Yes, afaik the first panel is an exaggeration too, if for some reason (eg environmental, or they are defending something close) one side forms a wall/line, you initially wouldn't distribute your (non-overwhelming) force equally along that line, that's basically just a bit more organised second panel pic.

Instead you would concentrate on one or a few specific spots to try to locally overwhelm them tho break the initial line formation (spearhead the line) & get groups of them more encircled (bce the outside curve gives you more of your people vs fewer of them in the line of fight - which is the core mechanic of the joke in this post).