Rommel's "Problems for Platoon and Company" - Problem 2 - Deploy a Reserve

Apologies for the delay for this translation.. a change of jobs, change of house, etc. have been keeping me busy.

As always, in the translation that follows, translated text will be in black text and my comments in blue

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 AI 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
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
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.“	Expected 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
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 conducting movement.
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.

In essence, Problem 2 teaches several 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

In later exercises (starting with Problem 3), Rommel builds on these fundamentals by introducing enemy contact, maneuver combat, and more complex battlefield decisions.

Rommel's "Problems for Platoon and Company" Problem 1 - Deployment

What follows is my translation (using Google Translate and some common sense) of the first Problem in Rommel's 1940 edition of "Problems for Platoon and Company". These problems/exercises were originally intended to be performed in the field, to simulate that we will be using Combat Mission Battle for Normandy. Each problem will have an accompanying CMBN scenario where you can try to learn the lesson Rommel intended.

Translated text will be in black text and my comments in blue. 

Problem 1: Deployment

Troop: 1 Rifle Platoon

Location: 3rd platoon at the end of the formation (1st Company/F.R. 1; attachments: 1 Heavy MG half platoon (two guns) and 1 spotter* team) Marching on a road to the east, approaching the eastern edge of the very dense forest (B). See sketch!

*“Blinftruppe” in the original text was translated by Google Translate as “Blind Squad”, so I made the assumption that this might have been a small team to assist the heavy machine guns with target identification.

The 1st infantry Platoon is 600m in front of the company. The company commander (in charge) has just received a message from a Cavalryman. In the east, in the distance, you can hear individual shots being fired.

Intended Actions:

After the exercise has begun (3rd platoon on the march), the company commander (in charge) verbally orders the platoon leader, who has been summoned by signal: "Weak enemy identified by cavalry spearhead in Village (H) (5km east of here).”

The company begins its march outside this forest: 2nd platoon and company troops on the right. 3rd platoon to the left of the road. The Heavy MG half platoon follows the company at a distance of 300m on the road.

I will be with 2nd platoon.”

Potential Solutions:

The 3rd platoon leader orders, without moving back, either: 

a) By signal: "Direction of march left of the road", "Increase the distance between the platoons and the gap to 150m". The platoon then deploys: 1st squad in the front line stays about 150m to the left of the road, 2nd and 3rd squads follow to the right or left in staggered formation with a distance of 100m between them. 4th squad and the mortar team follow 1st squad at a distance of 200m. Platoon leader with 1st squad.”

The platoon leader informs the squad leaders about the enemy and his own intentions only after deployment has taken place. He also deploys troops for security.

Or:

b) Verbally to the quickly summoned squad leaders: “Weak enemy in Village (H) (5km from here) engaged by cavalry.

The company continues its march outside the forest with the 2nd platoon on the right and the 3rd platoon on the left of the road.

3rd platoon deploys on the march! Movement direction is towards the group of trees on the left of the road! Let’s go platoon! Security: 1st squad forward, 3rd squad 250m from the 2nd platoon! I'm with 1st squad! Repeat the orders and fall out!”

I tried, with the translation to be as faithful as possible to the original text. 

There will be some differences with the accompanying Combat Mission scenario where I adjust distances and initial setup locations. The problem remains the same, the player must deploy their 3rd Platoon, and this is the real point of the exercise, then cross the open ground in whatever formation deemed best. Then they must decide whether to continue the scenario to attack the village or not. I highly recommend playing it through to the end, and seeing if you can coordinate your attack with 2nd Platoon. 

Use the Battle Drill Tactical Toolbox as required.

Download Combat Mission Battle for Normandy scenario (Save file to the SAVED GAMES folder, then load saved game to play):  Rommel Problem 1 Deployment

Note: This scenario requires the Commonwealth Module for CMBN.

Rommel's "PROBLEMS FOR PLATOON & COMPANY" 1940 EDITION - Translated

Problems
for Platoon and Company

(Combat Problems, Target Shooting, Terrain Briefing)

Your System and Management

by

Major General Erwin Rommel

Fourth, revised edition

with 66 sketches in the text

Publisher E.S. Mittler & Sohn / Berlin 1940

I have been searching for this book written by Rommel when he taught at the German Military Academy in Potsdam for a long time. There was a version that had been translated to English and sold in the 1990s, but it has been impossible to locate a copy online.

The version I found after a lengthy search was the 1940 version and is in the archaic Fraktur font which is very hard to read, though I am starting to make it out easy enough.

Oberst Rommel

I have set myself the task of, slowly, attempting to translate this document using Google Translate and common sense. I will present these Problems in order from the book, and there are a total of 19 Problems across 82 pages. I will be adhering as closely, as my ability allows, to the original text, though in some Problems (like the first) I am adjusting the ground scale so it can more easily be represented in Combat Mission.

I will provide a CMBN scenario with each Problem from the book, so players can attempt each. This post will include the text from the two Forwards included with this edition of the text. All translated text will be in black and any comments I may have will be in blue.

Forward

Following the publisher's instructions, I am making the collection of Problems for Platoon and Company available to the public.

I had the opportunity to work for several years at the infantry school as a teacher of Infantry cadets and then as commander of a Jager Battalion. I look back on an eventful and interesting time during the war as a front-line officer. I served in the ranks of the Infantry Regiment King Wilhelm I (6 Württemberg) Nr. 124 from the beginning of the war until autumn 1915, with only a brief interruption due to reinforcements. I experienced the battles in Belgium and Northern France as a platoon leader, later as a Battalion adjutant, and the Argonne battles of 1915 as a Company Commander. I was also fortunate enough to be a member of a core unit of the German Army, the Württemberg Mountain Battalion, from the end of 1915 to the beginning of 1918. --- The achievements of this force are particularly noteworthy in the battles in the Southeast Carpathians (August 1917), in the offensive against Italy (October 1917 to January 1918) and in the major battles in France in 1918. See the history of the Württemberg Mountain Troops by General Sprosser and the youth book by Schittenhelm: "We went to Friaul"*. --

Being a company commander for these troops, a leader of mixed forces with up to 16 companies, and having led the Württemberg Mountain Battalion units deployed in the front line in the south-eastern frontiers and in Italy to decisive success is the most uplifting memory of my time as a leader in the war.

The combat problems presented here are partly based on personal experience in the war, and partly on many years of training at the infantry school. They have all been tried and tested in practice.

*"Infantry Attacks" by General E. Rommel, released 1937


In order to keep this volume of the collection of editions as small as possible and thus the price low, the exercise regulations have been completely omitted in almost all editions, and the air situation, the troops' bus routes and the ammunition situation are only mentioned in a few words. For the same reason, in the imagined excess of editions, no instructions have been given for each individual case to the referees.

Spring 1935                                                                                                                          The Author

The book is a newly revised version of the regulations published since 1935, especially the A.B.F. and the shooting regulations.

It is intended to provide young officers and company commanders with guidance on how to plan and conduct combat exercises, target shooting and troop terrain briefings.
January 1940                                                                                                                        The Author

Next: 

Problem 1: Deployment