| Manual of Tactics in the Jumonji Ryu |
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| The Four Modes of Combat | |
| Jumonji Ryu ninjutsu consists of four modes of combat. Each mode involves a specific set of behaviors and a certain attitude. While each mode allows considerable flexibility for individual action, these actions are effectively organized to achieve a specific purpose. | |
Overview |
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The four modes are: Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind. Each mode is designed to maximize the likelihood of achieving specific objectives in specific circumstances. Earth mode is used for defense and Fire mode is used for attack; Wind and Water may be used alternately for defense, for attack, or for exploratory or positional movement. |
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The four modes are very effective when used as organizing principles on solo missions. They are even more effective for coordinating the tactics of the team in missions of several warriors or of several squads. |
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Earth Mode - Defending your Turf |
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In Earth Mode warriors sink in and defend their ground. This mode is used when, for whatever reason, we do not want to let the enemy have access to this area or to some other area that is only accessible by passing through this one. Earth mode requires both defense and offense - defense because we are very likely to be attacked, and offense because we are going to fight back rather than give way. |
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Earth Mode |
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| Activity: Sink in, take cover, and hold your ground Tactical Use: Defend area, passageway, fallen teammate, etc. |
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Because Earth Mode is essentially stationary, it is only used for defense, never for attacking. However, it can still be an effective part of an offensive strategy. For example, one warrior or squad can be assigned Earth Mode at an escape point while another warrior or squad attacks the enemy from the other direction. So, while the Earth mode warrior is technically in a defensive posture, the combined effect is to demolish the enemy. |
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Water Mode - Evade and Protect Yourself |
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In Water Mode warriors flow into or away from the enemy while protecting themselves from damage. Water mode is used in uncertain situations, or when it is known for sure that the enemy is near and is strong enough to do serious damage. |
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Water Mode |
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| Activity: Move ahead or back at an angle, using cover Tactical Use: Retreat - move into position - contain enemy |
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Water mode is ideal for retreating. During a water mode retreat, the warrior moves away from the enemy but at an angle. The angular movement slips behind protective barriers and keeps the enemy turning so that the warrior is in a direct line of fire for the shortest time possible. The angle of movement should be chosen to balance the need to immediately protect oneself with the need to move to an ultimately safer position very far away. |
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Water Mode may also be used for attack in certain situations. For example, if the mission requires that an enemy be held at bay until reinforcements arrive, the water mode attack may serve to distract the enemy while still protecting the attacker. Think of a pack of hyenas, slowly circling their prey while individually darting in and biting the flanks of the much-larger gazelle from random directions. The hyenas take no chances, never exposing themselves to the hooves or bite of the gazelle, only rushing in when the gazelle is distracted and never expecting to do tremendous damage with any single bite. This is a water-mode attack at its most effective. |
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Fire Mode - Attack, Attack, and then Attack |
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Fire Mode is used for head-on, all-out, direct, offensive, no-holds-barred, damn-the-torpedoes, murder-dem-sonsabitches attacks. To repeat, Fire mode is used for attacking the enemy with virtually no thought for your own safety. |
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Fire Mode |
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| Activity: Move straight at and through enemy while attacking Tactical Use: Save fallen warrior - Emergency attack |
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Fire Mode is extremely risky. It is used when there is no other practical means of achieving the objective. For example, rescuing a teammate that is about to be killed (evacuated) or salvaging a mission that is about to fail. In rare circumstances officers of the Jumonji Ryu may order a fire mode attack when they feel the enemy is especially weak and there is little real danger, but in no circumstance is any Ryu member of less than officer rank authorized to use Fire Mode in anything less than a full out emergency. |
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Wind Mode - Surround, Confuse, and Destroy |
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Wind Mode is used to circle or weave around our enemies, evading their attacks but not retreating. Like Earth Mode, Wind Mode is a balance between defense and attack. It is used when there is no immediate deadline, when there is no rush to defeat the enemy, and there is also no overwhelming danger that must be avoided. |
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Wind Mode |
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| Activity: Move around or in between enemies in a spiral Tactical Use: Attack or avoid enemy in controlled fashion |
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Wind mode is used when moving into position for an attack, or when avoiding an enemy while seeking an objective that the enemy may be protecting. Wind mode movement is circular, warriors move around the enemy in an increasing or decreasing spiral. |
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When the objective is to move past the immediate enemy to another goal, the spiral increases if possible so that the immediate enemy is gradually removed from the situation. If the objective is to destroy the immediate enemy, the spiral tightens as the warrior closes in for the kill. A wind mode attack is used when the enemy must be destroyed, but there is no immediate deadline and casualties are to be minimized. |
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Summary |
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The four combat modes, Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind, cover virtually every conceivable mission situation. Earth and Fire are devoted to defense and attack, respectively, while Water and Wind can serve multiple purposes in many different situations. The true Shadow Warrior will instinctively drift in and out of different modes, perhaps even from second to second, depending on the changing situation and the actions of the enemy. |
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It is vital that every Ninja practice each mode. Each of the first four belt tests will be to ensure that every warrior has mastered these basic tactics. Higher belt tests will add variations and other tactical aspects to the modes which will not be effective if the four fighting modes are not instinctive in every warrior. If you reach brown belt without a thorough mastery of every mode, then you will not be able to pass the black belt test. �If you reach purple or red and feel that you are missing key elements of your training, ask a sensei or the soke for assistance - it may be time for you to visit the Battle Room for extra training. |
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| Additional chapters of this manual are available only to Ryu members. They include tactics for switching between modes, for positioning warriors within a squad, for balancing ranged and melee powers, for balancing offensive and defensive-based warriors within a squad or mission, and - of course - our secret Ninja bag of tricks. |