Murphy's Laws of Combat

1. You are not Superman.  2. If it's stupid but works, it's not stupid.  3. Don't look conspicuous - it draws fire. (This is why aircraft carriers are called bomb magnets).  4. When in doubt - empty your magazine.  5. Never share a foxhole with anyone braver than you.  6. Never forget that your weapon was made by the lowest bidder.  7. If your attack is going really well, then it's an ambush.  8. No plan survives the first contact intact.  9. All five-second grenade fuses burn down in three seconds.  10. Try to look unimportant in case the bad guys are low on ammo.  11. If you are forward of your position, then the artillery will fall short.  12. The enemy diversion you are ignoring is the main attack.  13. The simple things are always hard.  14. The important things are always simple.  15. The easy way is always mined.  16. If you are short of everything, you're in combat.  17. When you have secured an area, be sure to tell the enemy.  18. Incoming fire has the right of way.  19. Friendly fire - isn't.  20. If the enemy is in range - SO ARE YOU.  21. No combat ready unit ever passed inspection.  22. Beer math is: two beers times 37 soldiers = 49 cases.  23. Body count math is: two guerrillas plus one portable plus two pigs = 37 enemy killed in action.  24. Things that must be together to work are usually shipped separately.  25. Radios will fail as soon as you need fire support desperately.  26. Anything you do can get you shot - including doing nothing.  27. Tracers work both ways.  28. The only thing more accurate than incoming fire is incoming friendly fire.  29. Make it tough for the enemy to get in, and you can't get out.  30. If you take more than your fair share of objectives, you will have more than your fair share of objectives to take.  31. When both sides are convinced they are about to lose, they are both right.  32. Professional soldiers are predictable but the world is full of amateurs.  33. Murphy was a grunt.