nine different combinations to be practised
- well, perhaps 8? There is always a deputy lead - in my time I was cleared to lead 8 down to 500', but I don't think I would EVER have dreamt of putting on any sort of display! I don't expect I would have had more than a couple still with me after a couple of manoeuvres
More a 'get-you-home' function.
In your example, it is down to the team/command structure to handle that decision 'on the day'.