Re: bayonettes are too a useful device

Have to pretty much agree with all of Tom's remarks here. BTW Canadian
forces are reknown for their restraint in the following type situations.

Thomas Barclay wrote:

> John spake thusly upon matters weighty:
>
> The point here I think is something that you might not be addressing
> (or maybe you disagree with). As I recall how the Canadian forces
> teach their UN guys how to deal with this stuff (from War College
> information) is
>
> *NEVER ESCALATE*
>
> That means you always use minimum force necessary to contain the
> situation and you never escalate (say by firing first). Now, if
> you're shot at with small arms, you reply with same (you don't
> escalate to tanks guns or autocannons).
>

Also the best way to deal with a crowd is to deal with individual
instigators. Take them out of the equation or (if you can) turn them
over to your side with reason if possible, force if necessary.

In the terms of Stagrunt Squad)level operations the squad or military
force is almost always outnumbered by a huge margin and in grave danger
of being overwhelmed and torn apart even with their armament. They'll
usually be under orders to AVOID confrontations or incidents. Once rocks
start to fly, regularly equipped squaddies are already in a world of
hurt, and normally won't go firing indescrimmanantly into the crowd even
if they are taking hits. Where things start to go down hill is when you
get:

A. The order to go in and grab someone out of the crowd AFTER the shit
has started. (you can usually take them before the shit has started
without much problem). This necessiates leaving protective barriers or
formations.  OR
B: Crowd members begin to attack the soldiers at point blank range.
(i.e. a guy is ten feet from you and he's winding up with a brick or a
pipe.)

These two situations will often result in a shooting. If whoever is
instigating the crowd is smart, he will have individuals with weapons
(pistols, guns, molotovs), start to open up on the troops sometime after
the rocks start to fly and the crowd is in an uproar.

Also don't mistake the behaviour of third world (or alien) crowds with
what hippies in America of Canada will do. Some will show a blatant
disregard for their safety even after the firing starts. Also some
crowds (A good example is Haiti and a lot of tropical Africa countries)
become much more dangerous if you DON't resort to violence and take
action against the perpatrators (They'll become imboldened and think you
are afreaid, which is basically a green light for them to hack you up)
while in other countries (Central America, Asia) The crowd becomes
deadly after you've taken action.  It all depends on how you read them.
One thing that's a constant. You must leave it absolutely clear in
everyone's mind (especially yours) that you will kill any f**ker that
tries to take a swipe at you or any of your mates. In a situation that
you are grossly outnumbered like that you're dead if you show fear.

Also don't overestimate the effect of you being armed to a dangerous
crowd. Especially if you're not there with a whole company. The
instigators running the mob are doing the same math in their heads as
you are doing in yours. :

"Let's see, I've got 500 people at arms length. There's ten of us. If I
open up on full auto I'll be out of ammo in like three seconds. Then
I'll have to reload. The surge from behind will carry the crowd forward
and they'll be on me as I'm trying to reload."

It's sort of like the math a prison guard does in his head.

Los

>