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Marine Corps Wisdom

Basic Laws of Combat

1. You are not superman.

2. Suppressive fires -- won't.

3. If it's stupid but works, it isn't stupid.

4. Don't look conspicuous -- it draws fire.

5. When in doubt, empty the magazine.

6. Never share a fighting hole with anyone braver than you are.

7. Never forget your weapon was made by the lowest bidder.

8. If your attack is going really well, it's an ambush.

9. No plan survives the first contact intact.

10. All five second grenade fuses will burn down in three seconds.

11. Try to look unimportant, because the bad guys may be low on ammo.

12. If you are forward of your position, the artillery will fall short.

13. The enemy diversion you are ignoring is the main attack.

14. The important things are always simple.

15. The simple things are always hard.

16. The easy way is always mined.

17. If you are short of everything except enemy, you are in combat.

18. When you have secured an area, don't forget to tell the enemy.

19. Incoming fire has the right-of-way.

20. No combat ready unit has ever passed inspection. (Note: No peacetime unit has ever failed a combat readiness inspection, which suggests peacetime inspections are to readiness as messhall chow is to fine cuisine).

21. If the enemy is in range, so are you.

22. Beer math: 37 men times 2 beers each equals 49 cases.

23. Body count math: 3 bad guys plus 1 probable plus 2 pigs = 37 enemy killed in action.

24. Friendly fire - isn't.

25. Things that must be together to work usually can't be shipped together.

26. Radios will fail as soon as you need fire support desperately. (Corollary: Radar tends to fail at night and in bad weather, and usually during both).

27. Anything you do can get you shot -- including doing nothing.

28. If you make it too tough for the enemy to get in you can't get out. (Note: This is design technique for Soviet BMP and Bradley infantry fighting vehicle, both of which nicely package the troops in armored boxes for group destruction).

29. Tracers work BOTH ways.

30. The only thing more accurate than incoming enemy fire is incoming friendly fire.

31. If you take more than your fair share of objectives, you will have more than your fair share to take.

32. When both sides are convinced they are about to lose, they're both right.

33. Professional soldiers are predictable, but the world is full of amateurs.