“Lieutenant M, with the first platoon will form support No. 1, which, posted on the road at ——, will cover the front from —— (inclusive) to —— (inclusive).”
The Director reads Situation No. 2 aloud and explains that each member of the class should now consider himself to be Lieutenant M, commanding the first platoon, designated to form support No. 1.
_The Director_: “Lieutenant Hunt, how would you go about carrying out your mission?”
_Lieutenant Hunt_: “I would first size up the situation and arrive at a decision as to what I am going to do and how I am going to do it.”
_The Director_: “How is security provided for during the time that the outpost is being posted?”
_Lieutenant Hunt_: “By sending out some troops to cover the posting of the outguards. This is sometimes provided for by the outpost commander detailing a unit for the purpose of covering all the outguards and then withdrawing to the reserve. The alternative is to have each support cover the posting of its own outguards. The latter system has been adopted in this problem, and we will have to provide our own covering troops.”
_The Director_: “What troops would you detail for this duty?”
_Lieutenant Hunt_: “I would send out the first section (less the squad on duty as point) under the section commander. I would have the point withdraw to the support as soon as the covering troops have taken over the duty of security.”
_The Director_: “That seems to be a reasonable solution. Into what parts is an outpost support divided, Lieutenant Barry?”
_Lieutenant Barry_: “Into the support proper and the outguards. From the outguards sentinels are posted.”
_The Director_: “What are the duties assigned to each of the component parts of the support?”
_Lieutenant Barry_: “The support proper is the fighting element of the outpost. It is posted on the line where the outpost will make its stand. The outguards with their sentinels from the observation element. They are posted on the line of observation.”
_Captain Hall_: “That may be the usual line up for the support. But is it not a fact that sometimes the outguards are posted on the fighting line?”
_The Director_: “Yes. It may be that the line of observation is also the best fighting line for the supports. In that case we say ‘the line of observation and the line of resistance coincide’—that is, they are the same. When we issue the order for the support we make provision for that by stating: ‘In case of attack the outguards will be supported.’ This means that the outguards will hold their positions and the supports will come up to them in case the enemy attacks.”