What tactics did Finland use in the Winter War?

Their long, winding columns could then be ambushed and cut apart piecemeal in what the Finns grimly dubbed “motti tactics” — a motti referring to a traditional measure of chopped firewood. This was facilitated by the fact that: Infantry on skis could go anywhere and retain freedom of maneuver.

How do you achieve surprise in war?

Unexpectedness of actions shows at all levels of military art. It is achieved by preemption, delivery of the main attack at an unexpected location, redeployment, and various maneuvers by forces and weapons.

What is surprise in military?

“Surprise”, as a term, on the other hand, is used to represent “Event, case or move, which happens unexpectedly, suddenly.” In the same dictionary of military terms “surprise” is defined as “what happens unexpectedly and changes the impression and the state of the enemy as a result of an unexpected action.”

What is motti tactic?

The Finnish word motti refers to a bundle of logs held in place by stakes that will be chopped to make firewood of convenient lengths. In the context of war, motti describes a tactic that the Finns used to immobilise, segment, surround and destroy the Soviet troops that were many times as large as them.

How did the Finns defeat the Russians?

Elsewhere on the frontier, Finnish ski troops used the rugged landscape to conduct hit-and-run attacks on isolated Soviet units. Their guerilla tactics were only aided by the freezing Finnish winter, which bogged the Soviets down and made their soldiers easy to spot against snowy terrain.

What are the six principles of military deception?

A good reference point is the six principles of military deception as defined by Joint Publication (JP) 3-58: focus, integration, timeliness, security, objective, and centralized control.

How did the feigned retreat surprise the enemy?

A feigned retreat is a military tactic, a type of feint, whereby a military force pretends to withdraw or to have been routed, in order to lure an enemy into a position of vulnerability.

What is element of surprise?

Definition of element of surprise : the unexpected or surprising character of something The attackers were relying on the element of surprise.

What was the shortest siege in history?

The siege of Candia (modern Heraklion, Crete) was a military conflict in which Ottoman forces besieged the Venetian-ruled city….Siege of Candia.

Date 1 May 1648 – 27 September 1669 (21 years, 4 months, 3 weeks and 5 days)
Location Heraklion, Crete
Result Ottoman victory
Territorial changes Crete ceded to Ottomans

How is surprise achieved in war?

Surprise can also be achieved from afar, such as in bombing raids or artillery fire. The surprise attack may have several purposes. When it is launched using a larger force, the intent is defeat.

What are the most effective battle tactics?

Envelopment is one of the most effective battle tactics. An army will try to envelop their enemies by attacking enemy forces in a way that makes it impossible for them to withdraw.

What is the point of surprise attacks?

Surprise often causes confusion and it is a mark of an army’s discipline as to how it reacts to a surprise attack. If they are well-organised, they will respond quickly. You can thus use a small surprise attack to test them. Repeated surprise attacks, however may have diminishing value as they prepare more and are surprise less.

How does an army react to a surprise attack?

Surprise often causes confusion and it is a mark of an army’s discipline as to how it reacts to a surprise attack. If they are well-organised, they will respond quickly.