Written by John Walborn. The following information is based loosely on an LAPD SWAT model and is especially useful in simulating team-based Close Quarters Battle scenarios. With adaptation, it could also be used for Rainbow Six, Navy Seals, or similar modern-genre incursion style games. THE TEAM A SWAT Entry Team generally consists of one or two Elements with at least one additional High Ground Element providing an external field of vision, usually from a position of vantage. High Ground reports all significant developments they see to the Entry Team and back to Command. The High Ground Element(s) consists of a primary sharpshooter and a spotter, also an expert marksman. While the spotter views through a range finder, the sharpshooter views the scene through his rifle scope. When a target is acquired, the sharpshooter must request clearance from Command to fire. Without explicit clearance, the sharpshooter stands fast and waits, continuing to report significant developments. The Entry Team Element(s) consists of four major roles: the Breacher, who uses a shotgun or lockpicks to gain entry and a pistol or SMG thereafter; the Point, a sharp eyed officer using an SMG or assault rifle who enters a room first; the Element Lead, usually the longest tenured member of the element, who carries whatever weapon suits him and relays orders to the Element from Command; the Trailer, often a younger member of the element, who carries an SMG and a wealth of plastic zip-ties for securing hostages, perps, and terrorists alike. Regardless of their role, every SWAT officer carries at least a primary weapon and a sidearm (pistol). Their primary weapon depends on their position in the Element and personal preference, the latter taking second fiddle to the former, though there is some latitude. The selection of armor depends on weather and the details of the assignment, or Call. The idea is to keep the officers safe and as comfortable as possible. That said, equipment is assigned not purchased by the officers, so they take what is issued. In this regard, the Element Lead has some pull with Command, but it is ultimately not up to them. TERMINOLOGY
Briefing: A short meeting with Command before the Entry Team is deployed to go over the problem at hand, a map of the area, and any special instructions.
Call: Any deployment of a SWAT Entry Team.
Clear: Declared by the Element Lead when an area is clear of threat.
Dynamic Entry: A “shock and awe” entry technique to catch the perpetrator(s) by surprise and off balance.
Hot: A weapon is loaded and cocked and its safety is disengaged. A Hot weapon will fire if the trigger is pulled.
HT: A Hostage Taker.
Level: The vertical level of the building or location where the Call is occurring. Generally, ground level is Level One and each level above increases in number by one. When reporting, High Ground makes reference to Side and Level at which the event they are reporting is occurring.
Make Entry: Enter the room / building.
Officer: A Police officer assigned to SWAT.
Perp: A Perpetrator, the person(s) causing the trouble.
Pup: A new member to the Team / Element.
Side: A numbered side of the building or location where the Call is occurring. The numerical reference for each Side is assigned during the Briefing stage of the Call. When reporting, High Ground makes reference to Side and Level at which the event they are reporting is occurring.
Stack Up: Order issued by the Element Lead to line up at a doorway and prepare to “make entry.”
Stealth Entry: A quiet, secret entry technique generally used when the perpetrator(s) may react badly to being surprised. This is the most common entry type, especially when hostages or any other kind of innocents are involved.
Tango: A Terrorist.

TACTICS
Hand Signals
Sometimes even a whisper is too loud. Every SWAT entity is trained in the use of simple hand gestures to relay simple, tactical concepts such as “Suspect spotted over there” conveyed by pointing at one’s eyes followed by pointing in the direction of the suspect. Such gestures should be worked out among the team beforehand. During times where the team does not want to be heard, the players should be prohibited from speaking, limiting them to communication through their gestures. Slice the Pie
When approaching a door to an unknown area, it is ill-advised for SWAT officers to stand in the middle of the doorway. Instead of making themselves more of a target than they have to, two officers position themselves at sharp angles on either side of the door so that, between them, they’ve got a good view of the area. This is called “slicing the pie” because their field of vision into the new area, when seen in illustration, looks very much like two opposed pie slices. Stack Up
Upon the Element Leader’s command, a SWAT element will “stack up” in the original positions at a new location. Generally this is done before a new area is entered to draw the team back into order from clearing an area. Weapon Up Stance
Some SWAT entities are trained to use the “Weapon Up” stance, meaning their weapon is always aimed where they are looking. This provides rapid response to a threat but reduces the officer’s vision somewhat. Weapon Ready Stance
Most major SWAT entities have converted to the “Weapon Ready” stance, meaning their weapon is always faced forward but held down at a slight angle. This increases their vision and provides a small delay in deadly response, giving the officer a fraction of a second longer to analyze the situation. It also helps prevent accidental friendly fire. The angle at which the weapon is held down often correlates directly to the proximity of the officer in front of you. Thus, your weapon is pointed at the floor behind them instead of at their back or legs. STORY HOOKS Barricaded Suspect
SWAT is called in to deal with an Armed Robbery suspect who’s barricaded in his home and is known to have a variety of weapons at his disposal. Black and white units (regular patrol officers) have the house surrounded and believe the suspect may have a friend inside, though it’s not known whether or not the friend is a threat. This provides the director with a variety of interesting surprises he can throw in, or not, depending on how sinister he’s feeling. Since the suspect is in his own environment, the house could very well contain booby traps. Also, the suspect knows the environment and its hiding places much better than the police do. (Needs a small map and statistics for the suspect and his friend.) Drug Bust
A routine drug raid has turned into a standoff with a handful of heavily armed suspects in an enclosed apartment building. One officer is down and another has been taken hostage. It is not known whether civilian hostages have been taken. SWAT is called in to retrieve the hostage(s) and the injured officer alive and to either neutralize or arrest the five suspects who are believed to be scattered throughout the building. They have not responded to any attempts to contact them, so it’s believed they’re up for a fight. The presence of hostages complicates things because it’s possible the suspects will harm them. Extra caution will be required to keep them alive. (Needs a medium sized map and statistics for the suspects and the officers.) Hostage Rescue
A band of international terrorists have taken control of a Boeing 737 full of passengers at the local airport in a botched hijacking attempt. The crew has been executed and the forty-two passengers on board are being held hostage by four armed militants who have proven their willingness to take lives. SWAT has been called to arrest or neutralize the suspects and retrieve all of the hostages alive. This is complicated by the limited number of entry points and the militant training of the terrorists. Keeping the hostages alive will be exceedingly difficult. (Needs a small map, with detail about where the hostages are sitting, and statistics for the terrorists.) Violent Protest
A crazed man has taken control of a downtown bank in a war protest. He’s strapped with compound explosives, carrying a handgun, and demanding to speak to the President of the United States in person. He’s allowed everyone but the bank staff, thirteen in total, to leave the bank, but he’s had all of the blinds closed so the police cannot see inside. The man does not seem willing to kill hostages with the handgun, but his threats to detonate himself, and the bank with him, seem real enough. SWAT has been called to neutralize the suspect and evacuate the hostages, paving the way for a bomb disposal team. There are several ways in which the director could be devious, such as the explosives being rigged to explode if the man releases a trigger. Largely, the complexity and difficulty should vary depending on the skill of the players and their SWAT officers. (Needs a medium map with several possible entrances and the statistics for the suspect.) WEAPONS
Damage classes (Advanced Exploits) should be used with Active Exploits. See Expanded Firearms & Brawling/Melee Update for Impresa Express. The included damage values can be also be used with genreDiversion i, but not recoil and maximum accuracy—use the following accuracy modifiers with genreDiversion i: Pistols/Rifles:—
Shotguns: -1diff (pb & s); +1diff (m); +3diff (l)
Assault Rifles: +1diff (pb & s; burst fire)

BODY ARMOR
Armor classes (Advanced Exploits) should be used with Active Exploits. Impresa Express and genreDiversion i can use the specifications below.

	Armor Description			Impresa Express			genreDiversion i			Protection
	Battle Dress Uniform (BDU)			2			1			fatigue
	L2 Body Armor			4			2			fatigue & injury
	L3 Body Armor			5			3			fatigue & injury
	Tactical Armor			6			3			fatigue & injury