Tactical land movement

Tactical land movement covers a range of formations and techniques used by ground combat forces, which depend on whether efficient movement, security, or combat is the priority. Units change formations at various phase lines (PL)

Movement and maneuver are different things. Maneuver is a more complex tactical exercise intended to cause the enemy to act in ways most advantageous to one's own forces, and is specific to individual battlefield situations. Movement techniques are standard operating procedures. "Fire and maneuver" are complementary concepts; GEN George Patton spoke of "holding the enemy by the nose with fire while kicking him in the rear with maneuver." Covering fire deprives an enemy unit, being fired upon, of the opportunity to maneuver.

Even in a relatively safe situation, command and control elements should be distributed in the formation, so a single less-than-catastrophic attack will not leave the unit leaderless.

Traveling

In a traveling movement, all components of the unit move at once. Enemy contact is considered unlikely. An infantry unit leads, followed by the commander; the trailing unit is usually also infantry, with the deputy commander just ahead of it.

Traveling overwatch

When speed is important but there is a possibility of enemy contact, the traveling overwatch technique is appropriate. The unit is split into lead and trail elements, which must stay in constant visual or electronic contact. While the lead element moves continuously, the trail element moves at various speeds, and may stop so it can best cover the lead element in situations where contact is considered very likely.

Covering means that the trail element is ready to provide immediate suppressive fire on the enemy, giving the lead unit the opportunity to maneuver.

Overall, this is a flexible formation. When contact is especially likely, the unit should shift into bounding overwatch.