Which fire team formation is a compact wedge used for mobility and close fire control at the fire team level?

• A. Fire Team Skirmishers Right/Left
• B. Squad Vee
• C. Fire Team Wedge
• D. Squad Column

Answer: (C)

The key idea here is how a fire team can move quickly while still keeping coordinated, controlled fire in close quarters. A compact wedge achieves that by forming a tight front with two flanks, giving the team speed and flexibility while ensuring each element can observe and engage threats on multiple axes. This arrangement lets the leader maintain contact, direct fire efficiently, and shift direction rapidly as the situation changes, which is essential for mobility at the fire team level and for close fire control.

The fire team wedge is specifically designed for that balance of speed and control: a compact footprint that still provides overlapping fields of fire and clear avenues for maneuver. In contrast, a fire team skirmishers right/left spreads the team wider to cover more ground, which reduces compactness and makes tight fire control harder to manage. A squad vee and squad column operate at the squad level or for different purposes—broader or single-file movement, respectively—so they don’t meet the requirement of a compact wedge used at the fire team level.