Which of the following is not a characteristic of the offense?

Stagnation is not a characteristic of the offense because it implies a lack of movement or progress. In military strategy, particularly in offensive operations, the goal is to maintain momentum and initiative. Offenses are designed to create opportunities and exploit weaknesses, which requires active engagement and continuous movement towards the objective. Characteristics like surprise, concentration, and tempo support the effectiveness of an offense by keeping the opponent off-balance, allowing forces to concentrate their strength at critical points, and maintaining a fast pace to capitalize on opportunities. In contrast, stagnation would hinder offensive capability by allowing the enemy to regroup or reinforce, thus undermining the fundamental purpose of conducting an offensive operation.