 The British, having learned a bitter lesson at Isandlwana, would take no chances meeting the Zulu army in the open with their normal line of battle such as the 'Thin Red Line' of Balaclava fame.Their advance would begin at first light, prior to forming his infantry into a large hollow square, with mounted troops covering the sides and rear.Neither wagon laagers nor trenches would be used, to convince both the Zulus and critics that a British square could "beat them fairly in the open".