320:, a "place between the two camps, flat indeed and treeless, but well adapted for an ambuscade, as it was traversed by a water-course with steep banks, densely overgrown with brambles and other thorny plants, and here he proposed to lay a stratagem to surprise the enemy". When the Roman infantry became entangled in combat with his army, the hidden ambush force attacked the Roman infantry in the rear. The result was slaughter and defeat for the Romans. Nevertheless, the battle also displays the effects of good tactical discipline on the part of the ambushed force. Although most of the legions were lost, about 10,000 Romans cut their way through to safety, maintaining
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secondary OPs were established. Runners and radios were used to communicate between the OPs and the main command post. The OPs were located so that enemy movement into the ambush could be observed. They would remain in position throughout the ambush to report routes of reinforcement and withdrawal by the enemy, as well as his manoeuvre options. Frequently the OPs were reinforced to squad size and served as flank security. The command post was situated in a central location, frequently on terrain which afforded it a vantage point overlooking the ambush site.
381:. This particular ambush was to affect the course of Western history. The Germanic forces demonstrated several principles needed for a successful ambush. They took cover in difficult forested terrain, allowing the warriors time and space to mass without detection. They had the element of surprise, and this was also aided by the defection of Arminius from Roman ranks prior to the battle. They sprang the attack when the Romans were most vulnerable; when they had left their fortified camp, and were on the march in a pounding rainstorm.
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obstacles, erecting a trench and earthen wall to hinder Roman movement along the route of the killing zone. The result was a mass slaughter of the Romans and the destruction of three legions. The
Germanic victory caused a limit on Roman expansion in the West. Ultimately, it established the Rhine as the boundary of the Roman Empire for the next four hundred years, until the decline of the Roman influence in the West. The Roman Empire made no further concerted attempts to conquer Germania beyond the Rhine.
477:. The Banu Thalabah tribe were already aware of the impending attack; so they lay in wait for the Muslims. When Muhammad ibn Maslama arrived at the site, the Banu Thalabah with 100 men ambushed the Muslims while they were making preparation to sleep and, after a brief resistance, killed them all except for Muhammad ibn Maslama, who feigned death. A Muslim who happened to pass that way found him and assisted him to return to
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553:, when the firing units are distant from the kill zone where the enemy enters and the firing units lay down bands of intersecting and interlocking fire. This ambush is normally triggered only when the enemy is well into the kill zone. The intersecting bands of fire prevent any attempt of moving out of the kill zone.
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Reconnaissance elements observing a potential ambush target on the move generally stayed 300–500 meters away. A "leapfrogging" recon technique can be used. Surveillance units were echeloned one behind the other. As the enemy drew close to the first, it fell back behind the last recon team, leaving an
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The
Germans did not dawdle at the hour of decision but attacked quickly, using a massive series of short, rapid, vicious charges against the length of the whole Roman line, with charging units sometimes withdrawing to the forest to regroup while others took their place. The Germans also used blocking
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Ambushes are complex multiphase operations and are therefore usually planned in some detail. First, a suitable killing zone is identified. This is where the ambush will be laid, where enemy units are expected to pass, and gives reasonable cover for the deployment, execution, and extraction phases of
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When deploying into an ambush site, the NVA first occupied several observation posts, placed to detect the enemy as early as possible and to report on the formation it was using, its strength and firepower, as well as to provide early warning to the unit commander. Usually, one main OP and numerous
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and hindering their use of heavy weapons and supporting fire. Terrain was usually selected which would facilitate this and slow down the enemy. Any terrain around the ambush site which was not favourable to the ambushing force, or which offered some protection to the target, was heavily mined and
343:, involved repeatedly charging and retreating, forcing the enemy to eventually give them chase, to set up ambushes in difficult terrain where allied forces would be awaiting. In his first victory, he eluded the siege of Roman praetor Gaius Vetilius and attracted him to a narrow pass next to the
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advance group in its place. This one in turn fell back as the enemy again closed the gap, and the cycle rotated. This method helped keep the enemy under continuous observation from a variety of vantage points, and allowed the recon groups to cover one another.
366:. The ambush allowed Curius and Apuleius to steal Servilianus's loot train. However, a tactic error in their retreat led to the Romans retaking the train and putting the Lusitanians to flight. Viriathus later defeated Servilianus with a
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size against enemy targets, which may be other ground troops, or possibly vehicles. However, in some situations, especially when deep behind enemy lines, the actual attack will be carried out by a platoon. A
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498:-sized unit will be deployed to support the attack group, setting up and maintaining a forward patrol harbour from which the attacking force will deploy, and to which they will retire after the attack.
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encamped within striking distance of the Romans with the Trebia River between them, and placed a strong force of cavalry and infantry in concealment, near the battle zone. He had noticed, says
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The use of ambush tactics by early people dates as far back as two million years when anthropologists have recently suggested that ambush techniques were used to hunt large game.
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on the road to Mecca and waited to raid a Meccan caravan returning from Syria. However, the caravan had already passed and the
Muslims returned to Medina without any loot.
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river, where he destroyed his army and killed the praetor. Viriathus's ability to turn chases into ambushes would grant him victories over a number of Roman generals.
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One important feature of the ambush was that the target units should 'pile up' after being attacked, thus preventing them any easy means of withdrawal from the
466:. His group consisted of about twenty Muhajirs. This raid was about a month after the previous one. Sa'd, with his soldiers, set up an ambush in the valley of
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Other elements might also be included if the situation demanded, such as a sniper screen along a nearby avenue of approach to delay enemy reinforcements.
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The VC/NVA prepared the battlefield carefully. Siting automatic weapons at treetop level for example helped shoot down several US helicopters during the
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Bunn, Henry T.; Alia N. Gurtov (16 February 2014). "Prey
Mortality Profiles Indicate That Early Pleistocene Homo at Olduvai Was an Ambush Predator".
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carried out by people lying in wait in a concealed position. The concealed position itself or the concealed person(s) may also be called an "
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Arab tribes during
Muhammad's era also used ambush tactics. One example retold in Muslim tradition is said to have taken place during the
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RAND Corp, "Insurgent
Organization and Operations: A Case Study of the Viet Cong in the Delta, 1964–1966", (Santa Monica: August 1967)
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In the 20th century, a military ambush might involve thousands of soldiers on a large scale, such as at a choke point like a
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Maitland, A CONTAGION OF WAR: THE VIETNAM EXPERIENCE SERIES, (Boston Publishing Company), 1983, p. 180
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permit the secret movement of troops to the ambush position and the dispersal of troops during withdrawal
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enable the ambush force to set up observation posts for early detection of the enemy
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In recent centuries, a military ambush can involve the exclusive or combined use of
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925:"What was the Roman Empire's greatest defeat? It might be Teutoburg Forest in AD 9"
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A History of the Later Roman Empire: From
Arcadius to Irene (395 A.D. to 800 A.D.)
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the ambush patrol. A path along a wooded valley floor would be a typical example.
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used ambush tactics in his military campaigns. His first such use was during the
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of soldiers or of criminals have been used consistently throughout history, from
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armed-force patrol. Theoretically, a single well-armed, and concealed
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In modern warfare, an ambush can be employed by ground troops up to
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is a hallmark of good troops and training in any ambush situation.
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who performed a meticulous ambush by using the rough terrain as a
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1142:"Military Tactics 101: The Anatomy of the Modern Ambush Attack"
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provide concealment to prevent detection from the ground or air
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Guerreros de Iberia: La guerra antigua en la península Ibérica
870:"Celtiberia histórica | Celtiberia | Celtiberians in campaign"
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allow for heavy weapons emplacements to provide sustained fire
537:. It can easily be controlled under all visibility conditions.
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invaded Syria but were driven back after a Roman ambush near
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enable ambush force to deploy, encircle and divide the enemy
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Extract from Lt Col
Anthony B. Herbert's Soldier's Handbook
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The terrain for the ambush had to meet strict criteria:
547:(fire the length of) the sides of the linear kill zone.
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There are many notable examples of ambushes during the
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Mubarakpuri, The Sealed Nectar (Free
Version), p. 127.
1172:"FM 7–85 Chapter 6 Special Light Infantry Operations"
358:, who led a numerically superior army complete with
74:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
543:, when a short leg of firing units are placed to
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868:GESDINET, ACC TIERRAQUEMADA- (10 March 2019).
263:to describe methods of approach and strategy.
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156:: French marine infantry deploy beneath the
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350:Another Lusitanian ambush was performed by
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134:Learn how and when to remove this message
1072:, Darussalam Publications, p. 205,
1015:, Islamic Book Trust, pp. 217–218,
27:Military attack from concealed positions
903:(in Spanish). La Esfera de los Libros.
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270:. Conversely, it could involve a small
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1066:Mubarakpuri, Saifur Rahman Al (2005),
518:US Army idealised L-shaped ambush plan
308:One example from ancient times is the
989:. Macmillan and Company. p. 436.
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510:US Army idealised linear ambush plan
251:. The term "ambush" is also used in
72:adding citations to reliable sources
1035:Gabriel, Richard A. (17 May 2007).
899:Benjamín Collado Hinarejos (2018).
751:"The improvised explosive solution"
428:' discovery of a planned ambush by
412:in 363 during the retreat from his
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727:. U.S. Armor Association. 2004.
432:in 622 was a decisive factor in
392:. A year after their victory at
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1037:"Muhammad: The Warrior Prophet"
458:. In the Kharrar caravan raid,
286:could ambush other troops in a
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814:. 20 July 2013. Archived from
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710:New Oxford American Dictionary
379:Battle of the Teutoburg Forest
201:Massacre of Elphinstone's army
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481:. The raid was unsuccessful.
339:. Their usual tactic, called
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695:References
430:Shahrbaraz
341:concursare
257:journalism
172:'s troops
94:newspapers
735:1 October
601:kill zone
535:kill zone
485:Procedure
426:Heraclius
402:Antigonia
398:Parthians
345:Barbesuda
337:Viriathus
326:kill zone
276:insurgent
272:irregular
261:marketing
255:studies,
217:partisans
18:Ambuscade
1281:Ambushes
1225:20 April
1219:Archived
1180:Archived
1156:20 April
1150:Archived
1126:20 April
1120:Archived
1045:Archived
970:20 April
964:Archived
939:20 April
933:Archived
884:20 April
878:Archived
853:20 April
847:Archived
729:Archived
658:See also
551:V-shaped
545:enfilade
541:L-shaped
502:Planning
452:Muhammad
375:Arminius
318:Polybius
314:Hannibal
274:band or
170:Braddock
168:General
83:"Ambush"
1186:15 July
1051:24 June
786:Bibcode
765:11 July
606:mortars
496:company
491:platoon
468:Kharrar
464:Quraysh
410:Samarra
394:Carrhae
312:River.
301:History
284:soldier
280:regular
245:ancient
207:in 1842
108:scholar
1094:Ranger
1076:
1019:
907:
822:5 July
689:Sniper
570:, 1967
531:Linear
479:Medina
418:Anglon
406:Julian
396:, the
259:, and
237:ambush
229:ambush
223:, 1863
110:
103:
96:
89:
81:
755:msnbc
724:Armor
231:is a
188:on a
115:JSTOR
101:books
1227:2024
1188:2024
1158:2024
1128:2024
1074:ISBN
1053:2021
1017:ISBN
972:2024
941:2024
905:ISBN
886:2024
855:2024
824:2023
767:2020
737:2020
362:and
190:Boer
152:The
87:news
794:doi
290:.
247:to
227:An
70:by
1262::
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1103:^
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