Rules of combat and survival they never taught you!
1. All five-second grenade fuses are three seconds.
2. Anything you do can get you shot, including doing nothing.
3. Beer math means that 2 beers times 37 soldiers equals 49 cases.
4. Don't look conspicuous, it draws fire.
5. Friendly fire isn't.
6. Guided missiles aren't.
7. If it's stupid but it works, it's not stupid.
8. If the enemy is within range, so are you.
9. If you are forward of your position, your artillery will be short.
10. If you are short of everything except the enemy, you are in combat.
11. If you can't remember, the claymore mine is pointed towards you.
12. If you have a secured area, don't forget to tell the enemy.
13. If you make it too tough for the enemy to get in, you can't get out.
14. If you take more than your share of objectives you will be assigned more objectives to take.
15. Incoming fire has the right of way.
16. Never draw fire; it irritates everyone around you.
17. Never share a foxhole with anyone braver than you are.
18. No combat-ready unit has ever passed inspection.
19. No inspection ready unit has survived combat.
20. No operation plan survives the first contact intact.
21. Radios will fail as soon as you need fire support immediately.
22. Remember your weapon was made by the lowest bidder.
23. Suppressive fire won't.
24. The easiest route is always mined.
25. The enemy diversion you are ignoring is the main attack.
26. The important things are very simple.
27. The only thing more accurate than incoming enemy fire is incoming friendly fire.
28. The simple things are hard.
29. Tracers work both ways.
30. Try to look unimportant; they may be low on ammunition.
31. When both sides are convinced they are about to lose, they are both right.
32. When in doubt, empty your magazine fast.
33. Working as part of a team is essential; it gives the enemy other people to shoot at.
34. You are not Superman or Superwoman.
35. Murphy was a grunt, and an optimist.
36. Recoilless rifles aren't.
37. All weather close support doesn't work in bad weather.
38. The bursting radius of a grenade is always one foot greater than your jumping range.
39. The only terrain that is truly controlled is the terrain upon which you are standing.
40. The law of the bayonet says the man with the bullet wins.
41. REMF's (Rear Echelon Mother Fraggers) are everywhere.
42. The best tank killer is another tank. Therefore tanks are always fighting each other ...& have no time to help the infantry.
43. Precision bombing is normally accurate to within +/- one mile (...or so).
44. When Negotiating for higher pay on a job, do not forget to include Medical, Ammo, Armor, Gas, Xtra vehicle, Slap Patches, Smoke bombs, Stink bombs, Profylactics, Poppy seed Muffins, eceteray ad nauseum, but don't tell the Johnson yer doing so, they may offer to supply such tools of the trade and you do NOT want that...
45. Cluster bombing from B-52s and C130s is very, very accurate. The bombs always hit the ground.
46. Perfect plans aren't.
47. Dogtags aren't the only things that can identify yourself, your buddies, your enemy, or a body, tattoos, colors, jewelry, or anything else "worn" could possibly pinpoint an origin.
48. Professionals are predictable--it's the amateurs that are dangerous.
49. Armored vehicles are bullet magnets; a moving foxhole that attracts attention.
50. Expending material in combat is easier than filling out Graves Registration forms -- Ammo is cheap; your life isn't.
51. Final Protective Fire doesn't.
52. The enemy invariably attacks on two occasions:
o When you're ready for them.
o When you're not.
53. A "sucking chest wound" is nature's way of telling you to slow down.
54. If your attack is going well, you've just walked into an ambush.
56. Never walk alone.
57. Attitude is great, but it's not everything. Even the best can be flat-lined by some punk with a Predator.
58. Pay attention to detail, every waking moment. Few 'runners die in their beds.
59. Use your reputation to its utmost advantage.
60. Consult your contacts. You are who you know.
61. Purchase additional data. Free info is worth what you paid for it. (Besides, the nuyen "saved" won't do you any good when you end up dead for lack of intel.)
62. Always carry a ranged weapon, Slingshots can be Handmade, and Ammo for them is REAL CHEAP.
63. A silencer is golden. (But once the drek hits the fan, make noise--you'll need to yell to be heard over that mini-gun.)
64. Always, always think two moves ahead.
65. You'll end up just as dead being too skeptical, as being too trusting. Take nothing for granted.
67. Just because it might look good, doesn't mean it will be good.
68. Make sure everyone has his equipment before the encounter.
69. Put the body of an astral mage in a safe place.
70. This ain't the movies. Running = realism.
71. Practice the art of camouflage. Dress like the natives & cover those high-chrome limbs, omae.
72. Take full advantage of cover & concealment. Standing in the open draws unwanted attention.
73. If you are a Shaman, act accordingly.
74. Magic is deadly. If you don't fear it, learn to.
75. Discretion is the better part of valor. (Know when to be a good runner--the kind that use their feet.)
76. Make sure your team is well balanced with a wide variety of talent, before going in.
77. Once you are in a balanced team, know what your function is.
78. Lessen the odds whenever possible.
79. A few carefully placed light-to-moderate wounds per enemy greatly increase your survival chances.
80. Think about where you are and how your actions will affect the situation.
81. Make a plan & STICK TO IT. You can always make modifications "on the fly."
82. Learn to think on your feet. Indecision will get you killed.
83. Don't forget to incorporate rehearsal time into your planning.
84. Get the first shot off fast. This'll upset them enough let you make your second shot count.
85. Your enemy is never a villain in his own eyes. Often times he is just some slot, doing his job.
86. Place your clothes and weapons where you can find them in the dark.
87. If it get's Caught it deserves to be eaten.
88. Pain heals, Chicks dig scars, Glory lasts forever.
89. There are old Runners and there are Bold runners, but there are very few Old Bold Runners
90. The Best run is the one where no ammo has been spent
91. All members of government are liars. They are consummate liars, they lie continuously. They know that we know that they lie, but they lie just the same. And then they talk about thier honor.
92. Never bring a knife to a gunfight, instead use it before it comes to that.
93. If there's a hatchet to bury, bury it fast and without an audience.
94. If you find yourself in a quiet position, stop, reload, eat, drink, thank the powers that be you've made it this far, then keep moving before you get run over.
95. If at all possible wait until that big bright all revealing skin buring cause peeling flashlight up in the sky goes away before doing anything conspicuos, illegal, or stupid, less chance of being identified by witnesses that way.
96. Never underestimate the importance of misdirection. Gather info about a number of strgets so that they aren’t sure which one is going to be hit.
97. Make sure your contacts areinstant amnesiacs when it comes to remembering anything about you. Conversely make sure you do the same for your friends.
98. Distractions are great, but make sure it doesn’t piss of your employer.
99. Never walk into places you don't know how to walk out of.
100. If Possible make any organization that you run against wether it be corp, gang, mafia, or government, believe your actions were an attack by a rival. If that means using a rival's gear, do so.
101. If you can't get a corpse to pick up a paycheck, you clearly need a better decker.
102. Always keep a Towel handy. In honor of RunnerPaul