Caution: The contents of this article are for education purposes only. The principles described are extremely dangerous and are for military close combat training and operations only. Their application applies solely to the military.
Close combat, being a continually developing and changing package, in order to stay at the forefront of enemy specific threats, tactics, and weapons changes, as it has for centuries, makes it a current operational battle proven means of achieving the objective.
The Master Chief instructor’s role is the continuation of the battle proven work of his predecessors and a current commitment to excellence to ensure the living package is the current best-of-the-best and proven.
History didn’t always get it right or through change of times some skills and principles of yesteryear simply are out dated in relation to enemy threats or current trends in fighting arts. In the words of my mentor the late great Col Rex Applegate if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
But if it is flawed fix it before rather than later.
When something needs to be assessed developed changed or replaced the expert Master chief instructor and his training wing support staff are the experts to develop test and adopt the most current skills principles and tactics that are the best and most guaranteed means of achieving the objective humanly possible.
Unarmed combat orthodox skills employments include correct side of evasion, targeting the enemy’s lead leg with long range stamp kicks, and using your lead boot for stationary counter offence. Unorthodox unarmed variations of the previous would be opposite side evasion, targeting the rear most leg with a stamp kick, and employing your rear most leg in stationary counter offence. These are brief examples of orthodox and unorthodox options in unarmed combat.
In WWII, where the use of the knife was very much straight line, the accepted primary means to evade a knife for disarming purposes was to the outside of the knife holding hand away from the enemy’s free hand.
WWII knife disarming, post-evasion
However, in current times, where forehand and backhand slashes are common and the likelihood of human error increased through decision making, the orthodox or primary option is based on the principle evade away from the travel of the knife when it is on its final and fully committed approach to you, the target.
Note: for the following pictures the arm leg or weapon is pictured extended for the purpose of clarity.
Orthodox knife disarming, post-evasion
Orthodox knife disarming, post-evasion against back slash
In standup combat sports moving off the line of a jab or a cross when executed orthodox would see you move outside the striking hand and away from the freehand.
Slipping a jab – orthodox
This would be orthodox and correct, however, in close combat where your enemy may be skilled in a wide range of unarmed styles that include striking and kicking as well as grappling and armed employments the requirements are considerably different and the scope of threat considerably wider.
Orthodox evading a kick, post-evasion
The following will outline the reasoning behind Orthodox and unorthodox employments. The principles are based on the combat smarts of risk reduction, safety, battle proven primary skills selection to ensure the combatant has the greatest chance of achieving their objectives, and, in turn, victory over defeat. Remember as you read this edition of the close combat files that the principles described are for military close combat. The reality is that principles and skills need to allow for the countering or combating of a wide range of threat categories and to reduce stress, human error, and unnecessary decision-making based on multiple options to counter or combat similar threats the practise of one principle to combat a wide range of threat employments or an entire category of threat is the norm.
Unarmed combat and defensive tactics skills to counter or combat unarmed threats as well as weapon disarming in self protection and unarmed combat employments should be simple proven principles that provide your best combative chance of victory over defeat. They generally tend to provide a simple principle to counter or combat virtually an entire threat category as previously described. An example of this would be the principle to disarm an incoming knife attack, Evade away from the travel of the knife when it is fully committed and beyond the point of no return in its travel at you its target or to counter an insecure grab from the front, turn side on to protect your front assess decide and execute your combative option.
Another principle against a knife attack is Immediately post evasion assess and employee your disarming skills.
Orthodox knife disarming, post-evasion, against pick attack
However in operational armed combat there are additional considerations required, not only to reduce risk and increase the chance of achieving one’s objective, but also to ensure environmental and terrain considerations are accounted for that may be a vital consideration.
Orthodox and unorthodox employments of skills are realities in high stress high risk combative employments. It is critical that the combatant understand the reasoning behind the Orthodox or primary employment and be able to employ unorthodox or secondary and emergency employments that are situational terrain and threat determined or required as well as a result of human error.
The terms and practices orthodox and unorthodox in close combat are an area that are specific to individual combative employments and can be confusing to those not accustomed to the reasoning behind them or those not highly trained and qualified in military close combat. Orthodox and unorthodox can appear confusing and contradictory to some principles in close combat and they are simply because of role specifics and Murphy’s Law.
One reason behind such confusion is normally the result of unarmed skills principles and contingencies differing from some armed combat skills principles and contingencies. Before we detail the reasoning behind some armed and unarmed orthodox and unorthodox principles and practices attention must be given to primary secondary and emergency options. Obviously primary options are deemed primary because they are the best and safest means of achieving your objective. Secondary and emergency options are employed because they provide the best means of achieving your objective under the specific situation threat or environment.
Orthodox employments are generally primary employments and unorthodox employments are a result of combatant error or threat, terrain or situational specifics that make the primary option unemployable or unsafe. Armed combat, where weapons have a primary end of employment, will usually dictate orthodox employments where the weapon’s primary end is employed. Unorthodox employments would be with the non-primary or butt end.
Now to specifics. Orthodox unarmed counter-offensive assault evasive maneuvers will employ one principle of unarmed evasions to reduce confusion. This principle is evading away from the travel of the striking limb when that limb is fully committed and beyond the point of no return on its last line of travel to its target.
Orthodox evasion
Unorthodox counter-offensive assault evasive maneuvers would see the combatant evade towards the line or travel of the incoming attacking limb. Unorthodox evasion requires correct timing to avoid cross over impact with the attacking limb.
Unorthodox evasion
Unorthodox evasion
Note: The terms evading towards or away from the travel of the striking limb would involve diagonally forward or diagonally backward evasive maneuvers.
The bayonet in combat has an Orthodox employment offensively and Counter-offensively where the point of the bayonet is kept on the enemy.
Counter-offensive bayonet against unarmed enemy, Orthodox evasion to on guard position ready to go counter offensive
Counter-offensive bayonet against unarmed enemy, Unorthodox, phase evasion
Counter-offensive bayonet against unarmed enemy, Unorthodox, phase on guard post evasion ready to go counteroffensive.
Orthodox bayonet evasion for disarming.
Unorthodox bayonet employments through human error, situational specifics, or the terrain would see the primary point of the bayonet at one point in time or another during the offensive employment or evasive maneuver facing away from the enemy.
The bayonet would only face in the opposite direction to the enemy momentarily before the on guard position was reassumed or the primary bayonet of the weapon was again directed on the enemy.
Unorthodox bayonet evasion for disarming
In bayonet verses bayonet close combat offensive or counter-offensive employments the orthodox would always see the bayonet directed at the enemy and their bayonet. In an unorthodox evasive maneuver or direct offensive action through human error or situational specifics when the butt end of the rifle is directed on your enemy during the maneuver, and their bayonet, an immediate transfer to the on guard position with your bayonet directed at your enemy and their bayonet is essential. Using your rifle stock mid maneuver may be necessary against your enemy’s bayonet.
Orthodox counter-offensive bayonet vs bayonet post evasion
Unorthodox counter-offensive bayonet vs bayonet, phase evasion
Unorthodox counter-offensive bayonet vs bayonet, phase post evasion on guard position.
Firearms disarming generally employs the following principle for orthodox disarming: movement off the muzzle line with pistols will be to the trigger finger side away from the free arm and with rifles away from the butt side. Note: point-blank range disarms from certain positions and directions are only possible in a single direction or require directional or angle modification in movement off the muzzle line.
Orthodox point-blank rifle disarming from front, post-stationary evasion
Unorthodox point-blank rifle disarming from front, post-stationary evasion mid disarming action employment
Orthodox point-blank pistol disarming from front, post-stationary evasion mid disarming action employment
Unorthodox point-blank pistol disarming from front, post-stationary evasion mid disarming action employment.
Secondary or improvised weapons such as e-tools, machetes, sticks, tent poles, or jerry cans under offensive and counter-offensive employments have an orthodox or primary employment end, edge or point and an unorthodox or secondary or emergency end, edge, or point employed as a result of human error or situational or weapon specifics or in relation to the ROEs and the level of neutralization required.
Knife combat offensively or counter-offensively similarly under orthodox or primary employments would see the knife point on the enemy at all times. However unorthodox secondary or emergency offensive or counter-offensive knife combat employments through human error, terrain considerations, or specific situational or threat considerations may require a maneuver or movement to involve the weapon point or primary end momentarily facing away from the enemy.
Orthodox counter-offensive knife vs unarmed enemy, post evasion
Unorthodox counter-offensive knife vs unarmed enemy, post evasion.
The reasoning behind an orthodox evasive maneuver against an unarmed enemy taking the weapon holder towards the travel of the unarmed enemy striking limb if it is safe to do so is simply to keep the weapon away from the enemy and reduce their ability to disarm you of the weapon or seize and secure your weapon holding hand aiding in retention as such.
In knife combat the combatant being a right-handed combatant would be a left foot forward, right foot backward stance with the knife in the right-hand at the right side and the left arm guarding not only your human bodily targets but also reducing direct access to your knife.
Orthodox Knife vs unarmed enemy stance and guard – from front
Orthodox Knife vs unarmed enemy stance and guard – from side
An orthodox knife in combat counter-offensive evasive maneuver against an unarmed attack or disarming attempt would see an evasion diagonally forward or backward to your left side keeping your knife side furtherest from you unarmed enemy. This orthodox knife combat counter-offensive evasive maneuver employment may contradict your primary unarmed counter-offensive assault evasion away from the travel of the striking limb on its final approach and when fully committed to you its target. This contradiction in counter-offensive knife combat orthodox evasive employment would be, for example, a right-handed combatant being engaged with a right leg stamp directed at your left knee joint or a right boot directed at your right knife holding hand in an effort to kick the knife out of your hand. If it is safe to do so an orthodox knife against unarmed enemy evasion would reduce the risk of being neutralized or disarmed of your weapon by an unarmed enemy that in order to save themselves must engage their armed enemy to neutralize or disarm them if escape and evasion is not possible.
Orthodox counter-offensive knife vs unarmed enemy, post-evasion, to combat take out or a disarm attempt
In the offensive knife combat and with secondary or improvised weapons including sticks and machetes an orthodox offensive action against an unarmed enemy where the weapon was held at your side in an on guard position would see the weapon employed in a forehand straight or round-house employment. The unorthodox variation being a backhand employment where the weapon must travel from the at your side on to an on guard position to a cocked position diagonally up across your body before being employed in a backhand execution.
However weapons such as pipes or riot sticks that can be held in an opposing forces double handed grip on guard position with the weapon diagonally across the body are in the orthodox position to employ a backhand execution. To be employed unorthodox from the previous on guard position would see the weapon having to be either transferred down across the body cocking the weapon for a straight thrust or the upper grip on the weapon released and the weapon brought down to a single hand grip on guard position at your side and employed from the on guard position with the weapon at your side in a forehand execution.
Orthodox stance and guard with a machete
Orthodox employment of a machete offensively
Unorthodox employment of a machete offensively.
Unorthodox counter-offensive with a machete against unarmed enemy, post-evasion, prior to assuming an on guard position and going counter-offensive
Orthodox counter-offensive machete versus unarmed enemy, post-evasion
Orthodox counter-offensive machete versus unarmed enemy, post-evasion, in an on guard position ready to go counter-offensive
Some weapons because of their size and weight are best employed orthodox and with an opposing direction high retention double handed grip such as an e-tool or star picket.
Orthodox employment of an e-tool offensively
Unorthodox employment of an e-tool offensively
Orthodox counter-offensive evasive employment of an e-tool,
Orthodox counter-offensive employment of an e-tool, post-evasion, after assuming an on guard position, ready to go counter-offensive
Unorthodox counter-offensive evasion with an e-tool.
Unorthodox counter-offensive employment of an e-tool, post-evasion, after assuming an on guard position, ready to go counter-offensive
Orthodox employment of a warratah (star-picket) offensively
Unorthodox employment of a warratah (star-picket) offensively
Orthodox counter-offensive evasion with a warratah (star-picket)
Orthodox counter-offensive employment of a warratah (star-picket), post-evasion, assuming on guard position ready to go counter-offensive
Unorthodox counter-offensive evasion with a warratah (star-picket)
Unorthodox counter-offensive employment of a warratah (star-picket), post-evasion, assuming on guard position ready to go counter-offensive
Orthodox improvised weapon stance and guard, stick or pipe
Orthodox improvised weapon offensive from an on guard position, weapon at side
Unorthodox improvised weapon offensive from on guard position, weapon at side (1)
Unorthodox improvised weapon offensive from on guard position, weapon at side (2)
Orthodox double grip on guard position, riot stick, pipe or improvised stick type weapons
Orthodox offensive riot stick, pipe or stick type improvised weapon from double-grip on guard position
Unorthodox offensive riot stick, pipe or stick type improvised weapon from double-grip on guard position
Orthodox offensive with stick like improvised weapon from double close grip employment
Orthodox stick like improvised weapon offensive from double grip across body on guard position
Unorthodox stick like improvised weapon offensive employment from double grip on guard across body position
Orthodox counter-offensive evasion against unarmed enemy.
Orthodox counter-offensive against unarmed enemy, post evasion, and assuming on guard position ready for counter-offensive
Unorthodox stick counter-offensive against unarmed enemy, post evasion
Unorthodox stick counter-offensive against unarmed enemy, post evasion, and assuming on guard position ready for counter-offensive
Orthodox offensive triangular e-tool against unarmed enemy
Unorthodox offensive triangular e-tool against unarmed enemy
Orthodox triangular e-tool counter-offensive evasion against unarmed enemy, post evasion, in an on guard position ready to go counter-offensive
Unorthodox triangular e-tool counter-offensive evasion against unarmed enemy, post evasion
Unorthodox triangular e-tool counter-offensive evasion against unarmed enemy, post evasion, assuming the on guard position ready to go counter-offensive
There are many more applications of the orthodox and unorthodox principles in military close combat that are standard practices of the military close combat specialist instructor and this has been but a brief overview of some of the orthodox and unorthodox military close combat trade craft practices.
Interested in Close Combat Training? Todd Group Depots are located throughout New Zealand and at various overseas locations.
For more information on Todd System of Close Combat see the following books, dvds and cds:
- Close Combat Books
The Do’s and Don’ts of Close Combat – Tactical C&R – Control and Restraint – No Nonsense Self Defence – Military Close Combat Systems Phase One – Combative Masters Of The 20th Century
- Close Combat DVDs
Self Defence of the Elite – 80 Years of Combative Excellence – Primary Option Control & Restraint – Military Unarmed Combat – Phase 1
- Close Combat CDs
Technique To Command – Combative Code of Conduct
