Author: S.Vlasov
Excerpt from the book “Green ghosts. The Kadochnikov group of 1984”
The efficiency of a fighter’s actions and group in general largely depends on moving skills which should be proper according to the conditions and circumstances. Because moving is one of the elements of the multipurpose solution of combat mission.
The base is a fighter’s individual training – moving in a stance or when ground fighting and alteration of different methods in these positions (rolling from back to belly, side rolls and moving, turnover and back moving, on the bellies, running, jumping, falling, etc.), passing the special obstacle course at different times of day, seasons of the year and in different climatic conditions and, at the same time, without losing your ability to orientate and efficiency of watching the enemy.
Solving a complex optimization task, choosing this or that combat method (“Trefoil”, “Ring of colon”, “Rabbit track”, “Rhombus”, “Snake”, “Wedge”, etc.) and making a realignment of its structural elements timely, a commander provides a reliable connection between elements of combat units and receives necessary operational and reliable information. It helps to take the right decisions to minimize risk, to improve the group’s survivability and complete the combat task.
In favorable circumstances a fighter or a whole group always seek to use any technical and other kinds of facilities, when moving in particular.
Alekseevich taught us methods of moving one by one and in a group as well, day and night. He showed us how to move noiselessly in different conditions: forest, asphalt, scree, pebble, glass, etc.
How to place your legs and feet in different situations. How to walk in the tracks, etc.
How to be guided by the lumen of tree crowns during the night in the forest (as night sky is always lighter than forest thicket).
I remember one case. During one of the training outings Alekseevich passed the command to one of the guys.
A moonless starry night, on an unfamiliar forest path, suddenly this guy, who was in the vanguard, commanded… “Stop, to the right, go deeper into the woods”. We stopped and turned but didn’t manage to go deeper. An “impassible” blackthorn was growing along the edge of the road. All our attempts were made in vain. Our “rich experience” obviously wasn’t enough for that technical action.
Seeing our helplessness, Alekseevich briefly and in a “plain language” explained us a principle of decomposition of force (about which he constantly reminded us) and having oriented his AK along his major axis and pressed it to his chest, he just “screwed” in that wall like a “corkscrew”. And again each of us was taught another object lesson.
Alekseevich’ unpredictability continued to impress me. During one of our trainings we organized a “hot pursuit” and managed, at least we thought so, to drive him out to an inconvenient place – a cliff. Alekseevich, in my eyes, without reducing the pace, just having pulled his AK off his shoulder, rushed down. My heart skipped a bit. Running closer to edge, I just saw as he was flying somewhere below, and only occasionally his sweaty faded coat was flitting between trees.
Sliding on his legs as if he was skiing, he skillfully maneuvered sitting astride the machine gun. He put it between his legs and holding its barrel directed the movements.
Alekseevich was preparing every fighter and commander of any group for knowing basic principles of moving organization (including physiological, physical and tactical peculiarities and settlements, etc.), mastering different methods of moving and overcoming obstacles, and at the same time, providing camouflage and combat readiness.
