Abatis

The term entanglement (deprecated also abatis ) is defined as one consisting of mostly bulky parts obstacle. It is usually created for defense purposes.

Nature

Abatis or Verhacke originated in ancient times for the protection of places of refuge for the living in dirt farmsteads, hamlets and villages rural population. For forest margins were planted with thorn bushes, whose branches bent over inwards and trimmed regularly ( " Spanking ", " verhackt ") was. To complicate the clearing of a Verhaues, fastened to the stems by means of piles that you struck before and between the branches. The woods behind it were so for mounted troops and infantry unbetretbar even if they did not find the undisclosed additions.

The modern mess is often only temporary. Most are divided ( " verhauene " ) trees, shrubs, thorn bushes, hedges ( Hag ) and wood, more recently, with barbed wire armored ( wire entanglement, even barbed wire ), which applied in advance of fortifications and entrenchments in hostilities as the first attack obstacle be. Barricades were added in the main and Vorgräben, along the foot of the so-called Kontreeskarpe ( so called in the outer fortifications grave embankment ) or to block ravines, forest and created village entrances. The wider the mess was when he was the more more effective obstacle.

In the field of forestry is called in a mess by by -side trees of a wind throw.

A kind of natural barricade on a large scale can also by a surge wave that forest cover grips you, arise. A barrier formed by those from the mountainside hinaufschwappende water wave overturned trees can be up to one day travel time cost, because the gaps between the tree trunks represent dangerous fall traps even after decades climbers. Comparisons: Lituya Bay.

Species

• The Baumverhau consists of felled trees that are thrown crosswise over each other in the direction of the attacker with their top ends.
• A Strauchverhau consists of scrubby, if possible spiny branches.