"Peace at the end of a Phaser"

Note: In this handbook all in-character statements will be in normal type face (example) while all out-of-character statements will be in italics (example).

Introduction

Welcome to the elite of the elite crewman. You're about to embark on one of the most physically and mentally gruelling 2 weeks of your life. If you are one of the very few to pass this course you will join the ranks of one of the most elite covert tactical teams in the galaxy. You will go through constant physical training and testing followed, quite often immediately, by a written or oral test. The best bit of advice to remember about the Advanced Security Training is to expect the unexpected. Upon completion you will be accepted into the External Security Forces.

Advanced Security training is extremely demanding. You will be expected to train individually and upon completion individually to train with a team. If you fail to meet the strict requirements of the training/testing you will be dropped from the program. The team training portion will require you to appear at certain times or to make arrangements with ALL parties involved (teammates/instructor/examination proctor) to take the training WITH them at another time. If you fail to show up for a scheduled training session you will be warned and if repeated you will be dropped from the program.

A brief statement as to what we would like the Advanced Security detail to become. You will be the best of the best. It is required to have the Captain's approval on each new member of this elite team. As such you will be the pride and joy of Starship Avalon. When we send you guys in you will "shock and awe" both the crew and the enemies (simulated or real). You will be the guys to go in and blow the minds of everyone who sees you. Good luck and make us proud

Chapter 1 - Covert Operations - Intro

This section of the handbook will go over the basics and then the more advanced aspects of Covert Operations. The first thing you should note about Covert Operations comes from the title itself. Much of what we do will be steath related or Covert...hence the title. If you came here to be the guy throwing the frag grenade into the window and waiting for the body parts to come flying back out then you're in the wrong division (That would be engineering ;) ). Why do we not go in with superior fire-power and blow up four city blocks? Because the types of missions you will be assigned are the types where the VIP is shot the moment they find out there's an intruder or Fleet Yards are destroyed by a singularity bomb the moment they find out someone is trying to stop them. You will be trained in the use of the latest state-of-the-art weaponry and tactics. ESF receive special attention and equipment because they are the tip of our spear.

Chaper 2 - Covert Operations Basics

Let's start with the phonetic alphabet. You will use this for communcation between squads and teammates. It allows for a type of encryption to prevent premature disclosure of your objectives to your enemy. It also provides a veil of professionalism that will work to your benefit.

A - Alpha	B - Bravo	C - Charlie	D - Delta
E - Echo	F - Foxtrot	G - Golf	H - Hotel
I - India	J - Juliet	K - Kilo	L - Lima
M - Mike	N - November	O - Oscar	P - Papa
Q - Quebec	R - Romeo	S - Sierra	T - Tango
U - Uniform	V - Victor	W - Whiskey	X - X-Ray
Y - Yankee	Z - Zulu

Next up we will go over movement, rules of engagement, and objectives.

Alot of these will be very similar to Ghost Recon. They're quite valid though and from what I know they're used in real life.

Movement Codes
Advance - Team may advance (with caution) using normal stealth tactics to their next objective point. Unless otherwise specified this is the standard order.
Advance Immediate (or at all costs) - Team may advance without stealth tactics to their next objective point. This is generally used when moving through a secure area or when speed is an overwhelming requirement (Extremely risky in this instance).
Hold - Team is to move into covering positions and use maximum stealth possible. This is generally used when near an objective point to observe (scout) the area for hostiles. It is also used when the team comes under fire or can hear nearby hostiles.

With fire conditions in the ESF it is a rule that one only fires a weapon if one intends to kill with it. There are no warning shots, no shots to the leg. When you fire your weapon you will be trying to kill a hostile. For this reason you will be trained to use your weapon only as a last resort.

Hostile Conditions
Red - High stealth reconnaissance condition. Team members are not to fire on a hostile unless they can only complete their mission or escape the encounter safely by eliminating the hostile.
Yellow - Medium stealth observation and assault condition. Team members are only to fire upon a hostile if fired upon or the hostiles are moving to an alert position (includes standing guard), moving out of a line of fire (further details later), or if the objective can only be completed by eliminating the hostile.
Green - Low Stealth Assault Condition - Team members are authorized to fire upon any hostile when safe to do so (more details later).

The entire purpose of a mission is to complete an objective. You won't be sent out to just run around killing hostiles and don't expect an objective of Eliminate all Hostiles.

Objectives
Primary - Your most important objective. Complete it or your mission is determined a failure.
Secondary - Your second objective. Complete it also or your mission is determined a failure.
Additional - Any additional mandatory objectives.
Optional - An optional objective that will look good on your report to be completed.

Communications
A large portion of this has been furcadisized to adapt to lag, typing rather the verbal commands, and to allow for the technological limitations of Furcadia. Expect whispers to be considered IC in the next topic.

Verbal communications should be as follows:

When in a time-restricted situation abbreviations may be used. Denoted by ( )'s around the appropriate letter. When in normal operations the most notice will be taken by making long detailed posts using the full coding properly. This also assumes that one is speaking in visual range. If not in visual range then one would use whispers in which case abbreviations are encouraged.

Vocabulary:

(A)lpha Team / Alpha- Refers to the primary team (generally made up of assaulters - discussed later).
(B)ravo Team / Bravo - Refers to the secondary team (generally made up of support/demolitions staff)
(C)harlie Team / Charlie - Refers to the tertiary team (generally a sniper or pair of snipers)
(M)ove <target> - Orders to move to the <target> (<target> replaced with target).
(Obj)ective - Refers to the objective. Usually followed by a number referring to primary (1), secondary (2), additional (3,4,5...etc), and optional objectives (0).
(R)ed - Orders specified team to switch to red hostile conditions. If no team specified then all teams switch.
(Y)ellow - Orders specified team to switch to yellow hostile conditions. If no team specified then all teams switch.
(G)reen- Orders specified team to switch to green hostile conditions. If no team specified then all teams switch.
(T)ango / Target - Refers to a visible hostile. General uses: Tango Sighted, Tango Down, Tango Audible.
(D)own - Refers to a kill. Tango Down refers to hostile down. Man down refers to a friendly down.
A(U)dible - Refers to being able to be heard. Tango Audible - Enemy heard (You've got to be really close to have this)
(S)ighted - Within visual range.
(F)riendly - Non-Hostile. On your side! Don't shoot. Usage: Friendly sighted. (Also you hope never to hear, "Hold your fire. That's a friendly!")

There are many other vocabulary words. In all missions you will be assigned a code word for each of these events:

Mission Start / Mission Authorization Received
Mission Completed
Mission Objective Completed
Mission Aborted (bad. Same as Mission Failure)

Within a team there will be a team leader. They may be the same rank but they are assigned senority in a mission for a certain reason. There will also be a mission commander who is the head honcho and determines the mission's start, completion...etc (Whether they are confirmed by senior staff is factored in to the official standing). They may also be the same rank and participate in the mission. The proper chain of communications is as follows:

When out of contact with another team:

Mission Commander analyses situation and communications with Team leader(s) to issue orders.
Team leaders communicate (if within range of hostiles do so through whispers unless requiring immediate action) with teammates.
Teammates analyse situation with Team Leader in their particular area (not big picture. Just their area).
Team Leader notifies mission commander of analysis.
(Repeat)

When in contact (not in hostile range):

Mission Commander issues orders to all teams present and whispers to teams not present.

When in contact (in hostile range):

Mission Commander issues orders to team leaders via whispers and team leaders carry on communication chain.

When in emergency situations:

Mission Commander issues verbal orders to all team members.

If the mission commander is killed or incapacitated the next team leader (Commander is generally on Alpha so bravo team leader will take over. If commander is charlie then Alpha takes over and so forth) will take over and the 2nd in order of the mission commander's team (if any) will take over team leader.

If a team leader is killed then the next person in that team takes over.

All positions are assigned before being sent into the field except in cases of extreme emergency.

Chapter 3 - Weapons

1 - Very light Stun. Might cause someone to freeze for a second. Most people will keep on coming.	2- Light Stun. Causes up to 3 seconds of muscle paralysis.	3 - Medium Stun	4 - High Medium Stun - Can cause loss of consciousness.
5 - Heavy Stun. Causes unconciousness.	6 - Max Stun. Requires Medical Personnel to assist in person regaining conciousness.	7 - Min Kill. The minimum is deceiving. This will still kill most individuals.	8 - Kill. Will kill most individuals.
9 - Heavy Kill. Will vapourize organic material on contact.	10 - Concussion 1 - Provides minimal damage to objects and a concussion wave.	11 - Concussion 2 - Same as level 10 only more powerful.	12 - Concussion 3 - Same as level 11 only more powerful.
13 - Concussion 4 - Provides large amounts of damage along with a large concussion wave. Level 13 and 14 is used on large anti personnel weapons.	14 - Concussion 5- Provides large amounts of damage along with a large concussion wave. Level 13 and 14 is used on large anti personnel weapons.	15 - Overload - Provides the type of damage found with a large weapon set to overload.	16 - Explosive - Provides large amounts of damage along with explosive concussion waves. Found mainly in concussion grenades.

Chapter 4 - Team Compilation

Assaulters: These are the guys with the MP5's. They'll be in close quarters, do close-in reconnaissance, and be the guys clearing buildings and starship rooms.

Support: These are the guys with the heavy crew-served weapons. They're best suited for wide open spaces and absolutely are horrible insides as their weapons are big and bulky. They'll be the guys to bring in most likely to take out armour.

Demolitions: These are the guys blowing up stuff. They're quite often carry tow missiles. They're quite often mission critical and so can't be injured or killed as they have the expertise to take out an objective. They're so-so in close quarters.

Sniper: This guy is the king of stealth. Members of the Canadian Joint Task Force 2 have been known to urinate in their pants to prevent having to move. It is also seen in movies about US Army Rangers. When snipering I'd try to keep the peeing your pants down to a minimum thanks :). This guy is the guy who'll take out a single officer in a camp full of armymen and live to tell about it. His weapon of choice is obviously the long range weaponry.

Scout: These guys are like really stealthy Assaulters. They'll be the guys who cover the snipers behind, point out targets and make sure their point of egress is clear.

Generally there are more then one team on a mission and only up to 3 unless extreme circumstances permit. Each team is made up of no more then 3 furres as each person added adds to the risk of detection.

Alpha team is generally made up of assaulters with occassional demotions staff thrown in.

Bravo Team is made up of either support staff/demolitions combo, sniper, or a sniper/scout combo.

Charlie Team, when used, is 90% of the time a sniper or sniper/scout combo.

When compiling a team it is important to take in the geographical area you will be working in. Is it close quarters combat in an office building or starship or is it moving through a swamp to catch a hiding operative. If it's close quarters combat you will want to use assaulters and less Support staff. You might want to take a sniper along if there are going to be long shots. A rule of thumb. Snipers make VERY good scouts as they will be stealthy and have a really long range view on their weapons. They're not so good inside buildings though.

Chapter 5 - Movement

Slicing the Pie - No this doesn't refer to the after mission celebration. RL that probably tends to be beer and nuts anyway. Slicing the pie refers to clearing a room using mathmatics. You're saying What? Math? I didn't sign up for a scientist. Not as much numbers as angles.

As can be seen in Figure 2 below. Coming around a corner while up against the wall is a bad idea. The blue circle represents you and the red circle represents the hostile tango. You're now swiss cheese as he got the angle on you to shoot before you did on him. However in Figure 3 we can see by rounding the corner from the widest arc you can clear each slice of the corridor without exposing yourself to the shot. Hence the term "Slicing the Pie".

Figure 2 - Slicing the Pie	Figure 3 - Slicing the Pie

Moving Together - Probably one of the hardest things for an eager security crewman to do is stay with a group and not try to get himself promoted by running haphazardly into harms way. There are several keys to moving properly.

1) Move in a group and all together. (No need to risk detection by moving individually unless absolutely necessary)

2) Move only when safe and clear.

3) If possible move with natural movement around you. (say the wind suddenly gusts up and the trees start swaying and leaves blow around. This would add the added safety of lots of movement so you won't draw attention and also covers the sounds of your steps)

4) Don't move if you have the choice of eliminating a target or simply waiting for the target to pass and then moving.

Choosing to take a target or wait for backup - If you're hiding in the middle of a swamp and suddenly find yourself sitting at the feet of a hostile target do you risk bringing your rifle to bear in that close environment or call for assistance from another team. Always call for assistance. Even if you're in a hurry you should call for assistance unless your mission is absolutely critical (3-pronged assault requiring you to be at a certain point to prevent mission failure). Your teammates can come in and have 3benefits. 1) They'll have a better angle. 2) They'll know his exact location thanks to you. 3) They'll have the element of surprise as he still doesn't even realize you're there.

Using Cover - The greatest risk in moving is not having cover. Picture this. A wide open farmhouse surrounded by rolling fields on 3 sides. On the far side, about a klick (kilometre) away is a line of trees. Do you 1) move across the field as stealthly as possible, perhaps moving from haystack to haystack if there are any to reach your objective as quickly as possible? 2) Move around the edge of the field to the road and then move in to the house not having had to cross the wide-open field? or 3) Take a massively long detour and spend hours moving around to the grove of trees where you can have the benefit of scouting but you took forever to get there. Answer is surprisingly 3. This isn't a race most often. If it is you'll generally use a different tactic of approach rather then finding yourself in an open field. Take your time and you'll keep your hide. Good quote to remember being from Daiktana :)

Whenever possible stay low. Low = less noticible figures. Less Noticible figures = Less Risk of having someone peg you in the head.

Whenever moving you should scout your destination. Ask yourself "Are there any corners I'm going to run by and just hope that there's no one standing there?" If you answer yes then take another approach.

Plan your approach. Try to stay under cover even when moving.

Cover as many angles while moving as possible.

NEVER cross into a line of fire. If you're going to cross through a line of fire make sure to notify your teammate and then do so quickly as you're blocking a shot.

Multi-Team Moving When moving with multiple teams it is both beneficial and detrimental. You have the added risk of more movement which can lead to detection. You, however, have the benefit of being able to have cover.

Figure 5 - As can be seen. The team is able to move across the field (and assuming the high grass is elevated terrain) they can do so with no risk to themselves because there is someone providing cover that they would not have a clear shot on.

Chapter 6 - Equipment

ESF Combat Suits are equipped with the latest technology to assist in their jobs. Paramount of these is their own uniform which contains a variety of technology including:

Helmet:
Nightvision - Allows viewing at night. Uses the visor as a display.
Zoom - Allows 1-2.5x zoom using the visor as a display.
Communications - Via built in microphones. Also allows tactical maps to be displayed on the visor.
Self-cleaning visor - Using a mixture of high-pressure air and laser technology the visor is always kept clean.
Armour - The helmet is armoured to take shrapnel from explosions and ricochets from laser blasts. Current technology does not allow for a direct blast protection helmet at this time.
Oxygen System - Self-Activating when the helmet is submerged or atmosphere drops below breathable limits.. Allows up to 24 hours of breathing capabilities.

Under-vest Garment:
Personnel Hydration Unit (PHU) - Used to keep personnel hydrated while in a combat zone. Draws moisture from the atmosphere (or a gel pack if in moistureless atmosphere) and hydrates personnel via hypospray technology.
Thermal Garment - Allows for temperature variance of -100/+100 Celsius.
Personnel Medical System (PMS) - Regardless of the abbreviation this will actually assist in combat. The unit automatically monitors vital signs and can inject medication, contract the fabric to form a controlled tourniquet, and even perform CPR and defribulation using fabric contraction and electrical conduction through special material.

Armoured Vest:
Vest - Provides protection against limited direct blasts from a level 11 phaser or lower (obviously the number of shots increases the lower the level). Over level 12 and it will provide limited protection against a fatal blast.
Storage - Contains a special Adaptable Power System (APS) that can draw power from solar, kinetic (moving), water (if submerged in current), and air power (heavy wind or moving). The unit automatically adjusts for optimal power. Theoretically can sustain itself indefinitely. This allows for recharging pouches for Weapon Power Clips (WPC) and for a portable replication system allowing limited meal's on the go (This function uses A LOT of power).

Arm Computer:
- Controls all computerized functions of the suit. Powered by the APS. Can be used to override functions to provide greater stealth (less electrical signal) or even set the suit to self destruct (if caught or if removed and used as a weapon).

Knee/Armpads:
- Made from durable Duranium Alloy allowing crouching and minor protections from falls and obstacles.

Boots:
- With soles made from thin Duranium Alloy these boots quite often outlive the user.

Airborne Velocity System (AVS):
- It's ancestor is the parachute. Still used by thrill seekers. This unit slows a person down at a preset interval (preset by personnel before jump) and lets them touch the ground at a preset velocity. Imagine someone jumping out of a high-flying stealth shuttlecraft and dropping to earth at a bristling 450 metres per second (made possible via suit design and inertial dampeners - Same things that keep you from being a puddle on the rear wall of your quarters when the ship goes to warp) and then coming to a slow .25m/s right before you reach the ground. You can touch down softly and move to your objective with pretty good certainty that no one saw you as you were moving too fast.

Chapter 7 - Sniper

The art of snipering is one of the hardest things to master. If you decide to try to qualify as a sniper you will be required to shoot a 1cm by 1cm (size of your little finger) from 1000 yards away. To reach this pinnacle you will be required to demonstrate and perform the following:

Ability to Assess a target - The hardest part of a snipers job is the waiting. You will be in one place for possibly days on end. You must assess whether a target is a lone gunman or part of a larger patrol that may be out of your sight.

Breathing Profile - Snipers are trained to take a shot while in an exhaling position. This is because as you breathe your weapon will shift slightly.

Stealth - You will be tested on your ability to not move and make as little profile as possible.

The majority of sniper training is live training in a specially designed range.

Chapter 8 - VIP Protection

Although an ESF Team Member is mainly responsible for taking on high-rish missions they are also experts at protection of dignitaries. There are several key thoughts to remember when protecting a VIP.

1) Have personnel able to cover each area of a site. If you can't see everywhere then the area is not secure.

2) If you have enough team members you might assign one or two undercover. These personnel can get far closer and not be seen as guards to work around.

3) Always have at least one team member with hand contact with the dignitary.

4) Keep in constant communication. If you can't communicate you don't know if there are a team of 40 armed assaultants coming down the hallway.

5) In the event of a major incident do not worry about the remainder of the event. It can be salvaged at a later date. Your job is to place yourself between any shooters and the VIP as he is evacuated to a secure area. (Always have a secure area planned ahead of time. VIP Protection missions are just like normal missions and require the same amount of planning if not more). There may be times when the VIP is moved slowly away so as not to destroy prestige of the moment. Try tactfully to keep a tactical hold on the situation.

6) When protecting VIP's it is best to remember that you are not there to converse with the locals. If one speaks to you respond politely but make it known in your speech that you are here to work. Continue to be vigilant and do not make eye contact. Be sure to keep an eye on the conversationalist. If the conversationalist becomes too talkative call for backup to take over your position and converse slightly well trying to continue doing your job.

Chapter 9 - Advanced / Continued Training

Upon completion of your training you will possibly receive more training in confidential matters. This is considered continued training and you will be expected to recertify once every 4 months for continued service in the ESF.

Chapter 10 - Conclusion

This concludes the Advanced Security Tactical Manual. Please make sure you have memorized all of it in preparation for your test. Upon passing you will become a member of Starship Avalon's ESF Team.