( ( At ( shorter ranges ) ) ( , ( ( the ( slant distance ) ) ( ( ( ( ( increases rapidly ) ( with ( shallower trajectories ) ) ) , ) ( ( offsetting ( the ( higher ( striking velocities ) ) ) ) ( ( and ( , ( thus ( , ( ( longer ( fuze-limited travel ) ) ( of ( the projectiles ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ( before detonating ) ) ) ) . ) ) ) )
(ROOT (S (PP (IN At) (NP (JJR shorter) (NNS ranges))) (, ,) (NP (DT the) (NN slant) (NN distance)) (VP (VBZ increases) (ADVP (RB rapidly)) (PP (IN with) (NP (JJ shallower) (NNS trajectories))) (, ,) (S (VP (VBG offsetting) (NP (DT the) (JJR higher) (JJ striking) (NNS velocities)) (PP (PRN (CC and) (, ,) (ADVP (RB thus)) (, ,) (NP (NP (JJR longer) (JJ fuze-limited) (NN travel)) (PP (IN of) (NP (DT the) (NNS projectiles))))) (IN before) (NP (VBG detonating)))))) (. .)))
At shorter ranges, the slant distance increases rapidly with shallower trajectories, offsetting the higher striking velocities and, thus, longer fuze-limited travel of the projectiles before detonating.
(ROOT (S (NP (NNP Range)) (VP (VBZ is) (NP (NP (DT the) (JJ maximum) (JJ horizontal) (NN distance)) (VP (VBN traveled) (PP (IN by) (NP (DT a) (NN projectile)))))) (. .)))
Range is the maximum horizontal distance traveled by a projectile.