What is the secondary purpose of an ambush?

The secondary purpose of an ambush is harassment. This objective revolves around creating ongoing disruption and psychological impact on the enemy. While the primary goal of an ambush is often to inflict damage and destroy enemy forces, harassment serves to undermine the enemy's morale, hamper their mobility, and create confusion and instability within their ranks. By continuously engaging the enemy in small but impactful ways, a unit conducting ambush operations can maintain the upper hand, forcing the enemy to remain alert and cautious, which may lead them to alter their movements or deployments due to the constant threat.

In contrast, destruction focuses solely on neutralizing enemy personnel and equipment, enjoyment is not relevant to military tactics, and sustainment refers more to maintaining logistical and operational capabilities rather than engaging the enemy. Therefore, understanding ambush tactics includes recognizing how the act not only serves immediate combat objectives but also facilitates longer-term operational advantages through harassment.