Shock action

AT the critical moment of battle, the shock action of a charge or the brief increase in the intensity of fire can be enough to break an enemy force. Some groundwork must be done in order for the shock action to succeed. The enemy must have its firepower suppressed sufficiently to allow an attack and not sustain casualties en route. This is the fate that befell the infamous Light Brigade, whose hastily-ordered charge during the Crimean War was right into the teeth of Russian gun batteries only too happy to inflict devastating casualties. It should have been made in a different area to capitalise on an earlier attack made by the Heavy Brigade. Shock actions in modern warfare have seen the likes of air strikes, artillery bombardments or conventional and nuclear munitions replace infantry and cavalry.