A phase in combat is usually a period within a

military operation A military operation is the coordinated military actions of a state, or a non-state actor, in response to a developing situation. These actions are designed as a military plan to resolve the situation in the state or actor's favor. Operations ...

of a longer duration that is a part of a serial chain of logically connected activities planned to culminate in a defined objective or goal. A phase is usually marked by achievement of significant intermediary objectives, such as tactical within an

engagement An engagement or betrothal is the period of time between the declaration of acceptance of a marriage proposal and the marriage itself (which is typically but not always commenced with a wedding). During this period, a couple is said to be ''fi ...

. A phase may be either limited by time allocated for its execution, or unlimited in time, and defined only by achievement of the objective. At the

strategic Strategy (from Greek στρατηγία ''stratēgia'', "art of troop leader; office of general, command, generalship") is a general plan to achieve one or more long-term or overall goals under conditions of uncertainty. In the sense of the "art ...

level, a phase continue for years. Not all phases of

combat Combat (French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent conflict meant to physically harm or kill the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed ( not using weapons). Combat is sometimes resorted to as a method of self-defense, or ...

include fighting between

armed forces A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...

. Phases can, and usually do overlap, and sometimes can be planned for parallel execution, often as part of deception planning. Phases typically found in offensive military operations are: Preparation *

Intelligence gathering This is a list of intelligence gathering disciplines. HUMINT Human intelligence (HUMINT) are gathered from a person in the location in question. Sources can include the following: * Advisors or foreign internal defense (FID) personnel wor ...

phaseAlso known as

reconnaissance In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities. Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops ( skirmishe ...

* Operations planning phase *

Logistics management Logistics is generally the detailed organization and implementation of a complex operation. In a general business sense, logistics manages the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of consumption to meet the requirements of ...

phase *

Deception Deception or falsehood is an act or statement that misleads, hides the truth, or promotes a belief, concept, or idea that is not true. It is often done for personal gain or advantage. Deception can involve dissimulation, propaganda and sleight o ...

and

counterintelligence Counterintelligence is an activity aimed at protecting an agency's intelligence program from an opposition's intelligence service. It includes gathering information and conducting activities to prevent espionage, sabotage, assassinations or ...

phase * Assembly phase Conduct * Initial ( combat assault) phase * Breakthrough phase Exploitation * Follow-on (support) phase * Pursuit phase * Objective security phase * Position consolidation phase * Defensive phase * Reorganisation phase * A lull in combat (usually unplanned) Stability * Enable civil authorities

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References

Military theory Military strategy Military tactics {{mil-stub