The distribution of fire, to be effective, must be over the entire target. Improper distribution results in gaps between zones and allows apart of the enemy to escape, to advance, or to use their weapons without effective opposition.

Rifle Fire

The fire of a rifle unit is either concentrated or distributed. The nature of the target, as given in the fire order, will determine in each mind of the rifleman the type of fire to use.

l CONCENTRATED FIRE is directed at a single point. Enemy machine guns, bunkers, and heavy weapons are examples of suitable targets for concentrated fire.

l DISTRIBUTED FIRE is fire distributed in width for the purpose of keeping all parts of a larger-than-point target under effective fire. Each rifleman fires his or her first shot at that portion of the target corresponding generally to his or her position in the squad. He or she then distributes his or her succeeding shots over that part of the target extending a few yards right and left of the point of aim for his or her first shot. The width of target he or she will cover will be the maximum on which he or she can deliver accurate fire without changing his or her position, as shown in figure 3-67.

In PLATOON FIRING, unless otherwise ordered, each squad completely covers the target designated for the platoon. This enables the leader to shift part of his or her fire to a new target or to remove a squad from the line without leaving a portion of the target not under fire. If the platoon leader does not desire each squad to cover the entire platoon target, he or she assigns definite sectors of fire to each squad.

In DETERMINING EXTENT OF TARGET, it is difficult or impossible to pick out visually each individual enemy in either a dug-in or camouflaged position. A muzzle blast may show the location of a few individual positions, but many positions will be too well camouflaged to see. However, engaging the whole target is imperative in order to inflict decisive casualties and neutralize the fire of the enemy. Pinning down only the obvious positions and allowing the remaining enemy to fire unmolested does little good.

Under these circumstances, to apply the proper fire distribution effectively, the unit leader must first determine the locations of the flanks of the enemy. The flanks may be obvious and easy to see. They may be limited by natural features, such as woods, a cliff, or a gully; or they may be approximately located from the direction and sound of the firing of the enemy.

After determining the flanks of the enemy, the squad leader must designate the portion of the target, whether in part or in its entirety, that he or she wishes his or her squad to engage. This can best be done by using tracers fired on either flank. The squad then opens fire using the normal fire distribution.

Machine Gun Fire

In fire control terminology, target width is designated in mils. A MIL is a unit of angular measurement; there are 1,600 mils in 90 degrees. Gun angles of train and elevation are measured in roils. A target width of 50 mils has no relationship to the actual width of the target. This expression simply means that moving the gun through a train (horizontal angle) of 50 mils will cover the entire target front. Thus, a wide target could have a target width of 50 mils at long range, while a narrow target would have the same width at much shorter range.

No fixed rule about the maximum width of a target that a single gun may profitably engage can be given. But preferably targets for light machine guns should be less than 50 mils in width. The section (two guns) is the machine gun fire unit. Whenever practical, both guns cover the same target area, although an occasion may arise to use single guns profitably. Assigning both guns to a single target area ensures continuous fire should either gun be put out of action, provides a greater volume of fire on the target, and reduces the time required to cover the target.

Targets having a width or depth no greater than the beaten zone of the weapon engaging them are considered POINT targets. You should engage point

Figure 3-68.-Traversing method by section. Both flanks are visible to the gunners. Target is less than 50 mils in width.

Figure 3-69.-Traversing method by section. Targets 50 MilS or more in width. (Each gun assigned a portion of the target.)

targets with fixed fire. The command for such fire is FIXED. Gun crews are trained to follow any movement or change in formation made by the enemy after the initial burst of fire.

When sections engage frontal targets that are less than 50 mils wide and less than the length of the beaten zone in depth, the leader uses the normal traversing method. Each gun lays just outside its corresponding target flank and traverses across the target front to a point just outside the opposite target flank (fig. 3-68). The command for this type of fire is TRAVERSE.

When the target measures 50 mils or more in width and is less than the length of the beaten zone in depth, the leader assigns a portion of the target to one gun and the remainder to the other. Each gun lays on the outside flank of its assigned portion and traverses back and forth across the portion assigned. (See fig. 3-69.) The command would be, for example: No. 1 gun, RIGHT HALF; No. 2 gun, LEFT HALF; TRAVERSE.

If the flanks of the target cannot be seen, the leader should order each gun to traverse so many roils from a point between the flanks. The designated number of roils should be large enough for each gun to traverse to a point beyond the suspected position of the flank.

Searching fire covers targets deeper than the length of the beaten zone. If the target is stationary, has limited mobility, or is moving slowly toward you, and if the ends are visible, No. l gun lays on the near end and searches down. If the estimated depth of the target is 200 yards or less, the leader announces the range for both guns to the middle of the target. If the estimated depth of the target is more than 200 yards, he or she announces the range to the near end for No. 1 gun and the range to the far end for No. 2. The command for this type of fire is SEARCH.

If the target is moving rapidly toward the guns, both guns lay on the near end with the range to that point and search up. If the target is moving rapidly away from the guns, both guns lay on the far end and search down. The distribution element of the command for covering a rapidly approaching or receding target is ALL GUNS, NEAR (FAR) END, SEARCH.