What term describes the movement of military forces to gain a positional advantage?

The term that describes the movement of military forces to gain a positional advantage is maneuver. This concept focuses on the tactical movement of troops and assets in order to achieve a favorable position over an adversary, allowing for enhanced operational effectiveness and strategic options.

Maneuver involves not just movement for movement's sake, but also strategic planning to outflank or encircle the opponent, thereby maximizing the chances of success in combat. It emphasizes the importance of positioning in military strategy, whether in terms of physical terrain, resources, or the element of surprise.

The other options, while related to military tactics and strategies, describe different concepts. Offensive refers to operations that seek to attack or gain a goal aggressively, rather than the spatial or positional movements associated with maneuver. Unity of Command focuses on the organizational principle that a single commander should direct forces to ensure coherence and consistency in operations. Surprise involves executing a plan in such a way that the opponent is caught off-guard, but this does not specifically address the aspect of physical movement to gain an advantageous position.