Over this past weekend I had the pleasure of teaching a 3-day training course to a private group. One unique trait of VSTAC is that I can tailor curriculum to meet the specific training needs of a private group. This group requested the following training modules: Training modules available for custom training events can beContinue reading “Custom MAG Training Summary and AAR Sep 2024”
Tag Archives: light infantry
TDG 19: Attack by Fire
A TDG is a Tactical Decision Game, a mental wargaming exercise designed to give you practice making tactically sound decisions in a hypothetical scenario. The ability to make sound and timely decisions based off incomplete and imperfect information is a critical skill to have, especially as a team leader. You will be given a scenario, confronted withContinue reading “TDG 19: Attack by Fire”
TDG 18: Anti-Materiel
A TDG is a Tactical Decision Game, a mental wargaming exercise designed to get you practice making tactically sound decisions in a hypothetical scenario. The ability to make sound and timely decisions based off incomplete and imperfect information is a critical skill to have, especially as a team leader. You will be given a scenario, confronted withContinue reading “TDG 18: Anti-Materiel”
Hawg-Ops.com Part II: Unit Symbols and Map Making
Two years ago I discovered hawg-ops.com. It’s a very potent open-source map tool and I wrote an introductory article on it back in August 2022. Since then I’ve been fiddling around with it and have discovered a few more features that I will share with you today. Adding Unit Icons The site has the abilityContinue reading “Hawg-Ops.com Part II: Unit Symbols and Map Making”
The Minuteman’s Guide to Signature Management (SIGMAN)
When we hear the word “camouflage,” we think of a sniper wearing a ghillie suit or our favorite camo patterns. In reality, there is far more to the topic of camouflage than simply visual concealment. The modern battlefield is saturated with sensors of all types, and it is important to be cognizant of how vulnerable you areContinue reading “The Minuteman’s Guide to Signature Management (SIGMAN)”
Mountain Training Event AAR
This past weekend I had the privilege of spending a few days in the mountains of Western NC training with some friends. There was a combination of force-on-force exercises, radio practice, TCCC training, and the fieldcraft involved with just dealing with the elements of being in the mountains in winter. I came away from this eventContinue reading “Mountain Training Event AAR”
When Gear Fails
Stuff breaks. No matter how expensive an item is or how many torture tests it passes, everything will wear out and break eventually if it is actually used. Or human error gets the best of us and we just lose things. When this happens in the military, Uncle Sam just reaches into his your pockets and replaces saidContinue reading “When Gear Fails”
Assessing the Effects of Fires
Anyone who has ever done any sort of small-unit tactics training can remember “covering” a buddy while they move. This is good to learn, but there can be a bit of misunderstanding as to what actually constitutes “covering fire” or “suppression”. Just because you are putting rounds downrange does not necessarily mean that you have “covering fire,”Continue reading “Assessing the Effects of Fires”
Minuteman Grenadier: How to Make 66mm DPS Rounds (Video)
Boltboy and I demonstrate how to modify EG-18 smoke grenades such that they can be launched from a can cannon. We call them 66mm DPS (Dual-Purpose Smoke) rounds, since they can be launched for hasty target reference points or thrown/launched for screening movement. We are NOT building explosives, we are simply putting a pre-made pyrotechnicContinue reading “Minuteman Grenadier: How to Make 66mm DPS Rounds (Video)”
On Body Armor Part I
Everyone who is new to the “tactical world” is immediately bombarded with a list of items that you “need to have” in order to survive combat. You “need” to have a light on your gun. You “need” to have the latest camo pattern. And, of course, you need to have armor. Body armor is aContinue reading “On Body Armor Part I”
Von Steuben Training & Consulting 