Leading small groups
Leading small tactical units.
Handout of the command course on 07-10-2011 at the Great Shaft (HIKG) by Friedrich Hinrichs von Heydenwall.
Leading small groups (De)
Course content
- What is small group in free fencing?
- What is tactics?
- What is leadership?
The Small Group
A small group is the unit on the field that fights together and receives and executes independent orders from the main command. It is usually between 10 and 30 in size. A small group has its own leadership. A small group is usually made up of a training group or a combat alliance.
Tactics are:
- The art of deploying a group in an appropriate order of battle.
- The coordinated application of all the resources of a group to achieve the specific objective. Coordinated is the fighting force and method, related to place and time.
Communication, movement and combat power
Leadership Tasks
Trainer, coordinator/motivator, spokesperson.
plan, coordinate, control, communicate!
Making decisions!
„Know what's going on,
do what works. „
Much of this requires experience, which must be gained through constant training.
What is the role of leadership during combat?
To determine the combat power and type, relative to place and time.
What is the task of leadership before combat?
The guidance to develop the operational capabilities of the group.
Flow of the management cycle in relation to events
Before the event
Training a group with an event in mind.
Before the battle
Establish chain of command
Weapons check
Reporting to the main command
Planning with the main command
Informing about the plan and what may follow.
Before the battle
Organize the group (deployment)
Motivation puschen
During the battle
Steps of commanding
- Determining the situation and possibilities.
- Planning of actions, search for victory
- Commanding
- Control of the execution
Commands should be: Brief, Understandable, Distinguishable, and Addressed. Give orders when there may be doubt about what to do. This provides security and peace of mind.
To be noted: Those in combat attachment are more difficult to address.
Phases of combat
Phase 1: First meeting - First clash - Winning the first initiative.
Phase 2: Second encounter - Keeping or gaining the second initiative.
Phase 3: Clean up (Clear the Fields/ Chaos Zone)
Initiative is the activity that is not a reaction solely for defensive purposes.
After Combat
Follow up: What happened?
What can individuals do better?
→ Before the event