What are the three basic defensive tasks?

The three basic defensive tasks outlined in military doctrine are Area Defense, Mobile Defense, and Retrograde.

Area Defense involves securing and defending a specific area against enemy forces while leveraging the strengths of terrain and positions, allowing for a strong point from which to resist attacks. This task typically emphasizes holding ground and may include various strategies to repel an enemy assault.

Mobile Defense focuses on maneuvering forces to disrupt and defeat an enemy through counterattacks and coordinated movements, rather than holding fixed positions. This approach allows for flexibility and adaptability in response to enemy actions, often involving withdrawal or repositioning to engage at a more favorable location.

Retrograde encompasses actions like withdrawal, delay, and advance to the rear. This task aims to preserve combat power and reposition forces while maintaining the initiative as much as possible. It can involve pulling back while still outmaneuvering the enemy or delaying their advance to buy time.

These tasks encompass the core strategies and objectives of defensive operations across various combat scenarios, providing commanders with a framework to respond effectively to threats while maintaining the integrity of their forces.