My Review of the Book Contact. A Tactical Manual for Post Collapse Survival

A note to readers: This time I am NOT particularly happy with my use of the English language. I do hope that this will not detract you of getting the meaning of.

The book Contact! A Tactical Manual for Post Collapse Survival is a manual/guide to the protection and defense of survival communities post a collapse event.

 

 To my knowledge there is not a similar one, and if there is, it cannot possibly reach the comprehensiveness of the Contact manual.

The book begins with a strong slap on the face of the fantasy land doctrine "Defense of the Castle". The writer demonstrates why it cannot be effectively, and non-costly, done. But also suggests the tactically sound action for a family under siege.

Then chapter by chapter covers all the possible issues, actions, methods and tactics of setting up a community defense plan.

Contact is written by Max Velocity of Max Velocity Tactical. The author combines his knowledge gained with serving in the British armed forces on the theaters of N. Ireland, the Balkans and Afghanistan, with his experience in Iraq along with the US military. Then combines these with the realities of a collapse of order and life-as-we-know-it scenario.

So within the 500+ pages of, 13 subjects are covered in detail with many articles for each. Some of them are directly taken from Max's blog. Among them are two on a  favorite subject, the use of ATVs post-collapse . I.e. have a look at the Tactical Use Of ATV ‘Four-Wheelers’

In short the subjects covered are:

Chapter 1: Starting Points

Chapter 2: To Stay or To Go

Chapter 3: Decision Making

Chapter 4: Training

Chapter 5: Basic Principles

Chapter 6: Casualties

Chapter 7: Post Event Vehicle Movement

Chapter 8: Dismounted Tactics

Chapter 9: Defense

Chapter 10: Patrols

Chapter 11: Tactical Use of Vehicles

Chapter 12: Offensive Operations

Chapter 13: Withdrawal

And this is a scan of one of the contents pages. With that you can understand the book speaks for itself.

The book is written with the layman in mind, but it grows more complex as it delves -unavoidably- in the military tactics during the last few chapters. Yet even these are kept to a accessible level, since Max kept the hard stuff for his next book, the MVT Tactical Manual: Small Unit Tactics.

Yet still, even among the these last chapters one can find some real treats for the survivalist. Like the part on Defense Tactics in Wooded Areas.

Of course there were still some things we wished for to read. Which could possibly be included in the next printing.

One is a dedicated chapter on communications during an event. Like the radio comm procedures in a convoy and an ambush at it.

The other thing would be a chapter with tips for the defender to "read" an attack or ambush performed against him. Admittedly one could read the offensive operations chapter in reverse, setting himself in the attackers position and mindset, but this is kind of hard for the uninitiated.

So... I hope you got an insight of want "Contact" is.

I will end with an observation which can be considered a praise. Even at this moment, having read it and looking back to write about it, the book is still impressive.