Tactics, Volume 1 (of 2). Introduction and Formal Tactics of Infantry

In Short

Written by Colonel William Balck of the German Army and translated for American officers by First Lieutenant Walter Krueger, this treatise serves as an exhaustive, scientific manual on the mechanics of infantry engagement. Rooted in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century doctrine, the text systematically evaluates formal infantry formations, small-arms ballistics, field fortification, and the tactical integration of support weapons like artillery and machine guns. Balck synthesizes lessons from major conflicts—most notably the Franco-German, Boer, and Russo-Japanese Wars—to construct a rigorous framework for troop leading. The work endures as a landmark study in military science because it captures the pivotal moment when traditional massed tactics collided with the lethal realities of modern firepower, forcing armies to adapt or perish.

The Story

The intellectual arc of the work begins by laying down the foundation of military theory and its practical application on the battlefield. Balck establishes that abstract principles alone cannot prepare a commander for the chaos of combat. Instead, tactical competence requires a tripod of theoretical instruction, applicatory drills under time pressure, and the rigorous study of military history. Theory clarifies the purpose of an operation, while history acts as the ultimate reality check against dangerous peacetime illusions. From this philosophical foundation, the narrative of infantry organization and movement unfolds across European and global armies, comparing the exact march paces, physical loads, and company strengths of powers such as Germany, France, Austria, Russia, and Japan.

With the basic organizational units defined, the argument advances into the mechanics of movement and spatial geometry on the battlefield. Balck examines how infantry companies deploy from column into line, highlighting the critical role of platoon commanders, range finders, and flank combat patrols. The text moves progressively through the stages of approach, emphasizing that depth of formation must be balanced against extension of front. As troops move closer to hostile lines, the open terrain and lethal radius of modern weapons demand greater distances between support echelons to prevent multiple lines from being devastated by the same artillery shell or cone of rifle fire.

The focus then shifts to the modern weapons environment, analyzing the sheer destructive capacity of field artillery and infantry rifles. Balck scrutinizes bullet trajectories, angles of fall, and how micro-terrain creates defiladed spaces or dangerous beaten zones. The text weighs the nuances of marksmanship, comparing methods of estimating range and evaluating how battle stress drastically degrades firing accuracy. This ballistic analysis naturally leads into the introduction of modern rapid-fire weaponry, specifically machine guns. Balck evaluates machine gun batteries not as a replacement for field artillery, but as specialized instruments capable of delivering sweeping, progressive, or concentrated fire to shatter infantry rushes and halt cavalry charges.

Having established the technical parameters of weapons and formations, the text transitions into the complex dynamics of combined arms and force deployment. Balck contrasts two fundamental command philosophies: the system of tactical missions, which assigns clear objectives while granting subordinate leaders complete freedom of execution, and the system of united action, which attempts to coordinate every movement through centralized control. The text demonstrates that flexibility and local initiative are essential, as modern battlefields are defined by uncertainty and collision. This is illustrated through the mechanics of the rencontre—the sudden, unexpected encounter of forces on the march—where prompt, decisive action outweighs prolonged deliberation.

The argument reaches its climax in the execution of the main infantry attack and defense. Balck details the agonizing advance of the firing line across fire-swept zones, highlighting the tactical use of short rushes, crawling, sandbags, and field entrenchments to preserve manpower. He establishes that an assault on a fortified position cannot succeed through sheer bravery alone; the attacker must first achieve absolute superiority of fire to cripple the defender’s power of resistance. The book concludes with the violent climax of the battle: the final charge with cold steel, the repulse of counter-attacks, and the delicate coordination required between advancing infantry and overhead artillery fire to secure the ultimate decision.

How It Unfolds

The foundation of tactical theory The work opens by asserting that military decisions require strength of character and professional skill, which can only be developed by pairing theoretical rules with historical analysis and applicatory maneuvers under time pressure.

Organization and spatial geometry Balck compares the company structures, physical loads, and march cadences of major world powers, establishing the basic spatial and human dimensions needed to manage troops on the ground.

Movement and spatial extension The text explores how companies deploy into skirmish lines, detailing the mechanics of range finding, combat patrols, and the vital balance between frontage and distribution in depth to minimize casualties.

The lethal ballistics of fire Analyzing modern infantry rifles and field artillery, Balck demonstrates how terrain slopes alter the beaten zone of fire and how battle stress degrades range estimation among soldiers.

The integration of machine guns The narrative examines the operational employment of machine gun batteries, detailing their proper placement, rate of fire, and devastating effectiveness in breaking up enemy rushes and cavalry charges.

Command systems and the rencontre Balck evaluates centralized command versus mission-type tactics, illustrating through unexpected route collisions that immediate, bold action generally grants the upper hand over cautious delay.

The crisis of the assault The text culminates in the detailed study of offensive and defensive combat, explaining how infantry uses entrenchments, short rushes, and combined artillery support to gain fire superiority before launching the final assault.

The People

The Company Commander The company commander represents the tactical backbone of the infantry unit, tasked with maintaining personal influence over a basic building block of 150 to 250 men. Driven by the need to maintain control and push his unit forward under lethal fire, he faces the constant hurdle of losing connection with his echelons or seeing his men pinned down by artillery. Ultimately, he must evolve from a drillmaster into an adaptable field leader who uses terrain wisely and guides his subordinates with clear, verbal orders.

The Range Finder The range finder is a specialized individual within the platoon responsible for rapidly observing the battlefield, calculating target distances, and assessing fire effect. Motivated by the critical need to grant his unit accurate fire placement, he is constrained by terrain distortions, rapid target movement, and the psychological stress of combat that leads to misjudgments. His success shifts the platoon from wild, wasteful shooting to controlled, lethal fire efficiency.

The Subordinate Leader Operating under the system of tactical missions, the subordinate leader—whether a platoon or support commander—wants the freedom to take initiative and fulfill his commander's broad intent. He is constrained by rigid drill regulations, communication breakdowns, and the danger of acting arbitrarily without understanding the wider battlefield picture. He matures by learning to read the overall flow of battle, making independent decisions during unexpected encounters, and stepping into gaps without waiting for explicit orders.

The Machine Gun Commander Positioned at the intersection of infantry support and heavy firepower, the machine gun commander seeks to unleash maximum fire density at critical junctures to break hostile attacks. He is hindered by heavy hostile artillery fire, limited ammunition supplies, and difficult terrain that exposes his crew. He achieves his potential by learning to conceal his positions behind parapets, manage continuous technical maintenance during pauses, and unleash disciplined bursts against advancing columns.

In Its Own Voice

"If you do not know beforehand which sail is proper for such and such a wind, how can you set the sail according to the wind?"

General Bugeaud’s classic warning highlights Balck’s core premise that flexible decision-making in war is impossible without a firm foundation in tactical principles.

"The desire of the soldier to make every shot a hit, carefully inculcated in time of peace, will of itself regulate the rate of fire."

Balck emphasizes that effective infantry fire rests on disciplined peacetime training rather than frantic, un-aimed volleys under stress.

"As long as the conduct of the opponent does not show clear indications that his fire power is crippled, nothing remains for the attacker but to continue the fight for the superiority of fire."

This directive from the Austrian regulations underscores Balck's insistence that launching an assault before suppressing enemy fire ensures total disaster.

What It's Really About

Beneath its exhaustive tables, troop tallies, and ballistics calculations, the work is fundamentally an inquiry into the tension between human willpower and technological destruction. Balck wrestles with the dilemma of how army commanders can maintain control and tactical cohesion when modern, long-range weapons make old-fashioned, close-order formations suicidal. The text argues against rigid, pre-packaged battle plans, asserting that no drill book can anticipate the endless variables of real combat. Instead, the author champions decentralized initiative—the "system of tactical missions"—wherein subordinate officers are given the freedom to adapt to local conditions while serving a unified purpose. Ultimately, the book explores how army structures must adapt to an era where victory is no longer won by geometric parade-ground maneuvers, but by fire superiority, deep cover, accurate observation, and the psychological stamina of individual soldiers crawling forward under a hail of shrapnel.

Why Read It Today

Tactics, Volume 1 offers a fascinating, unvarnished window into the military mind on the eve of World War I. Readers who enjoy deeply detailed military history, organizational doctrine, or the evolution of modern warfare will find this treatise indispensable. Reading it feels like sitting in a high-level military academy lecture at the turn of the twentieth century, surrounded by maps, firing tables, and historical battle studies. What lingers with the reader is the chilling foresight of the text: Balck accurately diagnoses the terrifying power of machine guns, shrapnel, and field entrenchments, painting a picture of the battlefield that presages the brutal trench warfare that would engulf Europe just three years after this English translation was published.

The work is not without its difficulties for a casual reader. It is a technical manual, dense with numerical tables, exact weapon measurements, and fine-grained breakdowns of march steps per minute across various European armies. It demands patience and a willing reader who is prepared to wade through meticulous descriptions of platoon movements and mathematical fire zones. Yet for those willing to engage with its precise, clinical style, the book yields an authentic understanding of how army theorists attempted to master the chaotic, lethal landscape of modern industrial combat.

<ElicitationsGroup message="If you would like to explore this historical work further, here are a few ways we can proceed:">

<Elicitation label="Analyze the tactical shift from Franco-German to Russo-Japanese War lessons" query="Analyze how William Balck uses lessons from the Franco-German and Russo-Japanese Wars to justify changes in infantry tactics."/>

<Elicitation label="Compare German and Japanese drill regulations described in the text" query="Compare the German and Japanese drill regulations for infantry attack as detailed in William Balck's Tactics, Volume 1."/>

<Elicitation label="Examine the early 20th-century view on machine gun deployment" query="Provide a detailed breakdown of how William Balck describes the tactical employment and limitations of machine guns."/> </ElicitationsGroup>