by Max Velocity
For example, a platoon may wish to conduct a platoon sized fighting patrol but wishes to move to the ORP covertly. They may decide that a platoon is too large a formation to conceal on the route out to the objective so they may split down into squads and move via separate routes to the ORP, link up and conduct the mission.
Possible disadvantages to this are the use of multiple routes, which may or may not be feasible, and hence the consideration of discovery via using multiple routes in smaller groups, versus using perhaps one excellent concealed route in a larger formation.
Perhaps an option to use that lies somewhere between moving as a platoon snake and completely dispersed is the satellite style patrolling with the three squads separated but close enough to provide mutual support should one be contacted, moving as a sort of widely dispersed platoon advance to contact. The circumstances will dictate the best option to use to achieve your mission.
Patrol Orders
The following is an example format that can be used for giving patrol orders:
PRELIMINARIES Admin: any relevant points
Security of the Orders Group
Task Organization: Appointments, positions, equipment etc.
Ground Orientation: use map/model
1. SITUATION
Enemy Forces
Friendly Forces
Attachments/Detachments
Strength
Positions
Weapons
Equipment
Morale
Obstacles
Surveillance Devices
Defensive Fires
Patrols
Routine
NBC
Future Intentions
Commanders Mission & Concept of Operations (Incl. intent and main effort)
Defensive position layout
Field defenses
Trip Flares
Defensive Fires
Other Patrols
Outline fire support plan
Only if not covered under Task Organization above
Civil Refugees
Friendly/Unfriendly
Locations
Movement
Intent
2. MISSION: Task(s) plus unifying purpose. Always repeat twice when giving orders.
3. EXECUTION
a. Concept of Operations. Patrol Commanders intent. Scheme of Maneuver (How patrol will achieve its mission). Outline Phases.
b. Sub-Unit Missions/Tasks. (If Applicable)
c. Phases:
Preparatory Move
Method of Movement
Load Plan
Time of:
Rehearsal
Leaving Base
Out
Route to Drop Off Point (DOP)
Location of DOP
Arcs of Fire (Sectors)
Order of March (OOM)
Action at DOP
Action on Enemy
Route Out
Order of March (OOM)
Navigation
Formations
RVs
Obstacle Drills
Action On:
Enemy
Prisoner of War
Casualty
Lost
Separated
Confirmation of ORP
ACTION ON ORP
Incl. initial recce of ORP
Recce Group
Composition
Tasks
Position for Cover Group
Route In
OOM
Formations
Arcs
Signal to Open Fire
Actions On:
Enemy present
ORP Move
Ambush
Remainder located by the enemy
Return to remainder
Remainder
Composition
Tasks
Arcs
Signal to open fire
Action On:
Enemy pre-seen
Ambush
Groups not return
Recce group contacted
Action on Objective
See separate action on objective paragraphs following*
Withdraw to ORP
Signal to Withdraw
OOM
Action in ORP
Head Check
Exchange of Info
Signal to move out
Action On:
Enemy
Prisoner of War
Non return of group
ORP Move
In ORP
Being surprised
Mission not achieved
Route Back
Navigation
Formations
RVs
Obstacles
Action On:
En pre-seen
Ambush
Casualties
Separated
Lost
At Base
At Pick Up Point (PUP)
Friendly Force Location
d. Coordinating Instructions
Timings
Meals
Rest
Rehearsals
Weapon Test
Inspections
Times out/in
Debrief
Actions On
Halts
Lights
Flares
Obstacles
POW
Civilians
NBC
Lost Comms
Contact
Fire Plan
Defensive Fires
Illumination
Light Mortar
Rehearsals
Location
Equipment
Dress
Deception
Preparatory Move
On Objective
On Withdrawal
Public Info/Media
e. Summary of Execution: This is a “Put your notebooks and pens down and look in to me please gentlemen.” moment. To ensure that the plan is understood following the depth of information that has just been relayed, this the time for the Patrol Commander to go over it and tell the story of the patrol as a summary, going over what will happen and painting a picture that will be further reinforced during rehearsals.
4. SERVICE SUPPORT
SOP Variations
Dress
Weapons
Ammo
Equipment
Equipment
Special Equipment
Medical
Medic
Locations
CASEVAC
Stretchers
Med Packs
IFAKS
CAT Tourniquets
Pain Meds
5. COMMAND & SIGNAL
Command
Location of Patrol Commander
Location of HQ
Chain of Command
Radio
Frequencies
Call-signs
Check Comms
Debrief
Location
Conducting Officer
Codes
Codewords
Nicknames
Nick Numbers
Phase Lines
Password
Synchronize Watches
Questions
*ACTION ON OBJECTIVE PARAGRAPHS
RECCE/FIGHTING PATROL
Cover/Fire Group
Composition
Task
Position
Route
Formation
Arcs
Opening Fire
Action On:
Located by Enemy
Separated
Close Recce/Assault Group
Composition
Task
Position
Route
Formation
Fire Plan
Opening Fire
Action On:
Fire Group Located by enemy
Recce group engaged
On Assault
Illumination
POW
Casualty
Separated
>
ORP Protection Group
Composition
Task
Arcs
Action On:
Located by enemy
Recce Group not return
Recce Group engaged
On return of groups
OBSERVATION POST
(Consider the following for both OP and Admin Area/Base Groups)
Occupation
Composition
Route to location
Formations
Arcs
Tasks
Observation Group
Sentry
Commander
Remainder
Action on Contact
Routine
Reporting
Changeover system
Task
State of equipment
Rest
Feeding
Latrines
Trash
Action on Contact
AMBUSH
Occupation
OOM Arcs of Fire
Areas State of weapons
Formations Lights
Arcs Time Ambush Set
Method of entry
Signal Ambush Set
Individual positions Other signals
Laying of Lights,
Mines – nominate
Routine
Roster
Relief system
State of equipment
Rest
Meals
Latrines
Trash
ACTION ON ENEMY
Warning from Cut-Offs Search Procedure
Signal to other groups Action On:
Signal to spring Before Ambush Sprung
Illumination Attacked by enemy
Signal for Grenades/Claymores Approach of civilians/refugees
Refugees
Action by Cut-Offs
Signals:
Watch and Shoot
Ceasefire
Searchers
ACTION IF AMBUSH NOT SPRUNG
Signal to abort
Retrieve mines/flares (nominate)
Action while retrieving equipment by:
Cut Offs
Killer Group
Action On:
Enemy pre-seen
Enemy Ambush/Contact
Civilians
Note that during these orders, if you are well trained, rehearsed and experienced together as a team, then some of the headings, such as actions on, can be covered by simply stating “As per SOP.” However, don’t play lip service to this and if there is anyone new or you need to adjust the drills, then cover it in full.
Blog Post
Tactical Considerations for the ‘Lone Wolf’:
The genesis of the article is comments that I see on my blog posts and elsewhere from individuals who, to a certain extent, reject small unit tactics as a means for post-collapse survival and prefer to plan to operate as a ‘lone wolf.’ I see comments such as ‘I’ll be going hunting’ and criticism of small unit tactics on the basis of them being ‘for the military’.
Ok, so let’s take that at face value and examine some tactical considerations for such an operator. Let’s envision a post-collapse scenario where a father is protecting his family at a hidden retreat. I am going to put this in the woods/country rather than urban, just to make the article shorter and because that is where most retreats are located, but many of the considerations will apply across tactical environments.
Imagine that in your area there is an active paramilitary marauder gang who thus poses a clear and present threat to your retreat and family. They are conducting active operations in your area of operations (AO) and you therefore decide that the best approach for the tactical self-defense of your family is an active defense. Such an active defense will mean going out and disrupting the operations of this group in such a way that they will be deterred from operating in your area. Otherwise known as goin’ huntin’!
Your primary concern is stealth and concealment. If you are going away from your retreat you need to consider how that retreat is defended in your absence, and what will happen if you do not come back. The best defense of that retreat will be avoidance by concealment. Perhaps if you do deter the gang from your area you are also defending your retreat by preventing the enemy from moving in your direction and discovering your family/stash.
We are going to talk about a lone operator. Many of the disadvantages faced by a lone operator can be overcome by moving at a minimum in a pair, like a sniper team. But this is going to be a purist article, it is going to be about a ‘lone wolf’.
Your main defense will be stealth of movement and concealment. You will suffer from being unable to establish security and when resting you will be unable to maintain a watch/sentry. If you are compromised and contacted by the enemy you will not be able to conduct fire and movement. You will be limited to fire-move-fire–move or simply getting behind a terrain feature providing cover and running out of there (or both).
Such a situation is not unprecedented and I have heard anecdotal stories about operators, in places such as the southern African bush wars of past years, moving alone as scouts and simply crawling into a deep bit of brush/cover when needing to sleep. Be a light sleeper! So there are disadvantages but that does not mean you can’t make it work while taking some risks. The fact that you are a lone individual gives you advantages of stealth and concealment with a smaller signature. If you are only conducting short term operations then the need to rest up is reduced, but see below for reasons why you may need to work further afield from your retreat.
Area of Operations: you need to consider that if the enemy is in any way switched on, and are keeping any sort of incident map, if you simply operate close to your retreat they will build up a picture that may well lead them to your home and family. Thus you should be unpredictable and move further away or from unexpected directions in order to prosecute your attacks.
Navigation: you will need to be able to accurately move by map and compass across rough back country terrain to get in and out of your objective. You will take separate routes in and out and use deception.
Movement: You must use cover and concealment to move. You will have to move slowly, at a jungle patrol pace, in order to effectively scan ahead and around. Cover means using the ground (hard cover) to conceal you, such as moving in draws or behind terrain features. Concealment means using vegetation to hide you from any observers. You will need to plan a route accordingly, also avoiding any settlements where there is an increased risk of compromise and where dogs will bark at you.
However, do not move on obvious features or along trails and tracks. You can handrail (parallel) them at a distance if you need to or if you need to use them for navigation. It is often best to ‘cross-grain’ the terrain thus making your moves hard to predict. Valley bottoms and trails/streams are good places for you to walk into an ambush. Use techniques for avoiding ambush such as hand railing and moving partway up a valley side (contouring), thus giving you the benefits of cover and concealment but avoiding natural ambush sites and places where others will travel.
You must be very careful at any kind of obstacle, vulnerable point, channelizing feature or linear danger area. Examples of a channelizing vulnerable point include crossing a bridge or moving through a track or trail junction. A linear danger area is any kind of open feature that you have to cross such as a road, river or trail, even a power line through the woods. You must be very careful to observe in detail prior to crossing and find a point where the crossing is best concealed, such as in a depression or even by crawling through a culvert, for example.
As you move, you need to stop regularly for listening and observation breaks. Scan and listen. Do this before moving through the next natural part of the terrain, cross it then stop again. A real game changer would be having a portable FLIR thermal imager (such as the FLIR Scout), with which you can scan around and into the brush to spot anyone concealed.
You have to decide whether to move by
day or night. The balance of your and the enemies capabilities will determine this. Do you have night vision or FLIR? Does the enemy? You can move very well in the woods at night without any technology, but if the enemy has night vision capability you may be just as well moving during the day by concealed routes where at least they don’t have the night vision advantage over you and you can see better to observe. This also goes to the times you will be able to target the enemy. If you don’t have a night vision or optic capability for your weapon system, you may be restricted to daylight shots. Of course, if the enemy is illuminated, perhaps in a compound or similar, then you can take a shot from out in the darkness no problem. You need to know all this, which is why “Time spent in recce is seldom wasted.”
If you do invest in any night vision, you need to give thought to how it is rigged and used. A night sight on a rifle will allow you to take shots but will be limited for movement use and general observation, without bringing the rifle into the shoulder to observe. Using night vision goggles/monocle will allow you to see as you walk but will not transfer directly to your weapon sight. That is why the military use IR laser pointers on the rifle zeroed to the rifle, so you just point the laser and view through the night vision goggle and place it on the target. Such IR lasers are restricted to military/LEO use but you can buy visible laser systems. As soon as you flick that on it will be visible to the naked eye but may be used fleetingly before a shot, so long as it is accurately zeroed and the range is not too great. All this says that before you spend money on expensive equipment for night ops you need to give some thought as to the gear you will buy and how it will be set up.
Consider the use by the enemy of FLIR both from ground and airborne systems. Use terrain and vegetation cover as well as frequent observation and listening stops to counter this. Have a ‘thermal poncho’ rigged up so you can get under it, providing camouflage from both naked eye observation and also FLIR TI. You will need to be able to camouflage your heat signature.