Terrain Exercises

Take the class to the point where the Exercise is to begin. Distribute copies of the problem and allow a few minutes for the members of the class to look over the problem and the terrain. The Director then reads the problem aloud and points out the topographical features and places that are referred to. The members of the class follow from the copies in their possession.

Questions are asked by the Director. One or more members of the class are required to make a brief statement of the problem, the idea being to make certain that every man is entirely familiar with the tactical situation under consideration. This insures a solid foundation on which the succeeding situations may be developed.

The first situation is then handed to members of the class. The Director cautions them that each man is to consider himself as being the commander of the unit whose operations are to be considered.

The solution of the situation is then proceeded with. This solution may be required to be reduced to writing; it may be given orally; or a combination of the two systems may be employed.

For example: The situation involves the preparation of a verbal field order. The Director proceeds step by step with the details of the matter to be included in each successive paragraph, arriving at a decision as to just what the wording should be.

1. Information of the enemy and our supporting troops.

2. Plan of the commander.

3. Distribution of troops and tactical order for each element.

4. Administration arrangements, where applicable.

5. Place of commander or where messages are to be sent.

Having determined upon the wording of each paragraph, the members of the class are required to write out the body of the order.

Where the members of the class have sufficiently progressed in their tactical training some of the preliminary discussion and solution may be omitted and the men be required to write out the body of the order based on the tactical situation. The written solutions are collected by the Director and redistributed to the class, taking care that no man receives his own solution back again. This is productive of good results, for if a man knows that his work is to be seen by another he will put forth his best effort and be more careful with his work. Again, the entire solution may be given orally and nothing reduced to writing. In this case the Director brings out the elements by questions and discussion, and in the end one or more members of the class are called upon to state the contents of the body of the order. This method is excellent for the training of officers in the giving of verbal tactical orders.

The solution having been completed, the subject is opened up for discussion. The members of the class are encouraged to ask questions and express their views on the various elements under consideration.

The class is then conducted to the place where the next special situation is to be taken up for solution, and here the same procedure as outlined above is taken. The Terrain Exercise concludes with a short conference, in which the Director makes a résumé of the problems, discusses the several lessons of the day, and shows the application of tactical principles to them.

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.

Explanation of Letter Symbols

(a) In designating the boundary line some natural topographical feature should be selected, such as a river, creek, canal, crest of ridge, etc. In this problem it may be assumed that the Red invading force has advanced several miles into Blue territory before its advance was checked by the counter-attack.

(b) The general front occupied by the 1st battalion where it is held up by the fire from the front and that from the enemy strong point to the right front. In fitting this problem to the ground care will have to be taken to get all the features properly coordinated. The line of departure for Company C may be selected first and the general line of the 1st battalion prolonged to the left. Then select the location of the strong point with reference to the line of departure of Company C. Cover for the deployment of the company should be available.

(c) Location of the enemy strong point. This should be some topographical feature that might be logically occupied as a strong point by the enemy and from which the advance of the 1st battalion might be interfered with.

(d) This point should be near the center of the front covered by the 1st battalion and should command a view of the front. There should be reasonable cover for the battalion commander and his staff. In other words, it should not be so exposed to enemy fire that the battalion commander could not go there to make his personal reconnaissance.

The Director distributes the sheets containing the problem (General Situation and Special Situation—Blue). A few minutes are allowed the members of the class to read over the problem after which the Director will read it aloud and point out the places of importance. One or more members of the class will be called upon to state his understanding of the tactical situation.

Care will be taken to indicate the right of the line occupied by Company A and the location of the enemy strong point will be accurately pointed out.

Explanation

The Director: “Before going further into the problem it is necessary for every member of the class to have an accurate understanding of the formation in which the first battalion is advancing. It is necessary for you to visualize the situation just as it would appear if the operation were actually taking place.”

The battalion is advancing in attack formation with two companies as assault companies (Company A is on the right and Company B on the left) and one company (C) as battalion reserve. The front covered is about 750 yards. The right of Company A is at (indicate). Company C is marching about the center of the battalion sector and about 500 yards in rear of the front lines of the assault companies. The 1st battalion, being on the right of the Blue line has a combat patrol of one squad from the battalion reserve covering the right flank. This patrol is advancing about 150 yards to the right and rear of the assault echelon. A connecting group of two or three men also from the reserve company, maintains communication with the 2nd battalion on the left. As the reserve company may be called into action at any moment, these detachments are taken from the support platoon of the company, the 3rd. The battalion commander and his staff march between the assault echelon and the reserve company.

When the battalion was held up by the enemy, information of this fact was sent back to Lieutenant Colonel X by the commanders of the assault companies and it was also brought back by the battalion intelligence scouts who are with the assault companies. On receipt of the information Lieutenant Colonel X came forward to this point to ascertain the situation and by a personal reconnaissance, see it for himself. Accompanying him were his staff officers Bn-2; Bn-3, Captains C and D; and Lieutenant Z. This is the situation in which we find the battalion commander at the beginning of this Terrain Exercise. I hope every member of the class understands this formation and all the details of it. If there are any doubts about it now is the time to clear them up. If there are no questions we will proceed.