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The Official US Army Small Unit Tactics Handbook - Infantry Platoon and Squad
Complete and Unabridged
An incredible 820+ pages of tactical infantry content: everything you need at your fingertips, no omissions.
Large 7" x 10" Size
Big desktop format means no more squinting at small images and text. Perfect for your training center or professional library!
Created and Trusted by US Military Forces
Benefit from decades of hard-won experience operating and fighting in the most challenging environments around the world - learn from the best!
The Official US Army Small Unit Tactics Handbook - Infantry Platoon and Squad
Updated & Expanded, Current Edition - Giant 820+ Pages, Big 7"x10" Format, Complete & Unabridged - ATP 3-21.8 (FM 3-21.8 / ATTP 3-21.71 / ATTP 3-21.9)
Paperback Book
Carlile Military Library
Available Now
THE LAND WARRIOR'S COMPREHENSIVE COMPANION
- The indispensable field manual for the Infantry Soldier, Special Forces operator, military contractor, or prepper.
- MAMMOTH 820+ pages!
- Updated and expanded - current edition.
- Full-size edition - LARGE 7" x 10" FORMAT: clear, detailed text & illustrations.
- Created and trusted by US military forces: United States Army Maneuver Center of Excellence (MCoE).
- Complete & Unabridged.
- IMPORTANT: this is not the older, outdated field manual (FM 3-21.8) with only 600 pages that is often offered for sale - or the even older FM 7-8 - this is the current, up-to-date ATP 3-21.8. Don't be fooled!
- "Batteries last hours, books last decades: get the print edition!"
Infantry Soldiers have been the backbone of every army throughout history. Being the most fundamental and enduring of military occupations, the foot-soldier's art has been honed by centuries of warfighting around the world.
These skills, therefore, should be studied not only by the Infantryman but by anyone who wishes to be well-prepared for potential combat, whatever their profession or specialty.
With an incredible 820+ pages of tightly-written and profusely-illustrated material, this unique book provides the reader with a complete understanding of the strategy, tactics, techniques and tools of modern land warfare from the perspective of the small unit leader.
"The primary mission of the Infantry platoon and squad is to close with the enemy by means of fire and maneuver to destroy, capture, or repel an assault by fire, close combat, and counterattack. In order to succeed, Infantry platoons and squads are aggressive, physically fit, disciplined, and well-trained. The inherent strategic mobility of Infantry units dictates a need to be prepared for rapid deployment in response to situations in different operational environments" - From the first chapter.
ORGANIZATION: OPERATIONAL OVERVIEW - ROLE OF THE INFANTRY RIFLE PLATOON & SQUAD - ROLE OF THE MECHANIZED INFANTRY PLATOON & SQUAD - ROLE OF THE STRYKER INFANTRY PLATOON & SQUAD - COMPANY ORGANIZATIONS
OFFENSE: CONDUCT OF THE OFFENSE - COMMON OFFENSIVE PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS - COMBAT FORMATIONS - MOVEMENT TECHNIQUES - ACTIONS ON CONTACT - MOVEMENT TO CONTACT - ATTACK - OPERATION DURING LIMITED VISIBILITY - BATTLEFIELD OBSCURATION - TRANSITIONS
DEFENSE: BASICS OF THE DEFENSE - COMMON DEFENSIVE PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS - FORMS OF THE DEFENSE - FIGHTING POSITIONS - ENGAGEMENT AREA DEVELOPMENT - TRANSITIONS
STABILITY: OVERVIEW OF STABILITY - PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS - UNIFIED ACTION PARTNERS - TACTICAL ACTIONS AND TASKS IN SUPPORT OF STABILITY - TRANSITIONS
MOVEMENT: TROOP MOVEMENT - ROUTE SELECTION & NAVIGATION - ACTIONS AT DANGER AREAS - RELIEF IN PLACE - PASSAGE OF LINES - LINKUP - MOVEMENT WITH COMBAT VEHICLES - SECURITY - OTHER MOVEMENT SITUATIONS
PATROLS & PATROLLING: OVERVIEW - PATROL PREPARATIONS - COMBAT PATROLS - RECONNAISSANCE PATROLS - POST-PATROL ACTIVITIES
SUSTAINMENT: RESPONSIBILITIES - SOLDIER, COMBAT, AND UNIT BASIC LOADS - FUNCTIONS OF SUSTAINMENT
APPENDICES: PLANNING - DIRECT FIRE PLANNING & CONTROL - INDIRECT FIRE SUPPORT PLANNING - SECURITY - VEHICLE EMPLOYMENT CONSIDERATIONS - MACHINE GUN EMPLOYMENT - SHOULDER-LAUNCHED MUNITIONS & CLOSE COMBAT MISSILE SYSTEMS - OBSTACLE REDUCTION & EMPLOYMENT - CBRN OPERATIONS - SELECTED BATTLE DRILLS/CREW DRILLS
Information purposes only.
Proudly published in the U.S.A. by CARLILE MEDIA.
ISBN/SKU: 1718937717
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Before You Buy
Q: Who is this book for?
A: This handbook is a strong choice for infantry soldiers, small-unit leaders, military professionals, contractors, instructors, researchers, preppers, wargamers, and readers who want a detailed understanding of how U.S. Army infantry platoons and squads operate. It is particularly useful for anyone studying practical small-unit tactics rather than strategy at a higher organizational level.
Q: What does the handbook cover?
A: It covers the organization and role of infantry platoons and squads, offensive and defensive operations, combat formations, movement techniques, actions on contact, stability operations, patrols, reconnaissance, route selection, security, sustainment, fire support, machine-gun employment, obstacles, CBRN operations, and selected battle drills.
Q: Is this mainly a patrol and patrolling manual?
A: No. Patrols are an important part of the book, but the scope is much broader. It explains how platoons and squads organize, move, attack, defend, maintain security, work with supporting weapons, and sustain themselves across a wide range of tactical situations.
Q: Does it cover both light and mechanized infantry?
A: Yes. The handbook addresses traditional infantry rifle platoons and squads as well as mechanized and Stryker infantry organizations. That makes it useful for readers who want to understand how small-unit tactics vary depending on mobility, vehicles, weapons, and mission.
Q: What makes this different from a general military tactics book?
A: The focus is deliberately practical and close to the ground. Rather than discussing warfare mainly in terms of campaigns or strategic theory, it explains what small units actually do: how they form, move, react to contact, plan fires, establish security, conduct patrols, attack positions, defend terrain, and transition between tasks.
Q: Is this the older FM 7-8 or FM 3-21.8 manual?
A: No. This edition presents the later ATP 3-21.8 material that replaced the older infantry platoon and squad field manuals. It is substantially expanded and reflects the Army's more modern treatment of small-unit operations.
Q: Is this useful to civilian readers?
A: Yes, particularly for readers interested in military doctrine, history, preparedness, fiction writing, wargaming, or professional study. The handbook provides direct access to the terminology, planning methods, formations, tactical tasks, and decision-making framework used by Army infantry units.
Q: Does the book include practical planning and reference material?
A: Yes. In addition to the main chapters, it includes detailed appendices on planning, direct and indirect fire, security, vehicle employment, machine guns, shoulder-launched weapons, obstacles, CBRN operations, and selected battle drills. This makes it useful as a reference as well as a book to study systematically.
Q: Why choose this edition?
A: At more than 820 pages, this is an unusually comprehensive treatment of infantry platoon and squad operations. The 7 × 10-inch format provides considerably more room for the dense text, diagrams, tables, and tactical material than a compact pocket reproduction, making it better suited to serious study and repeated reference.
Publication Details & Specifications
| Format | Paperback |
|---|---|
| Series | Carlile Military Library |
| Official designations | ATP 3-21.8 / FM 3-21.8 / ATTP 3-21.71 / ATTP 3-21.9 |
| Edition | Updated and expanded, current full-size large-print edition |
| Print length | 822 pages |
| Dimensions | 7 × 1.86 × 10 inches |
| Item weight | 3.42 pounds |
| Language | English |
| Publication date | May 17, 2018 |
| ISBN-10 | 1718937717 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1718937710 |
| Content | Complete and unabridged |
| Source | United States Army Maneuver Center of Excellence |
| Edition status | Current ATP 3-21.8 edition, replacing the older FM 3-21.8 and FM 7-8 material |
| Unit coverage | Light, mechanized, and Stryker infantry platoons and squads |
| Operations covered | Offense, defense, stability operations, troop movement, patrolling, reconnaissance, security, and sustainment |
| Planning and fire support | Direct-fire planning and control, indirect-fire support, security, vehicle employment, machine guns, shoulder-launched munitions, close-combat missile systems, and obstacle reduction |
| Additional coverage | CBRN operations, selected battle drills and crew drills, movement techniques, actions on contact, fighting positions, danger areas, passage of lines, and linkup operations |
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