Waffledynamics said:lb3 said:These aren't trenches. If your convoy is 'stuck' for two days you dig holes to provide protection from direct and more importantly in this conflict, indirect fire.Waffledynamics said:lb3 said:These are textbook prepared fighting positions. Anytime infantry stays in a given place for any length of time, they should be constantly trying to improve their fighting positions. This eventually involves the use of an entrenching tool (small shovel).Captain Positivity said:
People were asking if this was more reminiscent of 1979 or 1914.
Well…A sign we may be seeing an evolution into a stalled phase, Russian trenches. pic.twitter.com/uGxnMU7OyO
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) March 20, 2022
You will notice firing platforms cut into many of these holes. These shelves are cut to allow machine gun bypods (and infantry elbows) to rest below the surface so the machine gunner has a slightly lower profile.
Here is a chapter on their construction.
https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/fm/21-75/Ch2.htm#s5
Surely modern warfare makes trenches much less effective in the past, right? This does not seem like a conflict that has rewarded static positions, big targets, and Russian stubbornness so far, if my amateur mind can tell.
We haven't seen much of this in the past 20 years fighting insurgencies but I distinctly remember seeing footage of Marines on the way to Baghdad sleeping on the ground in shallow holes. I suspect they hated their company commander making them dig every time they stopped but it's good practice even when the enemy isn't expected to assault your position.
Sorry, maybe I'm misremembering something I saw elsewhere/earlier in the thread. I thought I had seen something more extensive than these holes.
I think those were Uke trenches.
Digging fighting positions absolutely sux, especially when your about to finish it, maybe even get some rest, then your ordered to move on or worse bury it.
I am confident if you asked anyone whos been bracketed by indirect fire they would tell you that they couldn't get their hole deep enough or never expressed regret from going through the effort.
Those positions were so masterfully dug I suspect they all had a chance to observe a column blown to pieces and had a good officer.