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3-155. An alternative to defending on the forward slope of a hill or a ridge is to defend on a reverse slope. (See figure 3-16.) In such a defense, the Infantry platoon is deployed on terrain that is masked from enemy direct fire and ground observation by the crest of a hill. Although some units and weapons might be positioned on the forward slope, the crest, or the counter-slope (a forward slope of a hill to the rear of a reverse slope), most forces are on the reverse slope. The key to this defense is control the crest by direct fire.
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Go Back To: U.S. Army FM 3-21.8: The Infantry Rifle Platoon and Squad