FIRE SUPERIORITY.
PURPOSE AND NATURE.
[400.] In a decisive battle success depends on gaining and maintaining fire superiority. Every effort must be made to gain it early and then to keep it.
Attacking troops must first gain fire superiority in order to reach the hostile position. Over open ground attack is possible only when the attacking force has a decided fire superiority. With such superiority the attack is not only possible, but success is probable and without ruinous losses.
Defending troops can prevent a charge only when they can master the enemy's fire and inflict heavy losses upon him.
[401.] To obtain fire superiority it is necessary to produce a heavy volume of accurate fire. Every increase in the effectiveness of the fire means a corresponding decrease in the effectiveness of the enemy's fire.
The volume and accuracy of fire will depend upon several considerations:
(a) The number of rifles employed. On a given front the greatest volume of fire is produced by a firing line having only sufficient intervals between men to permit the free use of their rifles. The maximum density of a firing line is therefore about one man per yard of front.
(b) The rate of fire affects its volume; an excessive rate reduces its accuracy.
(c) The character of the target influences both volume and accuracy. Larger dimensions, greater visibility, and shorter range increase the rate of fire; greater density increases the effect.