Quote Originally Posted by jcustis View Post
Okay, they are not the same, but please elaborate on the differences.
The difference is essentially the nature of the purpose. Often you do not get a choice as to where to set up, if you are going to fulfil the mission the commander gives you. If your location is part of a lager effort, then that aim of that larger effort may be secondary to what is good ground to defend.
If I need to access a road, a village, either physically and/or by observation, 24 hours a day, and even when the snows lies thick, I may have to settle for ground that does not offer the best tactical defence, but relies on other activities to ameliorate the disadvantage. - I knows it all pretty obvious, but real life rarely allows you just to pick the best spot to defend.
C2 to the outside world, good fields of fire and observation, basic drainage and life support systems, and yes, a plan for supporting patrols, are requisites. They are not beyond the skill of a basically-trained infantry officer or mortar platoon leader though.
Concur, but all those things are subject to compromises.
Operations should be centered around patrolling as the active measure of defense, not as much as digging in. Pick the coil up and move it to another patch of dirt the next night, and so on.
Again concur, but that may not fulfil the actual requirement for a village to a physical presence which the local population are demanding, and the formation commander wishes to address.

All I am saying is that there are a hole host of conditions and contexts which may preclude you picking the ideal spot. I am not suggesting we forgive stupid things being done because folks clearly didn't think about it.