Enfilade fire is best described as firing:

• A. Perpendicular to the main direction of a target
• B. Directly overhead
• C. Along the length of a formation or target
• D. From the flank

Answer: (C)

Enfilade fire means the line of fire runs along the length of the target, sweeping parallel to its long axis so the rounds travel along the formation. This orientation maximizes impact along the entire line, allowing the fire to affect multiple targets as it moves with the length of the formation. It’s typically achieved when your position places fire along the side or end of the formation, so the bullets travel lengthwise rather than across the width. By comparison, firing perpendicular to the main direction crosses the formation’s width and doesn’t sweep along its length, while firing directly overhead doesn’t align with the target’s length. So the best description is firing along the length of a formation or target.