Machine-Gun Tactics

Captain Applin's military manual treats the machine gun as a revolutionary battlefield weapon whose real power depends on organization, mobility, and disciplined training. Opening with a practical survey of the chief types in service, he defines the ideal gun as fast-firing, portable, steady on its mount, and instantly ready for action, then uses the Maxim as his standard example. He argues that effective fire is not the same as sheer rate of fire: ammunition must be conserved, fire must be controlled, and a machine gun can deliver a more concentrated, precise beaten zone than infantry rifles, even outperforming trained riflemen in live tests. The book then turns to transport, concealment, and vulnerability, favoring light, adaptable mounts and pack carriage over heavy, conspicuous carriages, especially for cavalry. It lays out peacetime organization, staffing each pair of guns with selected officers, NCOs, drivers, and batmen, and insists that crews be trained as marksmen, scouts, and mechanics. Finally, it shows how machine guns should be used in attack and defense—hidden, timed carefully, and held for decisive moments—to break assaults, secure captured ground, and shape the battle with concentrated fire. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.