[b]Fire and Maneuver[/b] 

The preceding portion of this essay covers how organizations evolved based on advances in technology. Coupled together, they had a significant impact on tactics as well.

The Basic Tactic is called "Fire and Maneuver". The Korean Symbol of Balance; the Ying and the Yang are the Fire (Ying) and Maneuver (Yang) or the hammer and the anvil. In the early 19th Century, European Armies, bombarded the opposing Forces (OPFOR) with massive concentrated Artillery fire. Behind the Artillery came the charging Cavalry. Both the Artillery and the Cavalry sought to create gaps in the enemy lines. The Infantry needed to follow the Cavalry close behind in order to exploit those gaps. If they could put forces on the enemy flanks increasing the volume of fire placed on the enemy, it would cause them to either run away or die in place (DIP).

As technology and organizations change so does the application of this simple technique of "Fire and Maneuver". Originally, it was entire Divisions or Corps doing the maneuver. By the mid 19th Century, it was Battalions and Regiments doing the Fire and Maneuver in massed formations. One battalion stands and fires at the enemy while another Battalion advances. The first Battalion creates a Base of Fire Element (Fire) while the sister Battalion attempts to find advantageous ground. When it does, then the two swap roles and the 2nd Battalion lays down a base of fire while the original battalion moves forward.

Once machine guns were introduced and integrated at the Company and Platoon level, then the Fire and Maneuver technique was applied to squads, platoons and companies. During WWII, a machine gun section reinforced by a rifle squad could lay down a base of fire while the remaining two squads of a platoon maneuver around to the side of an enemy; thereby gaining the advantage.

When Fire teams were created in the 1960's, the application of fire and maneuver then fell upon the squad itself. A team lays down a base of fire while B Team moves to the advantageous ground.

In 1805 it was a French Field Marschal making key battle field decisions and on the modern battlefield, it is the Staff Sergeant and Lieutenant making the key battlefield decisions. This is the  evolution of organization and tactics as defined by the changes in technology.