Land Nav Task 1 - Select a Movement Route Using a Map

1. Select the route that
makes the best use of terrain.

a. Your platoon spends
more time moving than fighting in
combat. Because a moving unit usually
contacts the enemy at a time and place
of the enemy’s choosing, you must use
terrain to your best advantage. Proper
use of terrain has two advantages:

(1) Cover and
concealment to protect the platoon
during movement.

(2) Maximum
effectiveness of the platoon’s
weapons.

b. To properly use
those advantages, you must understand
the military aspects of terrain and be
able to apply them to any given
situation, whether it be a defense, a
delay, or a road march behind the
forward edge of the battle area (FEBA).

c. 
The primary requirement for any
type of movement on the battlefield is
cover and concealment.

(1) Cover is any type
of shielding from the effects of
weapon fire, especially direct fire.
You must take advantage of every
ravine or depression in the ground to
protect and cover your force,
especially if you are forward of the
FEBA. You must evaluate the terrain,
the abilities of the enemy’s weapons
systems, and the position of known or
suspected enemy emplacement. Visualize
a cross section of the terrain and
determine where the enemy cannot place
effective direct fire on your proposed
route.

(2) Concealment is
anything that hides or disguises your
force. You must consider concealment
from both air and ground observation.
If you are mechanized, exhaust smoke
or dust can reveal your unit to the
enemy.

d.
If you are moving in an area
where contact with the enemy is
expected, you must ensure that your
proposed route can be covered by fire
from your overwatch or fire support
positions. Those positions must have
good observation and fields of fire.

(1) 
Direct fire weapons must have
good observation to fire known or
suspected enemy positions along your
movement route. You must have
observation to control the maneuver of
your elements, if they make contact.
Consider the effects of smoke and dust
from friendly and enemy fire.

(2) 
Select a route that gives your
unit the best field of fire. Your
machine guns and antitank weapons must
have good fields of fire to be
effective. They must be in a position
to provide suppressive fires
immediately. The crew-served weapons
to overwatching your movement must be
able to observe your route and fire in
your support all the way to the
objective. The overwatch positions
that you select must have unobstructed
fields of fire to the next overwatch
position.

2.  
Select the route that provides
the most favorable tactical advantage
and meets the mission requirements. If
enemy air is active or enemy ground
forces are in the area of the route,
you must take maximum advantage of
cover and concealment. If speed of
movement is critical, the route should
be over the most easily negotiable
terrain, avoiding difficult obstacles.
The route should include movement from
one easily distinguishable terrain
feature to another. When ordered to
move, you must check the terrain based
on the above considerations and select
the quickest and safest route.

3.  
Planning a route can be aided
by the use of special purpose maps and
aerial photographs. If those aids are
available, use them to ensure that you
have the most current information.

4.  
Map reconnaissance, however, is
no substitute for ground
reconnaissance. If time is available
and the tactical situation permits,
reconnoiter the route that you have to
move over.