rain in advancing and shorten the time occupied in
forming the firing line. (425)

=440. Action of brigade and regimental commanders in deployment of
division.= In deploying the division, each brigade is assigned a
definite task or objective. On receipt of his orders, the brigade
commander conducts his brigade in column or in line of regiments,
until it is advisable that it be broken into smaller columns. He then
issues his order, assigning to each regiment its task, if practicable.
In a similar manner the regimental commanders lead their regiments
forward in column, or in line of columns, until the time arrives for
issuing the regimental order. It is seldom advisable to break up the
battalion before issuing orders for its deployment. (426)

=441. Personal reconnaissance before deployment.= Each subordinate
commander, after receiving his order for the action, should precede
his command as far as possible, in order to reconnoiter the ground
personally, and should prepare to issue his orders promptly. (427)

=442. Each commander to guard his command against surprise.= Each
commander of a column directs the necessary reconnaissance to front
and flanks; by this means and by a judicious choice of ground he
guards against surprise. (428)

=443. Premature formation of firing line to be avoided.= The premature
formation of the firing line causes unnecessary fatigue and loss of
time, and may result in a faulty direction being taken. Troops once
deployed make even minor changes of direction with difficulty, and
this difficulty increases with the length of the firing line. (429)

=444. Rectification of deployment in wrong direction.= In the larger
units, when the original deployment is found to be in the wrong
direction, it will usually be necessary to deploy the reserve on the
correct front and withdraw and assemble the first line. (430)

=445. Number of troops to be deployed in beginning.= To gain decisive
results, it will generally be necessary to use all the troops at some
stage of the combat. But in the beginning, while the situation is
uncertain, care should be taken not to engage too large a proportion
of the command. On the other hand, there is no greater error than to
employ too few and to sacrifice them by driblets. (For division of the
battalion in attack see 335-339.) (431)

=446. Dense, well-directed, and controlled line of heavy fire gives
fire superiority.= When it is intended to fight to a decision, fire
su