Tactical Maneuver: Infiltration Tactics - The Prepper Podcast

There are times in small unit warfare that infiltration tactics are needed. 

Infiltration is used when

you want to execute movement undetected

you want to move into and through enemy territory

you want to occupy an area

you want to position your group into the enemy’s rear area

to give an attack advantage.

Infiltration forces are lightly equipped and stealthy.

This allows them to slip through the front line for strategic attacks

Infiltration can NOT defeat the defense by itself, so it must be used as a supplement to another maneuver.

Modern infiltration tactics are heavily influenced by 3 main sources:

French Infiltration Tactics

Laffargue Infiltration Tactics

Hutier Infiltration Tactics

French Infiltration Tactics

1915

The Theory

the first wave of infantry penetrate as far as possible

follow-up waves then attack strong points. 

This was partially adopted in battle, but German counterattacks were difficult to reinforce or hold against.

Laffargue Infiltration Tactics

Captain Laffargue

French captain

Injured in battle of 1915

Proposed a better idea

The Theory

A small infantry unit with mobile firepower to deal with machine guns.

Penetrate gaps and weak points with heavy fire

Strong points would be temporarily neutralized by fire or smoke.

Then new waves would encircle and attack each one.

Hunter Infiltration Tactics

German General Oskar von Hutier

In 1918 used Laffargue’s insights to supplement his tactics

The Theory

First, a brief and violent artillery attack of the enemy front lines (suppress the positions)

Then, the artillery would be shifted to the enemy’s rear to disrupt

lines of communication

artillery

logistics

and command/control nodes

meant to

provide confusion

weaken counterattacks

weaken concentrated fires

weaken the ability to fill gaps/penetrations.

Then light infantry would

Evade and bypass fortified positions

identify gaps in the front line

be followed by more heavily armed units.

Then heavy units would attack the strong points and yet other forces would enter gaps shortly after to further attack the strong points, which would quicken the collapse of the entire front.

In 1918, this was successful against the British and French

TPP 130: Tactical Maneuver: Infiltration Tactics from Ken Jensen

Reasons to use Infiltration Tactics

Direct attack from lightly defended positions

To flank or rear attack strongly defended positions

Disrupt enemy operations

Reconnaissance or surveillance

If you are wanting to succeed at this, you must be a force that:

Has trained together

Established command and control

Is small for stealth

Is large enough to get out of trouble

Infiltration Lanes

We will stick with a single lane of infiltration since, in a defense position, you probably will only have a small force.

Rally Points

Rally Point is an easily identifiable object where the force can assemble or reorganize if dispersed

Rally points should be defensible as well as away from normal routes of movement.

Initial Rally Point

Assemble for initial instructions, behind friendly lines

En Route Rally Point