Battalion Reserve
A classic decision game
The following decision game comes from the fourth edition of Problems for Platoon and Company (Aufgaben für Zug und Kompanie), a book of exercises written by Erwin Rommel in the early 1930s, when he taught tactics at the Infantry School in Dresden. The units and equipment depicted in these tactical decision games are those of January 1940, the month in which the fourth edition went to press.
Deployment of the Battalion Reserve
You command the 1st Company of the 1st Infantry Regiment.
Your company consists of three rifle platoons (each of four rifle squads) and a section of two heavy machine guns.) Designated as the reserve of your battalion (I/IR 1), it is located on a hill that rises some twenty-five meters over a plain that extends towards the east.
As you look to the east, you see that wheat fields cover the plain out to a distance of 1,500 meters. Beyond, the wheat fields, you see a forest, which is marked on your map as Y-Wald.
A metaled road runs down the hill, across the wheat fields, and through the forest.
East of the woods, the other rifle companies of your battalion engage hostile forces. North of the woods, the machine gun company of your battalion has taken up firing positions on a hill with a height of fifteen meters or so. (The machine gun company employs twelve heavy machine guns and six 8cm mortars.)
The battalion commander, who is located with your company, gives you the following order.
‘The attack is making good progress. The 2nd and 3rd Companies have reached a line some two hundred meters east of Y-Wald.’
‘I am going to move my command post to the eastern edge of Y-Wald.’
‘Move your company to the northeastern corner of Y-Wald.’
‘Do you have any questions?’
What now, Herr Hauptmann?
You may use the comments section to write the orders that you would give to your company.
I will post the two solutions provided by Major Rommel on Wednesday, 9 July 2025.
1. Ask my commander the following questions:
a. What are my planning priorities once I reach my new position?
b. Does Machine Gun Company know we are coming?
Based on his answers I would know how to configure my position at the new location. I would also know if I need to send someone now to Machine Gun Company to tell them I am moving into position below them (I hate fratricide).
2. Gather my senior NCOs and Platoon Leaders and brief them on the new mission. Then go forward with three messengers and one squad from 1st Platoon to do a leader’s recon to select positions just inside the wood line, or as otherwise directed. If have to inform Machine Gun Company of our movement, I would send that message just before I set off. If we have a man portable radio set to communicate with Battalion, that team should come with me.
3. The rest of the company would follow 15 minutes later, with 1st Platoon (-) in the lead, followed by 2nd Platoon, Heavy Machine Gun Section, 3rd Platoon and then the HQ and the support elements. All units to move in traveling overwatch formation.
3. Once I have selected where everyone is going to go, I would have the accompanying squad set up and use the messengers to guide the other units into their positions.
4. As soon as everyone has reached the new location, inform Battalion HQ of where we are and keep a watch out for any changes.