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Message no. 1
From: Rand Ratinac docwagon101@*****.com
Subject: Military Hand Signals (was Re: Red Dot Sights)
Date: Fri, 9 Jul 1999 00:31:21 -0700 (PDT)
Something I forgot to ask. Hopefully you, or someone else, can help me,
Kevin.

This is in aid of the story I'm writing for the RA:S project. I need to
find out about all (or most, or some, or whatever :) ) the military
hand signals - i.e. what's each signal and what do they mean?

*Doc' wonders if "the birdie" is a military hand signal...*
==Doc'
(aka Mr. Freaky Big, Super-Dynamic Troll of Tomorrow)

.sig Sauer
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Message no. 2
From: Aaron Binns sparrow@***.net.au
Subject: Military Hand Signals (was Re: Red Dot Sights)
Date: Fri, 09 Jul 1999 17:38:52 +1000
> Something I forgot to ask. Hopefully you, or someone else, can help me,
> Kevin.
>
> This is in aid of the story I'm writing for the RA:S project. I need to
> find out about all (or most, or some, or whatever :) ) the military
> hand signals - i.e. what's each signal and what do they mean?
>
> *Doc' wonders if "the birdie" is a military hand signal...*

two fingers point at eyes, = scout.

two fingers up = two ppl

one finger up (not birdie) = one person, etc etc..

point = go there or that way.

fist held up = stop now

Ive heard the birdie is given to enemies just before an ambush but i think
thats folk-law :)

Kevin - tell me how many of these I got wrong will ya?

GreyWolf
Message no. 3
From: Steadfast laughingman@*******.de
Subject: Military Hand Signals (was Re: Red Dot Sights)
Date: Fri, 09 Jul 1999 10:36:09 +0200
And so it came to happen that Rand Ratinac wrote:

> Something I forgot to ask. Hopefully you, or someone else, can help me,
> Kevin.
>
> This is in aid of the story I'm writing for the RA:S project. I need to
> find out about all (or most, or some, or whatever :) ) the military
> hand signals - i.e. what's each signal and what do they mean?

I could ask a friend if no one else here answers this, but I think I
wait with that. Meanwhile, try to get a hold on the "Special Forces
Book" from Star Wars RPG...ah, you work in a RPG store, you do not
sell Star Wars for about half a year and then you forget the titles of
the book! Guess I am getting old. Annyway, in that book there are some
pages that deal with hand signs, some unique to the Sci-Fi genre,
true, but the small unit tactics displayed in there are not that bad
either I think. It is a usefull book and IIRC the authors were
inspired from real special forces tactics.
HAH! Got it! The title of the Book is "Rules of Engagement: RebelSpec
Forces". I am not that old after all!
Hurray!
--

---> Steadfast
The one, the only.
That is, if you do not count the others.
Message no. 4
From: IronRaven cyberraven@********.net
Subject: Military Hand Signals (was Re: Red Dot Sights)
Date: Fri, 09 Jul 1999 09:02:20 -0400
At 17.38 07-09-99 +1000, you wrote:
>Ive heard the birdie is given to enemies just before an ambush but i think
>thats folk-law :)

Tradition, it is.

>Kevin - tell me how many of these I got wrong will ya?

Pretty close. Mostly a differnce in translatoin on "look", but it works.
Did you want the scanned stuff?


CyberRaven Kevin Dole
http://members.xoom.com/iron_raven/
"Once again, we have spat int he face of Death and his second cousin,
Dismemberment."
"Briar Rabbit to Briar Fox; I was BORN in that briar patch!"
Message no. 5
From: IronRaven cyberraven@********.net
Subject: Military Hand Signals (was Re: Red Dot Sights)
Date: Fri, 09 Jul 1999 09:02:41 -0400
At 00.31 07-09-99 -0700, you wrote:
>find out about all (or most, or some, or whatever :) ) the military
>hand signals - i.e. what's each signal and what do they mean?

OK, find your self a book on sign language, and give me some time to scan
some stuff that is military specific. (I'll send it to Doc, and anyone who
asks for it.)
Pointing to the eyes means "see" or "look".
Walking fingers means "goto"
Pointed fingers mean "there"
"I" means "infantry"
"T" means "tank"
"A" means either "armour" or "artillery" (If the former,
"G" for "gun")

This might be different from your folks use. Hand signals are like map
symbols- everyone uses something slightly different. And there is always
stuff that is group specific.

>*Doc' wonders if "the birdie" is a military hand signal...*

It means "Yes, Sir! Up yours, Sir!" and is only properly delivered to the
back of an officer, warrent or NCO, but only out of the sight of those who
outrank you or are likely to report it. Doubling it adds "Suck sewage
through a tube and DIE, Sir!" to the litany. <g>


CyberRaven Kevin Dole
http://members.xoom.com/iron_raven/
"Once again, we have spat int he face of Death and his second cousin,
Dismemberment."
"Briar Rabbit to Briar Fox; I was BORN in that briar patch!"
Message no. 6
From: Patrick Goodman remo@***.net
Subject: Military Hand Signals (was Re: Red Dot Sights)
Date: Fri, 09 Jul 1999 09:01:25 -0500
>Pretty close. Mostly a differnce in translatoin on "look", but it works.
>Did you want the scanned stuff?

Dunno about him, but I could use it. A URL to a web page would be better
all-around, I think, than individually sending a lot of JPG files to people.

Patrick
Message no. 7
From: Jim, Mary-Louise & Charles redmen@*****.com
Subject: Military Hand Signals (was Re: Red Dot Sights)
Date: Fri, 09 Jul 1999 14:32:32 -0400
Rand Ratinac wrote:
>
> Something I forgot to ask. Hopefully you, or someone else, can help me,
> Kevin.
>
> This is in aid of the story I'm writing for the RA:S project. I need to
> find out about all (or most, or some, or whatever :) ) the military
> hand signals - i.e. what's each signal and what do they mean?
>
> *Doc' wonders if "the birdie" is a military hand signal...*
> ==> Doc'
> (aka Mr. Freaky Big, Super-Dynamic Troll of Tomorrow)
>
> .sig Sauer
> _________________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Get your free @*****.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com


StarWars has a great book about advanced military stuff called
Rules of Engagement SpecOps of the Rebellion i think

it has stuff on hand signals as while as other tactic type things like
how to enter and clear a room, some interesting rules on unarmed combat,
and other useful things. complete with pictures :)
Message no. 8
From: Sommers sommers@*****.edu
Subject: Military Hand Signals (was Re: Red Dot Sights)
Date: Fri, 09 Jul 1999 16:07:04 -0400
At 10:36 AM 7/9/99 +0200, you wrote:
>I could ask a friend if no one else here answers this, but I think I
>wait with that. Meanwhile, try to get a hold on the "Special Forces
>Book" from Star Wars RPG...ah, you work in a RPG store, you do not
>sell Star Wars for about half a year and then you forget the titles of
>the book! Guess I am getting old. Annyway, in that book there are some
>pages that deal with hand signs, some unique to the Sci-Fi genre,
>true, but the small unit tactics displayed in there are not that bad
>either I think. It is a usefull book and IIRC the authors were
>inspired from real special forces tactics.
>HAH! Got it! The title of the Book is "Rules of Engagement: RebelSpec
>Forces". I am not that old after all!
>Hurray!

I don't know if it will be any good but I just ordered it. West End Games
is selling off a lot of their stuff before they move. 60% off Star Wars,
with everything else $3 a book.

I'm thinking the Indian Jones material might be good for background
material, especially about magical artifacts.

Page is www.westendgames.net

Sommers
Insert witty quote here.
Message no. 9
From: Paul J. Adam Paul@********.demon.co.uk
Subject: Military Hand Signals (was Re: Red Dot Sights)
Date: Fri, 9 Jul 1999 16:55:58 +0100
In article <19990709073121.7736.rocketmail@******.mail.yahoo.com>,
Rand Ratinac <docwagon101@*****.com> writes
>This is in aid of the story I'm writing for the RA:S project. I need to
>find out about all (or most, or some, or whatever :) ) the military
>hand signals - i.e. what's each signal and what do they mean?

British Army hand signals, as I was taught them -

Thumb down - possible enemy sighted.

Palm flat, pushed downwards - go down (to one knee or prone, depends
on terrain & circumstances).

Point to ground, make horizontal circle: indicating a rendezvous position
(fall back here if seperated)

Pat top of head - "on me" (get over here). Qualified by two or three
fingers held against the upper arm: two for section commander, three for
platoon commander, depending who you want to talk to.

Fist pumped in the air - on the double.



So, if I hold three fingers against my upper arm, pat the top of my head
and then pump my fist in the air, it means "platoon sergeant, over here,
right now".

There's another subset of arm signals used to indicate section formation,
but they probably aren't relevant to most runners.


--
Paul J. Adam
Message no. 10
From: IronRaven cyberraven@********.net
Subject: Military Hand Signals (was Re: Red Dot Sights)
Date: Fri, 09 Jul 1999 17:20:28 -0400
At 16.55 07-09-99 +0100, you wrote:
>Thumb down - possible enemy sighted.

Do you also use it to indicate a negative response to a query, with a
thumbs up for friendly forces/positive response?


CyberRaven Kevin Dole
http://members.xoom.com/iron_raven/
"Once again, we have spat int he face of Death and his second cousin,
Dismemberment."
"Briar Rabbit to Briar Fox; I was BORN in that briar patch!"
Message no. 11
From: Snake Eyes snake.eyes@********.att.net
Subject: Military Hand Signals (was Re: Red Dot Sights)
Date: Fri, 09 Jul 1999 16:27:04 -0700
At 12:31 AM 7/9/99 -0700, Doc' wrote:

>This is in aid of the story I'm writing for the RA:S project. I need to
>find out about all (or most, or some, or whatever :) ) the military
>hand signals - i.e. what's each signal and what do they mean?

Aside from learning American Sign Language, another good non-military
resource for silent communication & hand signals can be found in any SCUBA
guide. PADI's _Open Water Diver Manual_ and _The Encyclopedia of
Recreational Diving_ can be found in just about any dive shop and (I
imagine) most public libraries.

You can also learn a lot of indirect non-verbal subterfuge by watching the
third base coach of any US major league baseball team.

Or just have the entire team equipped with those CryptoCommLink implants.

~ Snake Eyes
Message no. 12
From: Paul J. Adam Paul@********.demon.co.uk
Subject: Military Hand Signals (was Re: Red Dot Sights)
Date: Sat, 10 Jul 1999 10:10:55 +0100
In article <3.0.3.32.19990709172028.008c4210@***.softhome.net>,
IronRaven <cyberraven@********.net> writes
>At 16.55 07-09-99 +0100, you wrote:
>>Thumb down - possible enemy sighted.
>
> Do you also use it to indicate a negative response to a query, with a
>thumbs up for friendly forces/positive response?

Not in my experience, no - you'd nod or shake your head :)

--
Paul J. Adam
Message no. 13
From: Rand Ratinac docwagon101@*****.com
Subject: Military Hand Signals (was Re: Red Dot Sights)
Date: Sun, 11 Jul 1999 20:44:36 -0700 (PDT)
> >This is in aid of the story I'm writing for the RA:S project. I need
to find out about all (or most, or some, or whatever :) ) the military
hand signals - i.e. what's each signal and what do they mean?
>
> Aside from learning American Sign Language, another good non-military
resource for silent communication & hand signals can be found in any
SCUBA guide. PADI's _Open Water Diver Manual_ and _The Encyclopedia of
Recreational Diving_ can be found in just about any dive shop and (I
imagine) most public libraries.
>
> You can also learn a lot of indirect non-verbal subterfuge by
watching the third base coach of any US major league baseball team.

Those are all nice and good for a shadow team, but I'm dealing with a
bunch of military goons. I think they'd use MILITARY hand signals. :)

> Or just have the entire team equipped with those CryptoCommLink
implants.
>
> ~ Snake Eyes

Now that one isn't good for the magickers. Too much essence cost (what
with the radio as well, plus any commlink gear etc. you're looking at
about 1.2 points of essence just there, if not more). I'll stick with
the hand signals for silent communications.

*Doc' wonders whether the third base coach just gave him a signal to
shoot the pitcher, or if he was just scratching...*
==Doc'
(aka Mr. Freaky Big, Super-Dynamic Troll of Tomorrow)

.sig Sauer
_________________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get your free @*****.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com
Message no. 14
From: Geoff Skellams geoff.skellams@*********.com.au
Subject: Military Hand Signals (was Re: Red Dot Sights)
Date: Mon, 12 Jul 1999 13:53:52 +1000
On shadowrn@*********.org, Rand Ratinac[SMTP:docwagon101@*****.com]
wrote:
> Those are all nice and good for a shadow team, but I'm dealing with a
> bunch of military goons. I think they'd use MILITARY hand signals. :)

Somewhere, buried deep in a box at home, I have a couple of copied pages
from an Australian Army Infantry handbook. They have stick figures
showing all of the hand signals to be used in action. I could probably
dig them up and scan them for you if you like.

Some friends and I went to the trouble of learning them all for a
Twilight: 2000 game at a con in 1989 (Now if only we hadn't shot up the
communications station...)

cheers
Geoff

--
Geoff Skellams R&D - Tower Software
Email Address: geoff.skellams@*********.com.au
Homepage: http://www.towersoft.com.au/staff/geoff/
ICQ Number: 2815165

Hili hewa ka mana'o ke 'ole ke kukakuka
(Ideas run wild without discussion)
Message no. 15
From: Rand Ratinac docwagon101@*****.com
Subject: Military Hand Signals (was Re: Red Dot Sights)
Date: Sun, 11 Jul 1999 22:47:21 -0700 (PDT)
> Somewhere, buried deep in a box at home, I have a couple of copied
pages from an Australian Army Infantry handbook. They have stick
figures showing all of the hand signals to be used in action. I could
probably dig them up and scan them for you if you like.
>
> Some friends and I went to the trouble of learning them all for a
Twilight: 2000 game at a con in 1989 (Now if only we hadn't shot up the
communications station...)
>
> cheers
> Geoff

If it ain't too much trouble, please do.
==Doc'
(aka Mr. Freaky Big, Super-Dynamic Troll of Tomorrow)

.sig Sauer
_________________________________________________________
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Message no. 16
From: Michael & Linda Frankl mlfrankl@*****.msn.com
Subject: Military Hand Signals (was Re: Red Dot Sights)
Date: Mon, 12 Jul 1999 16:39:21 -0400
Doc Said:
>Now that one isn't good for the magickers. Too much essence cost (what
>with the radio as well, plus any commlink gear etc. you're looking at
>about 1.2 points of essence just there, if not more). I'll stick with
>the hand signals for silent communications.


Actually that's where goggle systems come in handy. Plus you can also get
Optical Vision Mag for better distance targeting.

;)

Mike, aka Smilin' Jack
Message no. 17
From: Rand Ratinac docwagon101@*****.com
Subject: Military Hand Signals (was Re: Red Dot Sights)
Date: Mon, 12 Jul 1999 17:03:34 -0700 (PDT)
> >Now that one isn't good for the magickers. Too much essence cost
(what with the radio as well, plus any commlink gear etc. you're
looking at about 1.2 points of essence just there, if not more). I'll
stick with the hand signals for silent communications.
>
>
> Actually that's where goggle systems come in handy. Plus you can also
get Optical Vision Mag for better distance targeting.
>
> ;)
>
> Mike, aka Smilin' Jack

Oh, they have that. They're special forces magickers so I've decided
they have minimal cyberware - smartlinks, vision enhancements and the
like. So in total darkness, from quite a distance away, they could
still see each others' hand signals. Neat. :)

*Doc' goes around in the middle of the night, busily giving people the
birdie...until he runs into a troll...*
==Doc'
(aka Mr. Freaky Big, Super-Dynamic Troll of Tomorrow)

.sig Sauer
_________________________________________________________
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Message no. 18
From: Michael & Linda Frankl mlfrankl@*****.msn.com
Subject: Military Hand Signals (was Re: Red Dot Sights)
Date: Mon, 12 Jul 1999 23:42:42 -0400
Doc wrote:
>Oh, they have that. They're special forces magickers so I've decided
>they have minimal cyberware - smartlinks, vision enhancements and the
>like. So in total darkness, from quite a distance away, they could
>still see each others' hand signals. Neat. :)


Actually I was thinking that they could incorporate a display link for
messages into the goggles. The optical mag. was a bonus.

;)

Mike, aka Smilin' Jack

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