text: Chapter 4
  Combat engineers use preparation activities to posture engineer assets with the task-organized gaining
  or supported headquarters. Engineer units establish early linkups with the maneuver units they support. As
  combat engineer units prepare for offensive operations, they focus on inspections and combined arms
  rehearsals. Combined arms breaching forces are task-organized, and they conduct rehearsals for the breach,
  assault, and support forces. The engineer staff officer at the appropriate echelon coordinates for engineer
  reconnaissance that is focused to support the collection of the appropriate information to collect obstacle and
  mobility information. If route clearance is anticipated, clearance teams are task-organized and focused on
  combined arms rehearsals. Combat engineer preparations are aligned and integrated with their supported
  maneuver force preparations.
  Engineer staff officers at every echelon coordinate the movement and positioning of general engineer
  assets that are task-organized to augment combat engineering capabilities. Although general engineer assets
  can be placed in command or support relationships with the maneuver force, a command relationship with
  the supported engineer unit is often more effective. General engineer equipment requires more time for
  movement, regular refueling, dedicated maintenance personnel and supplemental maintenance tools, and
  dedicated haul assets. For significant construction, preparation activities may require a more technical
  engineer reconnaissance to enable adequate project planning and design, including the provision of
  construction materials, as required. Specialized engineer assets may also be necessary to accomplish certain
  missions. General engineer activities may occur independently. When this is the case, they must be fully
  coordinated with the maneuver commander responsible for the AO. Such general engineer support is
  primarily applied to enable sustainment, but it may also be critical to the preparation for an offensive
  operation, including support to operational mobility.
  During the conduct of offensive operations, fighting and protective position development is minimal
  for tactical vehicles and weapons systems. The emphasis lies on the mobility of the force. Protective positions
  for artillery, air and missile defense, and logistics positions may be required in the offense and defense,
  although more so in the defense. Stationary command facilities require improved survivability to lessen
  vulnerability. During halts in the advance, the terrain enables varying degrees of survivability. Therefore,
  based on the threat level and unit vulnerabilities, units should develop as many protective positions as
  possible for key weapon systems, command nodes, and critical supplies. For example, the sites of expedient
  earth excavations or parapets are determined based on the locations that make the best use of existing terrain.
  During the early planning stages, geospatial engineering teams can provide information on soil conditions,
  vegetative concealment, and terrain masking along movement routes to facilitate survivability for the force.
  When executing offensive operations, the maneuver force uses its COP to link detection efforts to
  maneuver to avoid encountering obstacles along the route of attack. The maneuver force can actively avoid
  obstacles by interdicting threat countermobility efforts before emplacement or passively avoiding obstacles
  by identifying, marking, and bypassing them. Assessments by on-site engineers assist in the decision to
  bypass or breach obstacles. If the friendly force commander is compelled to neutralize obstacles, the force
  employs the breach tenets of intelligence, breach fundamentals, breach organization, mass, and
  synchronization. When possible, bypasses are preferred. They are marked and handed off to follow-on
  engineer units for maintenance and improvement. Similarly, line-of-communication bridging replaces assault
  bridging, so assault bridging assets remain available for future missions. Assessments that are more technical
  are made as soon as possible to determine feasible and suitable improvements to LOCs.
  BASICS OF THE OFFENSE
  Offensive operations are combat operations conducted to defeat and destroy enemy forces and to seize
  terrain, resources, and population centers. They impose the commander’s will on the enemy. A commander
  may also conduct offensive operations to deprive the enemy of resources, seize decisive terrain, deceive or
  divert the enemy, develop intelligence, or hold an enemy in position. This chapter discusses the basics of the
  offense from an engineer perspective, in support of maneuver. To find weaknesses in the enemy’s defense, a
  thorough engineer battlefield assessment is essential. Accurately templating the obstacle system facilitates
  attacks through gaps and against flanks and helps to avoid the enemy’s strength. The template also provides
  the basis for the engineer reconnaissance plan.