6-197. A delay operation can occur when a commander does not have enough friendly forces to attack or defend. It may also occur, based on a unit’s mission, in conjunction with a higher echelon commander’s intent. The decision to conduct a delay may not be based on the unit’s combat power, but because of other reasons. For example, during the performance of security tasks, a commander may conduct a delay as a shaping operation to draw an enemy into an area where the attacking enemy force is vulnerable to a counterattack. Another example is when a commander directs a delay as an economy of force measure to allow the commander to mass combat power and conduct offensive actions elsewhere.