Sicarius's Progress Thread

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Sicarius
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Sicarius's Progress Thread

Post by Sicarius » Wed Mar 31, 2021 11:55 pm

This thread is where I may post a weekly goal, what I have done, etc to get closer to a stealth "system" and videos, as well as books and stuff. I may also put some ideas down to get some opinions from people. This is to create a sense of commitment for myself, so I have to get stuff done. I am not providing details on all of my work because it is in progress, my work, and would be a waste of my time where instead I could be working.
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Re: Sicarius's Progress Thread

Post by Sicarius » Wed Mar 31, 2021 11:59 pm

I did an article this week at 628 words that just needs editing and sources. It regards quasi-isometrics. I intend on writing another article about basic crouching. Just everything about the basics, such as weight, angle ratio's, purpose, variations, exercises, and more. I want to reach 750 words at the minimum but preferably go over.
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Re: Sicarius's Progress Thread

Post by Xanatos » Thu Apr 01, 2021 6:04 pm

Try not setting a word limit - if you can get the same information across in fewer words, the rest will just be verbal baggage.
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Re: Sicarius's Progress Thread

Post by Sicarius » Sun Apr 04, 2021 11:50 pm

This week was kind of shit for me, but I intend on making next week better. I wrote an article of 600 words this week and purchased some filming gear, and brainstormed some stuff but that does not count. I have the outline to the article/video on crouching.

For this week, I want to write an article of slightly longer length, get out and operate twice, and maybe film myself in a test run to work out filming kinks for a cleaner first time. Also, I want a better self-defense weapon and maybe something like a smoke grenade or flashbang for shits and giggles.

EDIT: "Film myself in a test run to work out filming kinks for a cleaner first time", don't take that out of context
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Re: Sicarius's Progress Thread

Post by Sicarius » Mon Apr 05, 2021 12:36 am

I also learned something interesting. Many people have trouble reading large bodies of text, due to stress, poor vision, lack of focus, and more. Due to this, I am going to format my articles into each paragraph having a subtitle. Then, the paragraph will be divided into micro-paragraphs for easier reading.
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Re: Sicarius's Progress Thread

Post by Xanatos » Mon Apr 05, 2021 2:17 pm

I can sit in a bar and read books all night, but large text dumps on a screen just tire my eyes out. Structuring paragraphs properly definitely makes reading easier.
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Re: Sicarius's Progress Thread

Post by Sicarius » Wed Apr 07, 2021 1:29 pm

I wrote most of an article on peripheral and/or wide-angle vision
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Re: Sicarius's Progress Thread

Post by Sicarius » Wed Apr 14, 2021 12:01 pm

I wrote some more stuff, quick question though; How do you treat observation? I am trying to write something on observation and hopefully threat scanning. I would like to hear other members' methods for doing so. Thank you.

Also, I am operating tonight. I am making a public statement so I have more of an incentive to hold it and not look like an ass. With pictures of course. That is all.
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Re: Sicarius's Progress Thread

Post by Xanatos » Wed Apr 14, 2021 12:30 pm

Observation was my first homework assignment.
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Re: Sicarius's Progress Thread

Post by Sicarius » Wed Apr 14, 2021 2:05 pm

Wow, that was actually really good. Thank you for the reference. It is the most detailed content I personally have read on observation, especially regarding night ops, but it still suffers the "what" instead of "how" problem. "What" definitely gave me more ideas on what to observe, but everything I read seems to lack a "how" aside from "look around, what do you?". I have some ideas of questions to ask yourself in order to observe. It sounds boring, but the questions are really just to remember not actually think "where can I run to". Hakalau meditation and a set of requirements could work... still theorizing though.
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Re: Sicarius's Progress Thread

Post by Xanatos » Wed Apr 14, 2021 6:06 pm

It's gathering intel on your environment and figuring how to use it. A concrete wall, for instance, can be used to hide behind. Can be used to take cover behind from gunfire. Can be used to block a pursuers LoS. Can be climbed upon to get a better view of the area. Can be used as an environmental weapon (slamming someone into it). Can be used as a solid surface to relieve a collapsed lung or retract a collapsible baton. The "how" is left to the observer's imagination, the "what" is being able to gather as much info as you can and make sure nothing is overlooked.
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Re: Sicarius's Progress Thread

Post by Psychlonic » Wed Apr 14, 2021 6:30 pm

What exactly are you asking for? Physical techniques for enhancing observation?

As far as keeping a checklist of things of observe mentally, I'm not sure how to expound upon that. At this point it's almost instinct for me. There are obvious places to look. If I'm approaching a driveway gate I look for sensors on the side. If I'm approaching a building I'm looking toward the roofline for motion sense lights, and obviously any inside activity. Porches often have cameras. Sheds. Garages. If the trees are unusually kept with lots of bare trunk and little to no low foliage, I'll probably look for outdoors cams on them. Looking at house doors. Cover in relation to the doors. Not that I'm interested in houses probably, but there's a good chance they're at least in my way. In the OG days this was the main way of traversing so that you weren't seen on the road and it was a slow, skillful grind. We called it "yard hopping" and you'll learn more doing that than perhaps anything else because it can honestly be the most difficult part of an operation.

Roads. Routes. It's full spectrum and my mind just goes to work automatically sorting out all factors and deciding what my situation is and my leverage points. I could try to reverse engineer the process I guess, but I think the ultimate goal should be establishing a similarly fluid, adaptable knowledge.

If I had to think about it, I'd say the every day plays a huge role. Elements you see in the day time. You start to notice obvious patterns with where things are located and then at night you look for those same things in the same places. There are physical methods of enhancing your ability to observe if you suspect that isn't sufficient. For example, the classic "cupping hands around the eyes" really helps focus on individual areas and reduces cognitive blind spots. Tilting the head down increases peripheral vision. Cupping your hands behind your ears and tilting up slightly while keeping your mouth open increases your hearing (or directing toward a suspect location). So on and so forth and those ideas too can be explored and developed during normal hours.
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Re: Sicarius's Progress Thread

Post by Sicarius » Wed Apr 14, 2021 10:52 pm

I do agree, but both of these still leave out the "how". I meant how to observe, not use the environment, sorry. Practice would help, but a professional recon team does not solely practice; they use methods and techniques, I am referring to mental methods(sectors, notepads, etc). I imagine an order would work best to be most efficient. For example, threat scan, escape route, cover+concealment, lights, cameras and stuff, and so it goes on. Just a basic idea, I imagine under stress just "observing" could prove problematic. Observation differs from recon to an actual penetration operation as well.

Oh and Pschlonic specifically, I meant mental techniques of operation, not physical. But thank you.
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Re: Sicarius's Progress Thread

Post by Abraxas » Wed Apr 14, 2021 11:28 pm

You know that night operations happen in physical reality and not theoretical papers right? I have noticed a lot of posts now where you disregard sound advice and technique that can be inferred from such in favor of theory that from what I have seen comes from hand waving woo stealth wannabe sites that similarly show no actual experience in the matter but simply continue the same old echo chamber of ideas they never actually use. What are you going to do when your carefully thought out theories fail during an operation and you have no improvisational ability because you thought being a mental mastermind and knowing a bunch of ideas was all you needed? You are writing as if these two have never performed observation, recon, and penetration when at your rate they have done more of all of them than you ever will.

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Re: Sicarius's Progress Thread

Post by Sicarius » Thu Apr 15, 2021 12:42 am

Abraxas wrote:
Wed Apr 14, 2021 11:28 pm
You know that night operations happen in physical reality and not theoretical papers right? I have noticed a lot of posts now where you disregard sound advice and technique that can be inferred from such in favor of theory that from what I have seen comes from hand waving woo stealth wannabe sites that similarly show no actual experience in the matter but simply continue the same old echo chamber of ideas they never actually use. What are you going to do when your carefully thought out theories fail during an operation and you have no improvisational ability because you thought being a mental mastermind and knowing a bunch of ideas was all you needed? You are writing as if these two have never performed observation, recon, and penetration when at your rate they have done more of all of them than you ever will.

A man who smells of books makes a poor warrior.
Because everybody else has done the sound stuff already, mind you I am trying to do something for the community. Maybe I prefer to theorize? Maybe I have a large amount of chronic stress in my life which you know nothing of? Maybe I am not in it for the "art of night ops" so much as practical application? Mind you, research is important. But lets put the research aside. Spec ops use systems, do they not? They train, over and over, until they memorize something and it becomes instinct. Reason enough, with no research, just basic logic. If I could operate thrice weekly into buildings with alarms I could, but I cannot for several reasons. Just because someone has experience does not mean they can learn something new, a system can be refined, or something else. " You are writing as if these two have never performed observation, recon, and penetration when at your rate they have done more of all of them than you ever will". Way to be an asshole. I have shown respect for both Xanatos and Psychlonic, except for the second retarded post I ever made about knife killing or some shit where I may have been rude to Xanatos. Question, am I just supposed to shit out a complete idea? It takes time, and I have said multiple times I am starting with the foundation. Once again, if I could operate all the time I would. I meant no disrespect to Xanatos or Psychlonic. I do feel rather irritated towards you, however, for just showing up randomly and shitting on someone's idea without any actual positive input to get something done.

And as for books, take one and read it; you will find multiple benefits, even to your warrior perspective.
Last edited by Sicarius on Thu Apr 15, 2021 12:49 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Sicarius's Progress Thread

Post by Sicarius » Thu Apr 15, 2021 12:48 am

Reread what you wrote very slowly, see if you can find the hole in what you said. No, I am not correcting grammar, the hole in some of what you said, as in it makes no sense to me. Also, I am willing to make up after this, I definitely let some anger out on you from external factors.

Also if you clicked the latest post, read mine above
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Re: Sicarius's Progress Thread

Post by Xanatos » Thu Apr 15, 2021 6:08 am

I still don't know what you expect from me or Psych in terms of the "how" of Observation though. I listed what to look for and suggested creating a mental checklist to tick through (like a shopping or to-do list), but there isn't much more to it than that.

Do you have eyes? Yes? Then use them. No need to overthink it.
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What is locked, can be opened. What is hidden, can be found. What is yours... can be mine.

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Re: Sicarius's Progress Thread

Post by Sicarius » Thu Apr 15, 2021 11:36 am

I was not "expecting" a how, just asking since I wanted other peoples input. I already said why, if you or anyone disagrees, that is fine.
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Re: Sicarius's Progress Thread

Post by F3R4L » Fri Apr 16, 2021 8:46 am

The most important thing is to develope the habit of continously checking your environment. That sounds pretty simple, but you need to pay attention to your surroundings all the time to make it become instinctive. It has been said before, it's more about practice than theory.

You should look up situational awareness, maybe you could find something useful.

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Re: Sicarius's Progress Thread

Post by Sicarius » Sat Apr 24, 2021 12:18 am

I am planning on operating regularly, but I have a fucked schedule for the next 2-3 weeks, so I have to put operating off for a little.
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