The Change in the Fighting on the Western FrontThe fighting on the Western Front did not remain exactly the same between 1914 and 1918. Some aspects of the war changed little, but others have changed a lot. , for example, trenches became the main defensive strategy and quick battles with calvary charges and heavy infantry literally became a thing of the past and were replaced by stalemates and week-long trench battles /month/year. Another major change concerned artillery: at the start of the war it was very inaccurate and by the end it was much more precise and powerful. Tanks also proved useful for crushing barbed wire, although they were very primitive at first and often broke down in the mud. People did not expect the war to develop the way it did. In 1914, people expected Britain to win the war and return home before Christmas. In reality, the new trench warfare and complex tactics meant that both alliances held firm and battles repeatedly ended in stalemates. New techniques and new equipment were developed after 1914 to meet these new challenges. There was new artillery and new tanks and new tactics for getting through the trenches and around the barbed wire. Early in the war the artillery was inaccurate and often meant they hit their own trenches before they reached the correct distance. By the end of the war, technology had advanced much further, with most European factories devoted to the manufacture of guns and shells. These changes meant that Calvaries were not used as much in combat and more in transporting materials and supplies. Of course, some things have changed less. than others. For example, infantry tactics such as "step over" were used throughout the war. This involved attacking enemy front lines with heavy artillery non-stop (called barrage). As soon as this barrier stopped the troops received the signal to "go over", that's when the soldiers climbed over the top of the trench and ran to get through the barbed wire..