A section of MultiCam™ camouflage fabric as used in UNMC uniforms and equipment
The S Elements Of Camouflage
Listed below in two groups are "The 8 Absolute Essentials", and "The 7 Nice To Haves", "S" elements of camouflage. There are some overlap between headings, but that's only to be expected. Either way don't try to satisfy all of the specified requirements, as you will go crazy everytime you try to move. Camouflage is ultimately a compremise between what you need to do versus what is possible. In any case I recommend you write them in to your battle book as a reminder.
The 8 Absolute Essentials
If you do nothing else try to apply the following 8 sections, as they provide the biggest bang for the buck when it comes to successful camouflage. Then if you want to know more read the "The 7 Nice To Haves" as well.
1. Shade
2. Shape
3. Shadow
4. Shine
5. Silhouette
6. Sound
7. Spacing
8. Speed
1. Shade
This is the colours, tones and patterns, of you and your kit in comparison to the environments in which you fight. Ideally you would have a different one to match each of them perfectly, as wearing the wrong colours or patterns that don't blend well or one's that severely contrast with your environment, will get you seen. But this would be too expensive even for the Americans!
Browns and greens are the most common shades, but black does not occur significantly in nature, and consequentially as it stands out rather well, you should avoid having any black kit. If you do, you will be seen, even at night, when the eye sees in shades of blue or purple. Fortunately green is close to blue in the visible spectrum and will work just as well as a purpose made blue night fighting camouflage uniform.
As an effective compromise the Corps has adopted MultiCam™, an eight colour transitional camouflage, with various greens and browns, and no black, as its default pattern for uniform and equipment. The only essential additional camouflage would be a set of lightweight snow-whites, an over jacket, trousers, gloves, helmet cover and pack cover for use in winter.
The colour of foliage added to your kit must also match your environment, and be changed as it dries out and alters colour. Likewise, when digging in, the spoilage will more than likely be a different colour to the surface soil, so, hide it and hide your position.
2. Shadow
Be careful of casting shadows as you can be seen indirectly by the enemy. Use natural shadows to hide in or move through, it's better than being in the open. Note that at night shadows register as a shade of blue and not black as you may suspect. As mentioned above green is close to blue and so will work well in the shadows. Also, your own vision is helped by being in a shadow as the pupil of the eye will enlarge to take in more light.
3. Shape
This is concerned with being the wrong object in the wrong place at the wrong time, a feature that draws the eye towards you. For example being near isolated cover, which tends to be scrutenised more closely. Even if you stand still, a person shape where a person shape should not be will be spotted easily, unless the background chaos, trees, shrubs etc. comes to your rescue.
Objects out of context, for example a mound on flat ground, or what is sometimes called "tree cancer", the distinctive bulge to one side of the trunk of a tree, is usually a person.
4. Shine
Reflective kit will betray you, especially in bright sunlight, or artificial light. Ensure that such kit is dulled down or covered. Tactical lights on weapons can be fitted with flip up covers, and scopes can likewise be furnished with hoods or shrouds or filters to reduce the chance of being seen. Your number one problem however is your mask, as the lenses will reflect light. Keeping to the shadows, or having a peaked or brimmed hat or helmet will reduce this effect. NB: peaks and brims unfortunately reduce visibility, so you will have to weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of using them. Helmets also offer protection, but then again they are much heavier than a hat.
5. Silhouette
The classic error that demonstrates this principle is "sky lining", where the distinctive human profile stands out black against a bright sky, whether by sunlight, moonlight or just the night sky which is always paler. Likewise if your kit is the wrong colour for the background you will be silhouetted and seen. Make good use of cover or concealment when moving to avoid making a silhouette.
Also, break up the distinctive head and shoulders portion of your body. The smooth shell of a hat or helmet can be improved with the addition of some local vegetation or scrim (synthetic foliage) or hessian or burlap (sacking), which will solve the head/shoulder problem. Remember that as natural foliage dries out it changes colour, and so you must refresh it from time to time, even more so when you move to a different environment. For example moving from grassland to woodland.
6. Sound
Don't talk normally, whisper, but not with a low resonant voice, as this will carry a long way. It won't be understood, but it will be heard. Higher pitched whispers, can only be heard over short distances.
Rig your kit so it makes no noise. Half empty canteens slosh around and will give you away. Chinking metal, or rattling BBs will do likewise. Perform a kit check, by jumping up and down to see what noises come from your kit, then fix it as best you can. If you're carrying kit that rattles, move slowly to reduce the noise. Remember loud safety catches and gunfire can be heard.
Be careful when choosing a route, some terrain is very noisy, for example dry twigs and leaves.
However, the enemy cannot hear your pounding heart or rasping breath that fills your ears with dread in the darkness of the night!
7. Spacing
Evenly spaced people, like trees in a neat plantation, stand out against the background of the natural worlds more chaotic arrangements. So when positioning yourself as part of a unit, make the gaps between you and your comrades uneven and irregular in line. As you move vary the spacing so you don't form a moving pattern. Remember the enemy may be viewing you from ANY direction.
8. Speed
The human eye is designed to register movement, as we are both a predator and a prey animal. So, to avoid detection, keep movement to a minimum and when travelling walk very slowly. When performing hand signals, they also should be done slowly to retain stealth. Don't whip your head around when scanning the terrain, do it gently, your neck will thank you for it and the enemy may miss you.
The 7 Nice To Haves
1. Shite
2. Signals
3. Size
4. Smell
5. Smoke and Flash
6. Spectrum (Infra-red)
7. Surface
1. Shite
And yes I do mean shite. Taking a dump in the woods is for us an unlikely occurance as we tend not to be in the field that long, plus the site owners would definitely object. But by way of information, if your life depends upon it, you should collect all bodily and domestic waste, bag it, tag it, pack it and take it home. The enemy can not only track you by your spoil, but gleam intelligence about your state of health, your supply situation and combat readiness.
BTW Taking a pee normally goes unnoticed by all but the very best of trackers, as the woods tend to be full of animal urine....
2. Signals
The inappropriate use of hand signals, flashlights, and radios will get you found. Slow up the hand signals, make sure the flashlight has a non-reflective directional hood, and the radios have an earbud/headset. Also remember that the enemy maybe listening in on your frequency, and ANY transmissions maybe detected, even if not understood, it will let the enemy know that you are in the area.
3. Size
People come in a relatively narrow range of sizes, so anything that makes you look smaller or larger than a human being will help you vanish. Simply squatting at the side of a bush, or flat up against a building, or lying upon the ground, will enhance your chances of not being seen, as you become integrated visually with the larger surroundings.
4. Smell
If you smell of fresh soap and perfume, or smoke heavily, then the enemy will detect you surprisingly easily. US forces made this mistake in Vietnam, and patrols were tracked and ambushed by the VC and NVA who simply used their sense of smell. If your life depended upon it, you should ideally roll in the dirt and pick up the local scent, so as to blend in, but I think for game purposes this is probably going a wee bit too far. However, you should avoid making wood fires, or having any strongly scented foods or other materials in your camp, unless it's position is definitely known to the enemy.
5. Smoke and Flash
In the real-world gunsmoke and muzzle flash can betray your position. In airsoft this tends to be camp fires, cigarettes and tracer units. Remember that a smoke grenade can only be thrown just so far, so its use indicates a rough position.
6. Spectrum (Infra-Red)
The enemies increasing use of infra-red and thermal imagers requires counter measures like thermal blankets to prevent detection when in a hide or lay up point. Modern uniforms and equipment are oftern labelled "IRR", and resist reflecting IR light. But with our budget, solutions are limited, but it helps to be aware of the problem.
7. Surface
The surface of the environment will vary in terms of it's texture. If you are smooth and featureless in a lumpy terrain, you will stand out. Use local materials and or your kit to try and match the texture of the terrain when you can.
That's it, welcome to the world of the paranoid.
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