Re: Murphy's Laws of Combat

Speaking of which... here's my own list.  There's a lot of duplication
with
other lists, but there are some on here that haven't been seen, and I'm 
too tired to go back through the archives and cross-reference them
appropriately.	(8-)

1.  Never share a foxhole with anyone braver than you are.
2.  No battle plan ever survives contact with the enemy.
3.  Friendly fire ain't.
4.  The most dangerous thing in the combat zone is an officer  with  a 
    map.
5.  The  problem with taking the easy way out is that the  enemy  has 
    already mined it.
6.  The buddy system is essential to your survival; it gives the enemy 
    somebody else to shoot at.
7.  The  further  you  are in advance  of  your  positions  the  more	
 
    likely your artillery will shoot short.
8.  Incoming fire has the right of way.
9.  If your advance is going well, you are walking into an ambush.
10. The QM has only two sizes; too large and too small.
11. If you really need an officer in a hurry, take a nap.
12. The  only time suppressive fire works is when it is  directed  at 
    abandoned positions.  OR   Supression Fire isn't.
13. The only thing more accurate than incoming enemy fire is  incoming 
    friendly fire.
14. There is nothing more satisfying than having someone take a  shot 
    at you and miss.
15. Don't be conspicuous.  In the combat zone it draws fire.  Out  of 
    the combat zone it attracts Sergeants.
16. If	your Sergeant can see  you...so  can  the enemy.
17. You ain't supermen.  (Jet Jockeys, Tankers, Squids take note.)
18. Professional soldiers are predictable; but the world is  full  of 
    amateurs.
19. The side with the simplest uniforms wins.
20. No combat-ready unit has passed inspection.  OR
    Inspections are to readiness as field rations are to food.
20a No inspection ready unit has passed combat.
21. Never forget your weapon was made by the lowest bidder.
22. Try to look unimportant; the bad guys may be low on ammo.
23. If you're short of everything except the enemy, you're in combat.
24. The Enemy diversion you're ignoring is the main attack.
25. If you make it tough for the enemy to get at you, then you	can't 
    get out of there.
26. Commo gear will fail as soon as you desperately need fire support.
27. Ammo is cheap; your life ain't.
28. When in doubt, empty the clip.
29. Just because your target falls silent or starts to	smoke,	don't 
    assume you got the bastard; that's your signal to blast him all to 
    hell.
30. Tracers work both ways.
31. When you've secured an area, don't forget to tell the enemy.
32. Intelligence knows everything except where the enemy is.
33. Recoiless rifles aren't.
34. If it's stupid, but works, it ain't stupid.
35. Never draw fire- it irritates people around you.
36. If you can't remember, the claymore is pointed towards you.
37. All five second fuses are three second fuses.
38. The important things are simple.
39. The simple things are very hard.
40. If the enemy is in range, so are you.
41. Beer Math is 2 beers x 37 men = 49 cases
42. Body count math is 2 VC + 1 NVA + 1 Water Buffalo = 37 KIA
43. If you take more than your fair share of objectives, you will have 
    more than your fair share to take.

J.
-- 
     Jerry Han - Network Engineering - UUNET Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
	http://www.uunet.ca/~jerry -  email:jerry@uunet.ca - TBFTGOGGI
    "Superman never made any money, savin' the world from Solomon
Grundy.
   And sometimes I despair, the world will never see another man, like
him."