how far can the company get forward from the bank without being
compelled to stop in order to gain superiority of fire over the
defense? In war we want to get as close as possible; the moral effect
on the defense is greater, our fire is more effective, and we are
likely to gain our object more rapidly. In peace there is no fire to
stop us, and we move forward to ridiculous positions which we could
not possibly reach in war without first gaining superiority of fire.
The result of this is that we try to do the same thing when first we
go to war, and we are stopped, probably much further back than we
should have been if we had studied the question in peace.

Even on the most open ground we must get to within 600 yards of the
enemy, and if the ground affords any cover in front, the exposed space
must be rushed and the more forward position gained. Having pointed
out this difficulty to the company during the previous lecture, and
reminded them of it on the ground, we can now extend the whole company
and move forward from the bank, using covering fire and letting each
platoon commander decide how far he can get to the front after a
series of rushes, the company acting as a whole.

The captain can then go down the line and discuss with each platoon
the position it has reached. Whilst he is doing this, the remaining
platoons can be trained in fire direction and control, which should be
carefully watched and criticized by the platoon commanders. One
platoon, owing to the nature of the ground in front of it, can get
forward further than other platoons, and this should be brought home
to each platoon, so as to avoid the possibility of playing the game of
follow your leader, and one platoon halting merely because another has
halted.

If there is still time available, and the ground is suitable, the
company can be moved to a flank to choose a similar fire-position
where the ground is more favorable to an advance, and where the
company could get within 300 yards of the enemy, or even less, before
it would be absolutely necessary to stop in order to gain superiority
of fire.

If there is still time available, and the ground is suitable, the
whole operation can be carried out in the opposite direction or in
some other direction, and the platoons can thus be trained to
appreciate that fire-positions which are good in one place are bad in
another.

=936. Defense.= Demonstrations in defense can be carried out in a
similar manner,