Training - Convoy Fundamentals
This post outlines potential training course content for convoying in a civilian/guerilla fighter context. As civilians, we dont have armor or machine guns or all kinds of stuff the military has. We need to be able to adapt and greatly downsize big army doctrine on how to run a convoy. Our "missions" may differ from military as well.
Foundational Skills
Introduction to Convoy Operations
- Purpose of convoys: Transport personnel, supplies, or equipment in hostile areas.
- Differences between military and guerrilla convoys: Scale, resources, and objectives.
- Key principles: Speed, dispersion, adaptability, and low profile.
Team Roles and Responsibilities
- Assign roles: Convoy commander, lead driver, rear security, navigator, medic, etc. Within each truck/vehicle, assign roles as well for driver, TL (truck leader, navigator).
- Communication protocols: Hand signals, radios, or improvised methods (e.g., lights, horns).
- Small team dynamics: Cross-training to ensure redundancy with limited personnel.
Vehicle Preparation and Maintenance
- Selecting vehicles: Prioritize reliability, fuel efficiency, and terrain suitability.
- Basic modifications: Camouflage, tire upgrades, and improvised armor (e.g., sandbags, metal plates, Temu armor plates).
- Maintenance checks: Fuel, oil, tires, and emergency repair kits.
Practical Exercise: Vehicle Setup
- Hands-on: Inspect and prepare vehicles, practice loading equipment, and assign roles.
- Simulate weight distribution for supplies or wounded personnel.
Convoy Planning and Navigation
Route Planning
- Map reading and GPS use: Identify primary and alternate routes.
- Terrain analysis: Avoid chokepoints (e.g., bridges, narrow roads) and urban areas when possible.
- Guerrilla considerations: Use backroads, avoid predictable patterns, and blend with civilian traffic.
Convoy Formations
- Basic formations: Column/File, Staggered Column, and Diamond (adapted for 2-6 vehicles).
- Spacing: Maintain 50-100 meters between vehicles to reduce vulnerability.
- Adapting to terrain: Tight formations in open areas, dispersed in dense environments.
Communications and Signals
- Radio discipline: Short, coded transmissions to avoid detection.
- Non-radio signals: Lights, flags, or vehicle positioning for silent communication.
- Contingency plans: Actions if communication fails.
Practical Exercise Route Recon and Formation Drill
- Plan a short route, practice formations, and simulate navigation challenges (e.g., roadblock, wrong turn).
- Debrief on decision-making and adaptability.
Situational Awareness and Threat Assessment
Threat Identification
- Common threats: Ambushes, IEDs, checkpoints, or hostile pursuit.
- Recognizing signs: Unusual civilian behavior, road anomalies, or surveillance.
- Guerrilla-specific risks: Limited firepower, exposure to superior forces.
Defensive Driving Techniques
- Evasive maneuvers: J-turns, PIT maneuvers, and ramming obstacles (if unavoidable).
- Speed control: Balancing haste with control in varied terrain.
- Night driving: Use of minimal lighting or night vision (if available). nods/nvg.
Counter-Surveillance
- Detecting tails or drones: Vary speed, change routes, or use decoy vehicles.
- Blending in: Mimic civilian traffic patterns, avoid military-like behavior.
- Electronic discipline: Minimize phone or GPS use to avoid tracking.
Practical Exercise: Threat Detection and Evasion
- Simulate a convoy movement with mock threats (e.g., observer, roadblock).
- Practice evasive driving and counter-surveillance techniques.
Vehicle/Convoy Battle Drills
Introduction to Battle Drills
- Purpose: Immediate, rehearsed responses to threats to minimize reaction time.
- Guerrilla adaptation: Focus on evasion, disengagement, and survival over prolonged fights.
- Key drills tailored for small teams and limited vehicles.
Battle Drill 1: React to Ambush (Near)
- Scenario: Attack within 50 meters (e.g., small arms fire, molotov).
- Actions
- Lead vehicle accelerates to escape kill zone; rear vehicle provides suppressive fire (if armed).
- Team dismounts (if safe) to flank or suppress, using vehicles as cover.
- Convoy commander assesses: Fight through or retreat based on enemy strength.
- Guerrilla twist: Prioritize breaking contact; use smoke or terrain for concealment.
Battle Drill 2: React to Ambush (Far)
- Scenario: Attack beyond 50 meters (e.g., sniper, distant fire).
- Actions
- Accelerate through kill zone or seek cover (e.g., ditch, building).
- Identify enemy position; return fire only if escape is blocked.
- Use alternate route to disengage.
- Guerrilla twist: Avoid engagement; scatter and regroup at a rally point.
Battle Drill 3: React to Roadblock/Checkpoint
- Scenario: Obstacle or hostile checkpoint blocking route.
- Actions
- Lead vehicle halts at a safe distance; signals convoy to stop.
- Assess: Negotiate (if civilian guise), bypass, or prepare for breach.
- Breach option: Lead vehicle rams (if feasible); others provide cover fire.
- Guerrilla twist: Use deception (e.g., posing as civilians) or off-road bypass.
Battle Drill 4: Vehicle Breakdown or Casualty Evacuation
- Scenario: Vehicle disabled or personnel wounded.
- Actions
- Secure perimeter with remaining vehicles (e.g., diamond formation).
- Transfer critical supplies/personnel to functional vehicles.
- Abandon or destroy disabled vehicle to prevent enemy use.
- Guerrilla twist: Use improvised tools (e.g., tow straps) and pre-planned rally points.
Practical Exercise: Battle Drill Rehearsal
- Run through each drill in a controlled environment, simulating threats with props or role-players.
- Rotate roles to ensure all members understand each position.
Advanced Tactics and Capstone Exercise
Advanced Guerilla Tactics
- Decoy operations: Use a single vehicle to lure enemies away from main convoy.
- Ambushes by the convoy: Set up quick strikes against pursuers, then disengage.
- Scouting: Use motorcycles or a single vehicle for reconnaissance ahead of the convoy.
- Improvised weapons: Molotov cocktails, tire spikes, or other low-resource tools.
Integration with Local Support
- Leveraging civilian networks: Gather intel from locals or blend into communities.
- Caching supplies: Pre-position fuel or equipment along routes for emergencies.
- Escape and evasion: Plan for scattering and regrouping if convoy is compromised.
Capstone Exercise: Fully Convoy Mission
- Scenario: Execute a 1-5 mile convoy mission with simulated threats (ambush, roadblock, breakdown).
- Objectives: Plan route, maintain formation, respond to threats using battle drills, and reach destination.
- Debrief: Evaluate performance, communication, and adaptability.
Course Wrap-Up and Feedback
- Review key lessons: Mobility, stealth, and rapid decision-making.
- Discuss real-world applications and limitations in guerrilla context.
- Collect participant feedback to refine future iterations.
Notes on Guerrilla Context
- Resource Constraints: Emphasize improvisation (e.g., using civilian vehicles, homemade smoke screens) and scavenging (e.g., fuel from abandoned sources).
- Stealth and Deception: Train teams to avoid military-like behavior, blend with civilian traffic, and use misdirection to confuse enemies.
- Scalability: Drills and tactics are designed for 2-6 vehicles but can be adapted for smaller or slightly larger groups.
- Safety: Ensure all live-fire or driving exercises are conducted in controlled environments with safety protocols.