Evening star., 1939-10-03
General Mud
Fails 10 Help
In War Games
Mechunized Forces,
New Strotegies to Be
Used at Fort Meade
BY JAMES FREE,
Star STAFF CORRESPONDENT.

FORT MEADE, Md, Oct. 3.-Un-
like the Polish Army, which wanted
General Muds" help against mech
anized attack and couldn't get it,
the Washington Provisional Brigade
had rain-soaked battle-ground and
didn't want it as four-day war
games of the Regular Army began
here today.
For one thing, the brigade's theo-
retical combat against the mechan-
lied BLACK" forces is not scheduled
until tomorrow night and early
Thursday, when the terrain may be
drler. For another, most of the
4-mile-square maneuvering area
hereabouts is sandy loan and does
not readily bog down tanks.
Cavalry, infantry and artillery
troops under Brig. Gen. Maxwell
Murray-the "blues" in this make
believe war-today went through
field and observation movements
against imaginary opponents. In
fact, they captured Fort Meade-on
paper.
Their enemies in the play conflict
on Thursday, and Friday the
Blacks" under Col. Gilbert S.
Brownell-took over another section
OF the wooded reservation to polish
up few new attack systems, COM
bining strength of infantry, artillery
and tanks.
1000 to Take Part.
In the games both sides are to
have approximately the same
strength in supporting infantry and
artillery. Each will have one scout
ing plane from Langley Field (Va.)
squadron which arrived today.
Some 1000 men will participate,
with the number rather evenly di-
vided.
Studies of the Manassas (Va) and
Plattsburg IN. " mock wars in Au-
gust have convinced Regular Army
staff officers that new attack pro-
cedures blending infantry, artillery
and tanks into offensive teams are
desirable.
While results obtained in the Aug
ust games were satisfactory, the
staff experts this week want to try
some experiments in combination
offensives which they believe might
produce better results from the
tanks.
The primary military point at is
sue is the relative effectiveness of
cavalry and military units in field
warfare. On Thursday the mech
anized BLACKS" will defend Fort
Meade from an attack by the
Blues" The following day the
"Blues" will assume the defensive
and the BLACKS" will attempt to
break their lines with the newly
planned combination team of tanks,
infantry and artillery.
As Nearly Real as Possible.
Except for the use of blank am
munition, conditions will be as
nearly real as possible. In other
words, there will be no supposition
that railroad tracks constitute an
unfordable canal or that a wooded
hill is fortress. In today's prelim-
mary maneuvers both sides made
such pretentions in order to prepare
themselves better for the games
against live enemies later in the
week.
The 'blues" consist of the 18th
Infantry, the 18th Field Artillery
and the End Squadron of the 3rd
Cavalry. The blacks" are the 18th
Infantry Brigade, the 1st Battalion
of the 9th Field Artillery and the
1st Battalion (Tank) of the 66th
Infantry.
At 7 o'clock tomorrow night the
opposing forces will begin to take
up combat posts for opening OF hos
tilities at dawn Thursday. The
attack of the blacks" on Friday is
also set for dawn.
The "blues," who encamped last
night after marching in heavy rains
from Fort Myer, Va, shifted their
tents to another camp site about
3 miles away this afternoon, thus
giving them taste of maneuvering
under wartime conditions.