A vessel sailing alone could manoeuvre in this way without much difficulty, but it is apparent that twenty or thirty vessels, sailing in close formation, would not find the operation a simple one.
It is all right for war vessels to manoeuvre in close formation, they say, for we spend our time practising in these formations, and so they think that it is second nature to us.
The principal weapon of the earlier Sumerians was the spear, and they delivered their attack in close formation, the spearmen being protected in line of battle by heavy shields carried by shield-bearers.
The infantry massed behind the neighboring hills and under cover of a tremendous artillery bombardment advanced in close formation.
Under the modern system of colossal armaments, an army, especially if in close formation, cannot possibly live on the country; it is driven to trust to daily food-supplies from the rear.
Here and there an undeserved importance is still attached to the march past as a method of education, and drilling in close formation is sometimes practised more than is justified by its value.
The perpetual subject of practice on the drill-grounds, a cavalry engagement between two divisions in close formation, will hardly ever occur in war.
The Germans, on the other hand, believe in making their attacks with their men massed together in close formation.
So, as far as actual results were concerned, attacks in close formation proved to be a failure.
In close country, where surprise is possible, the troops must be held in a close formation.
If after deploying a favorable opportunity arises to hold it for some time in close formation, it should be reassembled.
The above list will hopefully provide you with a few useful examples demonstrating the appropriate usage of "close formation" in a variety of sentences. We hope that you will now be able to make sentences using this group of words.
