 The landscape on the French side of the border is an open farmed plain for eastwards to the Rhine.The "ouvrage" formed part of the "principal line of resistance", an element of defense in depth that was preceded by line of advance posts close to the border and backed by a line of shelters for infantry.Hochwald's fighting elements were placed in the line of resistance, with the entrances and their associated supply lines protected by infantry in the third line, or more to the rear.