If
  the encircling force cannot outdistance the enemy to cut the enemy off, the encircling force may also attack
  the flank of a retreating enemy. Given sufficient resources, units can assign more than one force the
  encirclement mission. The subordinate unit assigned the follow and support mission polices the battlefield to
  prevent the dissipation of the combat power of the unit assigned the direct pressure mission. The discussion
  beginning in paragraph B-42 addresses the duties of a follow and support force. Reserves allow commanders
  to take advantage of unforeseen opportunities or respond to enemy counterattacks.
  7-6. There are two variations of a pursuit; each involves assigning a subordinate the mission of maintaining
  direct pressure on the rearward moving enemy force. The first is a frontal pursuit that employs only direct
  pressure. The second is a combination that uses one subordinate element to maintain direct pressure and one
  or more other subordinate forces to encircling the retrograding enemy force. The combination pursuit is
  generally more effective. Either the subordinate applying direct pressure or the subordinate conducting the
  encirclement can be conducting the main effort in a combination pursuit.
  7-7. The force providing direct pressure must be strong enough to defeat enemy rear guard actions and
  maintain pressure on the enemy’s main body. It forces the enemy force to deploy frequently in an attempt to
  delay the advance of the force applying direct pressure and restricts the enemy force’s ability to break contact.
  The force applying direct pressure must be as mobile as the enemy force. Armored and Stryker units are
  ideally suited to this role in open terrain, but commanders can employ dismounted infantry forces if the
  enemy force is also dismounted and the terrain prevents the use of more mobile forces.
  7-8. The encircling force’s mobility must be equal—preferably superior—to the withdrawing enemy force.
  If there is no inherent mobility differential, units must create one. This differential can also result from the
  force applying direct pressure to force the enemy force to deploy. Units can also enhance and sometimes
  create this mobility advantage by conducting countermobility operations against the enemy force, specifically
  targeting locations—including choke points or bridges—that hinder the fleeing enemy force’s withdrawal.
  Armored, air assault, and airborne forces are well suited for this encircling mission. Attack aviation elements
  are also effective when used as part of this encircling force.
  7-9. The encircling force must be strong enough to defend itself from the enemy force’s main body and
  slow or fix the enemy force until the friendly force applying direct pressure can combine with the encircling
  force to destroy the enemy force. It must be capable of mounting a hasty defense without placing itself at risk
  of defeat. The force conducting the encirclement must be self-contained, since it normally operates out of
  supporting range of friendly indirect fire systems. Therefore, it frequently has additional supporting artillery.
  7-10. The primary mission of this encircling force is to prevent the enemy force’s escape, but commanders
  can assign other missions to their forces conducting the encirclement. These other missions can include—
  * Detecting or identifying weapons of mass destruction and marking the site for sensitive site
  exploitation.
  * Linking up with airborne or air assault forces in their airheads.
  * Reporting terrain conditions and other combat information beyond what is normally addressed in
  the unit standard operating procedures.
  7-11. Direct pressure and encircling forces require engineer support to create lanes through obstacles, which
  enables them to move rapidly and continuously. Units should place combat engineers well forward in unit