The Phillosoph Blog - Self-reliance and Self-defence

Double Crossbows

Post author By Phillosoph
Post date 17 June 2014

As I noted two posts back, crossbows are a rich subject. I had not intended to post so much on them, but I keep coming across interesting stuff. A good example is the following device (the bolt is pointing down).

For more detailed information see these forum posts by its fabricator.

The following device ("Twinbow II") appears to use similar principles.

Phillosoph

Special Forces Crossbows

Post author By Phillosoph
Post date 17 June 2014

While locating illustrations for my previous blog post I came across some intriguing images. Some were of Special Forces units with crossbows. Also there were statements that a wide variety of Chinese units use crossbows, including their traffic police. Possibly “traffic police” in China covers a wider range of duties than the translation of their title suggests. Slovenians, Croatians, Spain, Greece, Serbia and Turkey are all fielding crossbows, some of them having been used in action. Trying to get some more concrete information on these modern uses of the crossbow has proved elusive. Plenty of opinion and conjecture out on the web, much of it with obvious errors.

Some personal thoughts along these lines:

Contrary to what is often claimed, crossbows and bows are not silent. It is more accurate to say they are quieter than firearms. There is not muzzle blast and no supersonic crack. Bows and Crossbows do store quite a bit of energy, however, and when this is released some of this is as sound. If a bow is loosed from a location close to you you will be able to hear it and may locate the shooter.

Bows do have recoil. Some people seem to thing recoil is something to do with the explosion of gunpowder. If a bow projects a bolt of one or two ounces at a hundred or more feet per second there is going to be a kick. Incidentally, that is why the railguns Arnie shoots in “Eraser” would have been a handful. Basic physics means a high velocity projectile expelled from a weapon will create recoil whether it is projected by gunpowder or electro-magnetism.

In Medieval times it has been authenticated that there were crossbows with ranges in excess of 350 yards. Some siege crossbows could reach 450-500 yards and had draw weights of thousands of pounds. Most modern crossbows have draw weights of around 150 pounds. Even with high-tech design and materials, it is unlikely they are effective at more than 200 yards, probably less. Even compared to a subsonic bullet a crossbow bolt is considerably slower with means more curved trajectory, greater susceptibility to wind effects and longer time of flight to target. All of these will affect the practical effective range.

Both bullets and crossbow bolts kill by penetration and blood loss. The impact of a bullet often has a stunning effect that allows these more lethal mechanism to have time to take effect. This is rarely seen with an arrow or bolt. This means someone shot with a crossbow may cry out, raise the alarm or trigger a bomb before hit kill or subdues them. This is assuming the bolt has not been treated with a poison or tranquilizer.

Many of the bolts shown in these photos are simple ogival points as are used for target shooting. While such bolts are sometimes marketed as being for hunting they are very poorly suited to for this purpose. One of the advantages of a bolt is that it can mount an edged head that can cut through soft body armour and webbing equipment.

What are these modern crossbows being used for. A popular theory is “sentry removal” but there are a number of objections to how practical this is. The shooter would have to get relatively close and have a good estimation of range to allow for the ballistics of the bolt. To produce an instant, quiet kill the number of suitable targets is also limited. Special forces units have access to suppressed firearms including specialist weapons such as those produced by JD Jones. Such weapons are easier to carry than a bulky crossbow and offer a number of advantages including a quick follow-up shot when needed. As an aside, it seems incredible that any competent military force still fields solitary sentries!

Line throwing has been mentioned as an application of crossbows, which makes some sense. A related application is to project a grapple that can be pulled back through the undergrowth to trigger tripwires. A similar system is in use using a grapple launched from the muzzle of a rifle like a rifle grenade. The grapple setting off any explosives does counter the argument that using the crossbow is more stealthy! Given that the line on the grapple must be relatively robust one wonders if alternate projection systems such as Atlatl might be just as effective at casting the grapple a similar distance.

Perhaps the most interesting suggestion for using as crossbow is the idea that a hit from a crossbow will not set off any explosives the target may be carrying or wearing. Of course, the lack of incapacitation becomes a factor here too so the bolt probably needs to be combined with a fast acting (possibly lethal) does of tranquilizer or similar agent.

Phillosoph

Survival Crossbows and Simple Triggers

Post author By Phillosoph
Post date 15 June 2014

I came across this yesterday, which I suspect many of my readers will be interested in.

The maker refers to it as “Vietcong” but such weapons were more often associated with the Montagnards. I particularly like the clip used to hold the bolt in place. The trigger mechanism was new to me. It is simply a piece of wood carved into a T shape and dropped through a slot in the stock. This site gives you a better view.

The video below is more detailed, even if the final product is less elegant.

I provide some information about field-made crossbows in my book, although obviously I can only deal briefly with such a rich subject. One of the advantages of the crossbow is that the bolts are considerably easier to fabricate than conventional arrows. Conventional arrows need to deal with the Archer’s Paradox so are more sophisticated devices than you might at first expect. Head weight, flexibility of the shaft and bow power all need to be balanced. A crossbow bolt is a simpler device, but not without its nuances. Have a read of Payne-Gallwey’s “The Crossbow” for the finer points of bow and bolt design.

http://www.crossbowbook.com/page_70.html

http://www.crossbowbook.com/page_126.html

Another very simple trigger mechanism you can make in the field is used on crossbows from the Congo. A notch is cut for the string and a hole bored down through this. A peg, attached to a lever is positioned so that it will push the string up out of the notch. This can be made out in the photo below. On some examples the trigger lever is formed by simply splitting the stock down its grain for a distance.

Phillosoph

Vietnam Camo Ring

Post author By Phillosoph
Post date 14 June 2014

A few years ago I read about an interesting strategy of the Viet Cong and NVA to avoid discovery by enemy aircraft.

Foot soldiers would wear frameworks on their backs upon which local vegetation was arranged. When an enemy aircraft was spotted or heard, the soldiers would drop to the ground and remain still. At a distance they would resemble a scattering of bushes

I think in the original description these frameworks were described as using chickenwire, although I now suspect I may be mistaken. I rather imagined them as looking like men carrying coracles.

I have not been able to find any photos of a Vietnamese camouflage frame using a chicken wire.

I did, however, come across this design, which is more compact and probably lighter and more practical. To quote this website that offers them for re-enactors:

“The outer ring measures about 12" in diameter and the inner about 6". A sturdy bamboo cross bar stabilizes the frame. The secret of the rig is that each of the rings is actually a set of two rings bound together. Twigs and foliage are pulled through the spaces in between and can be affixed at any angle (the design allows 360 degrees to work with) This negates the need for tying or otherwise securing the foliage as the double ring system tightly secures the camouflage. The camo-ring attaches to web gear by means of cloth ties on either side.

The ring can either be tied to webbing or to a backpack. The video below shows a version made with wire and duct tape. I guess you could use some chicken wire on it too!

Phillosoph

211-21-1111-1211

Post author By Phillosoph
Post date 13 June 2014

As it is Friday I will continue the tradition of covering a more eccentric topic.

Regular blog readers will know that I am fond of Kephart's book "Camping and Woodcraft". At the same time I acquired my copy I also acquired another great book: “Jack-Knife Cookery” by James Austin Wilder. The first part is about cooking while later sections divert into tips on camping, scouting, self-reliance and survival. The book is a little gem so if you encounter a copy buy it!

On page 167 the author describes an alternative to Morse code which he claims is easier to remember. Once you understand the principle you can sit down and write it out in a few minutes. The author makes no claims that this is his own invention so its origin is unknown.

The alphabet is written down in four columns of seven letters. As an aide memoire the first row is AHOV -which looks like "ahoy". Last line is GNU, like the animal. DKRY looks a bit like “Dictionary” spelt wrong.

Once you have this matrix you then number the letters from 11 to 2222 using only 1's and 2's.

A	11	H	12	O	21	V	22
B	111	I	112	P	121	W	122
C	211	J	212	Q	221	X	222
D	1111	K	1112	R	1121	Y	1122
E	1211	L	1212	S	1221	Z	1222
F	2111	M	2112	T	2121	&	2122
G	2211	N	2212	U	2221	the	2222

Skinny 1's represent dots, fatter 2's represent dashes. If signalling with a flag then “Dot is Right!” (She is that sort of woman). Wilder does not say if this is the signaller’s or the observer’s right, however. (People need to use Port and Starboard more in everyday speech!).

S.O.S would therefore be : “.–. -.

Obviously this code has its drawbacks, the most obvious being that virtually no one will be familiar with it! Many of the most commonly used letters use four characters while less used ones use less, so an alternate arrangement could be constructed.

A friend of mine has a love of alternate writing systems and the like, so this blog is for him. This signaling code is an interesting idea and deserves being recorded somewhere on the internet.

Phillosoph

Hit Girl vs Kick Ass

Post author By Phillosoph
Post date 7 June 2014

I watched “Kick Ass 2” last night. It was OK but I thought the first movie was better.

There is a scene in the early part of the movie when Hit Girl (Chloë Grace Moretz) unleashes a fury of kicks and blows against Kick Ass (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). What struck me about this sequence was not that the attacks were particularly strong, fast or technically skilled. The reason she dominated the exchange was her character’s determination and commitment to the attacks. This is something to think about.

Here is the clip. Action starts at the 50 second mark.:

Phillosoph

Uncle Phil's List : Far Cry 2 Example

Post author By Phillosoph
Post date 3 June 2014

For today’s blog I thought it might be useful to give an example of how the “Uncle Phil List” can work. We need a scenario so as an abstract example, let us consider the protagonist in the video game “Far Cry 2”. He is a mercenary operating in “Unnamed African Country” (UAC).

First broad category is “Shelter”, subdividing into shelter, sleeping and clothing. The climate is fairly warm and sunny, but subject to heavy

rainstorms. Terrain varies between jungle, savannah and arid/desert regions. Hostile forces are widely encountered so shelter needs to be low key. The temperature means a tent is probably unnecessary, although a basha sheet or rain poncho may need to be rigged to keep the rain off. In the jungle a hammock will be the safest way to sleep. On the grasslands and desert using a hammock may not be possible so he will need a ground sheet or kipmat of some form. Mosquitoes and other insects will be a problem, so a mosquito net that can be used with both the hammock and ground mat will be needed. Outside the forest a way to support the rainsheet and mosquito net will be needed so a couple of tent poles may be carried. A blanket or two may be more practical than a sleeping bag.

Clothing needs to be comfortable and suited to the hot and often humid conditions. Rhodesian and South African troops often wore singlets and shorts for operations, only wearing long trousers and sleeves at night or when in heavy bush. Hiding is the main strategy against enemy patrols so colours/ shades that blend with the environment are preferred. Dried grass and sand are quite light so clothing or a camouflage pattern that includes light tan would be recommended. An interesting idea would be soling boots with sections of truck tyre so foot prints look like those of locals wearing homemade sandals. A hat that can protect against the sun will be necessary: so much so that a spare might be carried. Sunglasses will be needed due to the bright reflections from sand and bleached grass. Goggles might be useful in the desert or for when driving vehicles. A neck scarf/sweat rag fulfils a number of roles. A head net and gloves for protection against insects will be needed. Fingerless gloves and useful against thorns and other hazards when moving in brush. Gaiters will provide some protection from snakes, even when wearing shorts. If the weather is cold, or if moving at night one of the blankets can be worn as a cloak, so a couple of blanket pins are included. A poncho is carried for those tropical downpours and also provides shelter while sleeping.

Fire: A couple of lighters and possibly a container for tinder and other firelighting aids should be carried. In the forests available wood may be damp. A candle is useful for applying sustained heat to moist tinder and kindling.

Water: At least one water bottle will be needed. Water encountered will need to be sterilized. Purification tablets will be carried and so might a means for filtration. A vessel for boiling water to conserve the tablets should also be carried. Crocodiles may be a hazard when filling water bottles. A pail on a string might be a useful device

Food. Food and cooking equipment will be needed. Game is fairly present, although means to acquire it without gunshots that might alert patrols need to be considered. A small fishing kit takes up little room and can be used to set night-lines when resting up.

First Aid and Other Medical: Given the character’s profession some shell dressings for gunshot wounds need to be carried. Various parasites are an obvious concern –in the game the character contracts malaria and has to source medication. Insect repellent, sunscreen, medication and basic hygiene items will be needed, and in generous quantities. A snake bite kit will be prudent given travel will often be across country and in heavy undergrowth

Tools: A machete (panga) will prove to be a very useful item. There may be a case for carrying a spare in the pack as well as on the belt. Other blades such as a swiss army knife will also be needed. A few yards of rope would prove useful when crossing streams and navigating steep terrain. Lesser cordage will prove useful for various applications. The weapons you encounter in the game are often in a poor state. The environment of UAC is hard on such things so you will need a gun-cleaning kit. A collection of spares for your weapons and other items will be needed, as well as more generic repair items such as tape and a sewing kit. A notebook will be needed for recording intelligence. Keep it in a waterproof bag and ensure all vulnerable gear is protected from moisture and insects. Specialist items may include field glasses and a satellite phone. (Amusingly the character gets phone calls in the middle of gun battles and infiltrations!) A pack will be needed to carry the gear and some webbing to carry the items he may need when not near his pack: ammunition, machete, first aid, water etc. One of the simplest ways to get around in the game is to take the bus, illustrating that some money will be useful. A hiking pole or even spear may help movement across difficult terrain and deter large animals. In Africa a man walking with a spear may be less remarkable than one obviously carrying a rifle. The spear can also bring down animals for food silently. Camouflage paint may be considered a specialist item and necessary since shorts and singlets leave lots of skin exposed. Caucasian South African troops use face-paint to conceal that they are Caucasian when viewed at a distance. Pale skin can draw attention and make the owner a priority target! (My character in the game is oriental, but the same applies!)

Navigation needs are fairly obvious. The character will have some maps and at least one compass. It is easy to get disorientated in the forest or long grass so a wrist compass may be a useful item. Given that the enemies in this scenario are relatively unsophisticated and will not be using electronic warfare a GPS system may be practical. Possibly it will be built into the satellite phone? In the game the character has a GPS that also locates uncut diamonds, which would be nice! The frequency of sunny days suggest revising the methods for direction finding by the sun for that hemisphere. Likewise, the clean night skies suggest a refresher on constellations. Record this in your notebook so you do not have to rely on memory during stress.

In the game, the character is pretty much on his own so means of signalling are a low priority. The conditions favour heliographs (but he has no one to signal). Likewise a whistle on his compass lanyard would take little room, but not be of much use when the whole country is against him. I guess the satellite phone is a signalling device. There is a flare gun in the game but this is mainly used for arson! A source of light such as a flashlight would be useful. Some of the terrain is very dark at night and a low-power red bulb flashlight would be useful for brief checks of terrain or the map. There are also caves and deserted dwellings that need to be searched.

By no means a comprehensive list, but this does illustrate how the Uncle Phil List can be used as a tool to plan what gear you may need.

Phillosoph

Uncle Phil's List : New Format.

Post author By Phillosoph
Post date 2 June 2014

Since it is a Monday I will keep today’s post brief. Some time ago I introduced the useful planning tool of “Uncle Phil’s List”. Chances are you will not need an item for each category and some categories will have multiple items. The power of the list is that it makes you consider each individual category for a few seconds which really helps you clarify what you do and don’t need. Today I am going to present in in a slightly different format with eight larger, broader categories.

Phillosoph

Common Sense Does Not Exist!

Post author By Phillosoph
Post date 28 May 2014

Recently I challenged a friend : “I do not think that word means what you think it means!”

Recognising the reference, he responded “Inconceivable!”

This provoked an interesting discussion on redundant terms. To call something inconceivable you need to be able to conceive its existence or possibility, so it cannot therefore be “inconceivable”. “Impossible” is related term. A true scientist knows that very little is actually impossible, just that some things are very, very, very (to the nth power) unlikely. “Unbelievable” is of a similar vein. When someone says something is unbelievable or more accurately hard to believe they are actually telling you more about themselves than the subject of discussion. “I find that hard to believe” has an interesting aspect of arrogance, implying something is less likely because the observer lacks sufficient imagination or education to grasp the concept.

A phrase that particularly makes my teeth grind is “common sense”. “Common sense” does not exist. It will be a very happy day when this irritating and pointless phrase drops from the language.

Generally when someone uses this phrase they are implying some idea or piece of knowledge is self-evident or universally known. But if you think about it, if that were the case we would not need a term to describe it, nor would we so often complain that common sense was not used. The most accurate definition for common sense might be “What is blindingly obvious to one person but is not to another”.

A recent panel show had the question “Do you think you have common sense? Did most of the audience answer yes? True or False?” One of the panellists, a woman admired for her intelligence began talking about how she broke her nose walking down the stairs in high heels and a rucksac. She then said she likes to use a rucksac because she “Likes to walk with her hands in her pockets”. Walking with your hands in your pockets so you cannot defend yourself or save yourself if you trip on the stairs is obviously pretty dumb. If “common sense” existed, no one would do this. Most of the audience, predictably answered “yes”, they did think they had common sense. They are mistaken, of course, because they cannot have what does not exist. Like most of the population, the majority of the members of the audience probably walk around staring at their phones not looking where they are going, so would not be considered to have common sense if such a thing did exist (which it does not!)

Common sense is most often used in phrases like “Why didn’t you do that bit first, it is just common sense?” Logically such a statement could never be made if common sense was self-evident or universally-known knowledge. “Common sense” is often used as a weapon when the speaker thinks someone has been a bit of a dick and often that extends to the speaker’s manners too. You probably begin to appreciate that use of the term “common sense” is often inherently insulting in some way. Common sense does not exist. Using “common sense” to justify your argument is about as relevant as a character reference from the Easter Bunny! Claiming something is common sense is often just being rude and actually just branding yourself as a fool.

Scratch the surface of a claim of common sense and arrogance is usually just below.

Advertisers like to use the term common sense in another way. If they call something “common sense” they can create an impression that not agreeing with the idea they are offering makes you foolish. No one wants to be considered foolish, therefore you should agree with the “common sense” idea or buy the product with “common sense features”. By now you should have accepted the concept that common sense does not exist so you will recognise that anything offered to you as being common sense is probably a con of some kind

Phillosoph

Trench Club

Post author By Phillosoph
Post date 19 May 2014

Last night I was watching a cheesy movie. A military unit had gone into a city full of zombiods. The enemy were aggressive and cannibalistic but they were not undead and did not require a shot to the head. In an early scene the soldiers have run out of ammo and are fighting off the waves of attacks with hand-held M9 bayonets. What struck me was this. If you are going up against a whole city filled with potential enemies it is inevitable that you cannot carry enough ammunition. Knowing this, would you not attempt to carry better close combat weapons than bayonets you cannot fit on your SMGs? If you are in a city then at least one crowbar is a useful thing for a unit to have. Later the character acquires a tomahawk.

Thinking on this brought me around to the topic of trench clubs. I had meant to post this image a while back but it seems I never got around to it. It is tempting to think of soldiers sitting in the trenches whiling away the time making their own clubs. Doubtless some weapons were made in exactly this fashion. However, some weapons were actually produced more systematically by regimental carpenters. The example shown in this image is sometimes referred to as a “Knobkerrie” and was designed and produced by the Royal Engineers of the Second Army. The head is described as being iron and it seems likely that it was actually cast iron. The Victorians favoured cast iron for many uses and I doubt that the Edwardians were any different. Cast iron was certainly used for other models of trench club and it would be a very logical choice in quickly and simply creating club heads. This head resembles a cogwheel and it may be a part of some machine was used for the original mould. What is particularly interesting about this particular head was that it was designed to attach to a standard issue entrenching tool handle (aka "helve"), making a weapon about 16" long.

The head of this trench club reminds me of these geometric maceheads from Southern Russia, in use from the eleventh century onwards. A websearch also turned up these Byzantine mace heads and a number of similar designs. Some are made from bronze so would have been cast. One example even looks like the WW1 Royal Engineers “c” head.