Whenever we come across a power-packed show which consists of war zones, soldiers in action, blasts, and everything heroic; We often dive deeper into this constant curiosity of how real-life heroes contrast and relate to the reel life heroes. Black Crab on Netflix is one such thriller. It makes us think if soldiers really live the way we depict it in the show. And if so, how do they combat such low degrees and high altitudes?

Catch your breath because we have someone who addressed many such questions that might have lingered In your head for a long time. Philip is a second lieutenant in the Swedish Subarctic Rangers. The squad has specialization in winter warfare in the alpine and subarctic regions. In an interview, he revealed how they train to survive in such tense climates and accomplish their missions. So go on and read about first-hand experiences of soldiers in snowy regions.

How it is like to go on missions such as Black Crab?

Well, of course, it takes courage to train as a soldier in the arctic regions. As Philip reported to Netflix Tudum, they have to go through tough mental and physical tests to be eligible to join the regime. The physical tests are extremely standardized. It includes bicycle and muscle tests, step-up tests with backpacks, and more. Once they pass the first phase, they are sent up to the regime, where their reactions and ability to deal with a harsh situation are tested. This is how a soldier is given birth to and trained for missions such as Black Crab.

But how do they manage to travel through the desert of snow? And what would they do if someone fell through the ice? Philip answered these questions as well. According to him, traveling through the snow-covered areas is not an issue. The real issue lies in their aim. “That takes more of a toll on how to meet your needs without giving away where we are to the enemy. So, usually we take it with us,” said the lieutenant.

Further, he also mentioned how it is very difficult to erase their footmarks and how ‘It’s easy to learn, but it takes a lifetime to master.’ Having talked about all this, let’s find out what happens when a soldier actually falls through the ice as we saw in Netflix’s Black Crab.

Soldiers bath in ice as a part of their training

When asked if the soldiers and trained to deal with a situation where one soldier slips in the ice, Philip explained how they train them to deal with such occurrences.

“It’s mandatory for everyone who goes through winter warfare training in Swedish Armed Forces to do an ice bath where we cut a hole in the ice and then we train on how the body reacts when it gets into water and how to get out of the water by yourself, and then as a unit how we make sure that that person gets well afterwards,” he mentioned while talking to Netflix Tudum.

He explained that someone might just not directly jump into the ice hole to save the other person. Black Crab on Netflix is based on a fictional novel of same name. These tactics may work in the fictional world, but in real-life scenario, one has to analyse the situation. “With two people, it’s a dramatically more difficult situation to deal with,” said Philip. “If need be, someone would jump in and help them out, but probably they would lay on the ice and try to grab the person and drag them up without going into the water — or at least not submerging themselves completely in the water.” 

Once in a blue moon, they get to ice skate.

“I’ve never used ice skates in a military sense. Some years, we have these magical weeks where it gets 10, 15 below zero and everything freezes. There’s no wind and there’s no snow, and then we get this beautiful ice and everyone up here who has ice skates goes up and down the frozen rivers, and it’s absolutely magical,” said Philip.

In his 10 years of winter warfare experience, he hasn’t come across clear ice yet. Such beautiful moments are rare in the tough and challenging lives of these soldiers. And knowing about all that they go through to keep their lands and citizens safe, we have nothing but immense respect in our hearts for them.

Do let us know in the comment section if you would like to experience such thrills as a Swedish Army person. Also, what similarities did you find in Philip’s explanations and what we depict in Black Crab on Netflix?