Comments on: What is infantry for, anyway?

By: Alrenous

Alrenous — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 17:41:35 +0000

Right, excellent.

I consider an unguarded tank to be a soft target, because if the tank at all knows the infantry is there, the infantry is screwed — it can shoot back or even just flee.

So I guess I should be more specific — the infantry must use stealth and hit targets that aren’t fighting back.

By: Isegoria

Isegoria — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 14:07:15 +0000

Infiltrating infantry can do more than harass weak points; they can destroy heavy weapons like tanks and artillery, but only at extremely short range, with satchel charges, etc.

When tanks are on the move, they need a screen of infantry to keep them from getting ambushed by anti-tank guns, etc., and to spot targets, like pill-boxes, for them to attack.

By: Alrenous

Alrenous — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 00:12:52 +0000

I’m unsure here. Is infiltration basically for harassment of weak points? E.g. you get some infantry to infiltrate, disrupt the supply line for a bit, and get out?

By: Joseph Fouche

Joseph Fouche — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 22:49:37 +0000

The job of infantry is human domestication or occupation. Infantry exists to control human populations through control of territory, part two of Marshal Petain’s quip (quoted by Herr Lind) that “fire destroys, infantry occupies”. 99% of infantry operations throughout history have been garrisoning and patrol duties. Usually the populations they garrison or patrol are under the jurisdiction of the same political community employing the infantry. Most of the infantry you might encounter on a day to day basis goes around under another name: police. And you’re the target.