utposts, and
their duty is to preserve the security of the Main Body. Outposts
protect the Main Body from surprise by Observation, and if attacked
they gain time by Resistance until the commander of the Main Body can
put his plans into execution by the occupation of the position in which
he intends to receive attack. Observation is carried out by Aircraft,
by Patrols (mobile troops by day and infantry by night), and by
Sentries; Resistance is provided by Sentry Groups and by troops {130}
in defensive positions, called the Piquets, which have other troops as
Supports. In certain cases a Local Reserve and a General Reserve are
also provided.

STRENGTH.--Work in the Outpost Line is most exhausting. Not a man or a
horse should be employed there if their services can be dispensed with,
and although the number of troops allotted for the work depends almost
entirely upon the nature of the country and the tactical situation, it
is laid down in the text-books that if an unnecessarily large
proportion of the whole force is so employed the force will suffer in
efficiency. It can also be seen that although the work is of the first
importance and fraught with the greatest difficulties, it is clearly
possible for a comparatively small body of troops to carry it out.
Observation requires intelligence and vigilance rather than numbers;
Resistance can be provided by the Delaying Action on a wide front of
small numbers of skilled troops with the relative advantage conferred
upon them in defence by machine guns and small arms, and with the
assurance of support from their Main Body close at hand.

OBSERVATION.--A force can only be regarded as secure from surprise when
every body of the enemy within striking distance is so closely watched
that it can make no movement by night or day without its becoming known
immediately to the observers of the Outposts. By day the Outpost
commander will carry out Reconnaissance some distance ahead of his
position by means of Aircraft and Patrols of mounted troops and
cyclists, while the commander of each Outpost company keeps the
approaches to the position under observation by sentries, so posted as
to see and hear unobserved by a hostile force. By night, the Aircraft
and mounted troops are unable to render much assistance as moving
patrols, and the work of Reconnaissance and Observation falls upon the
platoons of the Outpost companies.

{131}

RESISTANCE.--For the purposes of Resistance the Ou