Technique of modern tactics

THE PREPARATION AND SOLUTION OF TACTICAL PROBLEMS 18-36 PRINCIPLES GOVERNING THE SOLUTION OF TACTICAL PROBLEMS (table) 18 THE APPLICATORY SYSTEM OF MILITARY INSTRUCTION 19 Kinds...

FIELD ORDERS 37-44 Forms for orders. Verbiage of orders, how acquired 37-38 Administrative and routine matters 38 What to include in orders 38-39 Detailed instructions usually i...

PATROLLING 45-55 CLASSIFICATION OF PATROLS 45 COMPOSITION AND STRENGTH. Commander 45 Mounted and dismounted patrols. Auto patrols 45-47 Functions of mounted orderlies 46 Cavalry...

ADVANCE GUARDS 56-69 STRENGTH AND COMPOSITION 56-58 Advance guards of various organizations 56 Machine guns 56 Mounted men. Advance guard cavalry. Duties 56 Engineers. Signal an...

REAR GUARDS. FLANK GUARDS 70-82 STRENGTH AND COMPOSITION OF REAR GUARDS IN RETREAT 70-72 Rear guard on a forward march and in retreat 70 Delaying actions 70 Reinforcements of re...

MARCHES. CHANGE OF DIRECTION OF MARCH. CAMPS AND BIVOUACS 83-94 ARRANGEMENT OF TROOPS ON THE MARCH 83-84 Marches in peace time 83 Intermingling of foot and mounted troops 83 Aut...

CONVOYS 95-108 Definition of convoy 95 Vulnerability of a convoy. Limit of size. Straggling 95 Flank marches by convoys. Moving trains on separate road 95 General rule for posit...

ARTILLERY TACTICS 109-148 MATERIEL OF LIGHT FIELD ARTILLERY, U. S. ARMY 109-110 Subdivisions of a battery 109 Signal equipment. Ammunition 109 Description of carriage and sights...

CAVALRY TACTICS 144-169 USES OF CAVALRY IN CAMPAIGN SUMMARIZED 144 Improper uses of cavalry. Division of the cavalry forces 144 Conservation of energies of men and horses. Night...

OUTPOSTS 170-203 DUTIES OF THE OUTPOST 170 Outpost in advance and retreat, how detailed 170 STRENGTH AND COMPOSITION 170-174 General rule for strength of outpost 170 Considerati...

COMBAT. ATTACK AND DEFENSE 204-247 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS 204-205 Offensive and defensive tactics 204 Raw troops, how utilized 204 Passive defense--when to be adopted 204 Fire sup...

THE ORGANIZATION OF A DEFENSIVE POSITION 248-276 Field and permanent fortification 248 Defensive principles applicable to portions of an extended line 248 Small forces in intren...

COMBAT--ATTACK AND DEFENSE OF A RIVER LINE, WITHDRAWAL FROM ACTION, RENCONTRE, DELAYING ACTION, PURSUIT, NIGHT ATTACKS, MACHINE GUNS 277-307 Mountain ranges, deserts and rivers...

A POSITION IN READINESS 308-317 When to assume a position in readiness. Examples 308 CONSIDERATIONS PRIOR TO THE OCCUPATION OF A POSITION IN READINESS 308-309 Cross roads. Cover...

SANITARY TACTICS 318-323 SANITARY PERSONNEL AND MATERIEL WITH COMBATANT TROOPS 318 GENERAL DUTY OF THE SANITARY UNITS 318 Capacities of ambulance companies and field hospitals 3...

THE RIFLE IN WAR 324-336 Location of firing line with respect to geographical and military crests 324 The skyline 324 Grazing effect and plunging fire 324 Firing line in retreat...

DIVISION TACTICS AND SUPPLY 337-380 MARCHES 337-344 Length of a day’s march. Marching rate. Rest days 337 Strength of advance guard. Splitting tactical units 337 Different arms...

AIR CRAFT AND MOTOR VEHICLES IN WAR 381-390 History of development 381 Precursors of air craft of today 381 Aeroplanes and airships 381 Development of scope in military operatio...

The solution of practical problems in tactics, either on the map or on the terrain, constitutes what is known as the applicatory method of instruction. It is the method followed...

_General Remarks._ The composition of field orders is so important a feature of nearly every problem that the student may well devote a considerable amount of study and _practic...

_Classification._ Patrols are classified according to their uses as tactical or strategical (discussed under “Cavalry Tactics”), security or information. Combat patrols are plac...

_Strength and Composition._ The strength of an advance guard in actual campaign, is from 1-3 to 1-20 of command, usually nearer the former figure. In general, for a company, 1 p...

_Strength and Composition._ A rear guard is practically the inverse of an advance guard, its distribution and arrangements are quite similar. On a forward march (toward the enem...

(a) The independent cavalry. (b) The advance guard. (c) The main body. (d) The flank guard. (e) The rear guard. (f) The train (including field hospitals, ammunition, supply and...

A convoy is a train of wagons or motor trucks, not regularly attached to any body of troops, with its escort. The term “convoy” is sometimes used for the wagons alone, not inclu...

The combat train includes the 3 remaining caisson sections and the battery and store wagons. The 9th section comprises the battery and store wagons and 4 field wagons. In subdiv...

(h) When none of the above rôles have been assigned to it cavalry may go to the assistance (dismounted) of hard pressed infantry to fill gaps in the firing line.

_Duties._ The duties of an outpost are to protect the main body so that the troops may rest undisturbed, to screen them from hostile observation, and in case of attack to check...

Raw, untrained troops are not suitable for active offensive operations; they are best utilized in defense, on the line of communications, or in a pivotal position supporting the...

The following remarks pertain to tactical or field fortification as distinguished from provisional or permanent fortification. With the latter the average line officer has littl...

There are certain natural obstacles, mountain ranges, deserts, and rivers, continually utilized by military forces, which afford special aid to the defender while imposing pecul...

A position in readiness is one where troops are held close together and under cover if possible, so that they can be readily deployed for attack or defense or marched in any des...

_Personnel and materiel with combatant troops._ The sanitary personnel and equipment normally assigned to various units is given in F. S. R. A regiment acting alone might, in ad...

In a decisive engagement (on the defensive) the firing line should ordinarily be located a little down hill from the geographical crest, rather than on the crest itself. This ke...

A day’s march under ordinary conditions will be from 10 to 15 miles, usually about 12. The rate of march, including halts, is 2½ miles per hour. One day in each six or seven sho...

While other branches of the service have hundreds of years of precedents back of them, there is very little past experience to guide us in the use of air craft in war. Portable...

into the foundations of human character. The simplification of the difficulties of tactical problems by diagrammatic analysis is deserving of special notice, and the suggestions...