text: Offense
  Figure 6-12. Knowledge of situation (enemy) and advantage relationship to enemy
  MOVEMENT TO CONTACT
  6-128. Amovement to contactis a typeoffensive operationdesigned to develop the situation and establish
  or regain contact (ADP 3-90). A movement to contact employs purposeful and aggressive movement,
  decentralized control, and the hasty deployment of combined arms formations from the march to create
  favorable conditions for subsequent tactical actions. Close air support, air interdiction, and counterair
  operations are essential to the success of large-scale movements to contact. Local air superiority or, as a
  minimum,air parity is vital to the operation’s success. The fundamentals of a movement to contact are—
  (cid:122) Focus all efforts on finding the enemy.
  (cid:122) Make initial contact with the smallest force possible,consistent with protecting the force.
  (cid:122) Make initial contact with small,mobile,self-contained forces to avoid decisive engagement of the
  main body on ground chosen by the enemy. (This allows the commander maximum flexibility to
  develop the situation.)
  (cid:122) Task organize the force and use movement formations to deploy and attack rapidly in any
  direction.
  (cid:122) Keep subordinate forces within supporting distances to facilitate a flexible response.
  (cid:122) Maintain contact regardless of the COAadopted once contact is gained.
  6-129. A movement to contact may result in a meeting engagement. A meeting engagement is a combat
  action that occurs whena moving force,incompletely deployed for battle,engages an enemy at an unexpected
  time and place (ADP 3-90). In a meeting engagement, the force that reacts first to the unexpected contact
  generally gains an advantage over its enemy. However, a meeting engagement may also occur when the
  opponents are aware of each other and both decide to attack immediately to obtain a tactical advantage or
  seize key or decisive terrain. A meeting engagement may also occur when one force attempts to deploy into
  a hasty defense while the other force attacks before its opponent can organize an effective defense.
  Acquisition systems may discover the enemy before the security force can gain contact. No matter how the
  force makes contact, seizing the initiative is the overriding imperative. Prompt execution of battle drills at
  platoon level and below,and standard actions on contact for larger units,can give that initiative to the friendly
  force.
  6-130. The BCT commander considers requirements for maneuver (fire and movement) upon contact. The
  commander develops decision points to support changes in the force’s movement formation or a change from
  an approach march to a movement formation. Using both human and technical means to validate decision
  points,the commander must determine theacceptable degree of risk,based on the mission. The commander’s
  confidence in the products of the IPB process and the acceptable risk determines the unit’s movement
  formation and scheme of maneuver. In a high-risk environment,it is usually better to increase the distance
  between forward elements and the main body than to slow the speed of advance. Once the commander makes
  contact with the enemy, the commander has five options: attack, bypass, defend, delay, or withdraw (see
  paragraph 6-152). Search and attack and cordon and search are subordinate tasks of movement to contact.