The “Stick”: The backbone of SADF counter-insurgency operations. 🌿 In the vast expanse of the South African Border War, large battalions were often too slow to catch elusive insurgents. Enter the “Stick.” A Stick was a small, highly mobile tactical team—usually consisting of just 4 or 5 men. Their strength wasn’t in numbers, but in speed and tracking ability. The Anatomy of a Stick: 🚁 Deployment: Often dropped by Alouette helicopters directly onto “spoor” (tracks) or positioned as “stop groups

Annals of wars we don’t know about: The South African border war of 1966-1989