Core Infantry Handbook

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The FM outlines our core skills, policies and guides to ensure every member stands ready for the mission ahead.

Identify targets as legitimate targets before engagement. This is crucial to prevent harm to civilians and ensure adherence to the principles of distinction and proportionality in combat.

Combatants: Individuals who are actively engaged in hostilities or are members of armed forces.

• Enemy soldiers in uniform not surrendering or wounded
• Armed militants
• Persons directly participating in hostilities
• A person posing an immediate threat (e.g., aiming a weapon) can be considered a combatant
• Parachuting active airborne infantry

Non-Combatants: Individuals who are not actively participating in hostilities. These are not legitimate targets.

• Civilians not taking direct part in hostilities
• Unarmed medical and religious personnel
• Wounded/surrendering soldiers who are not participating combat in any way, and prisoners of war
• Parachuting crew from a downed aircraft

Do not cause damage to civilian infrastructure, unless necessary to archieve a military purpose. In general, preserving life should be prioritised over the avoidance of damage, but the destruction must be proportional to the purpose.

Examples:

• Acceptable situations:
  • Using explosives on a civilian house used as a military HQ
  • Dropping a bomb on an actively engaging enemy tank next to a house
• Unacceptable situations:
  • Cluster-bombing an enemy-held town
  • Destroying a house to take out a single shooter

"Weapons Red"

• Engage only if there is an imminent threat to life. 
• Authorisation is required for all other targets
  • with the exception of immediate life-threatening situations. 
• Return fire only if absolutely necessary. 
• This state is typically used when stealth is important.

"Weapons Orange"

• Return fire only and limit engagements to active threats against you or friendlies. 
• Disengage if the threat ceases.
• The most common state.

"Weapons Green"

• Engage any confirmed enemy target.
• This state is common in prolonged firefights, emphasising rapid response to enemy threats without the need for authorisation or detailed contact reports for each engagement.

Engage the target specified in a given fire control order using:

• the correct type of fire
• using the correct rate of fire if specified, otherwise using an appropriate rate of fire depending on the target

Rapidly identify a light vehicle as being:

• Wheeled
• Not armed with an autocannon or larger
• Not classified as an AFV

Those at higher proficiency are able to identify the subclasses as:

• Technical: civilian vehicle adapted for military use
• MRAP: mine resistant and protected against small arms
• Truck: military truck

Above: A column of US Army M1114 uparmored HMMWV (or Humvee)

Rapidly identify a AFV as being:

• Wheeled or tracked
• Armed with nothing to cannon, intended for direct fire
• Protected against at least small arms

Those at higher proficiency are able to identify the subclasses as:

• APC: armed with up to a heavy machine-gun
• IFV: armed with an autocannon
• Assault gun: armed with a cannon
• ATGM carrier: armed with ATGMs (anti-tank guided missile) as primary armament

Above: US Army M1126 Stryker AFV on patrol

Rapidly identify a tank as being:

• Tracked
• Turreted
• Protected against at least auto-cannon fire
• Having a cannon capable and intended for direct fire

There are no subclasses.

Above: A section of US Army M1A2 SEPv2 Tanks engaging enemy forces

Rapidly identify anti-air being:

• Primarily inteded for engaging helicopters or planes

Those at higher proficiency are able to identify the subclasses as:

• AAA (anti-air artillery): primary armament is one or more guns
• SAM: primary armament is surface-to-air missiles

Above: ZSU-23 Shilka Anti-Aircraft System

Rapidly identify a helicopter as being:

• Capable of powered flight
• Generating lift with one or more horizontally spinning fixed rotors

Those at higher proficiency are able to identify the subclasses as:

• Utility helicopter: armament is only intended for self defense (e.g. a door gun)
• Attack helicopter: armament is intended for offensive use (e.g. rocket pods)

Above: US Army AH-64D Apache Gunship

Rapidly identify a plane as being:

• Capable of powered flight
• Generating lift with wings

Those at higher proficiency are able to identify the subclasses as:

• Cargo plane: military plane used to ferry cargo or passengers
• Attack plane: slower flying aircraft intended for ground attack
• Fighter plane: fast flying aircraft intended to fight other planes

Above: US Air Force A-10A Warthog releasing a GBU-48 Enhanced Paveway II

Read grid coordinates to a 6 figure level (### “tack” ###) by combining the first 3 coordinate digits representing west-east and the first 3 coordinate digits representing south-north, with the resulting grid having a resolution of 100m.

Read grid coordinates to a 8 figure level (#### “tack” ####) by combining the first 4 coordinate digits representing west-east and the first 4 coordinate digits representing south-north, with the resulting grid having a resolution of 10m.

Recognise points of elevation and hill numbers:

• 2 or 3-digit numbers on the tops of hills are known as hill numbers and should be referenced as ‘Hill xxx’
• The zoom scale of the map affects whether some of these numbers are visible (specifically the smaller/minor hills).
• In mountainous or hilly terrain there may be multiple hills with the same number. In these circumstances, provide additional context, such as a grid reference to ensure clarity of communication.

Know who is in your element and what their role is. This makes it easier to understand and act on orders given by the element leader.

Remain within an appropriate distance of the other members of the element, such that:

• Mutual support is possible
• In-person communication, without using a radio, is possible
• The element leader is aware of your position

Actively listen for and follow the orders given by the element leader.

Maintain an effective distance between yourself and others, striking a balance between cohesion and minimising potential casualties, based on:

• The terrain being traversed
• The threats faced
• Visibility (foliage, fog,…)

Maintain awareness of:

• Your position
• The position of the members of your team
• The general position of other friendly elements
• Potential dangers

When moving, cover the direction appropriate for the given position in the formation.

When stationary, cover the direction instructed by the element leader. When no direction is specified, cover a direction and communicate that direction, such that the element combined has the best all-round coverage.

Avoid crossing through lines of fire as much as possible, instead preferring to go behind the element that is (potentially) engaging. This includes elements providing base of fire, even if they are not actively engaging at the time.

Adjust your aiming point vertically relative to the target by:

• estimating the distance to the target visually
• adjusting based on previous shot impacts

Adjust your aiming point horizontally, relative to the target, by:

• estimating the target speed visually
• estimating the distance to the target visually
• adjusting based on previous shot impacts

Hold your breath when pulling the trigger to ensure steady aim.

Follow these principles for more effective breath control:

• Be efficient and keep the held duration short to avoid getting winded.
• Time your hold in the brief respiratory pause at the bottom of the movement cycle to better predict placement.
• Learn to compensate for respiratory sway, as situations may arise that expose this technique as privileged for time.

When aiming your rifle, remember that at close ranges bullets will hit lower than what your sight is indicating because the sight is mounted above the barrel. This effect is even more pronounced if you are using the backup sights on a scope.

Above: Sight line vs Bore line

Use an appropriate shooting stance for the engement while taking into account available cover, sight stability and mobility requirements.

When pronouncing individual numerals over a radio channel, pronounce the numeral according to the following table:

When pronouncing individual letters over a radio channel, replace the letter with the corresponding word from the following table:

1. ALERT: Begin with an alert pro-word. 

• Use "Contact!" for entities in contact with the reporter
• Use "Sighting!" for entities sighted but not in contact.
• Use "Audible!" for entities not sighted and only heard.

2. ORIENT: Provide direction and range. Range can be omitted if desired.

Direction should be one of the following:

• Relative direction (e.g. Front, Left, Right, Rear) if movement direction is established.
• General compass bearing (e.g. South, South-east, South-south east).
• Specific compass bearing in degrees for high precision (e.g., "BEARING 265").
• Clock bearing for vehicle crews (e.g. "1 O'Clock"), though relative bearings are preferred.

3. DESCRIBE: Clearly and succinctly describe what you see (e.g. Infantry, Enemy patrol, APC, MBT, Machinegun nest).

4. EXPOUND: Give additional details such as:

• Range if not provided during orient (from general, e.g. "Close", to specific, e.g. "523 meters").
• If only a relative bearing was initially given, provide a specific degree bearing.
• Actions of the target (e.g. "They're flanking us").
• Specific target positioning (e.g. "two soldiers on the roof, one in the building").

Example Contact Report: "Contact front! Enemy infantry in the open, bearing 210, three hundred meters!"

Recognize the following meanings of smoke colors:

Maintain the correct position in the formation set by the element leader.

Bound using the follow method:

1. The lead element calls for bounding and designates which element will move first
   1. e.g. “This is actual. Successive Fireteam bounding North. 1 move first.”
2. The first element acknowledges and shouts "Moving"
3. The first element moves to a position and holds shouting “Set”
4. The second element shouts “Moving” and moves to the same position as the first, confirming “Set”
5. The first element now moves, again shouting “Moving”, to the next position and holds, shouting “Set” again
6. The second element again calls and moves up to the same position as the first

This process is repeated until the unit reaches the desired end position.

Compared with FM/BS-504 - Bound using alternating bounding this process provides a higher level of security, but is slower.

Above:

Bound using the follow method:

1. The lead element calls for bounding and designates which element will move first
   1. e.g. “This is actual. Alternating Fireteam bounding North. 1 move first.”
2. The first element acknowledges and shouts "Moving"
3. The first element moves to a position and holds shouting “Set”
4. The second element shouts “Moving” and moves to a new position past the first element, confirming “Set”
5. The first element now moves, again shouting “Moving”, again passing the other element, to a futher position and holds, shouting “Set” again
6. The second element again calls and moves past the first element.

This process is repeated until the unit reaches the desired end position.

Compared with FM/BS-503 - Bound using successive bounding this process is faster, but provides a lower level of security

Above:

Peel using the following method:

1. The unit under fire immediately forms a line with all guns facing the direction of contact and initiating suppressive fire.
2. The person on the far end of the line disengages, shouting ‘MOVING!’, and runs passing behind the line towards the designated direction of retreat, then calls ‘SET!’
3. As soon as the next person in line on the far end is passed by the first, they disengage shouting ‘MOVING!’, continuing the cycle.
4. This process repeats, shuffling the unit sideways one by one while keeping up suppression until disengaged.

Above: Line peel diagram

Stay away from potential killzones where possible, especially out of the open in urban terrain as this is a natural killzone. Instead, maximize the use of cover like walls and structures.

Stack up on an entry point using on of the following methods:

• Single stack: all members of the team stack up on a single side of the door
• Split stack: all members of the team distribute themselves and stack up on opposite sides of the door

When clearing a room with no non-combatents inside, throw in a offensive grenade (fragmentation, concussion) before entering the room

If there are non-combatents inside or when executing a capture mission, flashbangs can be used instead.

Enter a room using on of the two following methods:

• Hook: enter and immediatly turn back to the side your were stacked, essentially making a U-turn.
• Cross: enter and continue moving in the same direction, ending up on the opposite side of where you were stacked.

Once inside a room move and clear in the following manner:

• Move following the outside wall, and don't stop until the room has been cleared
• Clear the corner closest to you on your side of the room
• Clear the corner furthest from you on your side of the room
• Clear the center of the room

Say "Clear" when an area, room or building has been cleared.

If the area, room or building can be ambiguous, prepend it before saying clear: "{area} clear". 

• Stay off crew intercom, and join cargo if crew was selected by default
• Do not try to interact directly with the crew, regardless of the situation
• Casual conversation is allowed, unless instructed otherwise by the crew/leadership
• Cease casual conversation automatically when in contact or in an emergency

• Before dismounting, the call "Dismount" will be given by the crew
• After dismounting the vehicle move away from the vehicle without crossing in front or behind the vehicle, to prevent being run over, or stopping the vehicle from moving as it needs to.

When mounting in a vehicle, announce to the fireteam leader when your are mounted over the radio.

‘{name} up’

This allows fireteam leaders to then notify the squad leader and so on and ensure that everyone who needs to be on board, is on board before the vehicle departs.

When approaching a helicopter, keep in mind the following factors:

• Avoid crossing the door gunner firing arcs
• Avoid getting near the tail rotor, especially the side of the tail that the tail rotor is on
• Avoid approaching and standing directly in front of the helicopter, as this is the direction in which the helicopter will move when taking off
• Be mindful of the clearance between your head and the main rotor, especially on uneven terrain

In practice, this means:

• Approach helicopters that load from the side from the side, preferably slightly from the rear
• Approach helicopters that load from the rear directly from the rear

Above: Infantry moving to a Ghosthawk to mount

• Stay off crew intercom, and join cargo if crew was selected by default
• Do not try to interact directly with the crew, regardless of the situation
• Casual conversation is allowed, unless instructed otherwise by the crew/leadership
• Cease casual conversation automatically when in contact or in an emergency

• Before dismounting, the call "Dismount" will be given by the crew
• After dismounting the vehicle move away from the vehicle without crossing in front or behind the vehicle, to prevent being run over, or stopping the vehicle from moving as it needs to.

When mounting in a vehicle, announce to the fireteam leader when your are mounted over the radio.

‘{name} up’

This allows fireteam leaders to then notify the squad leader and so on and ensure that everyone who needs to be on board, is on board before the vehicle departs.

When leading a parachute jump as jump master:

1. Ensure that parachutes (and altimeters if era-appropriate) are available for every paratrooper to collect
2. Ensure that every paratrooper has backpack on chest and parachute on back before entering the vehicle
3. Ensure that every paratrooper has a unique number from 1 to X designating the order they will leave the plane on command
4. Confirm the LZ to the paratroopers and the recommended altitude to open the parachute (ASL and AGL) for the LZ
5. Explain the process of jumping while on route, to ensure first time jumpers know the process as well
6. Switch the light to red in the vehicle, and ensure the paratroopers are quiet and ready to jump
7. Switch the light to green and call each number in order, instructing paratroopers to jump when they hear their number

When giving first aid to a patient, follow the following steps:

• Minimize long term blood loss in 30 seconds or less (time it takes to apply 4 tourniquets or 3 bandages)
  • if unsure, tourniquet wounded limbs
• Manage the airway
• Perform further treatment as needed

Use tourniquets to temporarily prevent bleeding from all the wounds on a limb, when individually bandaging the wounds would result in unacceptable blood loss.

• Prioritise the treatment of wounds by evaluating the severity and rate of blood loss. 
• Address the most severe wounds first to reduce overall blood loss, and then proceed to less critical wounds, employing appropriate bandaging techniques.

Use splints to temporarily treat broken limbs, until a personal aid kit can be used to restore full usage of the limb later.

Assess the airway with “check airways” and categorize as one of the following states:

• Clear
• Occluded
• Obstructed

Above: The location of the "Check Airway" action and the result as seen in the activity log

Turn the patient's head to clear the occluded airway of the patient if an Accuvac is not available.

Above: Action as seen in the medical menu

Hyperextend the patient's head to clear the obstructed airway of the patient, and stay within 2m of the patient during the process.

Above: Action as seen in the medical menu

Place the patient into a recovery position to keep the airway clear, if they:

• are stable
• do not need to be moved

• Administer or take combat wound medication pills to decrease pain by about 20%
• Limit frequency of consumption to no more than 6 pills every 6 minutes to avoid overdosing
• Be aware of side effects:
  • a slight increase in heart rate
  • a decrease in blood pressure

After identifying a patient with no heart rate

1. Perform CPR for at least 30 seconds
2. Check pulse
3. If no heart rate, repeat

Checking a patient's pulse whilst someone else is performing CPR or checking pulse on a limb with a tourniquet placed will provide an erroneous reading.