Haig's preference for manoeuvre is linked to cavalry service and experience of guns becoming immobile in the Boer War. Increasing gun size created very different problems on land and at sea. A warship carried its own heavy battery, while the largest land guns could require railways or concrete positions. In this interpretation, naval influence helped push the artillery debate toward size while Haig remained concerned with movement. His strengths were more useful once corps commanders could open a breach and needed support to exploit it.
Notable Point · 3:19:14-3:25:25
Haig's artillery blind spot and aptitude for maneuver
Cavalry experience and the difficulty of moving heavy guns help explain Haig's emphasis on manoeuvre and exploitation.