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The Germans had a superior rifle, the famed Mauser, from which the U.S.Army would develop the Springfield .30. caliber.Actually the first rapid fire artillery piece was the French 75mm. WW1 began with the Belgians and the French relying on forts, whose lines of sight(where their guns were trained) faced east towards the German border. It was these forts that the German General staff knew would be an impediment to their implementation of the Schlieffen(sp) Plan, a feint into (neutral) Belgium to lure in and tie down the main Anglo-French armies while the main attack would be to the south to Sedan, cross the Meuse, and wheel north towards Paris , trapping the Anglo-French from the rear. As history shows the Germans were unable to do this in WW1. However, we know how it turned out some 20 years later. As to fortifications General Patton observed’’No hole in the ground, anywhere, has ever been successfully defended’’.

Patton had difficulty with the fortifications of Driant in WWII. I have been there, and even with nukes, it would be hard to dig motivated defenders out of that hole.

In the Franco Prussian war the French muzzle loaders cannon were matched against Krupp 6 pounders breech loaders.

In the Franco Prussian war the Germans managed a local battle of encirclement at Sedan. In WWI they went around, but were to send an army around Paris. In response to the BEF, the far right army pinched inside Paris, thus losing the ability to encircle, and indeed having to strip off assault forces to protect their flank. The diminished assault forces of the far right army led to a gap between the two right most armies, which was screened over with cavalry. (a lot of cavalry, but still unable to hold against a coordinated attack.) The professional BEF with Lewis machine guns punched in the cavalry and the far right German army fell back. It was not the end, or even the beginning of the end, but the end of the beginning.

As to fortifications General Patton observed’’No hole in the ground, anywhere, has ever been successfully defended’’.

I do hope the good general was joking. The successful defenses of fortifications are FAR too numerous to list.

To give just one example, over a thousand years Constantinople was beseiged dozens, possibly 100, times. It was taken only twice.