A military engagement can be defined generally as combat between two forcesneither larger than a division nor smaller than a companyin which each has an assigned or perceived mission, or broadly as a physical confrontation between belligerents. An engagement begins when the attacking force initiates combat in pursuit of its mission, and ends when the attacker has accomplished the mission, or ceases to try to accomplish the mission, or when one or both sides receive sufficient reinforcements, thus initiating a new engagement.p.65, Dupuy
As a tactical mission, the engagement is often a part of a battle. An engagement normally lasts one to two days; it may be as brief as a few hours and is rarely longer than five days.p.67, Simpkin It is at this scale of combat that tactical engagement ranges of weapons and support systems become important to the troops and their commanders.pp.65-66, Dupuy
See also Meeting engagement Military campaign
References
Sources Dupuy, T.N. (Col. ret.), Understanding war: History and Theory of combat, Leo Cooper, London, 1992 Simpkin, Richard, Race to the Swift: Thoughts on Twenty-first Century Warfare. Foreword by Donn A. Starry. London: Brassey's Defence, 1985. .