ADP 3-90, page 47

The Offense 31 July 2019 ADP 3-90 3-7 sequence once the series is initiated. Commanders use target series and target groups in various combinations as required. (A target can also be a person, place, or thing, such as a tank or a group of people against which messages are directed.) Target control measures also apply in the defense. TIME OF ATTACK 3-38. The time of attack is the moment the leading elements of the main body cross the line of departure, or in a limited-visibility attack, the point of departure. A commander uses it when conducting simultaneous operations where a shaping operation must accomplish its mission to create the conditions for success of the decisive operation. When determining the time of attack, commanders consider the time subordinates require to—  Conduct necessary reconnaissance, prepare plans, and issue orders.  Synchronize plans between all subordinate units.  Complete attack preparations, such as pre-combat checks and inspections.  Move to an LD or a point of departure. Commanders designate the time of attack in orders. This is generally when the main body crosses an LD. However, the headquarters planning the offense specifies the term’s exact meaning. COMMON OFFENSIVE PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS 3-39. Commanders understand, visualize, describe, and direct. They understand their AO, their mission, and the capabilities of their forces. Commanders create shared understanding by developing and issuing planning guidance based on their visualization of how to solve tactical problems. They then direct COA development and execution of the plan. 3-40. An attacking force’s principal advantage is the initiative. Having the initiative allows commanders to select the time, place, and methods used by attacking forces. An attacking commander has the opportunity to develop a plan and concentrate the capabilities of subordinate forces in a specific manner, time, and location that is most disadvantageous to an enemy force. Commanders focus on attacking the right combination of targets to accomplish the mission at the least cost. They create exploitable opportunities through rapid, violently executed, and unpredictable attacks that minimize an enemy force’s ability to respond. 3-41. Each battle or engagement has unique characteristics, such as the types of weapons, degree of tactical mobility, and the influence of various capabilities across multiple domains. The commanders most likely to enjoy tactical success are those able to visualize the battlefield, understand the implications of existing friendly and enemy dispositions, and take effective action first. Commanders maintain this momentum by following up attacks quickly to deny enemy forces any opportunity to adjust or adapt to the new situation. The tempo of friendly operations must be fast enough to prevent effective enemy counteraction. Commanders maintain pressure by adjusting combinations of friendly capabilities to exploit initial gains and create further dilemmas for an enemy commander. COMMAND AND CONTROL 3-42. Commanders, assisted by their staffs, integrate numerous processes and activities within their headquarters and across the force as they exercise command and control. A commander’s intent and mission, in the context of the mission variables, determine the concept of operations. The concept of operations expands on the commander’s intent by describing how the commander wants the force to accomplish the mission. It states the principal tasks required, the responsible subordinate units, and the ways principal tasks complement one another. (See ADP 6-0 for a discussion of command and control.) Operations Process 3-43. Commanders assign missions commensurate with the capabilities of the units in their task organization. The commander’s role in the operations process is to understand, visualize, describe, direct, lead, and assess the performance of tasks by their units.