Olive Arrow Tactical: A Modern Combat Manual

"To surmount the enormous difficulties and obstacles that lie in his way, the urban guerrilla is forced to be imaginative and creative. He must possess initiative, flexibility, and mobility as well as versatility and command of any situation. He dares not let himself become confused because he cannot wait for further orders. His duty is to act. 

Other qualities are to be a good worker, to be able to stand up against fatigue, hunger, heat, and thirst, to know how to hide and be vigilant, to master the art of dissembling, never to fear danger, to behave the same day and night, not to act impatiently, to have unlimited patience, to remain calm and cool in the worst situations... No one can become an urban guerrilla without paying special attention to technical preparation. This runs from concern for his physical preparedness to knowledge of and apprenticeship in professions and skills.

It is important to him to learn to drive, pilot a plane, handle a motorboat, understand mechanics, radio, telephone, and electricity, and have some knowledge of electronics. It is also important to him to have a knowledge of topography, to be able to locate his position by instruments. Knowledge of chemistry and of color combination, of stamp making, the copying of letters, and other skills, are part of an urban guerrilla's preparation.

He must have some understanding of medicine, nursing, pharmacology, drugs, elementary surgery, and emergency first aid. To know how to handle firearms such as machine guns, revolvers, shotguns, carbines, mortars, and so forth. He must also have a sound knowledge of ammo and explosives such as dynamite and plastics and the use of incendiary and other bombs."

- From Carlos Marighella's Minimanual of the Urban Guerrilla, a mid-20th century account. 

It's a start. Now as the first quarter of the 21st century draws to a close, we must add:

He must be familiar with optics, night-vision gear, and advanced sensors -- from lightweight monoculars and thermal imagers to portable rangefinders and laser designators -- and must know how to deploy them swiftly, maintain them in harsh conditions, and integrate them into tight-knit operations. He must learn to handle drone surveillance and small unmanned vehicles, grasping the basics of remote piloting and data feeds. He must be prepared to establish ad-hoc networks using field radios or mobile devices, troubleshoot limited-bandwidth communications, and override or bypass enemy jamming.

He must know the fundamentals of digital security and encryption, to protect the unit’s location, intentions, and digital footprint. He needs at least a working knowledge of navigation apps, geospatial mapping, and how to piece together improvised power solutions for all electronics, from battery packs to solar rechargers. 

As body armor becomes ubiquitous, he must also understand modern protective equipment -- what stops small-arms fire, how it changes an opponent’s movement or confidence, and which tactics or specialized munitions can defeat it.

The propaganda war has grown equally vital: He must learn how to film, edit, and rapidly release media to shape public perception; how to craft targeted narratives for social media without compromising operational security; and how to verify or debunk enemy statements and imagery. If he ignores the information dimension, he cedes a front as critical as any physical battleground.

Taken together, this demands a deep mix of technical, tactical, and digital skills. He must remain adaptable -- capable of shifting from stealthy infiltration to online messaging, from engineering a fiber-optic drone link to responding to an enemy’s rapid push. A modern guerrilla or elite light infantryman stands at the confluence of these requirements, always ready to improvise, always prepared to act.

In this spirit, Olive Arrow Tactical is a modern "manual of arms," written to unify the timeless lessons of cunning, discipline, and improvisation with cutting-edge technologies like thermal sensors, small unmanned systems, and advanced communications. We’re dedicated to presenting tried-and-true fieldcraft -- stealth, infiltration, and initiative -- side by side with the newest innovations in optics, digital tactics, and rapid deployment gear. Through this fusion, we aim to equip today’s guerrilla-minded fighter or light infantryman with a holistic, up-to-the-minute toolkit for any operating environment. We're not seeking to publish this information as a book, because we want to be able to update it freely.

We draw on the deep well of earlier doctrinal insights, from 18th-century light infantry treatises to the infiltration tactics of the early 20th century, and marry them to the demands of 21st-century warfare: pervasive surveillance, optics for every environment, advanced body armor, and multi-domain operations. Our goal is to provide not just theory but practical methods: Modular loadouts, field-tested electronic defenses, and psychologically decisive messaging. In a sense you could say that we're updating and synthesizing the Paladin Press combat books from the late 20th century.

Contact Us

We welcome your questions, feedback, and observations.

Email: info@olivearrowtactical.com
Suggestions or Submissions: If you have a technique, kit hack, or case study worth spotlighting, email us or drop us a message. We read everything.

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