A combat multiplier is anything that makes you more effective, efficient, and lethal. Tactics during the American Reformation will certainly include combat multipliers for the individual as well as groups of people. Many of us have combat multipliers and do not even realize it. While some examples may appear to be commonsense others may be less obvious.
Combat multipliers can be looked at within three categories – Early Detection, Early Distraction, and then Destruction. The titles are fairly self-explanatory.
Early detection… As much advanced notice as p[ossible to be aware of potential threats is a HUGE combat multiplier. Alarms, cameras, patrols, and anything else that can provide needed minutes or hours for preparation is important.
Early distraction… This is where your imagination can run wild. Consider things that can distract potential threats to take their attention from you – to something else. Lights, sounds, and movement can create distractions which can then provide a “cushion” which to act in a safer manner. Think about three men navigating through trees that run along your driveway. You flip a switch and cause fireworks to start going off BEHIND them. Get it?
Destruction… eliminate the threat. Period.
Here is a list of combat multipliers.
barbwire
night vision/thermal
suppressors
fireworks
communication devices – walkie-talkies, ham radio, etc.
obstacles – trash cans, rocks, tires, etc.
superior, more effective armament
larger capacity magazines
explosives
training
body armor
dogs
leadership
drones
motion lights
tripwires
caltrops
perimeter alarms
fake cover
greater numbers of group members
traps
patience
These are just a few possibilities and of course, more can be added to the list. One I left off that most of us probably remember from childhood cartoons is the venerable “banana peel”. Although in those early cartoons the banana peel could be thrown in the path of almost any threat and they would inevitably step on it to their demise – the banana peel is not a recommended combat multiplier. You have been warned.
What combat multiplier is best for you and yours cannot be determined by an article on the internet. Planning defenses and looking at how threats would view your location can lead to determining how best combat multipliers can fit.
Keep your powder dry.
IMO .. there are other ways to think about it as well. BUGGING IN, I’d agree is a great list above. Even if you got a BOL.. when you get there you “BUG IN”. So fortification ..
A multiplier is designed to turn any conflict into and unfair fight in your favor, rather than the high noon one on one duel or draw and fire.. The object of a fight is to win, not be FAIR. You can work out the ethics while digging holes for the losers, because they won’t need ethics beyond their judgement.
The best way to fight is not be there.. the next best way is for the other side to not KNOW you are there (you could look at being gray as this aspect on an individual basis). No one wins a fight.. ever.. someone gets hurt. It’s the nature of the beast.. The next best way is for the odds to be overwhelming, and the fight ends before it starts (this makes a larger group one of the most effective multipliers). If you walk into a fair fight you screwed up somewhere…. fair fights or worse, is why there is a BOL/BOV and plan.. War is ugly and brings out the worst in human behavior. Even Low Intensity Conflicts, like we are likely to see and maybe already are.. Vegas, Ferguson, etc etc..
Another thing about fighting in one’s own country, is you have to start slowing it down, before it’s over. We dehumanize our opponents by giving them ugly labels and traits. If we want a successful Reformation, it is important for leadership to realize that our countryman will never be our countrymen again without a way to come back.
This might be fixed without conflict, but I don’t know anyone that really thinks so, which might be self-fulfilling..
What version of America do we want ? What combination of multipliers and policy gets that for us ?
GG58
GG58: ” If we want a successful Reformation, it is important for leadership to realize that our countryman will never be our countrymen again without a way to come back.”
I would submit that the way back already (and has always) existed. It’s called the Constitution and the rule of law. More often than not, the enemy has to be utterly defeated. Otherwise, they just change their tactics.
Amen to the Constitution