A tactical graphic is composed of an icon and may include additional components.

Tactical graphics, also known as military operations graphics, can be point, line, or polygons and represent command/control and mission planning and operations features. MIL-STD-2525B Change 2 and APP-6A define tactical graphics as point, line, and area objects that are necessary for battlefield planning and management but cannot be presented as force elements alone.

Labels are also known as attributes in the feature-based approach for creating graphics because they are stored as data fields in an attribute table.

In addition to components, you can use the MOLE application programming interface (API) to add or edit labels (modifiers), such as parent name, altitude/depth, or the direction of movement indicator.

In the case of friendly-affiliated graphics and, to a lesser extent, hostile-affiliated, unknown, and pending graphics, the shape is also determined by the battle dimension of the graphic being represented.

The shape and color of the frame change according to the force element's affiliation.

Echelon and mobility indicators are positioned outside the frame.

A force element is composed of an icon, frame (shape), and fill and can include additional components that provide information about the symbol's affiliation, battle dimension, echelon, mobility, status, and mission.

Military specifications dictate the following:

Force elements, also known as tactical symbols or force units, are points that represent military units, installations, and equipment. MIL-STD-2525B Change 2 and APP-6A define force elements as point objects that present information that can be pinpointed in one location at a particular time.

Regardless of the approach you use to create MOLE graphics, they are divided into the following two main categories, force elements and tactical graphics:

Army symbology graphics