Originally Posted by Wise_A

For starters, if you pull the ol' rack-the-shotgun move from an upstairs bedroom with an attacker on the ground floor, he now has the option to fire up through the floor at you, while you still don't have a good picture of where he is.

In a ranch-style, he can also choose to move outside and flank your position, firing through an exterior window.

And at the very least, he now has a very good idea of what room he can expect trouble from.

If he's clever, he also now knows what style of weapon you're armed with. If he's smart, he understands its limitations. He can consider how best to proceed before engaging, while you will be forced to respond on-the-spot. You always want to maintain as much initiative as possible.

Using a flashlight certainly reveals your position, but it also offers a huge advantage if employed correctly. If you wait to turn on the light until your attacker comes into view, a sudden bright light will temporarily blind him. You may be slightly dazed as well, but nowhere near as badly, and you'll be ready for it. Even if he has a firearm of his own, he'll be taking shots in the dark.

Placement of the light is key. You want to ensure that there's no way he can get behind the beam, as it creates a well of darkness. For instance, if I shined a light straight through an open doorway, and then stood against the wall in a "slicing the pie"-type position facing the direction of my attacker, the doorway and wall outside the door would be brightly-lit. However, the hall that I was looking down outside the door would seem extra-dark to me, as my eyes would be adjusted to the beam. It's very likely that the attacker would see me before I saw him.

You might also choose to deploy the light remotely. For instance, if you're fairly certain that the attacker knows what room you're in, and knows that you're aware of his presence, you can place the flashlight several feet away, aimed at the corner he'll be approaching from. With a bright-enough light, you'll still be very hard to see, and his natural inclination will be to presume that you're behind the light source, and act (or aim) accordingly.

Verbal warnings should only be issued at the point of contact. By that time, the fight has more or less begun in a home-defense scenario. Note, however, that if you have the element of surprise, a loud, strongly-worded command and sudden bright light can discourage further attack and create compliance. It naturally triggers a fear response. Police, corrections officers, and even the military use this tactic all the time. Ever wonder why they shout and move fast all the time? Turns out criminals, recalcitrant prisoners, and terrorists aren't immune to surprise and fright.

Contact should be delayed as long as possible. Hopefully, you've already dialed 9-1-1. Delaying contact gives them time to arrive. Even if there's going to be a gunfight, do you want to have that fight with reinforcements 10 minutes away, or 2 minutes away?

That said, cover the areas that need to be covered. If you've got to control a hallway to prevent attackers from accessing your kid's bedoom, don't cede that ground in the name of delaying a fight.

Personally--and this area doesn't get enough attention in SD writings, I'd be interested in reading more--I don't plan on having a long conversation if I call 9-1-1. I'd hit the basics:

--Address
--Problem (how many attackers?)
--Directions to the house
--Key identifying features of your house ("I'm on the right side of Poplar Drive if you're coming from Main street. It's the one with the white mailbox and the huge oak tree, there's a red pickup in the driveway.")
--"I'm armed"
--Describe what you're wearing ("I'm wearing a white tank-top and leopard-print thong")
--What room of the house you're in ("I'm in the upstairs bedroom, to the right down the hall")

And then--"Sorry, I can't talk anymore, I'm going to put the phone down on the floor. Please don't try to call for me, I'm trying to stay hidden." Leaving the line open creates an auditory record, useful for reconstructing your hopefully sound decisions.