CROSSING A DANGER AREA

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CROSSING A DANGER AREA
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DANGER AREA
A DANGER AREA IS ANY PLACE WHERE A MOVING ELEMENT
IS VULNERABLE TO ENEMY OBSERVATION OR FIRE.
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CONSIDERATIONS FOR DANGER AREAS

• A DANGER AREA SHOULD NOT BE IGNORED
• A UNIT SHOULD NOT SPEND MUCH TIME DEALING WITH
  A DANGER AREA
• UNITS DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT SHOULD NOT BE
  PARALLEL TO A DANGER AREA
• AVOID A DANGER AREA, IF POSSIBLE

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TYPES OF DANGER AREAS
LINEAR DANGER AREA - VULNERABLE TO ENEMY
OBSERVATION OR FIRE PREDOMINATELY FROM
FLANKS. OPEN AREA DANGER AREA - VULNERABLE TO
ENEMY OBSERVATION OR FIRE FROM THE FRONT AND
FLANKS.
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CROSSING A DANGER AREA
-THREE PHASES OF CROSSING DANGER AREAS a.
IDENTIFICATION - POINT MAN HALTS PATROL. -
PL DECIDES IT IS A DANGER AREA AND ACTIONS THE
PATROL WILL TAKE. b. FAR SIDE RECONNAISSANCE
- SCOUTING FIRE TEAM CONDUCTS
RECONNAISSANCE - SCOUTING TEAM NORMALLY
CONSISTS OF POINT MAN, COVER MAN, NAVIGATOR, AND
SECURITY TEAM LEADER. c. CROSSING-CONTROLLED
BY APL.
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ENEMY CONTACT DURING FAR SIDE RECONNAISSANCE

• IF THE ENEMY DETECTS THE SCOUTING FIRE TEAM ON
  THE FAR SIDE OF THE DANGER AREA
• THE FLANK SECURITY OPENS FIRE ON THE ENEMY.
• MAIN BODY OF PATROL TAKES UP AN OVER-WATCH
  POSITION AND FIRES ON ENEMY.
• SCOUTING FIRE TEAM BREAKS CONTACT WITH THE ENEMY
  AND REJOINS PATROL.
• SMOKE AND INDIRECT FIRES MAY BE USED TO SCREEN
  THE MOVEMENT OF THE PATROL TO A NEW LOCATION FOR
  CROSSING THE DANGER AREA.

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BOX SHAPED RECONNAISSANCE
50 - 60
50 - 60
RP
50 - 60
50 - 60
50 - 60
50 - 60
Danger Area
Near Side Flank Security
Near Side Flank Security
Patrol
Direction of Movement
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ZIGZAG RECONNAISSANCE
50 - 60
RP

50 - 60
Danger Area
Near Side Flank Security
Near Side Flank Security
Patrol
Direction of Movement
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CROSSING LINEAR DANGER AREA
DANGER AREA
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TRAVELING OVER-WATCH

Direction of Travel
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AVOIDING A DANGER AREA
PATROL ENCOUNTERS A DANGER AREA THAT THE PL
DECIDES TO GO AROUND, THE PATROL AVOIDS DANGER
AREA BY MAKING A SERIES OF 90-DEGREE AZIMUTH
CHANGES UNTIL THE PATROL BYPASSES THE DANGER
AREA.

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AVOIDING A DANGER AREA
3RD LEG
DANGER AREA
2ND LEG
1ST LEG
ORIGINAL DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT
(90-DEGREE OFFSET)
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ENEMY CONTACT AT DANGER AREAS
- PL WILL ALWAYS DESIGNATE NEAR AND FAR SIDE
RALLY POINTS TO AID IN THE REORGANIZATION OF THE
PATROL IF SEPARATED WHILE CROSSING A DANGER AREA.
- PL IS ONE OF THE FIRST TO CROSS A DANGER AREA
AND THE APL IS ONE OF LAST TO CROSS DANGER AREA,
SO IF THE PATROL BECOMES SEPARATED, THERE IS
LEADERSHIP ON BOTH SIDES.