Cutting off routes of escape and approach is a critical task. Isolating areas of the battlefield creates certainty which grants leverage and allows friendly troops to better control the flow of operations.

Tracking enemy movements and patterns provides insight which allows more accurate forecasting of enemy actions.

Being able to strategically modify the urban environment requires an intimate understanding of the battlefield, beyond what maps can provide. It requires characterizing the changing environments in terms of affordances for friends and foes.