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Principles of Fighting at Night
Remembering that many, if not
most, fights occur at night or
in dimly lit areas, Derek
McDonald offers these principles
of low light combat:
1. Read the light.
Rarely are you in any area that
is truly dark or light is
totally absent. Learn to
recognize the varying levels of
light in your environment.
Where are the partially lit
areas? Are your backlit by
door, window or other source
(like your patrol car
headlights)?
2. Dark holes are dangerous.
"All dark holes contain threats"
should be your mantra when
moving in and around low light
environments. Any area that is
too dark to see into should be
considered an area in which a
possible threat could emerge.
3. See from the aggressor's
viewpoint.
Try
and put yourself in the bad
guy's position and visualize
what your position looks like
from his vantage point. This is
easier to do once you gain
experience and an appreciation
for point #1 above.
4. Move to the lowest level of
light.
Again, this follows from your
awareness of point #1. Move out
of the light into the shadows.
McDonald says that "time in the
light equals time as a target".
Use the dark spots for
concealment and to try to gain
an advantage over the
aggressor. This means you need
to get out of doorways and other
fatal funnels as quickly as
possible.
5. Light and move.
Your flashlight serves as a
useful tool when used correctly,
but it can become a liability if
you allow your opponent to use
it as a beacon to fix your
location. Don't be a "walking
lighthouse". Use your light in
brief flashes to search the dark
spots and to allow you to
navigate to a new location.
6. Intermittent use of light at
random heights.
McDonald says studies show that
opponents naturally shoot at
your flashlight if you
continually have it
illuminated. Strobe the
flashlight on an off and move it
around randomly -- high to low,
away from your centerline -- to
confuse the opponent. Strive to
present an unpredictable target
for your adversary.
7. Never allow yourself to be
backlit
This is probably the number one
no-no according to McDonald.
(McDonald's principles are
particularly true in the armed
environment, but, ironically,
I've found from experience that
it's completely different in the
empty hand environment.) Do
not stop in doorways and be
aware of a partner backlighting
you with his flashlight.
8. Dominate with light.
McDonald allows for two
exceptions to use a constant
light; when you are heavily
backlit and cannot move, and
when your subject has been
located and is no threat because
he is in no position to fire
(again, McDonald's emphasis on
the armed opponent). Use
your light to shine into an
opponent's eyes to blind him and
dazzle him with your light.
(I've found, again from
experience, that most people
react very belligerently and,
sometimes, violently to having a
light aimed at their eyes...get
ready for a fight here.)
9. Breathe and relax.
You
will tend to hyperventilate when
faced with a life-threatening
event. "Breath control is the
key to remaining calm, in
control and aware...if your
breath is out of control, you
are out of control."
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