Which of the following is NOT a basic element of a military map?

In the context of military maps, basic elements are fundamental features that provide essential information for navigation and orientation. The title, scale, and grid lines are all critical components used for understanding the map’s purpose, measuring distances, and locating positions, respectively.

The title of a map indicates what the map represents, giving context about the area covered. The scale allows users to relate the distances on the map to actual distances in the field, which is crucial for planning movements or operations. Grid lines provide a coordinate system that can help in pinpointing precise locations on the map, facilitating navigation.

While colors are used on maps to convey various types of information, such as distinguishing between different types of terrain or political boundaries, they are not considered a fundamental element. Colors enhance the map's usability and help in identifying features at a glance, but they do not provide the foundational information needed to understand the map's basic geographic context or utility in navigation. Thus, colors are important but are not part of the primary elements that must be present on a military map.