text: Chapter 5
  5-99. If encounter turns into a meeting engagement—
  * Destroy enemy reconnaissance and lead elements of the main body.
  * Determine the location of enemy assailable flanks.
  * Fix enemy forces to allow the main body to maneuver around enemy strengths or through
  enemy weaknesses.
  Advance Covering Force
  5-100. An advance covering force is an offensive cover operation. An advance covering force is task
  organized to locate and penetrate the security zone and forward defenses of an enemy force deployed to
  defend and to destroy enemy reconnaissance, advance guard units, and first-echelon units of a moving
  enemy force.
  BCT Planning and Execution Considerations for Offensive Cover Missions
  5-101. The BCT advances on a broad front and conducts operations similar to that for zone reconnaissance
  or movement to contact. Staffs determine the width of the zone to cover during mission analysis and IPB.
  Typically, aviation assets task organized to the covering force reconnoiter forward of the advancing ground
  elements. Upon enemy contact, air assets engage and destroy enemy forces according to the covering force
  commander’s intent. They report the enemy’s location, composition, and disposition to the ground forces
  while maintaining contact with the enemy. Aviation assets conduct target handover to ground forces when
  required. Ground forces from the covering force attack to defeat enemy forces. The covering force must have
  approval of the main body commander to bypass enemy forces.
  5-102. If the covering force finds a gap in enemy defenses, they prepare to penetrate the integrity of the
  defense. The covering force immediately reports to the main body to divert follow-on forces. Covering forces
  prepare to defeat enemy counterattack during penetrations due to the opportunities hasty attacks provide to
  the defender.
  5-103. When the BCT covering force can advance no further, they transition to a defense and prepare to
  execute a forward passage of lines of the main body. The covering force continues to perform reconnaissance
  of enemy positions to locate gaps or vulnerable flanks. The covering force conducts target and reconnaissance
  handovers to guide the main body as they attack through or around the covering force. If the covering force
  is successful, the main body commander can attack enemy vulnerabilities at the time desired with previously
  uncommitted main body forces.
  5-104. The covering force must retain a reserve. At the brigade level, a reserve should consist of attached
  attack aviation assets and a maneuver company. The reserve must be an uncommitted force and ready to
  deploy at a decisive moment anywhere in the covering force’s zone.
  Flank Covering Force
  5-105. A flank cover is an offensive covering force mission. If the main body commander perceives a
  significant threat to one of the unit’s flanks, the commander assigns a flank cover. A BCT or reconnaissance
  and security BCT conducts a flank cover much the same as a flank guard. The main difference between the
  two missions is the scope of operations and the distance the covering force operates from the main body
  (see figure 5-13).