text: Offense
  through the obstacle. (SeeATP 3-90.4 for additional information.) Civil affairs,military police, or tactical
  psychological operations (PSYOP) teams may redirect civilians away from the route of advance when the
  movement of displaced civilians causes reduced mobility.
  Five Step Sequence
  6-160. FM 3-90-1 discusses executing all four offensive operations in a five-step sequence, listed below.
  This sequence is for discussion purposes only and is not the only way of conducting offensive operations.
  Offensive operationstendto overlap each other during the conduct of offensive actions. Normally the first
  three of these steps are shaping operations or supporting efforts, while the maneuver step is the decisive
  operation or main effort. Follow through is normally a sequel or a branch to the plan based on the current
  situation.
  Step 1,Gain and Maintain Enemy Contact
  6-161. The advance guard focuses on identifying the enemy’s composition,strength,and dispositions. The
  forces provide the commander with combat information. The commander can then maneuver units to
  positions of advantage to commit friendly forces under optimal conditions.
  Step 2,Disrupt the Enemy
  6-162. On contact, the advance guard maneuvers to disrupt or defeat the enemy to prevent enemy from
  conducting a spoiling attack or organizing a coherent defense. The advance guard commander gathers as
  much information as possible about the enemy’s dispositions, composition, strengths, capabilities, and
  probable course(s) of action.
  Step 3,Fix the Enemy
  6-163. The advance guard prevents the enemy from maneuvering against the main body. If unable to defeat
  the enemy, the advance guard reports the enemy strength and disposition and establishes a base of fire for
  the subsequent attack by the main body.
  Step 4,Maneuver
  6-164. If the advance guard cannot defeat the enemy with a frontal or flank assault or an engagement of an
  enemy’s assailable flank, the commander quickly maneuvers the main body to attack. This offensive
  maneuver seeks to achieve a decisive massing of effects at the decisive point,orat several decisive points if
  adequate combat power is available. The commander aims the decisive operation toward the decisive point,
  which can consist of the immediate and decisive destruction of the enemy force,its will to resist,seizure of
  a terrain objective, or the defeat of the enemy’s plan. The commander attempts to defeat the enemy while
  still maintaining the momentum of the advance. The main body commander resumes the movement to contact
  after a successful attack. The intent is to deliver an assault before the enemy can deploy or reinforce their
  engaged forces.
  Step 5,Follow Through
  6-165. The unit transitions back to a movement to contact and continueto advance if the enemy is defeated.
  The movement to contact terminates when the unit reaches its final objective or limit of advance;otherwise,
  it must transition to another offensive or defensive operation.After committing the reserve,the commander
  develops a plan to reconstitute another reserve force once the original reserve force is committed,most often
  accomplished with a unit out of contact.
  SEARCH AND ATTACK
  6-166. Search and attack is a technique for conducting a movement to contact that shares many of the
  characteristics of an area security mission (FM 3-90-1). The BCT conducts a search and attack to destroy
  enemy forces,deny the enemy certain areas,protect the force,or collect information. Although the battalion
  is the echelon,that usually conducts a search and attack,the BCT assists its subordinate battalions by ensuring
  the availability of indirect fires and other support.