For this second problem I have made a big adjustment… I had a lot of trouble deciphering and reading the Fraktur font for Problem 1, and though I did do a translation of Problem 2 myself, I enlisted the help of my AI friend to give me an assist. Through some prodding and back and forth we came up with what you will find below.
Starting
with Problem 2 I am providing a side-by-side translation of the original German
text, preserving Rommel’s wording as closely as possible so readers can see
exactly how orders and tactical situations were presented. The goal is to make
these exercises accessible to English-speaking readers while remaining faithful
to the original text. I got this idea after re-reading a translation of Caesar’s
Gallic Wars.
There
will not be a Combat Mission scenario accompanying this translation… the
situation does not really warrant the time and effort needed to create the map
and program the scenario. However, please read through the text and I will
share some thoughts at the end, I promise that there are useful lessons in
every one of these tactical problems.
Problem 2 Deploy a Reserve
|
German
Text |
English Translation |
|
Situation |
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|
2.
Aufgabe Übungszweck: Entfaltetes Vorführen
einer Reserve. Truppe: 1 Schützenkompanie. Lage: Blau im Angriff, Front nach Osten! Zur Verfügung des Bataillonsführers liegt die 1./I.R.1 leicht
eingegraben seit 1½ Stunden an einem [steileren/steileren?] Hang. M.G. sind freigemacht. Kampfeindrücke: Die deckungslose, 1500 m breite Wiesenfläche
ostwärts der Kompanie wird von feindlicher Artillerie zeitweise kräftig
abgefeuert. In der Luft kreist zur Zeit 1 fdl. Staffel. |
Problem 2 Training purpose: Deploy a reserve. Troops: 1 Rifle Company. Situation: Blue is attacking, front
facing east! At the Battalion
commander’s disposal, 1st Company/Infantry Regiment 1 has been lightly dug
in for 1½ hours on a [steeper] slope. The machine guns
have cleared fields of fire. Combat
impressions: The coverless meadow, 1500 meters wide, east of the company is being
heavily shelled at intervals by enemy artillery. At present, one
enemy air formation is circling overhead. |
|
Expected Course of Events Part I |
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|
Gedachter Verlauf. I. Teil: Der Bataillonsführer (reitende) befiehlt nach
Übungsbeginn dem Kompanieführer mündlich: „Angriff geht gut
vorwärts! 2. und 3. Komp. haben erreicht ...
Der Bataillonsgefechtsstand
wird nach dem Ostrand des Y-Waldes vorverlegt. Die 1. Kompanie,
weiterhin zu meiner Verfügung, erreicht den Nordteil des Y-Waldes.“ |
Intended course of events. Part I: After the exercise begins, the Battalion
commander (mounted) gives the Company commander the following verbal order: “The attack is
progressing well! The 2nd and 3rd Companies have reached ... (NOTE:
The ellipsis and incomplete sentence is in the original) The Battalion
command post is being moved forward to the eastern edge of Y Wood. 1st Company,
still at my disposal, will reach the northern part of Y Wood.” |
|
Company Commander’s Order |
|
|
Der
Kompanieführer befiehlt den durch Zeichen zu ihm befohlenen Zugführern: „Angriff des
Bataillons geht gut vorwärts! Der Bataillonsgefechtsstand wird nach dem Ostrand des Y-Waldes vorverlegt. 1. Kompanie,
weiterhin zur Verfügung des Bataillons, rückt entfaltet nach dem Nordteil des
Y-Waldes: „Komp.Keil!
Marschrichtung die hohe Tanne links der Straße! Komp.Trupp bei 1.
Zug! Ich reite voraus!“ |
The Company
commander orders the platoon leaders, who have been called to him by signal: “The Battalion’s
attack is progressing well! The Battalion
command post is being moved forward to the eastern edge of Y Wood. 1st Company,
still at the disposal of the Battalion, advances in deployed formation toward
the northern part of Y Wood: “Company wedge!
Direction of march: the tall fir left of the road! Company
headquarters detachment with 1st Platoon! I ride ahead!” |
|
1st Platoon Leader’s Order (This is a
separate subordinate order, not just a repeat of the Company order.) |
|
|
Der Führer des 1.
Zuges befiehlt den Gruppenführern: „Angriff geht gut
vorwärts! Die Kompanie,
weiterhin zur Verfügung des Bataillons, rückt nach jenem Walde dort links der
Straße. Der 1. Zug
verläßt entfaltet in Keilform diese Deckung hier. Marschrichtung
die hohe Tanne dort drüben! 1. Gruppe sofort
antreten!“ |
The leader of 1st
Platoon orders the squad leaders: “The attack is
progressing well! The Company,
still at the disposal of the Battalion, is moving toward that wood there to
the left of the road. 1st Platoon
leaves cover here in deployed wedge formation. Direction of
march: the tall fir over there! 1st Squad, step
off at once!” |
|
Alternate Method of Giving the Platoon Order |
|
|
Oder er befiehlt
durch Zeichen wie bei Aufgabe 1 und unterrichtet die Gruppenführer während
des Vorgehens über die Lage. |
Or he gives the
order by signals as in Problem 1 and informs the squad leaders about the
situation while moving forward. |
|
This allows
the Platoon Leader to get the platoon moving immediately, filling in details
while already moving forward. |
|
Expected Course of Events Part II |
|
|
II. Teil: Den im Nordteil des Y-Waldes eintreffenden Zügen
werden vom Kompanieführer neue Bereitstellungsräume zugewiesen. Die Züge nisten
sich ein! Die Erkundung des Vorgeländes und die
Aufnahme der Verbindung mit den Kompanien vorn wird angesetzt. |
Part II: The Platoons arriving in the northern part of Y
Wood are assigned new assembly areas by the Company commander. The Platoons dig
in and settle into position! Reconnaissance of the ground to the front
and establishment of contact with the Companies ahead is ordered. |
Summary and Analysis of
Problem 2
In the situation
described, a Rifle Company has been held under Battalion control while the attack
develops elsewhere. The Battalion commander now orders the Company to move
forward to a new position in the woods while the Battalion command post shifts
forward. The Company therefore acts as a reserve force moving toward a
potential combat zone, rather than a unit already engaged in combat.
Rommel’s instructional
focus is on movement, control, and preparation for action, not on
fighting itself. The Company commander orders his Company to advance in a wedge
formation, using a terrain feature (a tall fir tree) as a direction point.
This reflects typical German practice of navigating and maneuvering using
visible terrain references rather than compass bearings.
Another important element
of the exercise is how orders are issued and passed down the chain of
command. The Company commander delivers a concise order to his Platoon
leaders, who in turn issue their own orders to their squad leaders. Rommel also
explicitly notes that the platoon leader may give the order by signal first
and explain the situation while moving, emphasizing a key doctrinal
principle: units should maintain momentum and avoid unnecessary halts
during an advance.
Once the Company reaches its
destination the situation shifts from movement, to preparation for combat. The
platoons are assigned new assembly areas, establish themselves in position,
conduct reconnaissance of the terrain to their front, and establish contact
with neighboring units already engaged in the attack. This illustrates the transition
from a reserve moving forward to a unit preparing for possible commitment to
the battle.
In essence, Problem 2
teaches several interconnected lessons:
- How a reserve moves forward while remaining tactically prepared
- How leaders issue clear, concise orders during movement
- How subordinate leaders pass those orders down quickly and effectively
- How units transition from movement to preparation for combat
While the situation
itself is relatively simple, it reinforces a key German tactical principle: a
commander must maintain control and momentum when moving troops forward to
influence the battle.
In later exercises (starting with Problem 3), Rommel builds on these fundamentals by introducing enemy contact, maneuver combat, and more complex battlefield decisions.
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