JWR,
I thought I’d take a minute and recommend an Army Field Manual (FM) that I don’t see referenced too often here. It’s FM 7-92 (“The infantry reconnaissance platoon and squad; airborne, air assault, light infantry”) with Chapter 9 for MOUT/urban operations. This version is a little hard to find, so here’s the link. Just don’t ask why I had to go to Marines.mil to find it.
This version dates back to the late 1980s and early 1990s, so the emphasis less on mechanized reconnaissance, technology, and general eye candy – unlike a majority of the scout FMs in current publication. It covers water movement, tracking, dismounted infiltration, etc. It’s also interesting to see the parallels between these older scout FMs and the newer six-man sniper teams. Having been in the scout platoon of the 187th Infantry Brigade, I’m sure that I’m a little biased, But from my perspective this is one of the most valuable FMs out there for WTSHTF. Of course it should be read after the general infantry FMs, but the focus here is on small group operations, and helps to develop the skills needed to extend your area of influence well beyond your own personal camp-de-resistance.
Enjoy, – Robert in North Carolina