Plunging fire

By hauling cannon onto the ridge of the Rock, the British garrison of 5,700 men subjected the besiegers to harassing, plunging fire which thoroughly disrupted and delayed attempts to bring their trenches close to Gibraltar's northern fortifications.

Plunging fire is obtained when firing from high ground to low, when firing from low ground onto high ground, and when firing at long ranges.

Nonetheless, cover was sparse, and the enemy was so high above the coalition forces they could use plunging fire to shoot over what little cover the Soldiers had.

This presented a tactical dilemma to TF Iron because the engagements were beyond the effective range of the platoon's organic weapons, The Soldiers and leaders responded with a variety of innovative solutions that included using the 60mm mortar in handheld mode, incorporating the Javelin, and using plunging fire from the M240s to engage the enemy at long distances.

So many undercurrents in the warm, comfortably cluttered room, the shifting fire making crackling sounds, the baby sitting on Mari's knee, crooning softly to herself as if to catch the rhythms of the plunging fire, tugging at the ears of her toy panda one minute, poking gently with her chubby fingers at her mother's nose and mouth the next.