Infantry Combat: The Rifle Platoon: An Interactive Exercise in Small-Unit Tactics and Leadership

by John Antal

Book Overview

You are the neophyte platoon leader in this informative and entertaining, interactive work from the author of Armor Attacks. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 089141536X
• ISBN13: 9780891415367
• Release Date: June 1995
• Publisher: Presidio Press
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 1.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

a must read --- highly recommended

Being a contracted ROTC cadet,I recently bought this book after it caught my eye. As it turned out, one of my cadre, a Mil. Intel. Cpt. had already read the book and he and I talked of its subject matter. This is a very stripped down book introducing the moral and physical dilemmas faced by many junior officers as they enter the Army. At the core, it is designed to use basic decision making skills as well as play with light infantry tactics. Each decision leads to a new section where the consequences are meted out. Will you be successful or not??? Luck does have a marginal role as well as some sections are chosen by dice rolls(I found this out the hard way). In all, this is a recommended reading for ROTC cadets and junior officers(as stated by my Cpt.), and for those non-military readers, this is an entertaining war game with a glimpse of what it is like on our side of the fence.

Interactive teaching tool

I started this book late one night and continued until early in the morning. It is truely "An Interactive Exercise In Small unit Tactics and leadership." As a voracious reader of military history, I've become accustomed to knowing the outcome before I begin reading. This has made me see all the actions of the men who were "there", through the lens of hindsight. At my first attempt to accomplish the assigned mission, I made several assumptions that got me killed only a few chapters into the book. My (false) confidence was shaken. This is the way it works. You play the part of a 2nd Lieutenant, recently graduated from the Miliatry Academy. He's commanding his first Platoon and he faces the same challenges that all small unit leaders face. At the end of each chapter, it gives you several choices to make and you go to the chapter that matches your choice. The choices are not always easy or clear cut. In some chapters you roll dice too decide what course of action to follow. This added element of chance more than once led me in a direction I would not have chosen to go in. I suffered the frustration of having to carry on even though information and options were limited. Just like in real life, I still had too make decisions and preperations in spite of the limitations. As every small unit leader knows, this is normal but very difficult to train for. The book is a great tool for understanding infantry combat and the stresses that a leader faces. It is not just for the novice, I would recommend it too anyone, even field grade officers who have forgotten how combat works at the company level.

Dynamic, engrossing, well presented

A must read for all military professionals, particularly those who aspire to combat command, it is also highly recommended to any civilian who wishes to better understand the modern U.S. Army. It gives deep insight into the soldiers and leaders of America's Army and the difficult and unique challenges that they face. Antal is a master of current doctrine and tactics and excels in his ability to teach these lessons to the reader. Above all he is a gifted storyteller; you will be more than merely engrossed in this life and death tale, you will live it as you participate in this interactive drama.

Fast and very entertaining!

Readers should not be led to believe that combat is summed up a series of clear and simple decisions like in this work, but many factors affect the outcome of an encounter. Nevertheless, this interactive excercise was very entertaining and novices will absolutely be drawn in.

a book, a game and an involving experience in one package!

If you think you are good enough to lead a rifle platoon take this challenge. You'll need to take decisions and to design a strategy. Fun and challenging!