MovieChat Forums > Lone Survivor (2014) Discussion > Tactical Question: "Even ground"

Tactical Question: "Even ground"

posted 10 years ago by jack-bristow
1 reply | jump to latest

Excuse me if i don't use the proper expression, but i'm re-translating from the german translation ...

The soldiers state during the initial firefight serveral times: "On even ground we would be superior!"

Is this a real remark/memory of the surviving SEAL? Or Hollywood-Fiction?

I think the Talib suppression-power (PKMs, RPGs ...) would have been even be more devastating without protection from a rough terrain that should favour any defender. The rock craters more than once absorbed the blast of a rocket proppeled grenade. And it wouldn't have been a miracle, if there were serveral Dragunov-type snipers.

So would open ground really had made a difference or was hiding in the woods already the best option?

[–] TheEarman 10 years ago

The Taliban had the high ground in the fight. According to Luttrell in his book, they Taliban seemed to only attack when they held the high ground. What the SEALs mean by 'We need to get down to level ground and then we can take em!' is simply that the ONLY advantage the Taliban had as fighters is the high ground they held. Any SEAL likes his chances when fighting on even turf. As wounded as they were, Luttrell, Dietz, Murphy and Axelson honestly believed they would win the fight despite the overwhelming numbers against them.

I'm the guy who does his job. You must be the other guy!