Which type of fire is most effective when targeting a line of advancing infantry?

Enfilade fire is the most effective type of fire when targeting a line of advancing infantry because it allows the weapon to deliver fire along the longest dimension of the target. This orientation maximizes the effectiveness of the rounds, as the projectiles strike the enemy from the side rather than head-on. When infantry are advancing in a line, enfilade fire can create significant casualties and disrupt their formation, as it strikes multiple troops simultaneously across the width of their positions.

This type of fire is advantageous because it can leverage the natural lethality of machine guns, which are designed to create a hail of bullets in a linear pattern, resulting in a higher probability of hitting multiple targets. Additionally, enfilade fire often allows for better concealment of the firing position, which can enhance the survivability of the machine gunners while engaging the enemy.

In contrast, frontal fire focuses on engaging the enemy coming directly at the firing position and can be less effective against a spread-out or well-organized line of infantry. Traversing fire is primarily used to engage targets moving laterally or in varying positions, while free-gun fire emphasizes flexibility and adaptability in target engagement, but it may not capitalize on the concentrated destruction that enfilade fire achieves against a static line