ee pars. 456-502.)

=342. Battalion the attack unit.= The battalion is the =attack unit=,
whether operating alone or as part of a larger unit. (305)

=343. Advance of battalion acting as one of several in firing line.=
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. (306)

=344. Close in on enemy as much as possible before opening fire.= 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. (For
expenditure of ammunition see pars. 432-433; for advancing the attack
see par. 467.) (307)

=345. Fire to be directed against the hostile infantry.= 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 enemy's fire must be reduced so as to permit
further advance. The more effective the fire to which the enemy is
subjected the less effective