Britain faces Iraq rout

[EternalOptimist]

Whilst he's checking his wiki's, for anyone who is interested, this is what enfilade is all about.

Imagine 500 Frenchmen in a column, 50 wide, 100 deep, heading towards 500 British redcoats, 250 wide, 2 deep.

Classic column against a line. French muscle, British firepower. Who will win ?

neither side has an enfilade advantge.

Now imaging Sharpe nipping in the side of the French, he can fire all day without being attacked. The French are facing the wrong way - THATS ENFILADE.

Now imagine a squadron of French currasiers appearing at the end of the British line. They can charge without getting shot at - THATS ENFILADE.

Kick the bugger when he cant kick back- THATS ENFILADE.


Nowadays, evey time a unit is in action, it faces 360 degrees. Its not possible to enfilade any more.
Sure a unit can get caught in a bad position, but its not the same thing.



sorry for being a bore, but this guy is annoying

[Diver]

Ok , fine, you dont really understand the concept of the enfilade.(the idea that the warthogs attack from a particular direction to achieve an enfilade advantage is laughable)

so thats one nil to me.

Next.

we will suffer 'not a few' casualties during this withdrawal. Please explain what that means. Are you saying the casualty rate will , double, treble, quadrouple, maybe we will lose 50, 100, 200 prisoners ???
Please clarify

To enfilade = to fire along the length of a column or trench to increase the chances of a hit. By air commonly known as strafing = 1 To me sorry

Who said anything about prisoners?

We will lose men to enemy fire!

An estimate of losses cannot be made due to insufficient intel.

ie.
How many enemy combatants.
Enemy having prior intel on the route
Weapons brought to bear

I am sorry but a close numerical estimate is impossible.
We will lose men though and it will be in double figures is as far as I will go.

The very fact that you asked the question though, indicates a lack of combat or tactical training.

[wendigo100]

I agree...but the method he used was hardly ideal and the reason the opinion of the world was against him. The IRA were able to control crime in NI but the methods they used were hardly in keeping with the civilised world.

Is the current situation any better?

The people in that part of the world have a very different idea of a civilised world than we or the Irish do.

What happens when US forces eventually leave? Does anyone truly believe they will have successfully enforced democracy?

IMHO it was safer all round while we kept a rein on Saddam and let them evolve in their own way.

[wendigo100]

Imagine 500 Frenchmen in a column, 50 wide, 100 deep...

Don't you mean 5 wide?

[EternalOptimist]

To enfilade = to fire along the length of a column or trench to increase the chances of a hit. By air commonly known as strafing = 1 To me sorry

Who said anything about prisoners?

We will lose men to enemy fire!

An estimate of losses cannot be made due to insufficient intel.

ie.
How many enemy combatants.
Enemy having prior intel on the route
Weapons brought to bear

I am sorry but a close numerical estimate is impossible.
We will lose men though and it will be in double figures is as far as I will go.

The very fact that you asked the question though, indicates a lack of combat or tactical training.

Strafing and enfilade ?? I remember reading a fascinating account of a coastal air command sutherland, and how they used to strafe the German mines in the heligoland bight. No doubt the mines were swimming in column formation and were making a tactical withdrawal to Kiel.

ok, casualties. I detect three caveats above, a bit of a departure from the certainty of your original post.
(FYI prisoners are counted as casualties)

Two nil to me.

Now we are to withdraw through unpopulated areas, could you give me an idea of a route. One that leads to an exit point, that goes through low populated areas.


Thanks

[EternalOptimist]

Don't you mean 5 wide?

er no

it wasnt usually one battalion onto one, trying to illustrate the point and f*cked it up

40 - 50 wide is about right

[wendigo100]

er no

it wasnt usually one battalion onto one, trying to illustrate the point and f*cked it up

40 - 50 wide is about right

So 10 deep then? I just want to picture how the 500 men are set up (50 by 100 would be 5000 men).

[EternalOptimist]

So 10 deep then? I just want to picture how the 500 men are set up (50 by 100 would be 5000 men).

sorry for being a bore wendigo, but,

the French would usually attack on masse, so it would be , 2,3,4 or more battalions on to one.

quite often it would be 50 wide and 100 deep.

They would come in fast, no shooting, smoke everywhere, visibility low, the brits would give them a volley , then usually run like ****. French casualties would be horrendous, British casulaties light. The British defenders are probably still running now

Then the British response would come, two or three reserve lines would close in on the disorganised Frogs, skirmishers would get round the flanks, and the French attack columns would be shot to bits.

After a couple of attacks like that the French would run out of steam.

Then of course, you have the cavalry and the guns to think about, comand control, communications, the prussians .......

[Diver]

Strafing and enfilade ?? I remember reading a fascinating account of a coastal air command sutherland, and how they used to strafe the German mines in the heligoland bight. No doubt the mines were swimming in column formation and were making a tactical withdrawal to Kiel.

ok, casualties. I detect three caveats above, a bit of a departure from the certainty of your original post.
(FYI prisoners are counted as casualties)

Two nil to me.

Now we are to withdraw through unpopulated areas, could you give me an idea of a route. One that leads to an exit point, that goes through low populated areas.
Thanks

I did not mention either casualties or prisoners. You did.
I merely said that we would lose men. meaning KIA.

Strafing is a generic term (from the German as well ). I should have said strafing a column which would have explained it in easier terms for you. so no point on that point. (how long did it take you to google it anyway?)

Once again check my original post. I said that they would have to find a route, the operative word here is THEY.

So no points for you at all I'm afraid.
You have done nothing but waste time disproving comments and observations that you have made not me.

[wendigo100]

Sorry matey, I get the drift now, but your numbers didn't add up:

Imagine 500 Frenchmen in a column, 50 wide, 100 deep, heading towards 500 British redcoats, 250 wide, 2 deep.

50 wide by 100 deep is more than 500 Frenchmen - unless the other 4500 are Albert RNs!