Infantry block

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An infantry block is a combat block of an artillery or infantry plant , which is intended to defend against infantry in close combat . These can be infantry casemates or infantry bunkers . Infantry casemates have wall slits for heavy machine guns and anti-tank guns , which generally have a flanking effect. They also have armored domes for light machine guns for frontal defense. Infantry bunkers are completely sunk into the ground. Only a retractable armored turret with a heavy twin machine gun and possibly one, rarely two machine-gun armored domes are visible from the outside. In rare cases there is also an armored bell for a heavy twin machine gun.

Upper end of a retractable armored turret on the Maginot Line.
Secured entrance to an infantry block in the Metrich artillery plant.

Armament

3.7 cm anti-tank gun model 1934

4.7 cm anti-tank gun model 1934

7.5 mm twin machine gun Reibel model 1931

7.5 mm light machine gun model 1924/1929

5 cm grenade launcher model 1935 (used in MG armored domes)

Hand grenade launcher (pipes for ejecting hand grenades through the bunker wall)

arme mixedte, combination weapon from a 2.5 cm anti-tank gun and a Reibel twin machine gun (only in the "nouveau front", a later construction phase in the northwest of the Maginot Line ).

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