Every War Tactic Explained in 8 Minutes

Summary

This script delves into various military tactics across different eras, from the sniper trap and salvo fire to modern techniques like creeping barrage and blitzkrieg. It explores defensive maneuvers like holding down position and tank descent, as well as offensive strategies including envelopment and oblique order. The summary also touches on reconnaissance, ambush, and the evolution of air support in warfare, offering a comprehensive look at the art of battle.

Takeaways

• 🎯 The 'sniper trap' tactic involves intentionally wounding an enemy to draw more units into a field of fire for subsequent attacks.
• 🌊 'Salvo' is a surprise attack technique where all cannons fire simultaneously, particularly effective in naval warfare for visibility and range setting.
• ⛰ 'Hold down position' is a defensive tactic where tanks use terrain to minimize exposure, but it has limitations and can hinder offensive transitions.
• 💥 'Creeping barrage' provides infantry cover by advancing artillery fire gradually, but requires precise coordination to prevent friendly fire.
• 🚀 'Blitz' is a rapid, overwhelming attack used by Germans in WWII, focusing on breaking through enemy lines with concentrated mechanized forces.
• 🕳 'Foxholes' are defensive positions for infantry, camouflaged to provide cover and are effective against blitzkrieg tactics.
• 🔥 'Recon by fire' involves firing on suspected enemy positions to elicit reactions and confirm their presence or absence.
• 🌀 'Single envelopment' and 'pincer movement' are tactics where forces attack from the front and sides to encircle and trap the enemy.
• 📉 'Oblique order' is a flanking maneuver where part of the army draws attention while another part advances obliquely to break through enemy lines.
• 🏹 'Feigned retreat' is a deceptive tactic where troops pretend to retreat to lure the enemy into a vulnerable position, but it risks becoming a real retreat.
• 🛡️ 'Bounding Overwatch' is a tactical movement under fire, alternating between providing cover fire and maneuvering to advance positions.

Q & A

What is the primary objective of a sniper trap in warfare?

The primary objective of a sniper trap is to intentionally wound an enemy combatant to draw more enemy units into the field of fire, allowing the sniper to take them out as they provide aid.

What is the purpose of the 'Salvo' technique in naval warfare?

The 'Salvo' technique aims to surprise the enemy and defeat them quickly by having all cannons fire at the same time, which is particularly effective in naval combat because multiple splashes are more visible than a single one, aiding in setting the firing range.

How does the 'hold down position' technique benefit a tank in combat?

The 'hold down position' technique involves a tank using the terrain to its advantage, such as getting on the back slope of a hill or using covers, to minimize its exposure to the enemy, making only the barrel visible and thus harder to target.

What is the 'creeping barrage' and how does it assist infantry?

The 'creeping barrage' is a tactic where artillery fire gradually advances to provide cover for infantry moving towards enemy trenches. It's safer than direct artillery on trenches as most were resistant, and it helps to keep barbed wires and defenders intact.

What was the 'Blitz' technique and how was it used during World War II?

The 'Blitz' technique was a rapid, overwhelming force concentration used by the Germans during World War II, involving mechanized and motorized infantry and armor. Its goal was to break through enemy lines rather than attacking the front line directly, utilizing artillery and close air support to unbalance the enemy.

What is a 'foxhole' and how does it serve in combat?

A 'foxhole' is a hole where two infantry can position themselves to cover and hide when enemies are near. It's effective for ambushes due to the camouflage applied to the opening, with variations like German turrets or Japanese limited space enhancing its effectiveness.

What is the purpose of 'recon by fire' in military tactics?

Recon by fire involves firing on likely enemy positions to provoke a reaction, which helps confirm the enemy's presence or absence at those locations.

Can you explain the 'single envelopment' tactic?

The 'single envelopment' tactic involves one decoy division attacking the front while another division maneuvers to the enemy's back from the sides, cutting off reinforcements and attacking from the rear.

What is the 'feigned retreat' and how does it work?

The 'feigned retreat' is a tactic where troops pretend to retreat to lure the enemy into a vulnerable position, often turning into a real retreat if troops lose coherence.

What is the 'inverted wedge' and how does it function in combat?

The 'inverted wedge' involves the weak center retreating slowly under enemy pressure while the wings push forward to try to encircle the enemy, placing great responsibility on the wings for the maneuver's success.

What is the significance of 'bounding overwatch' in tactical movement?

Bounding overwatch is a tactic where a team splits into two parts: one providing overwatch and the other maneuvering. Once the moving part reaches its destination, they switch roles, allowing for safe advancement under fire.

Outlines

00:00

🎯 Advanced Military Tactics and Techniques

This paragraph delves into a variety of military tactics used across different eras, focusing on their strategic purposes and execution. The 'sniper trap' is highlighted as a method to lure enemies into a vulnerable position by wounding rather than killing. 'Salvo' fire, particularly effective in naval warfare, is discussed for its ability to establish firing ranges and overwhelm enemies. 'Hold down position' describes the tactic of minimizing exposure to enemy sight, with specific conditions required for its effectiveness. 'Creeping barrage' is an artillery technique designed to support infantry advances, though it demands precise coordination to prevent friendly fire. 'Blitz' outlines the rapid, concentrated assault strategy used by Germany in WWII, involving mechanized forces and air support. 'Foxholes' and 'Recon by fire' are explained as defensive and intelligence-gathering methods, respectively. The paragraph also covers 'single envelopment,' 'pincer movement,' 'oblique order,' 'feigned retreat,' and 'inverted wedge' as various flanking maneuvers. 'Crossing the T' and 'Bounding OverWatch' are naval and infantry tactics, respectively, for gaining a tactical advantage. 'Ambush,' 'skirmishing,' 'trench rating,' 'swarming,' and 'Flying Wedge' are additional tactics aimed at surprise, harassment, and overwhelming enemy forces. The paragraph concludes with 'defeat in detail' and 'air interdiction,' emphasizing dividing forces to tackle smaller enemy units and disrupting supply lines through strategic bombing.

05:02

🏰 Siege Warfare and Modern Military Strategies

The second paragraph explores the evolution of siege warfare and introduces modern military strategies. 'Siege' involves surrounding a city or fortress to cut off supplies and force surrender, with 'contravallation' and 'circumvallation' as defensive measures against relief forces. 'Mousing holing' is a technique for infantry to move through urban environments safely. 'Air Assault' describes the use of helicopters for infantry deployment behind enemy lines. 'Tank descent' and 'Shoot and Scoot' are tactics for utilizing tanks and artillery in rapid assault and evasion of counterattacks. 'Marching fire' and 'Center peel' are infantry techniques for advancing under fire and retreating from superior forces, respectively. 'Defense in depth' is a strategy to delay and weaken an attacker by spreading out their forces. 'Scorched Earth' is a tactic of destroying resources to deny them to the enemy, historically used by Russia against Germany in WWII. The paragraph also mentions the support of Patreon patrons and invites viewers to join a Discord server for further discussion and video suggestions.

Keywords

💡Sniper Trap

A 'Sniper Trap' is a military tactic where a sniper intentionally wounds rather than kills an enemy combatant. The aim is to draw more enemy units into the field of fire, allowing the sniper to take them out as they provide aid to the wounded. This tactic is related to the video's theme of military strategies and is exemplified in the script as a way to surprise and defeat the enemy quickly.

💡Salvo

In military terms, a 'Salvo' refers to a simultaneous discharge of firearms or artillery. The script describes it as a technique used to surprise the enemy, particularly effective in naval warfare where multiple splashes from shells can help set the firing range. It is tied to the video's theme by illustrating a method to maximize the impact of firepower.

💡Hold Down Position

'Hold Down Position' is a defensive tactic where a tank or military unit uses the terrain to its advantage, such as hiding behind a hill or using covers, to minimize exposure to the enemy. This concept is integral to the video's exploration of military tactics, showing how units can protect themselves while still being able to engage the enemy.

💡Creeping Barrage

A 'Creeping Barrage' is an artillery technique where fire is advanced gradually to provide cover for infantry moving towards enemy trenches. The script explains that this is safer than direct artillery on trenches, which were often resistant. It is a key concept in the video's discussion of how to support infantry advances in warfare.

💡Blitzkrieg

'Blitzkrieg', meaning 'lightning war' in German, is a military strategy characterized by fast, concentrated attacks intended to quickly overwhelm the enemy. The video script mentions its use by Germans in WWII, highlighting the tactic's ability to unbalance the enemy through rapid, forceful maneuvers.

💡Foxhole

A 'Foxhole' is a small hole in the ground used for protection by soldiers. The script describes its use in camouflage to conceal soldiers from the enemy, illustrating a defensive tactic that is part of the broader theme of military strategy and survival on the battlefield.

💡Reconnaissance by Fire

This tactic involves firing upon suspected enemy positions to elicit a response, thereby confirming their presence or absence. The script uses this as an example of an intelligence-gathering method within the larger context of military tactics and strategies.

💡Envelopment

An 'Envelopment' is a military maneuver where forces attack the enemy's flanks or rear, rather than the front, to surround and isolate them. The video script discusses different types of envelopment, such as single and double, showing how they are part of the strategic approach to warfare.

💡Oblique Order

The 'Oblique Order' is a tactic where a part of the army focuses on one side of the enemy while the rest maneuvers to attack from a different angle. The script explains how this tactic can lead to a force concentration advantage, demonstrating a strategic approach within the video's theme.

💡Feigned Retreat

A 'Feigned Retreat' is a deceptive tactic where troops pretend to retreat to lure the enemy into a vulnerable position. The script mentions the risks and potential for it to turn into a real retreat if not executed properly, highlighting the complexity and challenges of military deception.

💡Inverted Wedge

An 'Inverted Wedge' is a tactic where the center of a formation retreats slowly while the wings advance to encircle the enemy. The script describes the responsibility placed on the wings in this maneuver, illustrating a specific type of military strategy within the video's broader discussion.

Highlights

Sniper trap involves intentionally wounding an enemy to draw more units into a field of fire.

Salvo technique aims to surprise and quickly defeat the enemy by simultaneous cannon fire, effective in naval combat.

Hold down position strategy uses terrain to minimize tank exposure, with limitations on movement and terrain suitability.

Creeping barrage provides infantry cover by gradually advancing artillery fire, requiring precise coordination to avoid friendly fire.

Blitzkrieg is a rapid, overwhelming force concentration used by Germans in WWII, involving mechanized and motorized units with artillery and air support.

Foxholes with camouflaged openings provide concealment for infantry against blitzkrieg tactics.

Recon by fire involves firing on suspected enemy positions to confirm their presence or absence.

Single envelopment involves one division attacking the front while another moves to the enemy's rear to cut off reinforcements.

Pincer movement has central units holding while wings move to engage the enemy on two fronts, potentially encircling them.

Oblique order is a flanking tactic where part of the army focuses on one side while the rest moves obliquely to break through enemy lines.

Feigned retreat is a tactic of pretending to retreat to lure the enemy into a vulnerable position, with risks of becoming a real retreat.

Inverted wedge sees the weak center retreat slowly while wings advance to encircle the enemy, placing great responsibility on the wings.

Crossing the T is a naval tactic where a line of warships crosses in front of an enemy line, allowing broadside fire against limited frontal fire.

Bounding OverWatch is an alternating movement tactic for units to advance under fire, with one part providing cover while the other maneuvers.

Ambush is a surprise attack by hidden units waiting for favorable conditions to strike.

Skirmishing involves placing troops in a spread-out formation to harass the enemy through small, sporadic combat.

Trench rating was a WWI tactic of small-scale night attacks on enemy trenches to capture or disable high-value equipment and gather intelligence.

Swarming is an asymmetric warfare tactic using multiple autonomous units to overwhelm a main target's defenses through irregular attacks.

Flying wedge is a triangular formation used by units for forward movement, providing situational awareness and visibility.

Defeat in detail involves dividing forces to engage smaller enemy units sequentially rather than all at once, useful against a more numerous enemy.

Air interdiction includes tactical and strategic bombing of points that change the course of war, distinct from strategic bombing unrelated to ground operations.

Siege involves surrounding an enemy city or fortress to block supplies and force surrender through low supplies or a prepared assault.

Mousing involves blasting through walls for infantry to move into nearby rooms or buildings for better cover.

Air Assault uses helicopters to insert infantry behind enemy lines for a surprise attack from the rear.

Tank descent combines infantry riding on tanks with dismounting to fight on foot during the final phase of an assault.

Shoot and scoot is an artillery tactic of firing and quickly moving to avoid counterattacks.

Marching fire is suppressive fire by walking infantry to make the enemy hide, with the goal of closing in for close combat.

Center peel is a modern infantry retreat technique for small groups to disengage from a larger enemy force, similar to bounding OverWatch.

Defense in depth aims to delay an attacker's advance by relying on the tendency of attacks to lose momentum over time or area.

Scorched Earth involves retreating and destroying resources the enemy might need, famously used by Russia against Germany in WWII.

Transcripts

sniper trap the sniper intentionally

shoots to wound instead of killing an

enemy combatant with the end goal of

drawing more enemy units into the field

of fire so the sniper can fire on them

as they provide Aid Salvo this

technique's goal is to surprise the

enemy and defeat him as quickly as

possible to avoid his response it's done

by shooting the first shot with every

cannon at the same time and it's

particularly good in Water Combat

between ships because it also helps with

setting the firing range since multiple

splashes are more visible than a single

one it was mostly practiced during World

War I and World War II since cruise

missiles are now more commonly used hold

down position the tank would have to get

on the back slope of a hill or use

covers to expose as little of it as

possible this would make it possible for

the barrel to be the only part visible

to the enemy it is still used in modern

times but it does have some cons this

technique is not fit for every terrain

type especially ples the tanks have to

have a great enough negative elevation

and they have to remain in the same

position to not expose themselves if the

tank wants to go from defense to attack

attack it would have a bad position as

it would be looking upwards and exposing

its underpart which is usually the most

vulnerable part creeping barrage this

technique consists in a gradual advance

of artillery fire in order to provide

cover for the Infantry pushing forward

towards the enemy trenches it's better

than using artillery directly on

trenches since most of the time they

were resistant to it Defenders could

easily be replaced and Barbed wires were

left unharmed however it's pretty

dangerous as it needs coordination

between infantry and artillery to avoid

explosions too close to the Infantry

Blitz

this technique was famously used by the

Germans during World War II and it

consists of a rapid overwhelming and

dense Force concentration in an arrow

shape with mechanized and motorized

infantry and armored at the top with the

intent of not attacking the actual front

line but breaking through it they also

used artillery and close air support one

of the biggest pros of this technique is

that it unbalances the Enemy by

continuously changing front lines fox

holes it's a hole where two infantry are

positioned to cover and stay when

enemies are too near thanks to

camouflage applied to the opening this

technique is said to have been

originally created to combat blitzk

there were some variations of this for

example Germans had turrets on them and

the Japanese were better concealed

thanks to the limited space which

permitted only one infantry unit to get

into it making it more effective for

ambushes than cover Recon by fire firing

on likely enemy positions to see if they

react with the goal of confirming their

position or absence single envelopment

one decoy division attacks the front

while another one goes into the enemy's

back from the sides and stops his

reinforcements Communications or shoots

them from the back pser movement when

the enemy does a frontal assault the

central units remain in the center while

the two Wings move outside and go into

the enemy's side making him fight the

battle on two fronts and eventually

encircling him oblique order this is

another flank tactic where one part of

the army focuses on one side while the

other slowly moves in an oblique way to

break through the enemy line thanks to

force concentration feigned Retreat

pretending to retreat to draw in the

enemy in a vulnerable position it

frequently turns into a real Retreat

because undisciplined troops are likely

to lose coherence and Retreat for real

inverted wedge the weak Center Retreats

slowly under the pressure of the enemies

while the wings push forward to try to

encircle the enemy great responsibility

is placed on the wings here crossing the

tea a line of Warships crosses in front

of a line of enemy ships this makes

every horizontal warship able to shoot

the vertical ships with every gun while

the vertical ships can only attack with

their front guns bounding OverWatch it's

an alternating movement tactic that

helps units go forward when they are

Under Fire this splits the team into two

parts one that provides OverWatch and

one that Maneuvers when the moving part

of the team gets to its destination they

stop and start using suppressive fire to

cover the other part which starts moving

and so on ambush it's a surprise attack

made by hidden units that wait for

favorable positions or conditions to

start attacking skirmishing skirmishers

are troops placed in front of the main

of units that stay in a very spread

outline and harass the Enemy by engaging

in small and sporadic combat to delay

their movement disrupt their attack or

weaken their morale trench rating mainly

used in World War I it consisted of

making small scale nighttime surprise

attacks on enemy trenches they usually

creeped up slowly on the centries

guarding a small sector of the trench

line killed them as quietly as possible

and threw grenades into the dugouts

where the enemies would sleep this was

also used to capture or disable high

value equipment gather intelligence by

seizing documents Etc the returning

Raiders risked friendly fire so they

usually had a password system to

identify themselves swarming this tactic

is used to overwhelm a main Target's

defenses by attacking with multiple

autonomous units it's mainly used in

asymmetric Warfare where one side has

much less capacity or size and it

confuses the enemy thanks to irregular

attacks which usually happen from

multiple positions Flying Wedge it's a

body of units that moves forward in a

triangular formation it was more

commonly used in ancient times when

combat was the main focus but it's still

used now thanks to the great situational

awareness and visibility it provides

it's also often used by police Riot

squads defeat in detail it's most useful

against a more numerous enemy and it

consists of dividing your Force into

smaller parts which makes the enemy

divide his forces as well and then

bringing a large portion of your Force

to fight against small enemy units in

sequence rather than in one large combat

against the bulk of the enemy's

divisions all at once air interdiction

bombing strategic points which don't

pose an immediate threat but change the

course of the war a distinction must be

made between tactical and Strategic Air

interdiction Tactical Air interdiction

is meant to affect events rapidly or

immediately for example by bombing

supplies on route to the active battle

area Strategic Air interdiction focuses

on longer term benefits and usually

targets Bridges streets Etc this is

different from strategic bombing which

is unrelated to ground operations Siege

surrounding an enemy City or Fortress in

order to block its supplies and Escape

aping enemy troops with the goal of

forcing them to surrender because of low

supplies or attacking them with a well

prepared assault when the soldiers build

a line of fortifications around a

besieged city it's called a contra

relation when they build a second line

of fortifications facing away from the

enemy's Fort to protect themselves from

the fort's Allies it's called a

circumvallation mous holing open streets

are very risky for infantry units since

they sometimes don't provide sufficient

cover so they blast through walls to get

into nearby rooms or buildings Air

Assault you using aircraft such as

helicopters to get infantry behind the

Enemy Lines and attack them from behind

it's the new vertical version of the

other envelopment tactics tank descent

it consists of infantry units sitting on

top of a tank and dismounting to fight

on foot only in the Final Phase of the

assault they don't just use the tank as

a transportation method they protect it

against anti-tank weapons shoot and

Scoot it's the artillery tactic of

shooting at a Target and immediately

moving from the firing position to avoid

counterattacks marching fire it's a form

of suppressive fire where a group of

walking infantry units keep firing to

make the enemy hide behind cover often

with the final goal of getting closer to

him and engaging in close combat Center

peel it's a retreat technique used in

modern-day infantry often when small

groups of infantry need to get away from

a bigger enemy Force it's kind of

similar to the bounding OverWatch

technique defense and depth this

strategy seeks to delay rather than

prevent the advance of an attacker

relying on the tendency of an attack to

lose momentum over a period of time or

as it covers a larger area once the

attacker is forced to spread out to

cover a larger area The Defenders can

Counterattack having to fight against

smaller separated units scorched Earth

it involves retreating and destroying

anything that the enemy might need like

food sources and transportation it was

famously used by Russia against Germany

in the second world war supported by the

size of Russian territory and the

freezing cold winter shout out to these

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