In dense cedar swamp with zero visibility, which technique allows an operator to walk a straight line without landmarks by coordinating with a partner on the bearing?

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In featureless, zero-visibility terrain, the key is to keep a straight course using a common reference and a clear plan for moving leaders. Leap-frogging achieves this by having two operators share a fixed bearing. One person leads, walking along that bearing, while the other follows at a short distance and watches to stay aligned with the same direction. After covering a planned distance, they switch roles, so the new leader continues on the same bearing with the partner providing a check against drift. This back-and-forth keeps the team on a straight path even when there are no landmarks to guide you.

This method works well here because you’re not relying on landmarks or visibility; you’re anchoring the route to a compass bearing and using regular handoffs to prevent gradual drift. Not as effective in this scenario would be relying on a visible path, which you don’t have, or on devices or tactics that assume visibility or landmark cues. Random wandering would undermine any straight-line progress. Leap-frogging directly addresses the need to stay on a straight line with a partner guiding you by bearing.