SCMC BASIC TACTICS TRAINING MANUAL
Cover, Concealment, and Camouflage
If the enemy can see you, he can hit you with his fire. So you must be concealed from enemy observation and have cover from enemy fire.
When the terrain does not provide natural cover and concealment, you must prepare your cover and use natural and man-made materials to camouflage yourself, your equipment, and your position. This chapter provides guidance on the preparation and use of cover, concealment, and camouflage.
Cover gives protection from bullets, fragments of exploding rounds, flame, nuclear effects, and biological and chemical agents. Cover can also conceal you from enemy observation. Cover can be natural or man-made.
Natural cover includes such things as logs, trees, stumps, ravines, and hollows. Manmade cover includes such things as fighting positions, trenches, walls, rubble, and craters. Even the smallest depression or fold in the ground can give some cover. Look for and use every bit of cover the terrain offers.
In combat, you need protection from enemy direct and indirect fire.
To get this protection in the defense, build a fighting position (man-made cover) to add to the natural cover afforded by the terrain.
To get protection from enemy fire in the offense or when moving, use routes that put cover between you and the places where the enemy is known or thought to be. Use ravines, gullies, hills, wooded areas, walls, and other cover to keep the enemy from seeing and firing at you. Avoid open areas, and do not skyline yourself on hilltops and ridges.
Concealment is anything that hides you from enemy observation. Concealment does not protect you from enemy fire. Do not think that you are protected from the enemy's fire just because you are concealed. Concealment, like cover, can also be natural or man-made.
Natural concealment includes such things as bushes, grass, trees, and shadows. If possible, natural concealment should not be disturbed. Man-made concealment includes such things as battle-dress uniforms, camouflage nets, face paint, and natural material that has been moved from its original location. Man-made concealment must blend into the natural concealment provided by the terrain.
Light discipline, noise discipline, movement discipline, and the use of camouflage contribute to concealment. Light discipline is controlling the use of lights at night by such things as not smoking in the open, not walking around with a flashlight on, and not using vehicle headlights. Noise discipline is taking action to deflect sounds generated by your unit (such as operating equipment) away from the enemy and, when possible, using methods to communicate that do not generate sounds (arm-and-hand signals). Movement discipline is such things as not moving about fighting positions unless necessary, and not moving on routes that lack cover and concealment. In the defense, build a well-camouflaged fighting position and avoid moving about. In the offense, conceal yourself and your equipment with camouflage and move in woods or on terrain that gives concealment. Darkness cannot hide you from enemy observation in either offense or defense. The enemy's night vision devices and other detection means let them find you in both daylight and darkness.
Camouflage is anything you use to keep yourself, your equipment, and your position from looking like what they are. Both natural and man-made material can be used for camouflage.
Change and improve your camouflage often. The time between changes and improvements depends on the weather and on the material used. Natural camouflage will often die, fade, or otherwise lose its effectiveness. Likewise, man-made camouflage may wear off or fade. When those things happen, you and your equipment or position may not blend with the surroundings. That may make it easy for the enemy to spot you.
Movement draws attention. When you give arm-and-hand signals or walk about your position, your movement can be seen by the naked eye at long ranges. In the defense, stay low and move only when necessary. In the offense, move only on covered and concealed routes.
Positions must not be where the enemy expects to find them. Build positions on the side of a hill, away from road junctions or lone buildings, and in covered and concealed places. Avoid open areas.
Outlines and shadows may reveal your position or equipment to air or ground observers. Outlines and shadows can be broken up with camouflage. When moving, stay in the shadows when possible.
Shine may also attract the enemy's attention. In the dark, it may be a light such as a burning cigarette or flashlight. In daylight, it can be reflected light from polished surfaces such as shiny mess gear, a worn helmet, a windshield, a watch crystal and band, or exposed skin. A light, or its reflection, from a position may help the enemy detect the position. To reduce shine, cover your skin with clothing and face paint. However, in a nuclear attack, darkly painted skin can absorb more thermal energy and may burn more readily than bare skin. Also, dull the surfaces of equipment and vehicles with paint, mud, or some type of camouflage material.
Shape is outline or form. The shape of a helmet is easily recognized. A human body is also easily recognized. Use camouflage and concealment to breakup shapes and blend them with their surroundings. Be careful not to overdo it.
The colors of your skin, uniform, and equipment may help the enemy detect you if the colors contrast with the background. For example, a green uniform will contrast with snow-covered terrain. Camouflage yourself and your equipment to blend with the surroundings.
Dispersion is the spreading of men, vehicles, and equipment over a wide area. It is usually easier for the enemy to detect marines when they are bunched. So, spread out. The distance between you and your fellow marine will vary with the terrain, degree of visibility, and enemy situation. Distances will normally be set by unit leaders or by a unit's standing operating procedure (SOP).
Before camouflaging, study the terrain and vegetation of the area in which you are operating. Then pick and use the camouflage material that best blends with that area. When moving from one area to another, change camouflage as needed to blend with the surroundings. Take grass, leaves, brush, and other material from your location and apply it to your uniform and equipment and put face paint on your skin.
Fighting Positions. When building a fighting position, camouflage it and the dirt taken from it. Camouflage the dirt used as frontal, flank, rear, and overhead cover. Also camouflage the bottom of the hole to prevent detection from the air. If necessary, take excess dirt away from the position (to the rear).
Do not overcamouflage. Too much camouflage material may actually disclose a position. Get your camouflage material from a wide area. An area stripped of all or most of its vegetation may draw attention. Do not wait until the position is complete to camouflage it. Camouflage the position as you build.
Do not leave shiny or light-colored objects lying about. Hide mess kits, mirrors, food containers, and white underwear and towels. Do not remove your shirt in the open. Your skin may shine and be seen. Never use fires where there is a chance that the flame will be seen or the smoke will be smelled by the enemy. Also, cover up tracks and other signs of movement.
When camouflage is complete, inspect the position from the enemy's side. This should be done from about 35 meters forward of the position. Then check the camouflage periodically to see that it stays natural-looking and conceals the position. When the camouflage becomes ineffective, change and improve it.
Helmets. Camouflage your helmet with the issue helmet cover or make a cover of cloth or burlap that is colored to blend with the terrain. The cover should fit loosely with the flaps folded under the helmet or left hanging. The hanging flaps may break up the helmet outline. Leaves, grass, or sticks can also be attached to the cover. Use camouflage bands, strings, burlap strips, or rubber bands to hold those in place. If there is no material for a helmet cover, disguise and dull helmet surface with irregular patterns of paint or mud.
Uniforms. Most uniforms come already camouflaged. However, it may be necessary to add more camouflage to make the uniform blend better with the surroundings. To do this, put mud on the uniform or attach leaves, grass, or small branches to it. Too much camouflage, however, may draw attention.
When operating on snow-covered ground, wear overwhites (if issued) to help blend with the snow. If overwhites are not issued, use white cloth, such as white bedsheets, to get the same effect.
Skin. Exposed skin reflects light and may draw the enemy's attention. Even very dark skin, because of its natural oil, will reflect light. Use the following methods when applying camouflage face paint to camouflage the skin.
Colors Used In Camouflage: Sand and light green for desert and dry areas; loam and white for snow covered areas; and loam and light green for vegetated areas.
| Camouflage Material | Skin Color: Light or Dark | Shine Areas: Forehead, cheekbones, ears, nose and chin | Shadow Areas: Around eyes, under nose, and under chin |
| Loam and Light Green Stick | All troops use in areas with green vegetation. | Use Loam | Use Light Green |
| Sand and Light Green Stick | All troops use in areas lacking green vegetation. | Use Light Green | Use Sand |
| Loam and White | All troops use only in snow covered terrain. | Use Loam | Use White |
| Burnt Cork, Bark Charcoal or Lamp Black | All troops, if camouflage sticks not available. | Use | Do Not Use |
| Light-Color Mud | All Troops, if camouflage sticks not available. | Don Not Use | Use |
When applying camouflage stick to your skin, work with a buddy (in pairs) and help each other. Apply a two-color combination of camouflage stick in an irregular pattern. Paint shiny areas (forehead, cheekbones, nose, ears, and chin) with a dark color. Paint shadow areas (around the eyes, under the nose, and under the chin) with a light color. In addition to the face, paint the exposed skin on the back of the neck, arms, and hands. Palms of hands are not normally camouflaged if arm-and-hand signals are to be used. Remove all jewelry to further reduce shine or reflection.
When camouflage sticks are not issued, use burnt cork, bark, charcoal, lamp black, or light-colored mud.
When defending, or when temporarily halted while making an attack, you must seek cover from fire and concealment from observation. Cover and concealment are best provided by some type of fighting position. This may be an existing hole, a hastily dug prone shelter, or a well-prepared position with overhead cover. The time available for preparation determines how well you build your position.
Your fighting position must:
The cover of your fighting position must be strong enough to protect you from small arms fire, indirect fire fragments, and the blast wave of nuclear explosions. The position should have frontal cover to give protection from small arms fire from the front. Natural frontal cover (trees, rocks, logs, and rubble) is best, because it is hard for the enemy to detect a position that is concealed by natural cover. If natural cover is not available, use the dirt taken from the hole you dig to build additional cover. The cover can be improved by putting the dirt in sandbags and then wetting them.
Frontal cover must be:
Your fighting position should be built so that, when you come under direct fire from your front, you can move behind the frontal cover for protection and yet fire to the oblique.
For all-round protection, to include protection from a nuclear attack, your position should also have overhead, flank, and rear cover. The dirt from the hole can also be used to build that cover, which protects against indirect fire that bursts overhead or to the flanks and rear of the position. Cover also guards against the effects of friendly weapons supporting from the rear, such as small arms fire or discarding sabot rounds fired from tanks. You should leave crawl spaces in the rear cover. This lets you enter and leave the position without exposing yourself to the enemy.
To increase your chances of survival in a nuclear attack, you should insure that your fighting position incorporates the following considerations:
If your position can be detected, it can be hit by enemy fire. If it can be hit, you can be killed in it. Therefore, your position must be so well hidden that the enemy will have a hard time detecting it even after he is in hand-grenade range.
Natural, undisturbed concealment is better than man-made concealment because:
While digging your position, try not to disturb the natural concealment around it. Put the unused dirt from the hole behind the position and camouflage it.
Camouflage material that does not have to be replaced (rocks, logs, live bushes, and grass) is best. You should not use so much camouflage that your position looks different from its surroundings.
Your position must be concealed from enemy aircraft as well as from ground troops. If the position is under a bush or tree, or in a building, it is less likely to be seen from above. Leaves, straw, or grass placed on the floor of the hole will keep the fresh earth from contrasting with the ground around it. Do not use sticks, as they may stop grenades from rolling into the grenade sumps.
Man-made concealment must blend with its surroundings so that it cannot be detected.
The sectors of fire are those areas into which you must observe and fire. When your leader assigns you a fighting position, he should also assign you a primary and a secondary sector of fire. The primary sector of fire is to the oblique of your position, and the secondary sector of fire is to the front.
To be able to see and fire into your sectors of fire, you may have to clear some vegetation and other obstructions from them. That is called clearing a field of fire.
When clearing a field of fire:
A field of fire to the front is needed out to the range of your weapon.
A field of fire to the oblique lets you hit the attackers from an unexpected angle. It also lets you support the positions next to you. When fired to the oblique, your fire interlocks with the fire of other positions. That helps create a wall of fire that the enemy must pass through.
When there is little time for preparation, build a hasty fighting position. It should be behind whatever cover is available. It should give frontal cover from enemy direct fire but allow firing to the front and the oblique. The term hasty does not mean that there is no digging.
If there is a natural hole or ditch available, use it. If not, dig a prone shelter that will give some protection. The hole should be about one-half meter (18 to 20 in) deep. Use the dirt from the hole to build cover around the edge of the position.
In the defense, you and another marine will build a two-man fighting position. Improve your position as time permits.
Keep the hole small. The smaller the hole, the less likely it is that rounds, grenades, or airburst fragments will get into it. It should be large enough for you and your buddy in full combat gear. It should extend beyond the edges of the frontal cover enough to let you and your buddy observe and fire to the front. The hole is usually dug straight, but it may be curved around the frontal cover.
Curving the hole around the frontal cover may be necessary in close terrain to allow better observation and fire to the front and to the next flank position. To curve the hole, simply extend one or both ends of it around the frontal cover.
A curved hole lets one of you watch for the enemy to the front while the other sleeps or eats. Also, you can observe and fire to the front when not being fired at, and move back behind the frontal cover when under heavy fire.
On a steep slope, a straight hole may not let you stay behind frontal cover and fire at attackers. You may have to stand up and expose yourself to the attackers' fire.
To avoid such exposure, dig firing ports in each end of the hole. The ground between the firing ports will then be additional frontal cover.
Dig the hole armpit deep. This lowers your profile and still lets you fire. Other dimensions should be the length of two S-333 Assault Rifles and the width of two bayonets.
Leave enough distance between the hole and the frontal cover to make a shelf where you can put your elbows when firing.
Dig elbow holes to keep your elbows from moving around when you fire. Your fire will then be more accurate.
If you or your buddy has an automatic rifle, dig a small trench to stabilize its bipod legs.
Hammer in sector stakes (right and left) to define your sectors of fire. Sector stakes prevent accidental firing into friendly positions. Tree limbs about 46 cm (18 in) long make good stakes. The stakes must be sturdy and must stick out of the ground high enough to keep your rifle from being pointed out of your sector.
Hammer in aiming stakes to help you fire into dangerous approaches at night and at other times when visibility is poor. Forked tree limbs about 30 cm (12 in) long make good stakes. Put one stake near the edge of the hole to rest the stock of your rifle on. Then put another stake forward of the rear (first) stake toward each dangerous approach. The forward stakes are used to hold the rifle barrel. To change the direction of your fire from one approach to another, move the rifle barrel from one forward stake to another. Leave the stock of the rifle on the rear stake.
Dig two grenade sumps in the floor (one on each end). If the enemy throws a grenade into the hole, kick or throw it into one of the sumps. The sump will absorb most of the blast. The rest of the blast will be directed straight up and out of the hole. Dig the grenade sumps:
For water drainage, slope the floor of the hole toward the grenade sumps. This may also . cause grenades to roll into the sumps.
Build overhead cover for protection against airburst fragments. Build the overhead cover either across the center of the hole or off to its flanks.
When center overhead cover would not make a position easy to detect, build it. Put support logs 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in) in diameter on top of each other along the entire length of the frontal and rear cover.
Put logs 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in) in diameter side by side across the support logs as the base for the overhead cover.
Put a water-repellent layer, such as a poncho, over the base logs. This helps keep water from leaking through the overhead cover.
Then put 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8 in) of dirt on top of the waterproofing material. Finally, mold and camouflage the cover to blend with the terrain.
When center overhead cover would make your position easy to detect, build flank over-head cover. That method gives both you and your buddy your own overhead cover. However, neither of you can observe or fire into your sectors of fire while under it.
When flank overhead cover is used, dig only one grenade sump. Dig it in the center of the floor against the back wall and slope the floor toward it.
Dig out an area for flank overhead cover at each end of the position:
Save the sod for camouflage.
Next, place support logs, about 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in) in diameter, across the dug-out holes. This will support the rest of the overhead cover material. Put a water-repellent layer, such as C-ration boxes or a poncho, over the support logs. This helps keep water from leaking through the overhead cover.
Then put 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8 in) of dirt on top of the waterproofing material. Cover the dirt with the sod and camouflage it.
Then get in the hole and dig out a cave-like compartment at each end of the position under the overhead cover. Dig your compartment large enough for you and your equipment. Dig your buddy's compartment large enough for him and his equipment.
In sandy or loose soil, the sides of your position may require revetments to keep them from collapsing. Use such things as mesh wire, boards, or logs for revetting. Tie anchor string, rope, or wire to the revetting material and stake them down. Drive the stakes into the ground. This hides them and keeps them from being mistaken for aiming stakes or sector stakes.
Sometimes you may have to build and occupy a one-man fighting position. Except for its size, a one-man position is built the same way as a two-man fighting position. The hole of a one-man position is only large enough for you and your equipment.
If you are in a Squad Support Phaser Weapon crew, you and the other members must build a Squad Support Phaser Weapon fighting position. However, before you can start work on the position, your leader must:
NOTE: The FPL is a line on which the gun fires grazing fire across the unit's front. Grazing fire is fired 1 meter above the ground. When an FPL is not assigned, a PDF is. A PDF is a direction toward which the gun must be pointed when not firing at targets in other parts of its sector.
The first thing to do when building a machine gun position is to mark the position of the tripod legs. Then mark the sectors of fire with sector stakes, and trace the outline of the hole and its frontal cover on the ground.
For a Squad Support Phaser Weapon position, dig two firing platforms for the gun. One platform is on the primary sector of fire side of the position, and the machine gun tripod is used on this platform. The other platform is on the secondary sector of fire side of the position, and the machine gun biped is used when firing on this platform. A trench must be dug for the bipod legs.
The firing platforms reduce the profile of the gunner. They also reduce the height of the frontal cover needed. The firing platforms must not, however, be so low that the gun cannot be traversed across its sector of fire.
In some cases, the floor of the platforms may need to be lined with sandbags. Also, sandbags may be needed on each tripod leg to keep it from moving.
After the firing platforms have been dug, prepare your range card and then dig your hole. Dig the hole in the shape of an inverted T. The top of the T, however, must be longer than the shaft of the T. Dig the hole deep enough to, protect the crew and still let the gunner fire the machine gun (usually about armpit deep). Use the dirt from the hole to build frontal, flank, and rear cover. The frontal cover is built first. When the frontal cover is high and thick enough, use the rest of the dirt to build flank and rear cover.
Dig three grenade sumps, one at each end of the T. Dig the grenade sumps like those in a two-man fighting position.
Build the overhead cover for the position like that for a two-man fighting position.
When a Squad Support Phaser Weapon has only one sector of fire, dig only half of the position (only one firing platform).
When there is a three-man crew for a Squad Support Phaser Weapon, the third man (the ammunition bearer) digs a one-man fighting position. Usually, his position is on the same side of the machine gun as its FPL or PDF. From that position, he can observe and fire into the machine gun's secondary sector and, at the same time, see the gunner and assistant gunner. The ammunition bearer's position is connected to the machine gun position by a crawl trench so that he can bring ammunition to the gun or replace the gunner or the assistant gunner.
In a Heavy Polaron Gattling Cannon position, dig only one firing platform for the gun. Dig the platform below ground level, like that for a Squad Support Phaser Weapon except deeper. Because of the gun's vibrations, you may have to line the floor of the platform with sandbags. Sandbags may also be needed on each tripod leg to keep it from moving. Also, the walls of the platform may need revetments.
After digging the platform, prepare your range card and then dig your hole. The hole should be the shape of an L, with the platform in the center of the L. Dig the hole deep enough to protect the crew and still let the gunner fire the machine gun (usually about armpit deep). Use the dirt from the hole to build frontal, flank, and rear cover. Build the frontal cover first. When that is completed, use the rest of the dirt to build flank and rear cover.
Dig two grenade sumps, one at both ends of the L, like those in a two-man fighting position. Build the overhead cover like that for a two-man fighting position.
There is no special fighting position for the Isomagnetic Disintigrator. They can be fired from any fighting position. Before firing any of these weapons, clear the backblast area.
When there is time, dig trenches to connect fighting positions. Trenches provide covered routes between positions. The depth of the trenches depends on the time and type of help and equipment available to dig them. Without engineer help, crawl trenches about 1 meter (3 feet) deep and two thirds of a meter (2 feet) wide are probably all that can be dug. Dig the trenches zigzagged so that the enemy will not be able to fire down a long section if he gets into the trench, and so that shrapnel from shell bursts will lose some of its effectiveness.
A fighting position should have a place for storing equipment and ammunition. When your position has overhead cover across its center, dig a storage compartment in the bottom of the back wall. The size of the compartment depends on the amount of equipment and ammunition to be stored.
When your position has flanked overhead cover, use the compartments dug for the overhead cover as storage compartments.
If you dig your storage compartment large enough, it may provide extra space in which you can stretch out while sleeping. This lets you sleep inside the position and under cover.
Normally, you will spend more time moving than fighting. You must use proper movement techniques to avoid contact with the enemy when you are not prepared for contact.
The fundamentals of movement discussed in this chapter provide techniques that all marines should learn. These techniques should be practiced until they become second nature.
Your unit's ability to move depends on your movement skills and those of your fellow marines. Use the following techniques to avoid being seen or heard by the enemy:
In addition to walking, you may move in one of three other methods--low crawl, high crawl, or rush.
The low crawl gives you the lowest silhouette. Use it to cross places where the concealment is very low and enemy fire or observation prevents you from getting up. Keep your body flat against the ground. With your firing hand, grasp your weapon sling at the upper sling--swivel. Let the front handguard rest on your forearm (keeping the muzzle off the ground), and let the weapon butt drag on the ground.
To move, push your arms forward and pull your firing side leg forward. Then pull with your arms and push with your leg. Continue this throughout the move.
The high crawl lets you move faster than the low crawl and still gives you a low silhouette. Use this crawl when there is good concealment but enemy fire prevents you from getting up. Keep your body off the ground and resting on your forearms and lower legs. Cradle your weapon in your arms and keep its muzzle off the ground. Keep your knees well behind your buttocks so your body will stay low.
To move, alternately advance your right elbow and left knee, then your left elbow and right knee.
The rush is the fastest way to move from one position to another. Each rush should last from 3 to 5 seconds. The rushes are kept short to keep enemy machine gunners or riflemen from tracking you. However, do not stop and hit the ground in the open just because 5 seconds have passed. Always try to hit the ground behind some cover. Before moving, pick out your next covered and concealed position and the best route to it.
Make your move from the prone position as follows:
When you are ready to stop moving, do the following:
If you have been firing from one position for some time, the enemy may have spotted you and may be waiting for you to come up from behind cover. So, before rushing forward, roll or crawl a short distance from your position. By coming up from another spot, you may fool an enemy who is aiming at one spot, waiting for you to rise.
When the route to your next position is through an open area, rush by zigzagging. If necessary, hit the ground, roll right or left, then rush again.
Moving with stealth means moving quietly, slowly, and carefully. This requires great patience.
To move with stealth, use the following techniques:
At night, and when moving through dense vegetation, avoid making noise. Hold your weapon with one hand, and keep the other hand forward, feeling for obstructions.
When going into a prone position, use the following techniques:
Use the following techniques when crawling:
This section furnishes guidance for the immediate actions you should take when reacting to enemy indirect fire and flares.
If you come under indirect fire while moving, quickly look to your leader for orders. He will either tell you to run out of the impact area in a certain direction or will tell you to follow him. If you cannot see your leader, but can see other team members, follow them. If alone, or if you cannot see your leader or the other team members, run out of the area in a direction away from the incoming fire.
It is hard to move quickly on rough terrain, but the terrain may provide good cover. In such terrain, it may be best to take cover and wait for flares to burn out. After they burn out, move out of the area quickly.
The enemy puts out ground flares as warning devices. He sets them off himself or attaches tripwires to them for you to trip on and set them off. He usually puts the flares in places he can watch.
If you are caught in the light of a ground flare, move quickly out of the lighted area. The enemy will know where the ground flare is and will be ready to fire into that area. Move well away from the lighted area. While moving out of the area, look for other team members. Try to follow or join them to keep the team together.
The enemy uses aerial flares to light up vital areas. They can be set off like ground flares; fired from hand projectors, grenade launchers, mortars, and artillery; or dropped from aircraft.
If you hear the firing of an aerial flare while you are moving, hit the ground (behind cover if possible) while the flare is rising and before it bursts and illuminates.
If moving where it is easy to blend with the background (such as in a forest) and you are caught in the light of an aerial flare, freeze in place until the flare burns out.
If you are caught in the light of an aerial flare while moving in an open area, immediately crouch low or lie down.
If you are crossing an obstacle, such as a barbed-wire fence or a wall, and get caught in the light of an aerial flare, crouch low and stay down until the flare burns out.
The sudden light of a bursting flare may temporarily blind both you and the enemy. When the enemy uses a flare to spot you, he spoils his own night vision. To protect your night vision, close one eye while the flare is burning. When the flare burns out, the eye that was closed will still have its night vision.
You will usually move as a member of a team. Small teams, such as infantry fire teams, normally move in a wedge formation. Each marine in the team has a set position in the wedge, determined by the type weapon he carries. That position, however, may be changed by the team leader to meet the situation. The normal distance between marines is 10 meters.
You may have to make a temporary change in the wedge formation when moving through close terrain. The marines in the sides of the wedge close into a single file when moving in thick brush or through a narrow pass. After passing through such an area, they should spread out, again forming the wedge. You should not wait for orders to change the formation or the interval. You should change automatically and stay in visual contact with the other team members and the team leader.
The team leader leads by setting the example. His standing order is, FOLLOW ME AND DO AS I DO. When he moves to the left, you should move to the left. When he gets down, you should get down. When he fires, you should fire.
When visibility is limited, control during movement may become difficult. Two l-inch horizontal strips of luminous tape, sewn directly on the rear of the helmet camouflage band with a l-inch space between them, are a device for night identification.
Night identification for your patrol cap could be two l-inch by 1/2-inch strips of luminous tape sewn vertically, directly on the rear of the cap. They should be centered, with the bottom edge of each tape even with the bottom edge of the cap and with a l-inch space between two tapes.
When a unit makes contact with the enemy, it normally starts firing at and moving toward the enemy. Sometimes the unit may move away from the enemy. That technique is called fire and movement. It is conducted either to close with and destroy the enemy, or to move away from the enemy so as to break contact with him.
The firing and moving take place at the same time. There is a fire element and a movement element. These elements may be single marines, buddy teams, fire teams, or squads. Regardless of the size of the elements, the action is still fire and movement.
The fire element covers the move of the movement element by firing at the enemy. This helps keep the enemy from firing back at the movement element.
The movement element moves either to close with the enemy or to reach a better position from which to fire at him. The movement element should not move until the fire element is firing.
Depending on the distance to the enemy position and on the available cover, the fire element and the movement element switch roles as needed to keep moving.
Before the movement element moves beyond the supporting range of the fire element (the distance within which the weapons of the fire element can fire and support the movement element), it should take a position from which it can fire at the enemy. The movement element then becomes the next fire element and the fire element becomes the next movement element.
If your team makes contact, your team leader should tell you to fire or to move. He should also tell you where to fire from, what to fire at, or where to move to. When moving, use the low crawl, high crawl, or rush.
Observation
During all types of operations, you will be looking for the enemy. However, there will be times when you will be posted in an observation post (OP) to watch for enemy activity.
An OP is a position from which you watch an assigned sector of observation and report all activity seen or heard in your sector.
This section discusses the techniques you will use for day and night observation.
In daylight, use the visual search technique to search terrain. Do this in two steps:
At night, use anyone of three night observation techniques to search terrain.
Dark Adaptation Technique. First, let your eyes become adjusted to the darkness. Do so by staying either in a dark area for about 30 minutes, or in a red-lighted area for about 20 minutes followed by about 10 minutes in a dark area. The red-lighted method may save time by allowing you to get orders, check equipment, or do some other job before moving into darkness.
Off-Center Vision Technique. Focus your attention on an object but look slightly away from it. The object will be more visible this way than when you look straight at it.
Scanning Technique. Again focus your attention on an object, but do not look directly at it. Now move your eyes in short, abrupt, and irregular movements around it, pausing a few seconds after each move.
In trying to find the enemy in a sector of observation, look and listen for these signs of his presence:
Listen for such things as footsteps, limbs or sticks breaking, leaves rustling, men coughing, and equipment or vehicle sounds. These may be hard to distinguish from other battle-field and animal sounds.
Sounds can alert you to the direction or general location of the enemy. They may not pinpoint his exact location. However, if a sound alerts you, you are more apt to spot the enemy.
Moving foot marines or vehicles often raise dust. Vehicle exhaust smoke also rises. You can spot dust and vehicle smoke at long ranges.
Look for movement in your sector. Use the visual search technique.
Look for enemy positions in obvious places, such as road junctions, hilltops, and lone buildings. Also look at areas with cover and concealment, such as woods and draws.
Look for outlines or shadows of enemy soldiers, equipment, vehicles, or guns. The enemy may use the shadows of trees or buildings to hide himself and his equipment. Look for him in shaded areas.
In darkness, look for light sources such as burning cigarettes, headlights, or flashlights. In daylight, look for reflected light or glare from smooth, polished surfaces such as windshields, headlights, mess gear, watch crystals, or uncamouflaged skin.
Look for contrasts between background color and the colors of uniforms, equipment, and skin. For example, a marine's T-shirt or towel may contrast with its background.
You must often estimate ranges. Your estimates will be easier to make and more accurate if you use the 100-meter unit-of-measure method, the appearance-of-objects method, or the flash-and-sound method. This section discusses the use of these methods.
Picture a distance of 100 meters on the ground. For ranges up to 500 meters, count the number of 100-meter lengths between the two points you want to measure. Beyond 500 meters, pick a point halfway to the target, count the number of 100-meter lengths to the halfway point, and then double that number to get the range to the target.
Sloping ground changes the appearance of l00-meter lengths. Ground that slopes upward makes them look longer than 100 meters, and ground that slopes downward makes them look shorter than 100 meters. Thus, the tendency is to underestimate 100-meter lengths on upslopes and overestimate them on downslopes.
The accuracy of the 100-meter method depends on how much ground is visible. This is most true at long ranges. If a target is at a range of 500 meters or more, and you can only see part of the ground between yourself and the target, it is hard to use this method with accuracy.
This method is a way to estimate range by the apparent size and detail of an object. It is a common method that is used in everyday life. For example, a motorist trying to pass another car judges the distance of oncoming cars based on their apparent size. He is not interested in exact distances, but only in having enough room to safely pass the car in front of him. Suppose he knows that at a distance of 1 mile an oncoming car appears to be 1 inch wide and 2 inches high, with a half inch between the headlights. Then, any time he sees an oncoming car that fits those dimensions, he knows it is about 1 mile away.
The same technique can be used to estimate ranges on the battlefield. If you know the apparent size and detail of troops and equipment at known ranges, then you can compare those characteristics to similar objects at unknown ranges. When the characteristics match, the range does also.
To use the appearance-of-objects method, you must be familiar with characteristic details of objects as they appear at various ranges. As you must be able to see those details to make the method work, anything that limits visibility (such as weather, smoke, or darkness) will limit the effectiveness of this method.
Battlefield conditions are not always ideal for estimating ranges. If the terrain limits the use of the 100-meter unit-of-measure method, and poor visibility limits the use of the appearance-of-objects method, you may have to use a combination of methods. For example, if you cannot see all of the terrain out to the target, you can still estimate distance from the apparent size and detail of the target itself. A haze may obscure the target details, but you may still be able to judge its size or use the 100-meter method. By using either one or both of the methods, you should arrive at a figure close to the true range.
Sound travels through air at 300 meters (1,100 feet) per second. That makes it possible to estimate distance if you can both see and hear a sound-producing action.
When you see the flash or smoke of a weapon, or the dust it raises, immediately start counting. Stop counting when you hear the sound associated with the action seen. The number at which you stop should be multiplied by three. This gives you the approximate distance to the weapon in hundreds of meters. If you stop at one, the distance is about 300 meters. If you stop at three, the distance is about 900 meters. When you must count higher than nine, start over again after counting nine (counting higher numbers throws the timing off).
Combat Intelligence And Counterintelligence
Using the observation techniques discussed before, you must collect and report information about the enemy, terrain, and weather. That information becomes combat intelligence after it is interpreted. Your leaders need combat intelligence to help them plan operations. Your life and the lives of your fellow marines could depend on reporting what you see, hear, and smell.
Using the observation techniques discussed in before, you must collect and report information about the enemy, terrain, and weather. That information becomes combat intelligence after it is interpreted. Your leaders need combat intelligence to help them plan operations. Your life and the lives of your fellow marines could depend on reporting what you see, hear, and smell.
Size. Report the number of soldiers and vehicles you saw. For example, report '' 10 enemy infantrymen" (not "a rifle squad") or '' 3 enemy tanks" (not "an enemy tank platoon").
Activity. Report what you saw the enemy doing. For example, "emplacing mines in the road."
Location. Report where you saw the enemy. If you have a map, try to give an eight-digit coordinate, such as "GL 874461." If you do not have a map, relate the location to some key terrain, such as "on the Harm Road, 300 meters south of the Ken River Bridge."
Unit. Report the enemy's unit. If the unit is not known, report any distinctive features, such as bumper markings on trucks, or type of headgear. Some armies have distinctive uniforms and headgear, or colored tabs on their uniforms, to identify types of units. A unit's action may also indicate its type. The kind of equipment observed may be peculiar to a certain type of unit. For example, a BRDM may indicate a reconnaissance unit.
Time. Report the time you saw the enemy activity, not the time you report it. Always report local or Zulu (Z) time.
Equipment. Report all of the equipment the enemy is wearing or using. If you do not recognize an item of equipment or a type of vehicle, sketch it and submit the sketch with the report. The following is an example of a SALUTE report.
FM: 1st Plt, C Co, 2d Bn, 1/73
Inf.
TO S2, 2d Bn, 1/73 Inf.
Combat OP sighted four enemy tanks moving west along secondary road at grid coordinates NB613397 at 241730Z. Tanks traveling at approximately 5 kilometers per hour. Hatches were open and visible enemy personnel were wearing protective masks.
PWs are a good source of information. They must be handled without breaking international law and without losing a chance to gain intelligence.
Treat PWs humanely. Do not harm them, either physically or mentally. The senior marine present is responsible for their care. If PWs cannot be evacuated in a reasonable time, give them food, water, and first aid. Do not give them cigarettes, candy, or other comfort items. PWs who receive favors or are mistreated are poor interrogation subjects.
In handling PWs, follow the five S's:
1. Search PWs as soon as they are captured. Take their weapons and papers, except identification papers and protective masks. Give them a written receipt for any personal property and documents taken. Tag documents and personal property to show which PW had them.
When searching a PW, have one man guard him while another searches him. (A searcher must not get between a PW and the guard.) To search a PW, have him spread-eagle against a tree or wall, or get into a pushup position with his knees on the ground. Search him, his equipment, his clothing.
2. Segregate PWs into groups by sex and into subgroups such as enlisted personnel, civilians, and political figures. This keeps the leaders from promoting escape efforts. Keep the groups segregated as you move them to the rear.
3. Silence PWs and do not let them talk to each other. This keeps them from planning escape and cautioning each other on security. Report anything a PW says or does.
4. Speed PWs to the rear. Turn them over to your leader. He will assemble them and move them to the rear for questioning by the S2.
5. Safeguard PWs when taking them to the rear. Do not let anyone abuse them. Watch out for escape attempts. Do not let PWs bunch up, spread out too far, or start diversions. Such conditions may create a chance for escape.
If a PW is wounded and cannot be evacuated through normal channels, turn him over to an corpsman to be evacuated through medical channels.
Before evacuating a PW, attach a tag to him. You can make these tags yourself. The format for the tags is given in the following illustration. The battalion S2 should be able to supply these tags.
Enemy documents and equipment are good sources of information. Documents may be official (maps, orders, records, photos) or personal (letters or diaries).
If such items are not handled properly, the information in them may become lost or outdated. Give them to your leader quickly. Tag each item using the form shown above. If the item was found on a PW, put that PW's name on the tag.
The enemy must not get information about UFP military operations. This means that you and your fellow marines must:
Range Cards
A range card is a rough sketch of the terrain around a weapon position. In the defense, you prepare a range card for the Squad Support Phaser Weapon and Heavy Polaron Gattling Gun, and the Isomagnetic Disintigrator.
A range card depicts the following:
Range cards for antiarmor weapons use target reference points (TRP) instead of FPL and PDF.
Each gun is given a primary and a secondary sector of fire. Fire into your secondary sector of fire only if there are no targets in your primary sector, or if ordered to fire there. Your gun's primary sector includes an FPL, a PDF, or a TRP.
Where terrain allows, your leader assigns an FPL to your weapon. The FPL is a line on which you shoot grazing fire across your unit's front.
The FPL will be assigned to you only if your leader determines there is a good distance of grazing fire. If there is, the FPL will then dictate the location of the primary sector. The FPL will become the primary sector limit (right or left) closest to friendly troops. When not firing at other targets, you will lay your gun on the FPL or PDF.
Dead space is an area that direct fire weapons cannot hit. The area behind houses and hills or within orchards, for example, is dead space.
When the terrain does not lend itself to an FPL, your leader will assign a PDF instead. The direction should be toward a gully or down a ditch that leads into your position. The gun is positioned to fire directly down this approach rather than across the platoon's front.
Your leader may also designate locations within your sector of fire where targets are most likely to appear. These locations should be noted on your range card.
Target reference points are natural or manmade features within your sector that can be used for quick location of targets. Target reference points are used primarily for controlling DIRECT FIRE weapons only; however, TRP should appear on the company target list.
Once you have all the necessary information, you can begin preparing your range card, depending upon the priority of other jobs you must perform (such as preparing and camouflaging your firing position). If you are assigned alternate or supplementary firing positions, a range card is required for them also.
In the lower center of your range card, indicate your firing position by drawing the symbol for your assigned weapon. Also indicate the direction of magnetic north.
Draw and label your sector sketch. Draw roads, bridges, buildings, streams, hills, and woods. Be as accurate as you can.
Show the location to your firing positions by drawing an arrow from a nearby recognizable terrain feature and assign it number one. Add the azimuth and distance from the terrain feature to your firing position.
Now draw your sector. This is an enclosed line that outlines your sector of fire. The maximum engagement line is a segment of the sector line and indicates the maximum range that targets may be engaged.
Draw in the dead space in your sector. Be sure to indicate by an enclosed line those areas you cannot hit. Remember, your sector of fire can be any shape and size.
Next, draw in the range and azimuths to expected target engagement locations and TRPs in your sector.
Write in marginal data. Marginal data must include the following:
Your range card is finished. The range card you construct for your sector of fire may not look exactly like those shown in this manual. Remember, however, the basic information and method of construction for all antiarmor range cards are the same.
Prepare your range card in two copies, Keep one copy at the weapon and send the other to your leader.
FIRE TEAM FORMATIONS
Formations are arrangements of elements and marines in relation to each other. Squads use formations for control flexibility and security. Leaders choose formations based on their analysis of the factors of METT-T. Figure 2-6, compares formations. Leaders are up front in formations. This allows the fire team leader to lead by example, "Follow me and do as I do." All marines in the team must be able to see their leader.
a. Wedge. The wedge is the basic formation for the fire team. The interval between marines in the wedge formation is normally 10 meters. The wedge expands and contracts depending on the terrain. When rough terrain, poor visibility, or other factors make control of the wedge difficult, fire teams modify the wedge. The normal interval is reduced so that all team members can still see their team leader and the team leaders can still their squad leader. The sides of the wedge can contract to the point where the wedge resembles a single file. When moving in less rugged terrain, where control is easier, marines expand or resume their original positions. (Figure 2-4). The Team Leader and Rifleman carry S-333 Assault Rifles, the Grenadier carries a Type Three-D Infantry Combat Rifle and the Automatic Rifleman carries a Squad Support Phaser Weapon.
b. File. When the terrain precludes use of the wedge, fire teams use the file formation (Figure 2-5).
SQUAD FORMATIONS
Squad formations describe the relationships between fire teams in the squad. They include the squad column and squad line. A comparison of the formations is in Figure 2-10.
a. Squad Column. The squad column is the squad's most common formation. It provides good dispersion laterally and in depth without sacrificing control, and facilitates maneuver. The lead fire team is the base fire team. When the squad moves independently or as the rear element of the platoon, the rifleman in the (rail fire team provides rear security (Figure 2-7). The Squad Leader carries a Type-11B Hand Phaser and a Squad Support Phaser Weapon, the Team Leader and Riflemen carry Squad Support Phaser Weapons, the Grenadiers carry Type Three-D Infantry Combat Rifles and the Automatic Riflemen carry Squad Support Phaser Weapons.
b. Squad Line. The squad line provides maximum firepower to the front (Figure 2-8). When a squad is acting as the base squad, the fire team on the right is the base fire team.
c. Squad File. When not traveling in a column or line, squads travel in file. The squad file has the same characteristics as the fire team file. If the squad leader desires to increase his control over the formation, exert greater morale presence by leading from the front, and be immediately available to make key decisions, he will move forward to the first or second position. Additional control over the rear of the formation can be provided by moving a team leader to the last position. (Figure 2-9.)
