What principle does OPFOR adhere to in order to maintain combat surprise?

To maintain combat surprise, OPFOR places a significant emphasis on secrecy in its strategies and movements. This principle is critical because the effectiveness of an unexpected offensive relies on keeping the enemy unaware of intentions, capabilities, and planned maneuvers. By ensuring that key operational details remain undisclosed, OPFOR can create confusion and hesitation within opposing forces, making it much more difficult for them to mount an effective defense or anticipate the next moves.

Effective combat surprise can influence the outcome of engagements by allowing OPFOR to exploit weaknesses in the enemy's defenses at the most opportune moments. Secrecy protects strategic plans from being compromised, which can include disguised troop movements, unanticipated locations for maneuvers, or the timing of attacks that take advantage of the element of surprise.

Other options such as regular updates of publicly available information, frequent communication with allied forces, and transparent operational planning would likely lead to predictability and preparedness on the part of the enemy, thereby undermining the fundamental goal of achieving surprise in combat scenarios.