Atactical area of responsibility (TAOR)[1] is a prescribed area in a theatre of combat which has been assigned to aunit commander who is responsible for, and has the authority to act on, the development and maintenance of installations and the conduct oftactical operations, area defence, coordination of support, and for conducting patrols. The TAOR can be as large asdivisional or as small as aplatoon's in size.
A modernmechanised infantry division can have a TAOR of as much as 200 km in width of front, and 120 km in depth.[2] By comparison the entireBattle of Waterloo was fought on a relatively short front at two and a half miles (4.0 km).
