Differentiate offensive maneuver from defensive maneuver in LSCO.

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In LSCO, the key difference between offensive and defensive maneuver is about who is shaping the decision cycle. Offensive maneuver aims to seize the initiative by moving to gain or control terrain and disrupt the enemy’s tempo and decision-making. It’s about pressure, tempo, and exploiting opportunities to break through or degrade the adversary’s ability to respond.

Defensive maneuver, on the other hand, focuses on preserving forces, denying the enemy’s success, and creating conditions for counteractions or a transition to a future attack. It emphasizes stability, protection of critical capabilities, and shaping the battlefield for a potential counterstrike or shift to offense later.

So the best description is that offense seeks initiative, terrain, and disruption of the enemy, while defense preserves forces, denies enemy success, and enables counteractions. The other notions—defense seeking the initiative, offense about preserving forces, or there being no difference—don’t match how LSCO uses maneuver to shape outcomes.