A company attacking as part of the battalion is sure to find the men of different platoons mixed up in the course of the attack with those of other platoons, both of that company and of others. Before practising the attack, accompanied with this mixture of platoons, it is advisable to train them and their non-commissioned officers for their duties without allowing any mixing up. This may be done by bringing all the platoons of the company up into one line, and then extending each on its own ground. The result is that each platoon may be taken to represent the leading platoon of four companies told off to furnish the firing line and supports (I.T., 122). The four platoons form thus the firing line, the other three supposititious platoons of each company being in support. This formation would be taken up when the enemy’s rifle fire began to be effective, i.e., at or under fourteen hundred yards. Within this distance the firing line has to press on through the zones in which it uses collective and individual fire up to assaulting distance, being reinforced as needed, firstly by the supports, and finally at the time of the assault by all or part of the local reserve, which, in this case, would be composed of the four companies of the battalion not detailed to furnish the firing line and supports. Put out a skeleton enemy with orders to remain in one position, and fire slowly, but continuously. Draw up the four platoons, or as many as are present of the company at fourteen hundred yards or so from the enemy, in one line and at sufficient intervals to allow of their extending to five paces, _plus_ some space between flanks of sections after extension, to allow plenty of choice of lines of advance. Indicate to each platoon a part of the enemy’s position which it is to regard as its final objective of assault (I.T., 121 (3)). Have the men extended to five paces, and carry out the attack right through on the lines of Exercise V., and finish with an assault and rally after it. Each company would have an officer with its platoon in the firing line to direct the fire. If fire is opened between fourteen hundred and one thousand yards, it will not be effective against ordinary targets unless the whole four platoons direct their fire on the same target. Under one thousand yards fire should be controlled by section commanders and directed by platoon commanders. Practise concentration of the fire of the four platoons on one part of the enemy’s line and lateral distribution of fire _within the limits of that part_. Give each platoon a fraction of this fraction of the enemy’s frontage to deal with, and let the platoon commander again tell off his sections to fire at various marks inside _his_ limits. Again switch the fire of all four platoons on to some other particular bit of the enemy’s position, as done in previous exercises.