Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Exchange the techniques and skills needed to walk the shadows. Post your guides and how-tos here.
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Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Xanatos » Sun Apr 22, 2012 10:31 am

Is this post tl;dr? Fuck you, read it anyway. If you don't have time, put a reminder somewhere to look at it when you do have time.

We operatives are a dark lot in the sense that our lifestyle revolves around the night. However, each of us have a day life too that we have to maintain. This daily life often gets in the way and prevents us from opping as often as we'd like. And on the rare occasion we have the time to do an op we either lack the motivation, are out of shape or simply can't get into the "zone".
But just because we can't op enough doesn't mean we have to fall completely out of touch with ourselves. So for the next few weeks I'm going to be setting homework tasks that I expect each and every one of you to complete. Just simple exercises to help you stay sharp and in shape.
These assignments also extend to you visiting guests and silent lurkers - yes, you - I want you all to participate as well.


Lesson:

First week's lesson is on Observation. Now observation is key to any activity, but especially in the realm of Night Ops where one relies on having a close working relationship with the environment and atmosphere, as well as keeping an eye out for obstacles or enemies that may intervene. Before an operative makes a move they must always observe the area ahead. Even while they're moving through an area the keen operative always has 360° situational awareness. This happens at all stages on the operation; exiting their premises, travelling to the AO (Area of Objective), scanning the AO once they're in position, each individual area and perimeter within the AO and then every listed place back again in reverse order.

But what does an operative actually observe? 'What' they observe is everything, but what are they actually looking for? Observation is more than just looking at everything, one has to analyse what they look at and determine any tactical usefulness that can be gleaned from it. An operative must keep an eye out for varying levels of light, obstacles throughout the area and how to bypass or utilise them, points of cover or concealment, hidespots, routes of entry/escape, items that may serve as tools or weapons (well, a weapon is really just a tool with a specific purpose), flooring surfaces, light sources, security measures, possible points of entry by others, lightswitches and power boxes, possible areas for ambush, the list goes on and on. One must also note the elevation and distance between the aforementioned observations.

Homework:
This week's assignment will be rather easy in the sense that you don't actively have to do anything, although your concentration will be strained depending on how well you keep up. I want you all to carry on with your daily routine, but learn to observe your environment.
As you go to work/school keep an eye out for points of cover and all possible routes of escape or 'Thieve's Highways'.
When you walk into a room, note again all possible exits and points of cover or hidespots. Take note of all items you can see and any possible use they might have. Also count or estimate the number of people in the room and do a general threat assessment (id est: how they would react if shit were to theoretically hit the fan).
When you're walking down the street, again note all points of cover & possible routes and note the position of shadows cast by the sun/lights. Note the position of guards of LE officers in the area. Observe any crowds - remember, moving crowds also make good hidespots.
Keep in mind the surface you're walking on; is it wet or dry? Is it clear or covered in debris? Is it noisy or quiet? Is it flat or slanted?

You will find yourself behaving differently the more you observe your environment. You'll sit in the most tactically advantageous position in a room or on buses/trains, you'll find yourself sticking to the shadows a lot more, you'll find yourself favouring the dry, quiet paths and stepping around/over puddles and leaves. This sort of mindset is very important to have whilst on an op. However, it can be quite draining and difficult to maintain at first. But with enough perseverance it will become second nature over time; as soon as you walk into a room you'll already know everything about it and pick the best place to sit without even thinking.

It will be difficult, especially if you haven't tried this way of thinking before, but I want you all to keep this up every day this week and report on your findings. You'll quickly find yourself developing a different perspective of your daily environment and see things you've never noticed before. Note down what you observed and any differences or changes that happen day by day (obviously don't go into too much detail, we'd all like you to still keep your anonymity). Obviously I can't force you to post your results, especially if you're a silent lurker or visitor, but I'd like you all to make an effort anyway for your own benefit and the benefit of this community.

Start your observation exercises right now. While you're at the computer note the items you see scattered around. Can they be used for anything? Also note the exits you have - every standard bedroom has at least two exist. Do you also have any points of cover or concealment? How about the door; is it easy to get to in a hurry? Is the doorway visible from where you are? Is it reachable from where you're sitting? Can you hide behind it? Submit your observations either daily or at the end of the week in this thread and let's discuss our findings - yes, I'll be doing the homework with you.

Brotips: * To make things easier, create a general checklist of environmental observations so you know what to look for when you enter a new area.
* If you have sunglasses, wear them. They'll allow you to look around a lot more - especially at other people - without drawing too much attention to yourself. Everyone assumes a person wearing sunglasses is looking straight ahead, but in reality they're looking everywhere at once. Also, keeping your eyes in the dark will develop your night vision.

Class dismissed.
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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by mib » Sun Apr 22, 2012 5:23 pm

OCOKA

Observation and Fields of Fire
Cover and Concealment
Obstacles (man made and natural)
Key or Decisive Terrain
Avenues of Approach

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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by kunoichi » Sun Apr 22, 2012 11:08 pm

Very very good thread. I printed this because i can't concentrate when reading texts on the computer.

I have some questions.
1rst--What's "Thieve's Highways"?
2nd-- What does "general threat assessment" mean? I tried google translate, but.. xD
SORRY FOR MY ENGLISH :P
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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Xanatos » Mon Apr 23, 2012 4:00 am

A "Thieve's Highway" is a Night Ops/thief term referring to secret routes that provide easy travel with little chance of being detected. These can range from cutting across a darkened field, using drainage tunnels to travel beneath the streets, travelling across the rooftops above streetlights, running along darkened railway tracks when no trains are approaching, etc. Basically, they're 'highways' for thieves and others who wish to remain unseen.
I believe the term comes from Thief II: The Metal Age in which Garrett states "The rooftops aren't called the 'Thieve's highway' for nothing." He said this in response to Viktoria's claim that getting to the Mechanist tower 'Angelwatch' is almost impossible.

A "general threat assessment" is a term which, as far as I can tell, I seem to have coined. Basically it's a way to gauge a person's threat level just by looking at them. Do they look weak or strong? Are they fast or slow? Do they seem passive or aggressive? Do they look like they know how to fight? If so, what style? Do they seem to be carrying any weapons? If so, what kind? In an emergency, are they more likely to run or fight? And, perhaps most of all, if this person were to attack you would you be able to defeat or run away from them?
Keep in mind this is just a general assessment based on appearance and shouldn't be totally relied upon. After all, appearances can be deceiving.
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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Celtisch » Mon Apr 23, 2012 4:31 am

TL;DR! :D

Will read later, but if it has anything to do with moving around or any real physical activity (running, jumping, etc.) I can't do it. I broke my foot at work and it's killing me.
I read part of it and I understand observation and analyzing, which is definitely something I need to work on these days. In the recent past I have been skipping details, which is obviously not good. :o
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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Neurotic Anomaly » Mon Apr 23, 2012 11:44 pm

Celtisch, it doesn't really have anything to do with running, climbing, jumping, or any other parkour related stunts (unless of course that's what 75+ percent of your day is comprised of). This thread just deals with being generally more keen in all of your senses when going about your normal daily routines such as going to the store, riding your bike, going to work/school, etc. It's a training-type post to get people back into the opping mindset in times when various external or internal pressures have somehow put us off from doing them (like me and my snakebite, for example, which has now healed btw.)

This is a really good thread Xanatos. I think my replies would be not long after the weekly posts since my daily routines are not exactly routine. They vary considerably from day to day.

I'll post next time I return from an errand. I'm not really comfortable sharing details about my room for the sole fact it looks shitacious.
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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Xanatos » Tue Apr 24, 2012 4:19 am

'Daily routine' can be substituted for 'normal life'. Good to hear your wound has healed.

I hope the rest of you are keeping up with this assignment. I'm heading out today and won't be back 'til after midnight so I'll have my work cut out for me. Remember you can submit daily reports here as a sort of training diary or journal or you can save up all your observations for a big Friday post.

Eyes peeled, people, and stay sharp!
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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: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by fx1k » Wed Apr 25, 2012 6:43 am

With my near halt in operation activity, It is apparent that what little operative skills I had eroded. The idea sounds very familiar. I remember being in this operative-type mindset constantly not too long ago, always looking for quick escapes, hiding spots, and OPportunities.

An excellent idea for a thread; kudos. I look forward to doing my homework for, perhaps, the only time in my life. 8)

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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Nukes » Thu Apr 26, 2012 2:51 pm

Something I find appropriate to put on the side besides what I've been observing this week. Today make for an almost perfect day to go opping. A train exploded in the middle of town today so most of the law enforcement and the attention of the whole town since nothing ever happens like that here, is on the train. It's been raining all day as well so not many people are out and about. Just thought i'd be the perfect day to go out on a day op which we do sometimes. Didn't have any place in mind, but taking advantage of things happening around you, such as big distractions like that, can always come in handy.
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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Xanatos » Thu Apr 26, 2012 3:28 pm

That's a "Kansas City Shuffle" if I've ever heard one; everyone looks left, you go right.

Chances are they haven't cleared the wreckage yet. If you guys have time, you may be able to check it out on the weekend or even tonight.
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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Nukes » Fri Apr 27, 2012 12:14 am

Unfortunately people tend to over exaggerate things here so it wasn't as big of an explosion as I thought. We drove by today and it didn't look like it did much damage, but we'll probably go down and check it out sometime tomorrow. https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4AJ3 ... 5257_o.jpg
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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by kunoichi » Fri Apr 27, 2012 11:58 am

Well, it's Friday :P
This whole week I have been practicing Observation in any place I went.
I used to do this some time ago, but lately I have been lazy so I stopped.
Now I wanna be active again (there is an abandonned school near my house and I want to explore it), so I think this topic is really going to help me.
I made a general checklist of environmental observations which I carried with me.
What I realised while Observating is that it makes me feel more sure about myself. Because for instance, in case something happens, I will already know where to go so I won't lose time thinking.
Also, I reduce the possibility of been surprised by the enemy.
I don't know what else to say xD I am just looking forward to the next assignment.
SORRY FOR MY ENGLISH :P
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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Xanatos » Fri Apr 27, 2012 5:07 pm

This week's assignment wasn't too straining, I trust? Hope you've all developed better environmental perception, a skill which will no doubt serve you well.

Right, now is the icky bitty annoying paperwork. I've always got this "tactical vision" turned on so I didn't really notice anything new, although this week's been a good opportunity to critique my performance. I've noticed that I'm not noticing Parkour paths or shortcuts as much anymore, which also reminded me of how little opportunity I've had to train as of late.

I was out for a good 14 hours on Tuesday which gave me a good opportunity to see what the city's like during a standard weekday (not much of a nightlife when compared to more active cities such as London). Although the empty streets did give me a good opportunity to examine the environment with fresh eyes. For one, there are a lot more shadows than I thought there would be despite the number of lights, and I wasn't even wearing my shades that night. Also, with all the people gone, the tunnel that runs beneath the railway tracks at the station makes for a good ambush position (straight, well lit, featureless, only two points of entry).

While roaming the streets I found myself looking up a lot, subconsciously picking out good sniper positions/viewpoints and keeping an eye out for cameras & anyone that may be looking down. Threat analysis is still sharp, when passing potentially hostile individuals my hand always slipped into my pocket and readied my kubaton. Even when passing seemingly harmless individuals my hand always tensed up anyway and my legs had kicks or dodges charged up in preparation for an attack. I also noticed I don't carry myself as subtly as I used to, although there isn't really any 'subtle' way to travel when you walk around dressed like this. (speaking of which, I need a new pair of boot covers)

Post your results people, hopefully you've all gained something from this exercise (provided you weren't lazy enough to not participate). This topic will be unstickied but open - remember; just because this week is over doesn't mean the lesson is.

New assignment on Monday.
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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Nukes » Sun Apr 29, 2012 3:03 pm

In every room I always made sure I had at least 2 exits, and realized that having a glass breaker on my knife could come in handy. Being a smaller woman I wouldn't exactly be comfortable trying to fend for myself against about 50% of the people I come across on a daily basis so it made me realize that I need to start running and working out again and possibly learn some basic self defense. A lot of this stuff may be common sense to other people, but it's stuff that's just become apparent to me, such as getting in the mind set of whoever you're trying to hide/escape from, hiding low or high and avoiding hiding behind structures and rather in foliage.
Day 1: I was in the shower and heard someone come inside (I thought my parents were gone) so I automatically planned my route of escape. I'd grab some lysol or hairspray to use as a distraction if the person were to approach me. I'd make my way to my parents room which is right across from the bathroom, grab my dads handgun and or knife if I saw fit, and make my way out of one of their windows.
Since I don't have much faith in myself when it comes to fighting, I found myself looking for more distractions/obstacles to use such as fire extinguishers, big carts to push in the way, water sprinklers, and most of all using other people's hysteria in the case of an attack to get away (I mean this in a general setting, not if I was out with my fellow oppers)
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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Teutoni » Mon Apr 30, 2012 3:41 am

Actually I got bored and tried this with Nukes the other day in Mcdonalds. We discussed the plan if gunfire were to break out. It was interesting to see how we both had different ideas on what to do. Essentially my idea was to find shelter in a windowless room and to get as close to the floor as possible in the hopes that the violence would just pass by.

Oh and not entirely related but I decided to walk home last night and I immediately switched into an entirely different mindset. I tend to listen to music so I have to stay constantly alert which meant using the lights around me to cast shadows around me to watch for, clearing any shadows and corners, constantly practicing opening my knife, and generally staying in a state of high alertness without trying to act suspicious or really causing any reason to take notice of me.
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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Nukes » Thu May 31, 2012 6:42 pm

I didn't really do this as a "homework assignment" but I didn't find it significant enough to make a new topic out of. Soo... I'm staying on campus for the summer and there were 9 of us playing capture the flag, which I ended up turning into practicing stealth and hiding for myself. I started out guarding the flag and took the time to observe my surroundings (shadows, buildings, people, etc...) as well as listening (I kept hearing something in the woods that sounded like someone working or something, and i confirmed later that other people heard it too.) Finally someone else came by for guard duty, so I sprinted behind a wall. The wall is about 2 feet high, if that, that I was behind. I start army crawling and peek my head up every so often to see if I could see any people from the other team. I spot 2 of them conversing and they end up splitting up. I thought one had saw me since she started walking towards me, but I just laid low and she walked right past me. I walk through the random shadows to get to the other side of the library that I was close to and get on top of the arts building after checking in a few places for the flag. I made the mistake of sprinting to the gym because I did a shitty job of looking for people, so a guy came up behind me, but we made a pact not to tag each other. I made my way up to the side of the gym and was clearing a corner, then saw a girl walking towards me so i tip toe to the grass and start sprinting again. (somehow she didn't see me. I think she was preoccupied with a frog she caught) I jog about a quarter of a mile to the other side of campus towards the dorms. Nothing too significant other than the fact that something started running next to me in the woods while I was jogging (scared the hell out of me.)
After an hour and a half neither team found the flag and we all went in to do homework like good students. We're playing an actual game of manhunt (which everyone around here classifies as hide and seek in the dark) tonight, so I know not the be fucktarded and sprint all over the place. But, overall it was good experience to get back in the swing of things.
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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Xanatos » Fri Jun 01, 2012 8:06 am

Stealth games are always a good & fun way to build opping experience. There was a thread of op games somewhere around here...
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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by n1ghtshade » Wed Oct 03, 2012 3:54 am

This one was pretty easy for me as I always seem to done ever since the beginning of high school when me and my friends used to play an assassination esque game. Kinda got me into the mindset to always mind my surroundings. Friends hate me know because I always have to sit looking at the main exit and being near another exit or some other escape route. I also have a annoying tendency of sneaking up on people without even knowing because of the way I walk, staying to quieter routes and just having a quiet walk in general.

Thanks for posting these, i'll look into the other ones soon in hopes of getting back into shape for opping at a normal rate :P

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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Xanatos » Wed Oct 03, 2012 7:47 am

n1ghtshade wrote:I also have a annoying tendency of sneaking up on people without even knowing because of the way I walk, staying to quieter routes and just having a quiet walk in general.
Hah, I do that too. In highschool I seemed to have a knack of appearing & disappearing right in front of people.
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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Absent » Thu Nov 28, 2013 5:43 am

At work (I work in a public place) I'm always watching people. Always ready. Not sure what for, but
it's been a habit of mine. I also always sit against a wall if I can. I try not to let people get behind me
if I can help it. These are decent habits to have, especially if you have enemies or anything like that.
Over the next week I'll definitely be adding a lot of what was in the OP to my habits. I haven't really been
looking at possible routes or weapons in my area unless I actually think someone looks suspicious enough.
Until now anyway... This is definitely a great idea.

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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Xanatos » Thu Nov 28, 2013 8:42 am

Keeping yourself from being flanked is a useful habit to have on an op. Not only does it prevent any other lurkers or savvy guards sneaking up on you, but you'll be minimising your silhouette by default.
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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Absent » Mon Dec 02, 2013 1:37 am

I've been reminding myself every time I go into a new place to take mental notes and plan, and given that I'm already prone to assessing other people, the transition wasn't very hard. I think I'll move on to the next one and keep at this, although it seems like I'm adjusting to the new ways of assessing surroundings pretty quickly.

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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Xanatos » Mon Dec 02, 2013 7:48 am

It's difficult to get in the habit of doing so in everyday life when your mind is usually busy with other shit to think about, but on Night Ops that's all you should be thinking about. On my last op I had a constant stream of thoughts which went something like:
thoughts.png
Coming up with a mental checklist should help you organise your observations.
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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Woden » Wed Feb 12, 2014 6:45 pm

Reading this thread reminds me how much I have lost touch with my senses over a few years of inactivity.

I used to be very aware of my surroundings, often seeing a fight happen before it got physical (if you know what I mean) and the herd being totally unaware of the situation that was about to arise. Always, almost instinctively avoiding areas that would make me an easy target for an ambush. Prepared and ready to surprise any potential attacker that was approaching/passing by. This all in day to day life when not on operations.

Even when not casing a place I could not help but notice security they had in place. I could go in a standard retail store and almost immediately pick up on CCTV locations and alarms systems. Also how aware employees/guards where of their surroundings.

Shit. I miss this. Years of inactivity both physically and mentally I have appeared to have lost my touch. I just hope it comes back to me in the near future as I 'Re-Train' myself.

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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by newb-NO » Wed Feb 26, 2014 10:39 pm

I'm new here about a week from zoklet bad ideas because I saw some op threads and was really intrigued, I found this thread and have took mental notes I have genuinely found myself scanning for cameras and routes to take often multiple routes I'm about to take a look at assignment 2

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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Xanatos » Thu Feb 27, 2014 7:11 am

Ah, welcome aboard. Are you familiar with Night Ops at all or did you just discover it on Zoklet?
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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by eternally_on » Fri Apr 11, 2014 6:04 am

Observation is something I'm very familiar with. After reading this post, though, it's almost as if my observation skills have been revamped. I'm seeing new paths I haven't seen before, both in physical movement and social movement. Exits are constantly noted. I'm also back to automatically noting each obstacle I can put in between my supposed attackers and myself, it's great. Thanks for posting this series, Xanatos.

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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Xanatos » Fri Apr 11, 2014 10:03 am

Nessun problema.
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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Pontifleviticus » Sat Nov 21, 2015 7:48 pm

Making this post for future homework updates. I generally do an environmental assessment everywhere I go but everyone can use a bit of a refresher every now and then.

Anyway this will be great for sharpening my observational skills. Quality OP m8.

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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Wind » Sun Nov 15, 2020 3:48 pm

I know this is an 8 year-old post; however, I am new to the site and appreciate the structure of these assignments.

What follows is my record of this practice. My post will be tl;dr; however, I am making it for myself and wanted to show my appreciations of Xanatos' work by doing a thorough job. I chose to try to focus on everything recommended on each day but to also have a few specific focuses for each day.

Assignment Week 1: Observation

SUNDAY
Focuses:
1. Light sources
2. Light levels and shadow areas
3. Hidespots
4. Areas of ambush
What I relearned: There are often good hidespots behind light sources.
What I learned: My neighborhood has lighting at several levels: toward the top of buildings or streetlight height, front porch lights, passing car headlights, and garden-level lights. The strength, angle, and height of the light affects the size, shape, and darkness of the shadows cast. The layering of these lights makes for a complex area to move through if trying to stay in darkened areas.
What surprised me: Oftentimes, in my neighborhood, the darkest shadows were in the road, not near buildings.
Other observations: I smelled a controlled leaf fire someone had two blocks away. Additionally, as I walked by people’s windows, I could surmise what political affiliations people had based on what they were watching on TV.

MONDAY
Focuses:
1. Powerboxes
2. Routes of escape/entry
What I relearned: Following railroad tracks or powerlines, instead of sidewalks and streets, to traverse a town is a form of ground-level thieves’ highway.
What I learned: Some parts of my neighborhood have above ground power lines, and other parts have underground power.
What surprised me: How little I think about the electricity we use everyday.
Other observations: I smelled a teenage boy from across the street due to his cologne. Also, I found that a smile goes a long way in disarming most people in many situations that could at first make a person look somewhat suspicious.

TUESDAY
Focuses:
1. Avenues of escape while driving
2. Cover options while driving
What I relearned: The importance of maintaining distance between my vehicle and other vehicles, even at traffic lights.
What I learned: When possible, it is important to position my car in such a way that gives me access to multiple open areas of egress. There are many places I could drive through that are not normally thought of as throughways.
What surprised me: Cover (in this case, thinking about cover from gunfire) is not as easy to find with a car as I would have guessed. In fact, most of the cover I found would have limited my avenues of escape.
Other observations: I need to start keeping my gas tank at least half full for possible emergency situations.

WEDNESDAY
Focuses:
1. Security measures
2. Threat assessment
What I relearned: There are an increasingly alarming number of cameras in today’s world.
What I learned: Using my car to get me relatively close to a mission site may not be as feasible as I thought it would be because of all the cameras.
What surprised me: How widely different threat levels are from different members of our species. Some, if attacked, would likely not give out a single bleat. Others would scream their heads off. Some could sprint; others run marathons; and some could barely walk around the block. Some would go instantly to claws and teeth. Others would utilize trained skills. And some are packing heat.
Other observations: People tell you a lot about themselves through their clothing. For example, one woman I passed on my walk was wearing fitness clothes and had a kubaton (a feeble self-defense tool at best) attached to her keychain. My guess about her based on her clothes and kubaton was that she might do cardio kickboxing and has likely attended a women’s self-defense class. Wish more people did something to prepare themselves like this woman.

THURSDAY
Focuses:
1. Obstacles
2. Surfaces
What I relearned: Surfaces that are too slick or too grippy are not ideal for kicks that involve a pivot like the round kick.
What I learned: The primary indoor obstacles I experience are walls, stairs, people, chairs, tables, and other furniture.
The primary outdoor obstacles I experience are buildings, stairs, fences, places with awkward footings, cars, trees, busy roads, and bodies of water.
The primary indoor flooring surfaces I experience are wood, tile, laminate, linoleum, concrete, stone, and carpet.
The primary outdoor surfaces I experience are concrete, asphalt, peebles, and grass.
What surprised me: How much stuff is strun throughout my neighbor that would be easy to trip on if retreating backwards.
Other observations: I spent a lot of time today observing and correcting my walking gait and posture.

FRIDAY
Focuses:
1. Light and shadow
2. Areas of ambush
What I relearned: To use shadows to help watch my six.
What I learned: I watched a lot of National Geographic and noticed that most predators attack from behind, which can make even wide open spaces areas of ambush. I want to practice being more vigilant about covering my six.
What surprised me: My entire neighbor feels like it could be areas of ambush; however, most areas also have an easy exit if it is not blocked.
Other observations: As per a news report, violent home invasions are on a rise in my area.

SATURDAY
Focus:
1. Improvised weapons
Most interesting improvised weapons I observed:
Thrown: Cat
Blunt: Iron bar garden hanging plant holder
Flexible: Water hose with a steel sprinkler attached to it
Cutting: Hedge pruning shears

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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Sicarius » Sun Nov 15, 2020 7:44 pm

Good post, but let me check if I am reading it correctly; Did you say a cat was a good throwing weapon lmao?
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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Wind » Sun Nov 15, 2020 8:42 pm

Sicarius wrote:
Sun Nov 15, 2020 7:44 pm
Good post, but let me check if I am reading it correctly; Did you say a cat was a good throwing weapon lmao?
Well, yes, in a very dire situation :D But, mostly, I was just checking to see if anyone would read my terribly long post.

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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Xanatos » Mon Nov 16, 2020 5:43 am

I often carry a cat or two in my pockets for possible self-defence situations. Cats naturally like curling up in tight, dark, preferably warm spaces so they're comfortable for both the carrier and cat. And while traditional thrown weapons (knives, bo-shuriken, etc) are sometimes difficult to hit point-first, since cats always land on their feet you're guaranteed to hit claw-first every time you throw one.

You did good, Wind. It's astonishing how complex any given environment is when you look at it through the right lens. The goal of these exercises is to turn this 'dark vision' into an unconscious action. Anyone who does Parkour, for example, looks at their environment through a movement-oriented lens. Where others see obstacles, they see paths & routes that no one else would take.
Or people who take self-defence/CQC/CC courses analyse people & environments in a combat-oriented fashion; is this person carrying a weapon? Do they look threatening? Would they be able to handle themselves in a fight? What's cover and what's concealment? What weapons/tools do I have at my disposal here? What are my best flanking options? How many ways are there in & out of here?

As Night Operatives we see the world through a stealth lens, which incorporates elements of the above two lenses - namely threat identification & analysis and how best to navigate to avoid detection (which may involve the Parkour mindset of moving where nobody else would think to look).
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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Wind » Mon Nov 16, 2020 11:40 am

Xanatos wrote:
Mon Nov 16, 2020 5:43 am
I often carry a cat or two in my pockets for possible self-defence situations. Cats naturally like curling up in tight, dark, preferably warm spaces so they're comfortable for both the carrier and cat. And while traditional thrown weapons (knives, bo-shuriken, etc) are sometimes difficult to hit point-first, since cats always land on their feet you're guaranteed to hit claw-first every time you throw one.
Thanks for the feedback! I have only been carrying one cat in my hoodie pocket. I'll have to try two. :lol: Seriously though, the idea of developing stealth vision for the way we view the world is something I look forward to continue to develop.

Thanks also for these assignments. I have found them fun and useful.

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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Sicarius » Tue Nov 17, 2020 1:49 am

Next time I see a stray cat I will make sure to give it some treats and put it in my pouch, so I can throw it at some poor employee taking out the trash at 1 AM :)
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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by NewGuy » Wed Jul 28, 2021 7:21 am

Day 1
- There were two bears chilling in the front yard today, I decided to sneak out the back and use a nearby slope to sneak around to my car.
- I work doordash, and decided to keep an eye on how many employees were working at each place today - 6 at chipotle - 4 at mcdonalds, along with people complaining about calloffs - 7-8 at the bakery - 4-7 at applebees (couldn't get the best look into their kitchens in a timely manner)
- Working doordash I learned quickly that backing into spots allows for a quick exit, however today I realized that it's optimal to find a spot where you could either back out/go forward as needed... I backed into a spot, just to be stuck there for about 15 minutes on the way out as someone got into an accident right in front of my vehicle, but now I know better.
- I delivered food to a factory worker who was supposed to meet me out front, she wasn't answering her phone, so I tailgated someone inside. There were signs everywhere saying authorized personnel only. It was around this time that I looked over into the IT room, All of the IT guys seemed to be wearing whatever they wanted, no dress code. I was in disguise without even trying. So long as I acted like I was supposed to be there nobody would bat an eye, good practice for social engineering. I did end up finding her, and her reaction was pretty funny.
- Spent part of the night following my cat around with all of the lights out. She blends in fairly well, so it was up to sound/touch to keep track of her. It was here that I noticed how fast my eyes adapt to the darkness. In a few minutes it went from pitch black to the point where I could see properly.
- There are three exits to the home that don't involve windows. If someone were to come into the main entrance there are three viable points of cover in that room, behind the banana plant, behind/under the dining table, and hanging from the stairwell. The third option would be the optimal place to stage an ambush, or to run away.
- There is an array of screwdrivers on the counter downstairs, next to the dart board. Darts and screwdrivers, both good options for defense/offense. However, the only good option for cover here, besides being in another room, was being behind the counter, it's an L shaped counter meaning there is only one exit unless you want to expose yourself by hopping over it. There is a spot by the coffee tables where you could hide, but it's visible from most angles, and leaves little option for flight. In theory you could go to the bathroom/laundry room, and shampoo in the eyes is never pleasant, and I'm not sure what bleach would do to the eyes, but I can't imagine it's good.
-There were cameras in every building I looked, but I also noticed what appeared to be a few fake cameras, as they had flashing LED's while it was light out, since I used to work security I know that it's normally a dead giveaway for fake cameras. I even noticed one that was just some cardboard and a tube spraypainted to look like a camera.


Main takeaways
- Always have more than 1 exit strategy, as inevitably your plans will go wrong
- Social engineering is a godsend
- Need more experience using senses like touch/hearing, dang cat was hard to keep track of

A tip about security guards from a former security guard
- In my experience guards are laziest during the final hour of their shift, and in many cases are even called by their supervisor to stop patrols all together, as they want everyone to be immediately ready for the next shift to take over.

Not sure how often I'll be posting, this is my first time ever posting in a forum. But this homework assignment seems like fun! I do know for sure that I'll at least lurk here more in the future.

Tomorrow (today) I will probably be looking for things like electrical boxes, or thieves highways. I remember spotting a few ladders in odd places last time I walked through town, that will be my first point of interest.

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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Xanatos » Wed Jul 28, 2021 8:35 am

That's a lot of takeaway info for one day, you're picking it up quickly.
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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by NewGuy » Thu Jul 29, 2021 5:39 am

Day 2
-Walked down an unfamiliar road, there was a dilapidated house that was padlocked from the outside. The lawn was overgrown, and the windows boarded shut, no vehicles anywhere nearby. Might have to post outside of it for a while to see if anyone comes in/out.
-Found a few alleyways so poorly taken care of that they're mostly shrubbery, would make for excellent cover in a thieves highway, one was particularly interesting as it had a no trespassing sign on it, and was even fenced off. If anyone wanted to peek in it would take a fair amount of effort, it stretched out a long distance as well.
- Several roads are closed off, and are filled with tables and chairs. I don't know what's going on, but at least temporarily they make a good way to avoid cars while on foot.
- There are a series of ladders leading up to the roof of a bank, and its electrical boxes.
- Behind a bar there is a staircase with a roof, if you were to climb on top of it you would have roof access to 5+ buildings easily.
- I noticed some jets of water coming from a spot in the river, upon closer inspection they were small storm drains, might have to come back later with a kayak and do some exploring
- Behind the church are some alleys nearly impossible to view from the road, no cameras, and has access to the backdoor of the water department. They seem to have no electronic security, so it may be a good place to hide.
- There is a parking ramp with easy roof access, if one were to bring equipment to traverse heavy power lines, let's say rubber gloves, you could make it a surprising distance before forced to get down.
- There is a fence style retaining wall in the woods, this makes it easy to climb up the cliff, at the top is a road.
- All of the electrical boxes in town seem to be placed with the idea of "I don't want the customers to see it" rather than security. The only "secure" one had enough bars missing from the door to allow nearly anyone to easily slip through.

Main Takeaways
- Thieves Highways are everywhere
- Electrical boxes are very unsecure

I have no specific things I'm looking for tomorrow, but I do plan on touring the woods near my home, so that's likely what I'll be writing on.

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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by NewGuy » Thu Jul 29, 2021 6:02 am

I feel I should also mention that I noticed the colors of the town, as in the buildings. The majority of them were an almost khaki color on the lower end, becoming red brick as they got higher. If I were to dress in similar colors, without becoming ridiculous, I could have both kinds of camouflage in the same outfit. I would blend in with the people and the environment.

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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Xanatos » Thu Jul 29, 2021 11:19 am

That's a lot of alleyways. Where do you live, Sin City?

Also, khaki/tan/coyote brown are very common colours in today's everyday fashion. You wouldn't look out of place at all.
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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by NewGuy » Thu Jul 29, 2021 8:21 pm

Nah, just a small town with a lot of historical buildings people have to awkwardly build around. It has lead to a lot of unnecessary alleys.

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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by NewGuy » Fri Jul 30, 2021 5:12 am

Day 3
Today was lighter than usual due to wildfires nearby, the air is too smokey to safely breathe for too long.

During my short trek into the woods before going back I made a point to take notice of the different types of terrain, and how well they dampened the sounds of my footsteps

Moss is the big one here, it almost completely cushioned my steps.

There was a lot of junk in the woods, empty barrels and the like. I could likely use these as hiding spots, storage, or places to collect rainwater if I so chose.

I decided to cut today's exploration short, again due to hazardous air.

I didn't really take notice of much more than I wouldn't have already talked about in previous posts


Main takeaway
Keep track of each type of terrain, and how they affect movement, such as how fast you can move on it while making little noise

I might try the woods again tomorrow, however that depends on how the fire goes, and what happens to the air

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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Sicarius » Fri Jul 30, 2021 11:50 am

Piece of advice, watch out in some areas for homeless people. They typically prefer urban areas, specifically the parts that are neglected like that alleyway with shrubs and stuff. I would advise to carry a baton or knife just in case. I am sure most would shit their pants at seeing some ninja-looking guy masked up, but you never know who just snorted their 7th line of cocaine that day and wont feel fear or your knife, so best to be wary.
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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Shadow Scout » Fri Jul 30, 2021 6:27 pm

.
Last edited by Shadow Scout on Mon Jan 15, 2024 12:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by NewGuy » Fri Jul 30, 2021 9:19 pm

I never go anywhere without some sort of defense! I'm not too worried, I'm on great terms with the homeless in the area, the winters get harsh and I have saved more than one from hypothermia. I think they appreciate that I was the only guard who didn't treat them like dirt, the other guards are one of the reasons I left actually.

However there is room for worry, it's not common, but common enough to be looked out for. Some criminals, especially drug dealers, will get strung out homeless people to do their dirty work for a hit.

I tend to use the gray man philosophy when it comes to clothing, so I doubt I would ever be ninja'd up, I'm thinking of picking up skills in using prosthetic makeup to keep my identity secret while looking normal.

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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Sicarius » Fri Jul 30, 2021 9:51 pm

NewGuy wrote:
Fri Jul 30, 2021 9:19 pm
I never go anywhere without some sort of defense! I'm not too worried, I'm on great terms with the homeless in the area, the winters get harsh and I have saved more than one from hypothermia. I think they appreciate that I was the only guard who didn't treat them like dirt, the other guards are one of the reasons I left actually.

However there is room for worry, it's not common, but common enough to be looked out for. Some criminals, especially drug dealers, will get strung out homeless people to do their dirty work for a hit.

I tend to use the gray man philosophy when it comes to clothing, so I doubt I would ever be ninja'd up, I'm thinking of picking up skills in using prosthetic makeup to keep my identity secret while looking normal.
For me, going ninja'd up is half the fun :wink:
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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by NewGuy » Sat Jul 31, 2021 3:56 am

Day 4

With the wildfires still going on, I decided to go into town again, but this time at night.

- I noticed that after a certain level there are significantly less lights, keeping most roofs cloaked in shadow
- There was a single unopened paintbrush on every roof I visited, is this someones calling card? Is it a plan in progress?
- I noticed a freemasons logo painted subtly on a wall next to an unmarked building, it's nearly the same color as the wall. It could be a lodge, or former lodge, they tend to have one in every town.
-A lot of the lights near the pier have a hollow part of it, these are likely good places to store gear for expeditions
- There are a lot of tourists here for this time of year, normally we don't get any until the fall. There is less to do here than ever, so what could be causing this influx of people?

Main takeaway
- Light levels are severely reduced at night the higher up you go, at least in this town, I would need to explore others before I start making broad claims.


Tomorrow I think I'll explore during the twilight hours and see how that affects light levels, when the street lights turn off, but the sun has yet to completely rise. And if the weather allows (the sky has been nothing but smoke for about a week) I'll pay attention to how the position of the moon/sun affects the placement of shadows.

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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by NewGuy » Sun Aug 01, 2021 9:51 am

Day 5

Not much new today, got distracted

- However I did notice a weird effect during the twilight hours. It was more difficult to see down than up, if I was looking down on something where the light has yet to hit properly it was harder to see than I thought it would be, this is likely because you can't get proper night vision with the sun being partly out.

Main Takeaway
- Though the timing would have to be precise, twilight could be an excellent time for an op

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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by Xanatos » Mon Aug 02, 2021 3:43 am

This is a common phenomenon. It's easier to see things the lower you are. Not too sure of the physics behind it, but crouching makes it better to scan your environment.
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Re: Night Ops: 1st Homework Assignment

Post by NewGuy » Mon Aug 02, 2021 10:13 am

I meant it has a more pronounced effect, it was bright enough to get rid of peoples night vision, but the shadows were more pronounced on the lower end due to the sun just starting to rise. It seems like the perfect combo, get rid of peoples night vision while creating more large shadows!


Day 6

Spent the whole day studying, drawing, and playing video games. I rarely left my desk.

- Noticed the contents on the back of a bag on sunflower seeds. They are high calorie for the amount you need to put into yourself. I'm thinking I might grind them into a powder and add them to a few recipes I use to make high calorie/protein/fat snacks I carry in my EDC.
- I couldn't find my drawing glove to work with my tablet, so I decided to use an old mask from early covid as a makeshift one, the drawing gloves only cover the lower hand after all, you don't really need to cover the fingers for them to work. The adjustable straps allowed me to easily wrap it around my palm and wrist. The glove is just so you don't smudge the tablet.
- I read somewhere that red light affects your night vision significantly less than normal light. I decided to test this, and it seems to be true! I took two flashlights, one red, and one normal. After sitting in the dark for half an hour to let my eyes grow accustomed to it, I would turn on the flashlight and test out which worked better. While the normal one let me see better while it was on, the red one didn't kill my night vision when I turned it off.

Main takeaways

- If I have to use a flashlight I should pick one with a red light when applicable. Though the more intense light of a regular flashlight could be a great offense/defense
- It's foolish to think that a tool only has one use
- I could upgrade my emergency food! Could be handy for anything more long term.

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