Oscar Mike to the glossary. Copy that.
A retreat that sounds classy and planned, as opposed to just running away from losing because that's what it definitely is.
Shorthand for ear protection—the earplugs, earmuffs, or headgear you wear around loud shit (guns, concerts, construction sites) so you can actually hear things in 2030. It's the difference between 'I still have my hearing' and 'WHAT?'
Forward-Looking Infrared—sensor technology that detects heat signatures ahead of aircraft or vehicles. The military's way of seeing through darkness and smoke.
A long strip of cloth wound spirally around the lower leg from ankle to knee, traditionally worn as part of military uniforms or in South Asian dress. Also spelled 'putty' or 'puttie.'
A precision optical instrument used for measuring angles, particularly the angle between the sun or moon and the horizon, essential for celestial navigation and determining latitude and longitude at sea. The sextant measures up to 120 degrees and uses mirrors and telescopes to achieve high accuracy.
Heat emissions from military equipment or personnel, detectable by infrared sensors. The military version of 'your heating bill says you're home.'
A laborer who loads and unloads cargo from ships at a port or dock. Stevedores traditionally performed physically demanding work organizing shipments and securing goods.
A brief, small-scale armed conflict or fight between a small number of combatants, typically occurring as a minor engagement in a larger war.
A loud signaling horn or electronic device used by ships and coastal installations to warn of their presence in fog or low visibility conditions; also used figuratively to describe a loud, forceful voice or manner.
When you use long-range guns to make an area very uninhabitable very quickly, delivered at a safe distance from the comfort of your base camp. An attack using artillery weapons on a specific target or area.
Surrounding someone and refusing to let supplies in, which is either clever strategy or a slow punishment depending on your perspective. Military sealing off of an area to prevent supplies or people from entering or leaving.
The outer line of a defensive position, which is why every guard post is technically assigned to it. The boundary of a defended area requiring constant surveillance.
Making a position stronger by adding walls, trenches, and defensive structures so the enemy really regrets attacking. To strengthen a military position with defensive structures.
Firing a large number of projectiles simultaneously, which was more relevant before firearms but still occasionally shows up in military operations. Simultaneous discharge of multiple firearms in the same direction.
An underground or heavily fortified defensive structure where soldiers hide while terrible things happen above them. A reinforced underground shelter designed for protection from artillery and airstrikes.
Attacking an enemy's computer networks and digital infrastructure instead of their physical stuff. It's warfare for the internet age, featuring nation-states committing what would otherwise be serious felonies.
Plural of counterintelligence; activities and operations designed to prevent or thwart espionage, sabotage, and intelligence gathering by hostile nations, organizations, or individuals. Also refers to the agencies and personnel involved in such work.
An identifying armband or badge worn on the upper arm to display affiliation, rank, or purpose—think ARP wardens in WWII or modern security personnel badges.
A weapon designed so you can attack something from a really safe distance, which is either brilliant strategic thinking or an admission that you don't trust your aim. A weapon system that allows engagement from beyond effective range of enemy fire.
Trying to figure out who's spying on you while preventing them from learning anything useful, essentially espionage against espionage. Operations designed to detect and neutralize enemy intelligence activities.
Military operations that don't involve conventional armies fighting each other—instead featuring guerrillas, insurgents, and special forces doing confusing things behind enemy lines.
A two-masted sailing vessel with a square-rigged foremast and a fore-and-aft rigged mainmast, common in the 17th and 18th centuries. Brigantines were favored by merchant ships and sometimes privateers for their speed and maneuverability.
A sturdy canvas or leather bag with a single strap worn over one shoulder, traditionally used by soldiers and travelers to carry supplies and provisions. Often smaller and lighter than a full backpack.
The Cold War doctrine that both superpowers had enough nuclear weapons to destroy civilization multiple times over, so nobody dared start a war. Terror as a peace strategy—surprisingly effective.