 Possession of Caen and its surroundings would give Second Army jumping-off points to attack southwards and capture Falaise, which would in turn act as a pivot for a swing right to advance on Argentan and then the Touques River.The terrain between Caen and Vimont was open, dry and conducive to swift offensive operations.Since the Allied forces greatly outnumbered the Germans in tanks and mobile units, a mobile battle was to their advantage.