430:
20:
413:. There, he relates that the wedge must be formed by 354 cataphracts and 150 horse archers to a total number of 504 men. The row of the first line comprised 20 horsemen, the second 24, the third 28, down to the 12th line, which consisted of 64 men. If such a number of men is not available, he proposes that the wedge be formed by 304 cataphracts and 80 horse archers, or a total of 384 men, the first line comprising 10 men. In his next chapter (
536:
89:
508:
322:. In Book I, he describes a shallow wedge, with the front rank of two men then each thereafter doubled. In Book VII, he depicts a sharper pointed formation 10 men deep with the first rank being composed of 2 men, each rank composed of 2 more. Thus, each wedge was composed of 110 men, 10 deep, 2 men on its tip, and 20 on its base. According to the
28:
559:. The principle is similar to the military application: the ball carrier starts an attack and is joined on both sides by teammates who drive them forward towards the goal line. However due to the number of deaths and serious injuries related to the flying wedge, any attempt at this formation is now punished by in-game penalties.
372:. He gives examples of various formations varying from 200 men to 1000. The formation of 1000 men places seven men in the first rank, with each rank increasing by two men back to the eighth rank with 21. The remaining men are in a column 20 men wide behind the point. The banner would be carried in the seventh rank.
247:
with forty warriors in the first line and 1,600 men strong. In this formation, the wingmen are at most risk. It was therefore well possible that the wing marched with some caution and held back a bit, so that the center stormed further and looked like a wedge. The outer ranks of the rear on the other
144:
and
Alexander the Great faced Persian cavalry arrayed thus, as Arrian attests. The advantage of the wedge was that it offered a narrow point for piercing enemy formations and concentrated the leaders at the front. It was easier to turn than a square formation because everyone followed the leader at
458:
The hollow wedge formation remains one of the basic infantry formations at the squad and section level, especially when crossing open ground. However unlike in ancient and medieval times, the formation is used not to maximise effectiveness in melee combat, but to maximise the situational awareness
597:
Recent changes in the rules at various levels regarding runbacks of free kicks are stricter still in that they restrict blocking by teammates close together even without touching each other. The "wedge" commonly referred to in interference on free kick returns simply meant such a close group of
267:
to the sides. The triangular formation was used to overwhelm an enemy with a frontal assault. Family groups and tribes were placed side-by-side in units to maintain its cohesion in battle. The tactic was a formidable assault strategy against defenders in line or column, however, attackers faced
303:
formations when defenders would link their shields together to form an all-but impenetrable barrier. Armored, heavily armed infantry could use their momentum in wedge formation to drive open small sections in the shield wall. This would break up the shield wall exposing the defenders to flank
55:) is a configuration created from a body moving forward in a triangular formation. This V-shaped arrangement began as a successful military strategy in ancient times when infantry units would move forward in wedge formations to smash through an enemy's lines. This principle was later used by
586:, which forbids the locking together of players as well as pushing and pulling the ball carrier to increase force in the same manner as the historic flying wedge, remains in the American football rule books; its eradication has been so complete that the foul has not been called in the
493:
during the annual graduation parade, when the soon-to-be commissioned first-class cadets (seniors) leave the Cadet Wing. This is the reverse of the acceptance parade, held each fall, when the new fourth-class cadets (freshmen) join the Cadet Wing in the inverted wedge formation.
598:
blockers. Wedge blocking using only the shoulders to push forward teammates not holding the ball is still legal. Some leagues went still farther in theoretically not allowing any transfer of momentum between teammates in blocking but that prohibition is not strictly enforced.
429:
459:
and firepower of a unit. The intervals between soldiers is designed to give mutually supporting lines of sight that do not obscure one another forward and to the sides, and this also corresponds to mutually supporting overlapping arcs of fire. The
417:), he ordains that the wedge must be accompanied by two cavalry units, which will guard its flanks. A wedge whose ranks are not complete in the middle is shaped as an Λ instead of a Δ and is called a hollow wedge, or in Greek κοιλέμβολον,
578:
in 1892. Teammates would lock themselves together with the ball carrier using their hands and arms and rush forward. But despite its practicality, it was outlawed two seasons later in 1894 because of its contribution to serious injury.
232:. However, this was also the most dangerous point, whence the need to be heavily armoured. But an army leader who survived a lost battle often forfeited his life (usually suicide). Warriors who had fled were hanged or slain.
660:
216:
Due to the high discipline this formation required and the relatively high probability of failure, it is assumed that the front lines were filled with the best and most heavily armoured warriors of the
Germanic
213:. It is generally believed that the Germanic tribes were more successful with this tactic than the Celts. It was used to force the Roman forces to split and was later applied specifically to the weakest units.
368:, then a final rank of 14 picked men to hold the formation together. Sir Charles Oman refers to an unpublished manual of 1480 by Philip of Seldeneck which describes the formation, calling it the
916:
364:
fought in wedge formation. The
Nuremberg cavalry was drawn up in a wedge led by 5 picked knights, then seven, then nine, then 11. The following twenty ranks held 250 ordinary
287:); it begins with a muffled grumbling and swells with the heat of the battle up to the roar of the waves beating against the rocks. According to Germanic legend and Tacitus,
666:, 1920, History of warfare in the framework of political history, Part 2 The Teutons, Book 1 The struggle of the Romans and Teutons, Chapter 2 The Germanic warriordom
481:
can also be transitioned fast and efficiently. The regiment can change formation with ease and the front of it has a significant amount of strength from its crossfire.
357:
1063:
248:
hand swelled slightly. The goal was to hit hard at the same time and to drive a 40 yard wide hole into the enemy line, according to the German historian
243:
was a tightly packed crowd, strong on all sides, not only in front and back, but also on the flanks. The formation was not like a wedge but more like a
120:'s head"), was used by both infantry and cavalry. The men deployed in a triangular or trapezoid formation with the tip leading the way. According to
19:
947:
924:
697:"Quodque præcipuum fortitudinis incitamentum est, non casus, nec fortuita conglobatio turmam aut cuneum facit, sed familiæ et propinquitates" -
571:
964:
470:
Exactly the same principles of mutually supporting lines of sight and fire, apply to an armored vehicles deployed in a wedge formation.
590:
since 1991. The concept of wedge-shaped formations continued to influence several football plays in the modern game, particularly on
860:
835:
810:
671:
70:. It has also been used in some sports, although the use of wedges is sometimes banned due to the danger it poses to defenders.
1014:
490:
1029:
1093:
730:
205:, meaning throng) is a German phrase to describe the attack formation ("Tactical body") of the prehistoric infantry of the
1069:
Footage of the
Argentina national rugby union team carrying out a flying wedge against England in the 1995 Rugby World Cup
1003:
767:"The Nine Books of the Danish History of Saxo Grammaticus", translated by Oliver Elton (Norroena Society, New York, 1905)
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986:
754:
750:
683:
591:
474:
376:
125:
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annihilation in the event of retreat because the wedge became an ill-defined mob if its forward momentum collapsed.
433:
US Navy sailors in a wedge patrol formation during patrol familiarization during a field training exercise in 2011.
1044:
587:
66:
In modern times the effectiveness of flying wedge means it is still employed by civilian police services for
467:
wedge. In a platoon wedge the command group and platoon machine guns are placed in the hollow of the wedge.
524:
460:
256:
1088:
944:
384:
173:
137:
228:
and glory in the battle. The most distinguished princes and their acolytes stood at the head of the
409:
798:
717:
Richard F. Burton (1987). "CHAPTER XIII. THE SWORD AMONGST THE BARBARIANS (EARLY ROMAN EMPIRE)".
567:
544:
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352:
Deep wedges of cavalry were used by German armies in the later Middle Ages. At the Battle of
141:
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346:
169:
153:
67:
59:
armies, as well as modern armed forces, which have adapted the V-shaped wedge for
878:"The Siete Partidas: A Repository of Mediaeval Military and Tactical Instruction"
527:
march into segments. It can also be used to escort VIPs through hostile crowds.
777:
719:
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365:
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sometimes charge in flying wedge formations, to break into a dense crowd as a
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443:
404:
284:
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team sports, the use of the flying wedge is now banned for safety reasons in
448:
361:
341:
A triangular or wedge formation was also used in the medieval period by the
244:
225:
149:
133:
129:
172:, with the wedge proving effective in campaigns in Britain, such as during
894:
299:
In the Middle Ages, the tactic was especially effective against defensive
27:
464:
342:
288:
1064:
Chinese riot police show off their skills in breaking up a demonstration
766:
264:
260:
236:
161:
323:
121:
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returns, until 2009 when NFL league owners agreed to stop its use.
473:
There are many advantages to using this formation. It provides more
539:
Harvard unleashing a dangerous flying wedge on Yale, November 1892.
291:
once visited German soil and they sang of him first of all heroes.
534:
506:
428:
206:
177:
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109:
87:
26:
637:
Soldiers and Ghosts: A History of Battle in
Classical Antiquity,
438:
335:
218:
117:
987:"Mindful of Violence, the N.F.L. Rules Out the Wedge Formation"
176:, where a greatly outnumbered Roman army used it to defeat the
511:
CG image of 7 policemen in riot gear charging in flying wedge
312:
Two complete descriptions of an infantry wedge are given by
1051:. United States Army Infantry Training School. January 1996
1030:"No wedge means major adjustment for kickoff units" NFL.com
489:
The wedge formation is used ceremonially by cadets at the
437:
The wedge is still used in modern armies, especially by
23:
United States
Marines pose in a wedge formation in 1918
1015:
When is it a foul for pulling a ball carrier forward?
656:
654:
562:
In
American football, the formation was developed by
853:
A History of the Art of War in the
Sixteenth Century
441:and other armored units. An example of this is the
828:History of the Art of War vol III; The Middle Ages
718:
140:adopted it from them as the main formation of his
1004:Introduction: A Brief History of College Football
826:Delbrück, Hans; Trans Walter J. Renfroe (1990) .
523:to arrest a leader or speaker, or to chop a long
275:was advancing against the enemy, they sang the
259:, the central body consisted of heavily armed,
980:
978:
375:The use of the cavalry wedge in 13th Century
8:
712:
710:
830:. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood. p. 275.
725:. Dover Publications; Revised ed. edition.
693:
691:
463:will usually anchor one of the flanks of a
148:As an infantry formation it is attested by
224:Here the individual warrior tried to gain
168:. It was also used to great effect by the
893:
16:V-shaped configuration of multiple people
18:
628:
221:who had to break the Roman front line.
92:Tactical principles of the Flying Wedge
543:Although originally permitted in most
447:or "armored wedge" used by the German
326:, the wedge formation, called by them
965:"Rod Macqueen to get edge with wedge"
945:Section 4(n) of Law 10 of Rugby Union
805:. Oxford: Blackwell. pp. 231–2.
145:the apex, "like a flight of cranes".
7:
1045:"Infantry Squad Operations:Movement"
855:. London: Greenhill. pp. 82–3.
400:analyzes the wedge formation of the
477:as a result of the area it spans.
128:, the wedge was first used by the
14:
963:Harris, Bret (18 February 2011).
235:According to the Roman historian
201:(wild boar's head, wedge, Latin:
661:The Germanic warriordom (German)
648:Frontinus, Stratagems, II.iii.20
491:United States Air Force Academy
415:Ordinance on Cavalry Deployment
383:, a law code compiled for king
985:Battista, Judy (24 May 2009).
1:
639:Yale University Press, p. 98.
31:Macedonian Companion cavalry
407:in the third chapter of his
356:in 1450, both the armies of
851:Oman, Sir Charles (1987) .
515:Police and law enforcement
1110:
882:Acta Periodica Duellatorum
187:
184:Scandinavian and Germanic
152:to have been used by the
588:National Football League
566:and first introduced by
263:protecting less-armored
876:Gassmann, Jürg (2021).
803:War in the Middle Ages
788:(New York, 1970),p.285
786:The Viking Achievement
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512:
461:squad automatic weapon
434:
93:
36:
24:
1094:Banned sports tactics
895:10.36950/apd-2021-002
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498:Civilian applications
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91:
30:
22:
921:www.benning.army.mil
635:Lendon, J.E. (2006)
584:assisting the runner
582:The penalty against
385:Alfonso X of Castile
379:is described in the
138:Philip II of Macedon
112:, colloquially also
96:The wedge (έμβολον,
1084:Tactical formations
1049:global security.org
799:Contamine, Philippe
410:Praecepta Militaria
283:, the battle song (
1018:FootballZebras.com
991:The New York Times
950:2007-10-22 at the
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513:
479:Bounding overwatch
435:
334:, was invented by
271:When the Germanic
94:
37:
35:in wedge formation
25:
917:"Mission Command"
721:Book of the sword
618:Diamond formation
608:Armored spearhead
557:American football
398:Nikephoros Phocas
395:Byzantine Emperor
358:Albrecht Achilles
174:Boudicca's Revolt
142:Companion cavalry
84:Greeks and Romans
57:Medieval European
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295:The Middle Ages
211:Germanic tribes
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61:armored assault
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1089:Riot control
1055:November 13,
1053:. Retrieved
1048:
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929:. Retrieved
925:the original
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899:. Retrieved
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755:Hist. IV, 18
751:Hist. II, 22
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684:Hist. IV, 20
678:
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583:
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553:rugby league
545:full contact
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521:snatch squad
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68:riot control
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52:
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41:flying wedge
40:
38:
32:
888:(1): 9–10.
613:V formation
549:rugby union
517:riot squads
419:koilembolon
405:Cataphracts
366:men-at-arms
354:Pillenreuth
328:svinfylking
301:shield wall
190:Svinfylking
1078:Categories
931:2022-05-14
732:0486254348
444:Panzerkeil
349:infantry.
285:battle cry
195:Keilerkopf
162:Macedonian
745:Tacitus,
682:Tacitus,
475:overwatch
449:Wehrmacht
402:Byzantine
390:Byzantium
362:Nuremberg
338:himself.
304:attacks.
245:rectangle
150:Frontinus
134:Thracians
130:Scythians
79:Antiquity
948:Archived
801:(1984).
602:See also
574:against
503:Policing
465:fireteam
289:Hercules
281:barditus
261:warriors
164:line of
45:flying V
901:17 July
592:kickoff
568:Harvard
377:Castile
343:Flemish
324:Vikings
316:in his
277:baritus
265:archers
237:Tacitus
166:Perseus
98:embolon
859:
834:
809:
729:
701:Refer
670:
555:, and
531:Sports
239:, the
203:cuneus
154:Romans
122:Arrian
106:cuneus
624:Notes
570:in a
439:tanks
370:Spitz
347:Swiss
219:sibbs
207:Celts
178:Iceni
158:Pydna
110:Latin
102:Greek
53:wedge
1057:2014
903:2021
857:ISBN
832:ISBN
807:ISBN
780:and
727:ISBN
668:ISBN
576:Yale
360:and
345:and
336:Odin
273:Keil
241:Keil
230:Keil
226:fame
209:and
199:Keil
124:and
118:boar
890:doi
451:in
279:or
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