se each company in the firing
line takes as its target that part of the general objective which lies
in its front.

304. The major should indicate the point or time at which the fire
fight is to open. He may do this in his order for deployment or he may
follow the firing line close enough to do so at the proper time. If it
be impracticable for him to do either, the senior officer with the
firing line, in each battalion, selects the time for opening fire.

_Attack._

305. The battalion is the _attack unit_, whether operating alone or as
part of a larger unit.

306. If his battalion be one of several in the firing line, the major,
in executing his part of the attack, pushes his battalion forward as
vigorously as possible within the front, or section, assigned to it.
The great degree of independence allowed to him as to details demands,
in turn, the exercise of good judgment on his part. Better leadership,
better troops, and more favorable terrain enable one battalion to
advance more rapidly in attack than another less fortunate, and such a
battalion will insure the further advance of the others. The leading
battalion should not, however, become isolated; isolation may lead to
its destruction.

307. The deployment having been made, the firing line advances without
firing. The predominant idea must be to close with the enemy as soon
as possible without ruinous losses. The limited supply of ammunition
and the uncertainty of resupply, the necessity for securing fire
superiority in order to advance within the shorter ranges, and the
impossibility of accomplishing this at ineffective ranges, make it
imperative that fire be not opened as long as the advance can be
continued without demoralizing losses. The attack which halts to open
fire at extreme range (over 1,200 yards) is not likely ever to reach
its destination. Every effort should be made, by using cover or
inconspicuous formations, or by advancing the firing line as a whole,
to arrive within 800 yards of the enemy before opening fire.

308. Except when the enemy's artillery is able to effect an unusual
concentration of fire, its fire upon deployed infantry causes losses
which are unimportant when compared with those inflicted by his
infantry; hence the attacking infantry should proceed to a position as
described above, and from which an effective fire can be directed
against the hostile infantry with a view to obtaining fire
superiority. The effectiveness of the