oth flanks should never be attempted without a
very decided superiority in numbers.

447. The enveloping attack will nearly always result locally in a
frontal attack, for it will be met by the enemy's reserve. The
advantage of envelopment lies in the longer concentric line, with its
preponderance of rifles and its converging fire.

448. Cooperation between the frontal and enveloping attacks is
essential to success. Both should be pushed vigorously and
simultaneously, and ordinarily both should move simultaneously to the
charge; but at the final stage of the attack conditions may sometimes
warrant one in charging while the other supports it with fire.

The envelopment of a flank is brought about with difficulty when made
by troops already deployed in another direction or by their reserves.
The two attacks should be deployed at a suitable distance apart, with
the lines of attack converging in rear of the hostile position. The
troops that are to make the enveloping attack should deploy in the
proper direction at the start and should be given orders which enable
them to gain their point of deployment in the most direct and
practical manner.

The enveloping attack is generally made the stronger, especially in
small forces.

_DEPLOYMENT FOR ATTACK._

449. Where open terrain exposes troops to hostile artillery fire it
may be necessary to make the deployment 2 miles or more from the
hostile position.

The foreground should be temporarily occupied by covering troops. If
the enemy occupies the foreground with detachments, the covering
troops must drive them back.

450. To enable large forces to gain ground toward the enemy, it may
sometimes be cheaper and quicker in the end to move well forward and
to deploy at night. In such case the area in which the deployment is
to be made should, if practicable, be occupied by covering troops
before dark.

The deployment will be made with great difficulty unless the ground
has been studied by daylight. The deployment gains little unless it
establishes the firing line well within effective range of the enemy's
main position. (See Night Operations.)

451. Each unit assigned a task deploys when on its direction line, or
opposite its objective, and when it has no longer sufficient cover for
advancing in close order. In the firing line, intervals of 25 to 50
yards should be maintained as long as possible between battalions. In
the larger units it may be necessary to indicate on th