Following the early battles of 1914 along the Marne and in the Ypres salient. World War I rapidly transformed from a war of movement into one of attrition, with the opposing sides entrenching themselves in a line of fortified positions from the Flanders coastline to the Swiss border. This title details the different styles of fortification used on the Western Front throughout the course of the war, from the early ditches of 1914 to the complicated systems of 1918. It explains the development of the 'defence in depth' German system and the British reaction to it, as well as illustrating the importance of the forts around Verdun and how they were defended.

Author Biography

Paddy Griffith is a freelance military historian based in Manchester. His ground-breaking books on low-level tactics include 'Forward into Battle' (1990). 'Battle Tactics of the Civil War' (1986) and 'Battle Tactics of the Western Front' (1994). He has also written extensively on wargames, and is currently active in the South Manchester Tactical Society and the Battlefields Trust. Peter Dennis was born in 1950 and, having been inspired by contemporary magazines such as 'Look and Learn', studied illustration at Liverpool Art College. He has since contributed to hundreds of books, predominantly on historical subjects. He is a keen wargamer and modelmaker.