Murphys Law of Combat Operations

1. Friendly fire - isn't.

2. Recoilless rifles - aren't.
3. Suppressive fires - won't.
4. You are not Superman; arines and fi!"ter pilots ta#e note.
$. % suc#in! c"est wound is &ature's way of tellin! you to slow down.
'. (f it's stupid )ut it wor#s* it isn't stupid.
+. ,ry to loo# unimportant; t"e enemy may )e low on ammo and not want to waste a )ullet on
you.
-. (f at first you don't succeed* call in an air stri#e.
.. (f you are forward of your position* your artillery will fall s"ort.
1/. &ever s"are a fo0"ole wit" anyone )raver t"an yourself.
11. &ever !o to )ed wit" anyone cra1ier t"an yourself.
12. &ever for!et t"at your weapon was made )y t"e lowest )idder.
13. (f your attac# is !oin! really well* it's an am)us".
14. ,"e enemy diversion you're i!norin! is t"eir main attac#.
1$. ,"e enemy invaria)ly attac#s on two occasions2
a. 3"en t"ey're ready. ). 3"en you're not.
1'. &o 456%& ever survives initial contact.
1+. ,"ere is no suc" t"in! as a perfect plan.
1-. Five second fuses always )urn t"ree seconds.
1.. ,"ere is no suc" t"in! as an at"eist in a fo0"ole.
2/. % retreatin! enemy is pro)a)ly 7ust fallin! )ac# and re!roupin!.
21. ,"e important t"in!s are always simple; t"e simple are always "ard.
22. ,"e easy way is always mined.
23. ,eamwor# is essential; it !ives t"e enemy ot"er people to s"oot at.
24. 8on't loo# conspicuous; it draws fire. For t"is reason* it is not at all uncommon for aircraft
carriers to )e #nown as )om) ma!nets.
2$. &ever draw fire; it irritates everyone around you.
2'. (f you are s"ort of everyt"in! )ut t"e enemy* you are in t"e com)at 1one.
2+. 3"en you "ave secured t"e area* ma#e sure t"e enemy #nows it too.
2-. (ncomin! fire "as t"e ri!"t of way.
2.. &o com)at ready unit "as ever passed inspection.
3/. &o inspection ready unit "as ever passed com)at.
31. (f t"e enemy is wit"in ran!e* so are you.
32. ,"e only t"in! more accurate t"an incomin! enemy fire is incomin! friendly fire.
33. ,"in!s w"ic" must )e s"ipped to!et"er as a set* aren't.
34. ,"in!s t"at must wor# to!et"er* can't )e carried to t"e field t"at way.
3$. Radios will fail as soon as you need fire support.
3'. Radar tends to fail at ni!"t and in )ad weat"er* and especially durin! )ot"9.
3+. %nyt"in! you do can !et you #illed* includin! not"in!.
3-. a#e it too tou!" for t"e enemy to !et in* and you won't )e a)le to !et out.
3.. ,racers wor# )ot" ways.
4/. (f you ta#e more t"an your fair s"are of o)7ectives* you will !et more t"an your fair s"are of
o)7ectives to ta#e.
41. 3"en )ot" sides are convinced t"ey're a)out to lose* t"ey're )ot" ri!"t.
42. 5rofessional soldiers are predicta)le; t"e world is full of dan!erous amateurs.
43. ilitary (ntelli!ence is a contradiction.
44. Fortify your front; you'll !et your rear s"ot up.
4$. 3eat"er ain't neutral.
4'. (f you can't remem)er* t"e :laymore is pointed towards you.
4+. %ir defense motto2 s"oot 'em down; sort 'em out on t"e !round.
4-. 'Flies "i!"* it dies; low and slow* it'll !o'.
4.. ,"e :avalry doesn't always come to t"e rescue.
$/. &apalm is an area support weapon.
$1. ines are e;ual opportunity weapons.
$2. <-$2s are t"e ultimate close support weapon.
$3. Sniper's motto2 reac" out and touc" someone.
$4. =illin! for peace is li#e screwin! for vir!inity.
$$. ,"e one item you need is always in s"ort supply.
$'. (nterc"an!ea)le parts aren't.
$+. (t's not t"e one wit" your name on it; it's t"e one addressed >to w"om it may concern>
you've !ot to t"in# a)out.
$-. 3"en in dou)t* empty your ma!a1ine.
$.. ,"e side wit" t"e simplest uniforms wins.
'/. :om)at will occur on t"e !round )etween two ad7oinin! maps.
'1. (f t"e 5latoon Ser!eant can see you* so can t"e enemy.
'2. &ever stand w"en you can sit* never sit w"en you can lie down* never stay awa#e w"en
you can sleep.
'3. ,"e most dan!erous t"in! in t"e world is a Second 6ieutenant wit" a map and a compass.
'4. ?0ceptions prove t"e rule* and destroy t"e )attle plan.
'$. ?veryt"in! always wor#s in your @A* everyt"in! always fails in t"e :olonel's @A.
''. ,"e enemy never watc"es until you ma#e a mista#e.
'+. 4ne enemy soldier is never enou!"* )ut two is entirely too many.
'-. % clean Band dry9 set of <8C's is a ma!net for mud and rain.
'.. ,"e worse t"e weat"er* t"e more you are re;uired to )e out in it.
+/. 3"enever you "ave plenty of ammo* you never miss. 3"enever you are low on ammo* you
can't "it t"e )road side of a )arn.
+1. ,"e more a weapon costs* t"e fart"er you will "ave to send it away to )e repaired.
+2. ,"e comple0ity of a weapon is inversely proportional to t"e (A of t"e weapon's operator.
+3. Field e0perience is somet"in! you don't !et until 7ust after you need it.
+4. &o matter w"ic" way you "ave to marc"* its always up"ill.
+$. (f enou!" data is collected* a )oard of in;uiry can prove anyt"in!.
+'. For every action* t"ere is an e;ual and opposite criticism. Bin )oot camp9
++. %ir stri#es always overs"oot t"e tar!et* artillery always falls s"ort.
+-. 3"en reviewin! t"e radio fre;uencies t"at you 7ust wrote down* t"e most important ones
are always ille!i)le.
+.. ,"ose w"o "esitate under fire usually do not end up =(% or 3(%.
-/. ,"e tou!" part a)out )ein! an officer is t"at t"e troops don't #now w"at t"ey want* )ut t"ey
#now for certain w"at t"ey don't want.
-1. ,o steal information from a person is called pla!iarism. ,o steal information from t"e enemy
is called !at"erin! intelli!ence.
-2. ,"e weapon t"at usually 7ams w"en you need it t"e most is t"e '/.
-3. ,"e perfect officer for t"e 7o) will transfer in t"e day after t"at )illet is filled )y someone
else.
-4. 3"en you "ave sufficient supplies D ammo* t"e enemy ta#es 2 wee#s to attac#. 3"en you are low on supplies D ammo t"e enemy
decides to attac# t"at ni!"t.
-$. ,"e newest and least e0perienced soldier will usually win t"e edal of @onor.
-'. % 5urple @eart 7ust proves t"at were you smart enou!" to t"in# of a plan* stupid enou!" to
try it* and luc#y enou!" to survive.
-+. urp"y was a !runt.
--. <eer at" --E 2 )eers times 3+ men e;uals 4. cases.
-.. <ody count at" --E 3 !uerrillas plus 1 pro)a)le plus 2 pi!s e;uals 3+ enemies #illed in
action.
./. ,"e )urstin! radius of a "and !renade is always one foot !reater t"an your 7umpin! ran!e.
.1. %ll-weat"er close air support doesn't wor# in )ad weat"er.
.2. ,"e com)at wort" of a unit is inversely proportional to t"e smartness of its outfit and
appearance.
.3. ,"e crucial round is a dud.
.4. ?very command w"ic" can )e misunderstood* will )e.
.$. ,"ere is no suc" place as a convenient fo0"ole.
.'. 8on't ever )e t"e first* don't ever )e t"e last and don't ever volunteer to do anyt"in!.
.+. (f your positions are firmly set and you are prepared to ta#e t"e enemy assault on* "e will
)ypass you.
.-. (f your am)us" is properly set* t"e enemy won't wal# into it.
... (f your flan# marc" is !oin! well* t"e enemy e0pects you to outflan# "im.
1//. 8ensity of fire increases proportionally to t"e curiousness of t"e tar!et.
1/1. 4dd o)7ects attract fire - never lur# )e"ind one.
1/2. ,"e more stupid t"e leader is* t"e more important missions "e is ordered to carry out.
1/3. ,"e self-importance of a superior is inversely proportional to "is position in t"e "ierarc"y
Bas is "is deviousness and misc"ievousness9.
1/4. ,"ere is always a way* and it usually doesn't wor#.
1/$. Success occurs w"en no one is loo#in!* failure occurs w"en t"e Feneral is watc"in!.
1/'. ,"e enemy never monitors your radio fre;uency until you )roadcast on an unsecured
c"annel.
1/+. 3"enever you drop your e;uipment in a fire-fi!"t* your ammo and !renades always fall t"e fart"est away* and your canteen always
lands at your feet.
1/-. %s soon as you are served "ot c"ow in t"e field* it rains.
1/.. &ever tell t"e 5latoon Ser!eant you "ave not"in! to do.
11/. ,"e seriousness of a wound Bin a fire-fi!"t9 is inversely proportional to t"e distance to any
form of cover.
111. 3al#in! point G sniper )ait.
112. Your )ivouac for t"e ni!"t is t"e spot w"ere you !ot tired of marc"in! t"at day.
113. (f only one solution can )e found for a field pro)lem* t"en it is usually a stupid solution.
114. Radios function perfectly until you need fire support.
11$. 3"at !ets you promoted from one ran# !ets you #illed in t"e ne0t ran#.
11'. 4dd o)7ects attract fire. You are odd.
11+. Your mortar )arra!e will put e0actly one round on t"e intended tar!et. ,"at round will )e
a dud
11-. ine fields are not neutral.
11.. ,"e wei!"t of your e;uipment is proportional to t"e time you "ave )een carryin! it.
12/. ,"in!s t"at must )e to!et"er to wor# can never )e s"ipped to!et"er.
121. (f you need an officer in a "urry ta#e a nap.
122. ,"e effective #illin! radius is !reater t"an t"e avera!e soldier can t"row it.
123. 5rofessionals are predicta)le* its t"e amateurs t"at are dan!erous.
124. &o matter w"ic" way you "ave to marc"* its always up"ill.
12$. ,"e worse t"e weat"er* t"e more you are re;uired to )e out in it.
12'. ,"e ;uartermaster "as only two si1es* too lar!e and too small. Bor >on order>9
12+. ,"e only time suppressive fire wor#s is w"en it is used on a)andoned positions.
12-. 3"en a front line soldier over"ears two Feneral Staff officers conferrin!
"e "as fallen )ac# too far.
12.. 8on't ever )e t"e first* don't ever )e t"e last* and don't ever volunteer to do anyt"in!.
13/. (f at first you don't succeed* t"en )om) disposal pro)a)ly isn't for you.
131. %ny s"ip can )e a minesweeper once.
132. 3"enever you lose contact wit" t"e enemy* loo# )e"ind you.
133. (f you find yourself in front of your platoon t"ey #now somet"in! you don't.
134. ,"e seriousness of a wound Bin a firefi!"t9 is inversely proportional to t"e distance to any
form of cover.
13$. ,"e more stupid t"e leader is* t"e more important missions "e is ordered to carry out.
13'. 3"en t"e pin is pulled* r. Frenade is not your friend.
13+ 3"en t"e enemy is closin!* t"e artillery will always )e to lon!
13- Smart )om)s "ave )ad days too.
13. Cncratin! and assem)ly instructions are always inside t"e crate.
14/ (f you "ave a personality conflict wit" your superior2 "e "as t"e personality* you "ave t"e
conflict.
141 (f you enter t"e :4's 5resence wit" an idea* you will leave "is 5resence wit" t"e :4's
idea.
142. %ll or any of t"e urp"ys 6aws a)ove com)ined.