text: Pursuit
  elements supporting the pursuing force should be as mobile as possible. Sustainment planners support the
  pursuing force by coordinating items such as providing casualty evacuation over unsecured routes. Units may
  need aerial resupply or well secured convoys to support this force. Security for sustainment convoys and
  lines of communications are major planning considerations. Units use all available sustainment assets to
  provide essential support to the forces pursuing enemy forces.
  PREPARING A PURSUIT
  7-24. The considerations for preparing a pursuit are the same as an attack which is outlined in Chapter 5. See
  paragraphs 5-32 through 5-46 for additional information on preparing for a pursuit.
  EXECUTING A PURSUIT
  7-25. The purpose of a pursuit is to destroy the enemy forces while the enemy force is disorganized and
  fleeing from the battlefield. This generally occurs by trapping enemy forces between direct pressure forces
  and encircling forces or a major geographic barrier—such as an unfordable river—followed by the enemy
  force’s destruction. Timeliness in deciding to initiate a pursuit is critical to its success. If the enemy force
  begins to take flight undetected, it avoids the disruption that would come from the constant pressure resultant
  of a pursuit. Units should anticipate that enemy forces will flee at times of limited visibility.
  7-26. Units often conduct pursuits as a series of encirclements in which they intercept, isolate, and capture
  or destroy successive portions of a fleeing enemy force. Direct pressure forces conduct a series of hasty
  attacks to destroy any enemy forces executing security missions, maintain constant pressure on the enemy
  main body, and slow the rate at which enemy forces can flee. These forces fix, disrupt, and destroy enemy
  elements, provided such actions do not interfere with their primary mission of maintaining constant pressure
  on the enemy’s main body. To maintain tempo, the direct pressure force can pass off large enemy forces to
  follow and support units, if the bypassed enemy forces do not pose a significant risk to the direct pressure
  force on the fleeing enemy.
  FIND THE ENEMY
  7-27. The echelon that discovers the enemy fleeing first acts to maintain contact with the enemy force across
  a wide area without waiting for orders from higher echelon headquarters. This ensures that the enemy force
  does not consolidate and reorganize into a unit capable of mounting an organized defense. These forces in
  contact constitute the core of the direct pressure force. As the situation permits, they re-form into a movement
  column with reconnaissance and security elements in the lead and, if necessary, to the flank.
  7-28. During a pursuit, the intelligence effort is intensive. Information collection assets concentrate on all
  routes that enemy forces could use when conducting a retrograde operation. These assets report on the
  disposition of fleeing enemy forces and on the movement of the enemy reserves as the pursuit develops. The
  tactical situation during a pursuit may become obscure because of its depth. Much of the information needed
  during a pursuit concerns areas and activities beyond the fleeing enemy force. Therefore, the information
  provided by higher echelon information collection assets can give a commander an understanding of what is
  beyond the enemy force. However, commanders need to confirm this information with reconnaissance
  enablers. They can determine—
  * The rearward movement of enemy sustainment forces.
  * The composition of retrograding forces and their direction of movement.
  * The composition and direction of movement of enemy reserves.
  * The nature of obstacles and intermediate defensive positions.
  Information about uncommitted enemy reserves and prepared positions is vital when a pursuit force may be
  approaching a culminating point; it may be the basis for terminating the pursuit.
  FIX THE ENEMY
  7-29. Keeping enemy forces from reconstituting and reorganizing an effective defense is critical to success.
  Constant pressure by direct pressure forces and echelon fire support systems disrupts and weakens enemy