Introduction The sudis (plural sudes) was a stake carried by Roman legionaries for employment as a field fortification, sometimes also called vallus. It is frequently, but incorrectly, called a pilum murale (“wall spear”). Typically, two such stakes were carried by each soldier. Refer to Cheval de Frise, Czech Hedgehog, Caltrop, Dragon’s Teeth, and Makibishi. Construction… Read More
Introduction The term makibishi (撒き菱 or 撒菱) refers to the Japanese version of the caltrop. The tool (igadama) is a sharp spiked object that was used in feudal Japan to slow down pursuers and also was used in the defense of samurai fortifications. Refer to Cheval de Frise, Czech Hedgehog, Dragon’s Teeth, and Sudis. Outline… Read More
Introduction Dragon’s teeth (German: Drachenzähne) are square-pyramidal anti-tank obstacles of reinforced concrete first used during the Second World War to impede the movement of tanks and mechanised infantry. The idea was to slow down and channel tanks into killing zones where they could easily be disposed of by anti-tank weapons. They were employed extensively, particularly… Read More
Introduction A caltrop (also known as caltrap, galtrop, cheval trap, galthrap, galtrap, calthrop, jackrock or crow’s foot) is an area denial weapon made up of two or more sharp nails or spines arranged in such a manner that one of them always points upward from a stable base (for example, a tetrahedron). Historically, caltrops were… Read More
Introduction The Czech hedgehog (Czech: rozsocháč or ježek) is a static anti-tank obstacle defence made of metal angle beams or I-beams (that is, lengths with an L- or Ɪ-shaped cross section). The hedgehog is very effective in keeping light to medium tanks and vehicles from penetrating a line of defence; it maintains its function even… Read More
Introduction The cheval de frise (plural: chevaux de frise, “Frisian horses”) was a defensive obstacle, existing in a number of forms, principally as a static anti-cavalry obstacle but also quickly movable to close breaches. Refer to Czech Hedgehog, Caltrop, Dragon’s Teeth, Makibishi, and Sudis. The term was also applied to underwater constructions used to prevent… Read More
Boot Camp & Military Fitness Institute 