лава

English translation: Lava formation

02:16 Sep 24, 2017
Russian to English translations [PRO]
Military / Defense
Russian term or phrase: лава
It refers to the term on the page below. Old military tactics and stuff. Please click the link.

"Лава, насев на плечи улепётывающей конницы, ворвалась в пехотный строй"

"Фронт постепенно выгнулся дугой, конные тысячи обрушились на левый фланг, продолжавший отступать под непрестанными атаками лавы."

Please only answer if you really know the answer - getting points is cool, but guesses won't help me.

thanks in advance,
Beth

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Лава_(военное_дело)
Elizabeth Kulikov
Local time: 03:18
English translation:Lava formation
Explanation:
As in Alfred Knox's "With the Russian Army": https://archive.org/stream/withrussianarmy101knoxuoft#page/1...

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Note added at 1 day16 hrs (2017-09-25 18:31:01 GMT)
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Sometimes also "Lava"
Selected response from:

Sasha Spencer
United States
Local time: 18:18
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +1cavalry charge
Turdimurod Rakhmanov
4Lava formation
Sasha Spencer
3Cossack formation
Frank Szmulowicz, Ph. D.


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


23 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
cavalry charge


Explanation:
cavalry charge Боевой порядок и способ тактических действий в конном рассыпном строю, заключающийся в охвате противника с флангов и тыла; отряд, построенный для таких действий.


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Note added at 28 mins (2017-09-24 02:45:18 GMT)
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The shock value of a charge attack has been especially exploited in cavalry tactics, both of armored knights and lighter mounted troops of both earlier and later eras. Historians such as John Keegan have shown that when correctly prepared against (such as by improvising fortifications) and, especially, by standing firm in face of the onslaught, cavalry charges often failed against infantry, with horses refusing to gallop into the dense mass of enemies,[4] or the charging unit itself breaking up. However, when cavalry charges succeeded, it was usually due to the defending formation breaking up (often in fear) and scattering, to be hunted down by the enemy.[5] It must be noted, though, that while it was not recommended for a cavalry charge to continue against unbroken infantry, charges were still a viable danger to heavy infantry. Parthian lancers were noted to require significantly dense formations of Roman legionaries to stop, and Frankish knights were reported to be even harder to stop, if the writing of Anna Komnene is to be believed. However, only highly trained horses would voluntarily charge dense, unbroken enemy formations directly, and in order to be effective, a strong formation would have to be kept – such strong formations being the result of efficient training. Heavy cavalry lacking even a single part of this combination – composed of high morale, excellent training, quality equipment, individual prowess, and collective discipline of both the warrior and the mount – would suffer in a charge against unbroken heavy infantry, and only the very best heavy cavalrymen (e.g., knights and cataphracts) throughout history would own these in regards to their era and terrain.

Turdimurod Rakhmanov
Kyrgyzstan
Local time: 06:18
Native speaker of: Native in UzbekUzbek, Native in KirghizKirghiz
PRO pts in category: 32
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you. This information is most helpful!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Oleg Lozinskiy
6 hrs
  -> Спасибо, Олег! Вы больше понимаете как носитель языка
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Cossack formation


Explanation:
This is from Pushkin's poem:

5 не суйся к лаве– don't go toward the Cossack formation. The word “лава” is a specific Cossack military term; Pushkin italicizes it to emphasize its foreignness.

https://books.google.com/books?id=tn-CBi71L1MC&pg=PA163&lpg=...

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Note added at 7 hrs (2017-09-24 09:18:58 GMT)
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Of course, it is a Cossack cavalry formation

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Итак, лава. Это комплекс боевых приемов для конницы включающий в себя стремительную атаку конников в рассыпном строю с охватом противника с флангов.
http://www.ckwkazak-svao.ru/cossack-history/46-historical-ar...

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Без казачьих сабель не обошлась ни одна русско-турецкая война 18–19 веков, они участвовали в покорении Кавказа, завоевании Средней Азии, освоении Сибири и Дальнего Востока. Успехи казачьей конницы объяснялись умелым применением в боях нерегламентированных никакими уставами дедовских тактических приемов: лава (охват противника в рассыпном строю), оригинальная система разведочной и сторожевой службы и др. Эти унаследованные от степняков казачьи «обороты» оказывались особенно эффективны и неожиданны при столкновениях с армиями европейских государств.
http://rozamira.nl/lib/ae/rus/kazaki.htm

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Note added at 7 hrs (2017-09-24 09:26:52 GMT)
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The way лава is used in the paragraphs (атак лавы, лава ворвалась) suggests a military formation: a loose, flanking Cossack cavalry formation.

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Note added at 7 hrs (2017-09-24 09:29:55 GMT)
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The Lava - tactical formation

In combat the Cossack regiments (of 5 sotnia each) usually used the so-called lava formation. The word lava is an abbreviation of the tartar word oblava, which means “hunting by driving game into an enclosed space.” The great extent of front covered by the lava made it possible simultaneously to envelop one flank of the enemy, and to direct attacks against his rear.

In taking up the lava formation a sotnia first formed line of half-platoons 50 paces to the front, on the center platoon and then deployed that line so that there will be 1 Cossack for every 4 paces of front. In this manner sotnia (one hundred) covered a front of 400 m. One platoon followed the deployed line in close order. If this platoon also deployed, 1 NCO and 6 Cossacks remained with the guidon to mark the rallying point, the so-called majak (lighthouse).

If necessary however the Cossacks could be formed in column or fight dismounted.

http://napoleonistyka.atspace.com/cossacks.htm#_vs_cuirassie...

Frank Szmulowicz, Ph. D.
United States
Local time: 20:18
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PolishPolish
PRO pts in category: 36
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you. I too thought it seems more like a noun than a verb, if you know what I mean.

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1 day 16 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Lava formation


Explanation:
As in Alfred Knox's "With the Russian Army": https://archive.org/stream/withrussianarmy101knoxuoft#page/1...

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Note added at 1 day16 hrs (2017-09-25 18:31:01 GMT)
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Sometimes also "Lava"


    https://www.rbth.com/defence/2014/09/08/like_a_whirlwind_the_lava_flows_of_russias_cossack_cavalry_39625.html
    https://books.google.com/books?id=xmgDAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA190&lpg=PA190&dq=lava+in+cossack+army&source=bl&ots=PmO3I0nyY-&sig=intZ3i1p51ipbI4eBMSOm
Sasha Spencer
United States
Local time: 18:18
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian, Native in UkrainianUkrainian
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you. I think since the author of a fantasy uses "lava," in a made-up land where there are no Cossacks, it's best to just use the word "lava" and let it be.

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