Table of Contents
Clewgist Temple, Goof Ball
This was a training mission to bolster security for a Clewgist temple on Goof Ball. This was a misxture of straight training and security advice to ensure that the temple could deal with any sectarian violence that they believed might occur.
Specific Customer Requirements
Improve acolyte weapon skills
There were lots of simulations in the temple and we recommended stepping up the use of simulations for weapons training. We also took each acolyte out to the farm for a day or so to do some actual live firing (no matter how good simulations are nothing is the same as actual live firing to get a feel for the weapon).
Tactical training
Ditto with the weapon skills. However we also identified a number of the temple staff and acolytes to give the equivalent of an NCO cadre to so that they had a more thorough understanding of tactics and employment of weapons as well as (more importantly) the necessary skills in methods of instruction so that they could be effective instructors of other acolytes or novices.
We also ran a series of simulations on situations related to attacks on the locality to train them in the drills required in the event of nearby unpleasantness.
Improve the active and passive defences of Temple
There were three basic attacks that we were defending against:
- bomb blast;
- individual infiltration; and
- mass assault.
In terms of the last we noted that the police were reluctant to react but that there was a limit to what they could ignore.
There were specific risks in terms of vehicle bombs being parked outside or attempting to drive through the compound walls, flyers dropping bombs or crashing, infiltration via the sewer systems or nearby. There was also the possibility that a lone gunman or bomber would come through the front gate in a group of others.
The sewers were already blocked and watched satisfactorily and we didn't see any need to enhance this further.
There were also good relations with the owners/users of the several small warehouses at the back and this was felt by the High Priest to be a most effective preventative against that being used to place a large bomb (or any other threat) against the Northern wall of the temple.
To prevent successful infiltration we recommended turning the temple into a secure access zone with biometric controlled access backed up with CCTV cameras and other observation devices to ensure that there was a firm record of who went where and when and that people only went where they were specifically authorised to do so. Also this was enforced with a permanent guard presence and a QRF with access to legally held weapons just in case.
Improved resilience of the compound was also recommended by
- adding 20 feet of chicken wire on top of the 10 foot concrete wall. This to be reinforced by razor wire and sensors on the outside so that there would be no chance of it being climbed without warning. The additional height could also help stop rocket attack from the Victory Hab Block which otherwise overlooked the temple site.
- Primary power by multiple small generators all linked to the grid with underground storage tanks with a week's worth of fuel. Secondary power could come from the local grid with a last resort of battery power giving up to an hour of active time for all essential systems (including lighting and ventilation as well as for security systems). It was felt that any incident causing dissociation from the grid and loss of primary power would be over within an hour.
- The concrete wall should be reinforced to stop ground vehicle attack by adding bollards at the pavement edge (some six feet from the wall) round the outside of the temple compound. Some reinforcing of the Eastern & Western walls was also recommended and the closing up of the service access in the Eastern wall.
- No vehicles (except those owned by the temple) should be permitted inside the temple compound. Most of the followers lived across the main road so there was little use of the car park. Instead the current vehicle park becomes a sterile area that provides some blast precautions and also home to an armoured vehicle owned by the temple that could be used in a last resort to force an exit.
- The inner compound should be subdivided by means of some barricades and shelters to ensure that people who enter don't have free access to the entire temple (not doing this would undermine the secure entry system).
- Every building should have a blast and fire shelter that would protect the occupants from explosions and fires within the building. These should be stocked in advance with food, water and weapons in case they were required in the event of a direct attack on the temple.
- In particular the acolytes accommodation nearest the Eastern wall should be used less for sleeping as it was deemed to be too close to the outside wall.
- All buildings should have their windows treated and other suitable bomb blast precautions taken to minimise the damage caused in the event of an explosive device being detonated. Detailed specific advice on this can be supplied on request.
- All temple staff need to be briefed regularly on the security situation and how they need to behave in a secure zone. They also need some specific training in security procedures
Outside the temple complex we also did some work.
- cameras were installed on the Colony Hope Estates to monitor comings and goings from the Satanist meeting house so that tabs could be kept on who was visiting the site.
- sensors were installed on the rooftops of the CH Estate to monitor flyer traffic (a combination of comms traffic and visuals).
- a QRF base was established for when the risk of flyer attack was thought to be high to take up position on the top of the Northern most block on the CH Estate to fire upon any flyer that attempted to attack the temple with whatever weapons the priests had that they thought might be effective. [IFU - we didn't think that the priests could have any
legally held weapons that might be effective, but if trying to shoot down a flyer with a hunting rifle made them feel safer that was their business, there was plenty of simulator time to practice.]
Plan for defence of co-religionists in CH Estate
Several plans were worked up for Clewgist Lawful Assistance to the Population (CLAP) which were run through the simulators as part of the weapons and tactical training. This ranged from small scale action largely unarmed to some riot training (in the role that the police normally take as opposed to teaching them how to riot). We also covered various drills using legal weapons.
Purely for fun and diversion we also gave them some scenarios for their Whole-Life[TM] Simulation engine on hostage rescue using GF weapons and assault rifles. This was purely an academic exercise for the further enlightenment of the acolytes who sought a greater understanding.
Our main recommendation though for increasing the safety of the Clewgists on the CH estate was to try and avoid confrontation and to reduce tensions between the various religious factions by not provoking each other. An example of this was the route home of the Satanists which took the long way round the CH Estate singing inflammatory songs (The Dress Your Father Wore being but one such example). This was not helped by the 20 Clewgist acolytes standing outside the temple ready for the fight when the Satanists marched past. If nothing else our tactical training and camera emplacements should allow the Clewgists to
- gain tactical surprise;
- produce evidence that the Satanists started it; and
- win the fight with minimum casualties.