The following general rules should be observed as far as practicable:
_a._ Weather and climatic conditions should be accepted as they actually
exist on the day of the Exercise.
_b._ Interest is best maintained by bringing up a succession of
instructive situations, each designed to teach some tactical lesson,
dealing with each one concisely but thoroughly, and promptly passing on
to the next. Long discussion and personal arguments between members of
the class are to be avoided. Unimportant phases are passed over quickly,
thus allowing the requisite amount of time to be devoted to those that
are really worth while.
_c._ Ordinarily four or five situations are about all that may be
profitably included in one Terrain Exercise.
_d._ All members of the class should be equipped with blank paper of
uniform size (to facilitate the handling of written solutions), message
blanks, pencils, sketching equipment for making rough sketches on which
tactical depositions may be shown.
_e._ Ordinarily large scale maps should not be used. One of the valuable
features of the Terrain Exercise is that all tactical decisions and
dispositions are based on a study of the ground itself. If the members
of the class are allowed to have large scale maps, the exercise may
resolve itself into the solution of a map problem whereby the advantage
of the study of the ground itself is detracted from.
However, sheets of the United States Geological Survey maps should, if
practicable, be obtained and issued, as it is desirable to accustom
officers and non-commissioned officers to work with small scale maps and
to familiarize them with this particular map.
_f._ The number of men in a class should be limited to the number that
one director is able to handle.
_Terrain Exercise No. 1._
Attack of Strong Point—Rifle Company
General Situation:
The (_a_) forms the boundary between hostile States. An invading Red
force was counter attacked by Blue troops and after severe fighting the
Reds have retired. The Blue advance has been stubbornly contested.
Special Situation—Blue:
The Blue advance was resumed this morning. The 1st Infantry advancing on
the extreme right of the Blue line, has been held up.
After a short delay, the 2nd battalion resumed its forward movement, but
attempts of the assault waves of companies A and B (on its right) to
advance beyond (_b_) were stopped by fire from the front and especially
by enfilading machine gun fire from (_c_).
Heavy firing—artillery and small arms—can be heard along the line to the
left. Shells fall occasionally within and in front of the area occupied
by the 1st battalion.
Lieutenant Colonel X, commanding the 1st battalion, has arrived at this
point (_d_) accompanied by a part of his staff; Captain C, commanding
the support company C; Captain D, commanding the machine gun company;
and Lieutenant Z, commanding a platoon of the Howitzer company, which
organization has been attached to the battalion.
After studying the situation in his front Lieutenant Colonel X summoned
Captains A and B, commanding the assault companies, and issued verbal
orders for continuing the attack.