BREACHER COURSE — STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE
1. PURPOSE & SCOPE
This SOP governs Method of Entry (MOE) and demolition employment within Bronze Squadron. It defines the available breaching methods drawn from the CDD demolitions set and Breachable Doors, establishes the doctrine for selecting between them, and sets the safety standards for their employment in the stack.
This document is a decision aid, and every charge listed defeats a specific target. The breacher's job is to put the right charge on the right obstacle at the right moment — and to do so without putting the assault element at risk.
2. THE BREACHER SPECIALTY
The Breacher is a dedicated specialist within the Unit— not a task handed to whoever is nearest to the door. The breacher owns the obstacle. They read it, select the method, place the charge or set the pick, call the stack to the correct standoff, and initiate on the assault element's signal.
Responsibilities
- Carries the demo and is accountable for every charge carried.
- Assesses the obstacle and selects the breaching method per the doctrine in Section 4.
- Controls the breach point and confirms the stack is clear of the fatal funnel and at safe standoff before initiating.
- Communicates the method (pick vs. explosive) and the timer/remote choice to the assault lead before initiating.
3. METHODS OF BREACH
Two families of breach exist: mechanical (lock pick) and explosive (CDD charges). The mechanical method is silent and slow. The explosive methods are immediate and loud. Each is detailed below.
Mechanical — Lock Pick
Effect: Defeats locked doors silently, with no demolition signature.
Cost: Slow. The pick is worked over time, leaving the breacher exposed at the door.
Placement: Worked on the HINGE side of the door. Picking near the handle / lock will not work.
Explosive — CDD Charges
The CDD set provides five charges, escalating in effect from defeating a single lock to bringing down a stone wall. They are detailed in the matrix in Section 5.
When breaching you say "Breaching, Breaching, Breaching"
4. SELECTION DOCTRINE — WHEN & WHEN NOT
Method selection follows a fixed hierarchy. Work the questions in order; the first one that applies drives the decision.
Step 1 — Stealth or Speed?
This is the first and most important question, and it is METT-TC driven. If surprise must be preserved and time is available, the breach is mechanical. If surprise is already lost, or speed of entry outweighs noise, the breach is explosive.
DOCTRINE — STEALTH FIRST
When stealth is required, the lock pick is the doctrinal answer.
Reaching for explosives means compromise is accepted — the noise will surrender surprise. Do not initiate an explosive breach until the assault element has accepted that trade.
Step 2 — What Is the Obstacle?
Once an explosive entry is chosen, match the charge to the structure. A single locked door, a reinforced or double door, a plank fence, and a stone wall each call for a different charge. Match the charge to the target using the matrix in Section 5. Do not assume a charge will defeat an obstacle it is not rated for.
Step 3 — Charge Economy
Use the smallest charge that fully solves the problem. A larger charge will work, but it spends a limited resource, increases the blast's hazard to the stack, and produces destruction that may not be wanted. Reserve the heavy charges for the obstacles that actually require them.
CHARGE LOAD — STANDARD LOADOUT
- 1x Lock Pick Set
- 1x Breaching Detonator
- X Door Charges
- X Breaching Charge
- X Shape Charge
- X Push charge
- X Wall Charge
Standard breacher demolition load and per-charge quantities to be set by the unit and inserted here.
5. TARGET-TO-CHARGE MATRIX
The table below is the authoritative charge-to-target reference. "Defeats" means the obstacle is opened/passable; "destroys/decimates" means the obstacle is removed.
| Charge | Effect | Use Against |
|---|---|---|
| Door Charge | Defeats the lock. Lowest-signature explosive option; opens a single door without destroying it. | Single locked doors. MUST be placed on the HINGE side. |
| Breaching Charge | Defeats doors — swings them open. Standard dynamic-entry door charge. | Single doors requiring fast, forced entry. |
| Shape Charge | Destroys doors, including double doors. Heavier door-defeat than the breaching charge. | Reinforced single doors and double doors. |
| Push Charge | Destroys doors; defeats 2×4 plank fences. Dual-purpose door / light-barrier charge. | Doors and 2×4 plank fences. |
| Wall Charge | Decimates small wood fences; destroys 2×4 plank walls; defeats stone walls. The heavy breach — creates new entry points. | Wood fences, plank walls, and stone walls (mouseholing). |
CRITICAL — HINGE SIDE RULE
Door Charges and Lock Picks both work on the HINGE side of the door.
Placing a door charge or working a pick near the handle / lock WILL NOT defeat the door. This is the most common breach failure — confirm hinge-side placement before initiating.
6. STANDOFF & STACK SAFETY
No breach is initiated until the stack is clear of the blast and out of the line of the breach. Safety standoff is the breacher's call and the breacher's responsibility.
| Breach Type | Stack Position / Standoff |
|---|---|
| Door charges (door / breaching / shape / push on a door) | Stack must be OUT of the fatal funnel. Set off the wall, on cover, clear of the doorway's line. Nobody stands in front of the door at initiation. |
| Wall charge | Minimum 10 m safe distance. The stack takes cover off the breach point and does not move up until the charge has detonated. |
Default rule for any charge not listed: if in doubt, treat it as a wall charge and hold the 10 m standoff.
7. DETONATION & INITIATION
CDD charges support two initiation methods. The breacher selects the method to fit the entry and briefs it to the assault lead before placing the charge.
- Timer: Set from 5 to 20 seconds. Use the shortest delay that allows the breacher to move to a clear standoff and the stack to get set. Longer delays surrender tempo and surprise.
- Remote: The charge is tied to a remote detonator and initiated on command. Use when the breach must be synchronised with the assault, a second breach point, or a support element.
INITIATION DISCIPLINE
Confirm placement → confirm stack standoff → confirm method → initiate.
The breacher does not initiate until the assault lead has the stack set and clear. The breach happens on the assault element's signal, not the breacher's convenience.