Why, exactly, is high ground advantageous in battle?

Question

In Rogers' Ranging Rules, Rogers says "If you determine to rally after a retreat, in order to make a fresh stand against the enemy, by all means endeavour to do it on the most rising ground you come at, which will give you greatly the advantage in point of situation, and enable you to repulse superior numbers" How does high ground help? Because of a better view of the enemy? Because the enemy has to expend more energy to reach you? The advantage seems obvious and is often cited, but it's not clear to me how it works. Also, I'd be interested in knowing if the same answer applies for both hand-to-hand combat and combat with guns.

Answer 1

well the type of ground combat you are referring to is almost completely obsolete. With today's technology I guess you can consider the high ground the most superior weapons and strategic war planning.

Answer 2

There are several reasons, some of which you have answered yourself.

Having the high ground gives you a line-of-sight advantage. Being above the surrounding terrain, you can see farther, but you can also see things that were simply blocked before, such as a recessed stream bed where the enemy might hide.

You also have a bit of a range advantage with your weapons, as there is more room for them to drop, ballistically speaking. The other main advantage is that if the enemy storms your position, they will have to travel farther and use up valuable energy in a high stress environment. A perfect example is the Battle of Belleau Wood in France, 1917 (I'm sure there are more, but this is my example). The Marines, nearly 1200 strong, sitting on top of a hill, were able to spot the germans in formation at nearly a mile distance, because the Marines preach marksmanship, the Marines on the ground were able to accurately open fire at ranges of up to eight hundred yards. The Germans had two options, storm the Marines or retreat. They stormed the hill, and by the time the survivors reached the Marine's positions, the Marines were out of ammunition, but the German survivors were exhausted. When the battle started, there were 1200 marines, there were 10,000 Germans. From this battle, the Marines are forever known as Teufelhunden, literally, Hounds of Hell. We call ourselves DevilDogs.

Answer 3

That axiom you quote isn't supposed to be blindly applied.

When engagement distances were very, very close (before we had accurate long-distance precision fires, from artillery or direct fire) it was advantageous to rally at a natural defensive position such as a hilltop. Not only was it more visible on the battlefield (and hence much easier to head to in the confusion of combat) but it enabled a unit to rally and regroup much better. Most losses in formation warfare (that's big masses of men pitted against each other in close order) occur when one side loses cohesion and routs.

It also slowed down movement speed for incoming enemy, reducing the shock effect of arms such a cavalry or chariots. Given the advantage of interior lines on a hilltop and being able to largely negate the effects of greater mass, a smaller force has it easier on a hilltop, especially if they have some means of maintaining order (shield walls, infantry squares with bayonets) in the face of an enemy assault.

The downside of course is that the view is great - for all concerned. Missile fire on a hilltop is much easier concentrated on a hilltop. In this day and age, chances are better than even than any unit that masses on a hilltop in the face of the enemy is going to eat large quantities of artillery and mortar fire in a hurry. With prepared fighting positions, that is a terrible thing to undergo. With hasty fighting positions, that's probably unbearable.

If you're unclear about how a particular axiom works, try reading accounts of numerous battles. Various compendiums on the greatest battles of history are out. Wikipedia is a great resource as well.

Enjoy reading.

Answer 4

Albannach,---- the US Marine Operation you are talking about was called OPERATION HAYSTINGS in Vietnam. Yes it was a battalion of US Marines who could not be resupplied and who had no support. Yes on the 3rd day they were going on patrols with bayonets fixed, and were throwing rocks down at the enemy. Yes they won the battle, they destroyed the enemy and didn’t surrender although they took heavy casualties.


Fighting from an elevated position can give the ambusher or defender a tactical advantage for many reasons.

1. There is less of a arc in bullet trajectory. The trajectory of the bullet follows a more level flight path therefore your fire becomes more accurate. This becomes true for all direct fire weapons including rockets, and even grenades. Gravity becomes an aid in your fire.

2. When ambushing, or defending from an elevated position it is easier to to hide, and it is more difficult for the enemy to see you.

3. When Ambushing, or Defending from an elevated position the enemies weapons are less accurate for the same reasons that your weapons are more accurate, it’s called gravity.

4. It is more difficult for the enemy to close with you, and when they do they waste allot of energy, and ammo simply on gaining ground and inaccurate fire.

5. Since you have the high ground it is easier for you to break contact because the enemy’s ability to observe you is diminished.

6. You can observe the enemy, and then decide to attack at your leisure, or simply observe them. This in military terms is called having the "initiative." When you have the high ground most of the time you have the initiative.

7. You can observe the enemy and bring down your supporting fires on him. (mortars, rockets, machineguns, artillery, air power, armored vehicles, ect)

Fighting uphill sucks. Defending from an elevated position is ideal unless the enemy has large amounts of supporting fires and you are out in the open.

We still use this tactic today btw for all those saying this is obsolete. In MOUT (Military Operations in Urban Terrain) anyone US Army, or US Marine will tell you that when you’re clearing a building you do it from the top to bottom if you can, never from bottom to top. You go in, if you see a stairwell you go all the way to the top of the building, leave a blocking force outside the building and start clearing it from the top down. This is due to the reasons I mentioned in terms of high ground. Fighting an enemy at close range in stairwells is suicidal really.

Never let an enemy attain the high ground on you.

Answer 5

The reason you want a high ground is because like you said, easier to see the enemy, harder to reach, and easier for you hide from the enemy. If you're at the top of a hill, you get a 360 degree periphial and the advantage to hiding from the people below. If you're below, you only get a 360 from the low point, which means you're truley only seeing less than 50% of the battle field. If your'e at the top of the hill, you can lie low and still see the enemy, which lying low still gives you a concealment. It also keeps you from moving if the enemy shoudl charge the hill, it's easier to spot them and snipe them out...or in lamens terms...pluck them off.
With Hand to hand...getting the high ground would mean to be on top. Most techniques show you that being on top of your oppenent means you have more room to create power shots at the enemy. But, as you might already know, not all techniques show you to be on top. The Gracy family for instance, a reknown fighter family, uses advantage points from all positions, mainly from the bottom, or on their backs.
And last, weapons...this goes back to the hill. Like snipers, a higher ground means more visibility, and takes less movement to take people lower than your position out. It also lets you see in distance, where as being on the low ground, you can only see what's either directly in front, unless you have objects in your way.

Answer 6

You'll really have to search hard to verify this: During the Viet Nam war there was a platoon of Marines on a hill and surrounded by hostile forces. Because of the intensity of the battle and weather support forces (helicopters) couldn't resupply them with ammunition. The Marines ran out of ammunition and continued to hold the hill using sticks and rocks until relief forces were able to reach them.

Holding the high ground has its advantages.

Answer 7

You have got it right. Think about it if you are uphill from me you look down on my positions see what I am doing etc.
If you are on the roof of a building and I am on the ground the same applies.
Now do you understand?

With the concept of air warfare that became the high ground which saw the rapid development of fighters and bombers.
It is for that reason most nations have an air force, comprising of fighters and fighter bombers.

Answer 8

Your first two assumption are correct. In hand to hand, less energy is expended when arms don't have to be lifted as high. Ditto, the feet. With guns , the trajectory of the bullet is basically downwards so that right- on- sight would give you advantage of accuracy and distance.

Answer 9

If you stand on the roof of a building can you see what is going on below? Could you aim a weapon and destroy that target? If you stand on the ground can you see what is happening on the roof? Do you even know the target is there and/or could you hit that target? Hand to hand combat - if I'm stand three steps above you and kick straight out where would I hit you? If your standing three steps below me can you raise your leg high enough to kick me in the same spot without losing your balance?

Answer 10

Higher ground lets you better see the emeny and determind his mode of attack, ie a frontal attack or a flanking manuver. You can then determind your best defense.
Shooting downhill is much better than shooting uphill. Not only because you can see over low cover, but shooting uphill most people will tend to shoot low.
Height is always an advantage in hand to hand combat. It is easier to keep your oppondant off-balance.