Military Tactics and Strategy - Encirclement - Battle of Annihilation

Military Tactics
• Advancing • Retreating • Flanking Maneuver • Pincer Movement (pinch) • Feint
• Rotating your Forces (cycling) • Blitzkrieg • Breakthru • Leapfrogging
• Divide & Conquer • Center Peel • Infiltration • Encirclement • Breakout
• Bait & Bleed (camping) • Fabian Strategy

ENCIRCLEMENT | Military Tactics

Encirclement: to enclose within a circle; to surround_[26]

Encirclement
Encirclement occurs when an army is surrounded on two or more sides, leaving no easy options to retreat. Encirclement forces your adversary to attempt a risky breakout maneuver; or be faced with the possiblity of fighting a battle of annihilation.

Use terrain to your advantage, finding natural "choke-points" that will help you encircle the enemy

Encirclement rarely occurs in completely open terrain, so a commander must be aware of their surroundings and use impassable terrain such as water and mountains to their advantage. Encirclement is usually the result of other successfully executed tactics, such as the Flanking Maneuver, Pincer Movement, Feint, Blitzkrieg, Breakthru, and Infiltration to name a few. _[26¼]

Encirclement is as old as warfare itself, and can be referred to in many ways: pocket, entrapment, envelopment, kessel (German), motti (Finnish)._[27]

Uses in History
OBTAINING ENCIRCLEMENT AGAINST AN ENEMY FORCE IS ONE OF THE MOST ADVANTAGEOUS POSITIONS POSSIBLE

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• 216BC - Battle of Cannae
At Cannae, in southeastern Italy, Hannibal, leader of the Carthaginian forces, encountered a Roman army much larger than his own. Using his cavalry to destroy the enemy's wings, Hannibal formed his infantry in a hollow crescent, allowing the Romans to gain ground in the center as they advanced. In the meantime, his cavalry defeated the Roman soldiers on the flanks of the formation and then fell upon the Roman rear. The trap was closed as Hannibal's infantry surrounded the enemy on the remaining three sides. The Roman losses were more than 50,000; Hannibal's losses were fewer than 6,000. _[9¾]

North Africa

• 1940-43 - The North African Campaign
The war in the desert made Bernard Montgomery one of Britain's most famous generals, and gave the German General Erwin Rommel the nickname "Desert Fox". Greatly outnumbered and at a disadvantage due to the broken enigma code, Rommel entrenched his forces and "dug in" for siege warfare._[27¼]

Battle of Stalingrad

• 1942-43 - Battle of Stalingrad
On November 19, the Red Army unleashed Operation Uranus. The attacking Soviet units under the command of Gen. Nikolay Vatutin consisted of three complete armies, the 1st Guards Army, 5th Tank Army, and 21st Army, including a total of 18 infantry divisions, eight tank brigades, two motorized brigades, six cavalry divisions and one anti-tank brigade. The preparations for the attack could be heard by the Romanians, who continued to push for reinforcements, only to be refused again. Thinly spread, outnumbered and poorly equipped, the Romanian Third Army, which held the northern flank of German Sixth Army, was shattered. On November 20, a second Soviet offensive (two armies) was launched to the south of Stalingrad, against points held by the Romanian IV Corps. The Romanian forces, made up primarily of infantry, collapsed almost immediately. Soviet forces raced west in a pincer movement, and met two days later near the town of Kalach, sealing the ring around Stalingrad. _[9½]

Counter Tactics
TO OBTAIN ENCIRCLEMENT, COMMANDERS OFTEN MANEUVER INTO ENEMY TERRITORY, LEAVING THEM VULNERABLE TO COUNTER ATTACK

• Reconnaissance
It's a good idea to use some form of reconnaissance at all times, so that you have a reasonable degree of intel regarding the size and location of enemy forces. A variety of special ops, a spare supply truck, or a stray regiment can all accomplish this task. If you are informed of battlefield conditions you'll be prepared for enemy attacks wherever them may come.

• Retreating
If you are unprepared to defend against the size/scale of an attack, you can always concede some territory and retreat your front line forces to deal with the threat; before it becomes a logistical nightmare; or worse, encirclement.

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• Flanking Maneuver
Encirclement can be a risky tactic if not executed properly, as the flanking force(s) can be vulnerable to being flanked themselves. Use a secondary force to trail behind your main force, and if they try to "pinch", "pinch" them back!!

• Infiltration
If you can manage to infiltrate behind enemy lines to disrupt their supply lines, or attack critical cities/structures, an attacking army may reconsider an encirclement attempt.

• Terrain
Use impassable terrain such as mountains, and natural choke-points on the map, to your advantage. If your enemies must attack, make them attack in areas that are hard to operate in.

• Breakout
The breakout is an emergency retreat to avoid or escape from an enemy encirclement; keeping in mind that circumstances may dictate the necessity to sacrifice some of your forces, to save the majority. The best "breakout" is one that occurs before you are completely encircled. Keep your eyes on the battlefield and be ready to retreat at odd angles if necessary

In Axis and Allies RTS
IN A&A REGIMENTS CAN HEAL IF ALLOWED TO RETREAT - ENCIRCLEMENT IS THE BEST WAY TO ENSURE THEY DON'T LIVE TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY

A salient is the first part of the pincer movement, and occurs when an enemy is engaged from 3 sides.

The salient becomes the pincer movement (and in turn encirclement) when the flanks hook inward and block the path of retreat

• Feint
Use a diversionary maneuvers and/or attacks to lure the enemy into a trap, then launch your main attack and encircle the defenders.

• Use the "Fog of War" to your advantage
For encirclement tactics to be successful, it is imperative the enemy does not see you coming. Use any area that has not been supplied by enemy forces, and catch them by surprise!!

• Using Terrain
Using terrain properly can allow you to encircle an enemy force much larger than your own; as natural terrain barriers will help block their path of retreat.

• Pincer Movement (pinch)
The ultimate counter tactic against an overly agressive enemy, the Pincer Movement has been used for over 2000 years; to encircle invading forces. Let them advance, then encircle them.

• Hammer and Anvil
The hammer and anvil is like the pincer movement in reverse. The flanks attack first, infiltrating enemy territory to capture a location behind enemy lines, becoming the "anvil". As enemy forces turn to counter the threat, the main force attacks, acting as the "hammer". Any opposing forces are now caught in-between the "hammer and anvil".

• Operational Coordination
Operational Tactics are tactics and maneuvers coordinated with your allies, and when executed successfully, are usually more decisive in terms of victory; than tactics that occur in head-to-head isolation play. Once again communication is key, but play your cards right and you may be able to encircle an entire enemy division; instead of just a couple regiments.

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REFERENCES | Military Tactics

Encirclement

[09½]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Uranus
[09¾]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cannae
[26] Definition: Encircle - Websters New World Dictionary 1984 pg460
[26¼]

http://www.changingminds.org/disciplines/warfare/tactics/encirclement.htm
[26½]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_annihilation
[27]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encirclement
[27¼]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/launch_ani_north_africa_campaign.shtml

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