was directed only at a German invasion and ordered a deployment further west from Perwez, Tienen, Leuven and Wavre. On 1 August, the Belgians decided to place a division each in Liège and Namur and on 3 August, the two fortresses were left to resist an invasion as best they could, while the rest of the field army protected Antwerp and waited for intervention by France and Britain, the other guarantors of Belgian neutrality. At Liège, Léman had the 3rd Division and the 15th Brigade of the 4th Division, which had arrived from Huy on the night of and increased the garrison to Léman deployed the infantry against attacks from the east and south. Plan of attack The terrain and fortresses at Liège favoured an attack by coup de main because the gaps between the forts had not been maintained and some areas were cut by deep ravines, immune to bombardment by the fortress artillery. The General Staff assumed a Belgian garrison of in peacetime with of the . The plan required the 34th Brigade to attack between Forts Loncin and Pontisse, the 27th Brigade to break through between the Meuse and Fort Evegnée on the east bank, the 14th Brigade to penetrate between Forts Evegnée and Fléron and the 11th Brigade between Fléron and Chaudfontaine as the 38th and 43rd brigades attacked between the Ourthe and Meuse; the II Cavalry Corps was to envelop the fortress and assemble to the north-west. The terrain made an advance across country impractical, so the attackers were to form marching columns behind vanguards, with slung rifles only to be used on officers' orders; white armbands and a password were to be used for recognition. The outer fortress defences were to be bypassed in the dark, so that Liège could be attacked during the day. Battle German attack, 5/6 August In the north, the 34th Brigade (Major-General von Kraewel) had eight battalions, less their artillery, as the rest of the brigade was on the far side of the Meuse being ferried over. The attack began on 6 August at from the village of Hermée and was bombarded with shrapnel shell by the Belgian artillery, which disorganised the infantry. A German battalion turned against Pontisse and the rest fought their way into Herstal, where a house-to-house fight against Belgian troops "and civilians" began and then took Préalle under flanking fire from forts Liers and Pontisse.