Laager - Definition and Overview

A laager is a defensive formation of vehicles. The vehicles in question are drawn up into a circle, while a camp is made in the interior of the circle.

The word is South African in origin, and originally referred to a formation used by travellers whereby they would draw wagons into a circle and place cattle and horses on the inside to protect them from wild animals at night.

More recently, the word has been used to describe a defensive formation of tanks or other armoured vehicles placed into a defensive circle during wartime.