Movie sequences like this have stayed with me my entire life, and elements of them make it into my writing. From World War 1990: Castro's Folly:
The Ratels got going. In column they advanced at about ten KPH along the south bank, turrets traversed north. En mass the Ratels fired, delivering a volley of 90 mm shells to FAPLA positions. Henceforth they fired at will. A torrent of fire kicked up great cascades of fire and debris on the far bank and beyond. Every second, the air was punctured by the rip of a 90 mm gun. Jenry doubted they were hitting much. But the fact that no fire was returned from the far bank was good enough. The Ratels were keeping FAPLA heads down. They watched until the last Ratel drove past the position and they could only hear the noise deluge beyond. Then they heard more engines. One of Didi’s men ran at a crouch over to their position and pointed west. Didi and Jenry crawled over to the edge of the copse and saw what he was pointing at. A column of South African Caspirs making their way north, northwest. ‘Heading toward the bridge, no doubt.’ Jenry scanned the riverbank again. ‘No more South Africans,’ he said to Didi. ‘Why?’ ‘They no longer feel that they need that patch of the river bank, I would guess.’ ‘Does this mean we can try to cross there?’ The C-130s flew back over their position. Jenry looked at Didi and then back toward the river bank. He thought for a moment. ‘Everyone will be too busy at the bridge, no?’ asked Didi. ‘Good thinking, Lieutenant,’ Jenry said. ‘Then let us go now.’ ‘Yes.’
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