Page:Tactics (Balck 1915).djvu/142

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

give an idea of the effect of a single time shrapnel, and of the effect per minute of shrapnel fire after adjusting upon the target:

======================+===============================================
                      |When firing at the targets named (1 skirmisher
                      | per m.) with time shrapnel, mod. '96, set to
      TARGETS. | burst 50 m. short, the following hits per
                      | shrapnel may be expected after the adjustment
                      | has been effected:
———————————+———-+————+————+————+——————
                      | 500 m.| 1000 m.| 2000 m.| 3000 m.| 4000 m.
———————————+———-+————+————+————+——————
Skirmishers standing | 18.4 | 14.2 | 12.0 | 11.0 | 10.4
Skirmishers kneeling | 10.6 | 8.2 | 6.9 | 6.3 | 5.8
Skirmishers lying down| 6.4 | 4.9 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 3.5
Head targets | 3.5 | 2.7 | 2.3 | 2.1 | 1.9
———————————+———-+————+————+————+——————

======================+===============================================
                      |When firing at the targets named (skirmish
                      | line with 1 skirmisher per m.), under service
      TARGETS. | conditions, with time shrapnel, mod. '96, set
                      | to burst 50-100 m. short, the following hits
                      | per minute may be expected on an average:
———————————+———-+————+————+————+——————
                      | 500 m.| 1000 m.| 2000 m.| 3000 m.| 4000 m.
———————————+———-+————+————+————+——————
Skirmishers standing | 364 | 202 | 109 | 46 | 14
Skirmishers kneeling | 210 | 117 | 63 | 27 | 8
Skirmishers lying down| 126 | 70 | 38 | 16 | 5
Head targets | 70 | 39 | 21 | 9 | 3
———————————+———-+————+————+————+——————


More than 80% of the men struck by fragments and bullets from shrapnel bursting within 100 m. are disabled. The penetration of shrapnel bullets is so great, at ranges under 2000 m., that when they strike bones or vital organs of horses, they produce instant incapacity for action. This is especially true when the interval of burst is less than 100 m. The effect of shrapnel directed against batteries provided with shields is insignificant. Time shrapnel is the principal projectile em-