The Change in Fighting on the Western Front The fighting on the Western Front did not stay exactly the same between 1914 and 1918. Some aspects of the war changed little, but others changed a lot, e.g. , trenches became the main defensive strategy and quick battles with Calvary charges and heavy infantry literally became a thing of the past and were replaced by weeks/months/years long stalemates and trench battles. Another important change was the artillery: at the beginning of the war it was very inaccurate and in the end it became much more precise and powerful. The tanks also proved useful in crushing barbed wire defenses, although they were very primitive at first and often broke down in the mud. People did not expect the war to develop like that. In 1914 people expected Britain to win the war and return home by Christmas. In reality, the new trench warfare and complicated tactics meant that both alliances resisted and the battles ended in stalemate many times. After 1914, new techniques and equipment were developed to meet these new challenges. There were new artillery and tanks and new tactics for overcoming trenches and getting around barbed wire. At the start of the war the artillery was not accurate and often meant they hit their own trenches before reaching the correct range. By the end of the war technology had progressed much further as most factories across Europe had been dedicated to the production of firearms and projectiles. These changes meant that the Calvary was used less in combat and more in transporting materials and supplies. Of course, some things changed less than others. For example, infantry tactics such as "going over" were used during the war. This involved relentlessly attacking enemy front lines with heavy artillery (called a barrage). As soon as the barrage stopped, the troops would be given the signal to "move on", the soldiers would climb to the top of the trench and run to get over the barbed wire.