NR Marine Corps Tactics

Battle Drills
Marines have eleven standard 'battle drills', or situational reactions that apply almost universally to any combat situation. While they are almost never suitable for perfect template application in combat against an enemy force, they serve admirably in combat to help coordinate Marines and encourage adaptation and flexibility.

Battle Drill One: Platoon Attack / 1a. Squad Attack

The most basic Marine combat drill, Battle Drill one is a very flexible and simple employment of forces. When engaging in combat, half of the Marine force (a fire team, a squad, two squads) gets into a straight line, facing the enemy in various covering positions. They supply covering and suppressive fire while the remainder of the Marines- the Assault element- make a broad flanking maneuver to the left or right. They get in a line formation and at a signal, open fire from the side, effective trapped the enemy between the two units, which should form a rough 'L' shape. Coordinating with Support, they (Assault) push forward while the support team 'chases down' the presumably fleeing enemy with gunfire. When the combat leader decides Assault has moved far enough forward, Bravo moves up and double-checks the recently cleared area. They then secure the objective.

Battle Drill Two: React to Contact

This is merely an extension of Battle Drill One, except it is more reactionary. Upon being engaged, all Marines go prone or seek cover. Once the nature, direction, and volume of fire is determined, the leader makes the choice to assault or withdraw. If the decision to attack is made, Marines set up a base of fire using a Support element while the Assault element moves to flank the enemy, as detailed in Battle Drill One.

Battle Drill Three: Break Contact

In the event that the Marines are faced with overwhelming force, they may elect to withdraw and re-engage later. In this case, half or a third of the personnel will take up defensive positions and begin firing for suppression rather than accuracy. This allows the other forces to withdraw. At a signal, part of the withdrawing force will hold up, take a defensive posture, and cover the retreat of the other element as they make their retreat. Bounding backwards thusly, they can cover one another indefinately, assume new defensive positions, or if necessary consolidate and withdraw completely.

Battle Drill Four: React to Ambush

This battle drill, though used rarely, requires a great deal of practice. Upon an ambush from an overwhelming source, all Marines go prone in their position and seek cover. Once the nature and direction of fire is determined, all Marines get up at once and throw fragmentation and smoke grenades, then begin firing for suppressive effect. Once the enemy fire subsides, Marines fall back to a more defensive position, unless the commander notes that the enemy position is untenable and potentially defeatable.

Battle Drill Five: Knock Out Bunkers

Knocking out bunkers is dangerous, difficult work. Ideally bunkers are eliminated by air or artillery support. If that is not possible, however, then it falls to Marines to do the dirty work. Bunkers are typically hardened structures and well-defended. If possible, sharpshooters should be employed to keep personnel off heavy weapons while Marines attempt to approach or flank the bunker using individual movement techniquies such as low-crawling and moving through cover. Once Marines get close enough, either through careful dogged advance or moving along a blind-spot in the bunker defense, they should use grenades or satchel charges to knock out the defensive position so they can establish a positive foothold inside of the bunker itself and move all Marines into position.

Battle Drill Six: Enter Building/Clear Room

For this drill, Marines should be issues A280s, 36-Ts, or AA-8 breaching shotguns. Large, cumbersome weaponry should be stored or left behind, disabled. It requires Marines to break into four-man buddy teams. They 'stack' into a tight, shoulder to shoulder formation outside the door to the room, near the wall. One man, the last one in, moves to the door and prepares to either kick it, smash it, or blow it open using breaching charges. Once he is set, he gives a signal, which is returned. The door is breached and a stunner or fragmentation grenade is thrown into the room to disable or kill enemy personnel. The first man moves through the door and then laterally sideways, keeping his back to the wall and presenting his weapon to the room while attempting to move clear of the door as quickly as possible. The second man follows immediately on his heels, but 'button-hooks' at the door and moves down the opposite side of the near wall, clearing his sector. The third and fourth man follow suit, until the entire room is covered and pacified.

Battle Drill Seven: Enter/Clear a Trench

The element leader selects the point in the trench that will be their entry point. Marine heavy weapons conduct suppressive fire on that and adjoining locations while the assault element, typically 4-6 Marines, moves up as quickly as possible. Using grenades and small arms they secure the location, pulling security in both directions up and down the trench. Breaking into teams they sweep both directions down the trench, clearing out any gunners or threats to the platoon. Once a suitable area is secured, they send a signal back to the support element to begin advancing on the location and occupy it.

Battle Drill Eight: Conduct Initial Breach of a Mined Wire Obstacle

Similar to the trench-clearing operation, Marines select a tenable location in the obstacle. Two squads, one supporting, one assaulting, establish an attack formation on that position. Covering the approach by the assault element, support directs fire as necessary to cover their advance. Once in place, Assault team uses explosives, wire-cutters, or tools to disable or remove the obstacles. Once the path is secured, Assault provides cover and support for the Support team as they advance to the position.

Battle Drill Nine: Disabling Enemy Vehicles

A Marine element engages a tank or LAV with the intent to disable or destroy it. An element, supported by a repeating blaster or anti-tank weapon, engages the tank from the side. Once it has attracted the vehicle commander's intention, the element seeks cover while one or two Marines, armed with explosives, grenades, or incendiary devices, approaches the vehicle from a blind side. They may plant explosives on repulsorskids or energy tanks, throw incendiaries into viewports and firing holes, or board the vehicle and disable it with small arms or grenades.

Battle Drill Ten: Conducting an Ambush

Ambushes should be attempted whenever the opportunity presents themselves. They should be planned for locations where the enemy is naturally forced into a bottleneck, such as narrow streets, valleys, canyons, or bends in the road. Ideally, the road ahead of the enemy is mined or secured with anti-personnel devices. Sharpshooters should be placed in advantageous positions. A heavy repeating blaster should be positioned slightly behind and slightly in front of the designated 'kill zone' to maximize cross-fire. If possible, array Marine forces into an L-shaped wedge at the intersection or turn, giving them elevation when possible. Ensure that no Marines threaten one another with friendly fire. Ready anti-vehicle weaponry and place a scout at the various control points near the road. Once a scout can ensure that enemy forces are approaching the kill zone, he should give a signal to the concealed platoon. As soon as the enemy completely enters the 'kill zone', designed to maximize fire and casualties, the commander detonates the anti-personnel Claymore mines. Anti-tank gunners should endeavour to disable or destroy the vehicles nearest to the rear and front to limit enemy maneuverability, while all Marines engage suppressive fire for one minute or until all enemy forces are disabled or destroyed.

Battle Drill Eleven: Engaging in Zero-G combat

Marines are experts in Zero-G assaults and combat. They are broken into two-man maneuvering teams, armed with magnetic grapples and tethered to one another. The assault leader will activate his magnetic grapple and engage the hull of the target vessel, pulling the entire element via tether-chains or individual maneuvering devices along with him. Once in place, breaching charges are set in a 1.5m diameter circle at the breach point. Marines withdraw to a safe distance and set the charges to blow. Once a hole is established, the Marines pour in through the breach, using the atmospheric differences to engage a foothold on the enemy vessel for more Marines to enter through or to begin moving towards the next objective.