text: The Defense
  * Maintain or regain contact with adjacent units in a contiguous assigned area and ensure that
  subordinate units remain capable of mutual support in a noncontiguous assigned area.
  * Maneuver capabilities based on probable future employment. For example, fire support assets tend
  to move forward so that their range encompasses additional enemy forces and terrain.
  * Transition the focus of engineer efforts from countermobility and survivability to mobility.
  * Submit a prioritized protection list to influence the positioning of these air and missile defense
  assets.
  8-141. Units reorganize and resupply concurrently with other transition activities. This requires sustainment
  to transition from a chosen location to an emphasis on ensuring the force’s ability to advance and maneuver.
  For example, in the defense, the sustainment effort may focus on Class IV and Class V items and evacuation
  of combat-damaged systems. In the offense, the sustainment effort may focus on providing Class III and
  forward repair of maintenance and combat losses. A transition is often a time to perform deferred equipment
  maintenance. Additional assets may also be available on a temporary basis for casualty evacuation and
  medical treatment because of a reduction in the tempo of operations.
  8-142. Units should not wait too long to transition from the defense to the offense as the enemy force
  approaches its culminating point. At that point, enemy forces are dispersed, extended in depth, and weakened.
  At that time, any enemy defensive preparations will be hasty, and they will not have their forces adequately
  positioned for the defense. Units want the enemy force in this posture when they transition to the offense.
  They do not want to give the enemy force time to prepare for the defense. Additionally, the psychological
  shock on enemy soldiers will be greater if they suddenly find themselves desperately defending on new and
  often unfavorable terms while friendly Soldiers will enjoy a psychological boost by going on the offense.
  8-143. If units in contact transitions to the attack, they must retain sufficient forces in contact to fix enemy
  forces. Units concentrate their attacks by reinforcing select subordinate units so they can execute the attack,
  and if necessary, maintain the existing defense. They can also adjust the defensive boundaries of subordinate
  units so entire units can withdraw and concentrate for the attack. For more information on transitioning to
  the offense, see counterattacks in Chapter 5.
  8-144. If a defensive operation leads to a stalemate with both forces left in contact, defending units seek to
  retain the initiative and create conditions for future operations. Commanders prepare their defending units to
  move rapidly to subsequent defensive positions during battle lulls because of the risks associated with
  defending twice from the same positions. This is because the enemy force now knows the location of friendly
  defensive positions and can target them with supporting fires unless those defending forces can displace.
  Defending units stay in place and continue to fight unless they can suppress enemy forces or take other actions
  to break contact with enemy forces if there are no battle lulls. This is because of the risk when units try to
  displace from prepared positions while still under enemy pressure.
  TRANSITION TO THE RETROGRADE
  8-145. Defending units unable to maintain the integrity of their defense must transition to a retrograde
  operation or risk destruction. A retrograde involves either a delay, withdrawal, or retirement operation. These
  operations may occur simultaneously or sequentially. As in other operations, the commander’s intent and
  concept of operations drive planning for retrograde operations. Each variation of the retrograde operation has
  its unique planning considerations, but considerations common to all retrograde operations are risk, the
  synchronization of forces, and rear operations. Chapter 11 addresses planning, preparing, and executing
  considerations for retrograde operations. However, many key considerations receive special emphasis during
  the transition from the defense to the retrograde.
  8-146. The transition to retrograde operations must be accompanied by efforts designed to—
  * Reduce the enemy force’s strength and combat power.
  * Provide friendly reinforcements.
  * Concentrate forces elsewhere for the attack.
  * Prepare stronger defenses elsewhere in the assigned area.
  * Lure or force part or all of the enemy force into areas where it can be counterattacked.