Tier 1 Dark 30 is a survival and preparedness training app built for sustained grid-down scenarios. It is not a reference wiki, not a gear catalog, and not a beginner camping guide. Every module is written to operator standard — meaning it assumes the situation is real, resources are limited, and someone is depending on you to know what you are doing.
The app works fully offline. No internet connection is required for any feature. No account is required. Nothing is transmitted. Everything lives on your device.
The home screen has 7 sections. Tap any tile to enter that section.
| Section | What It Does | Start Here If |
|---|---|---|
| Situation | 8-question assessment engine that generates a prioritized action plan | You don't know where to start |
| Scenarios | 83 operational playbooks across 8 threat categories | You need a full picture of a specific threat |
| Skills | 114 training modules across 14 categories | You need to learn or reference a specific skill |
| Mindset | 7 modules on operator psychology and decision-making | You need to understand how to think under pressure |
| Tools | Live calculators and planners | You need to calculate water needs, plan comms, build a loadout |
| Reference | 21 quick-access field reference cards | You need fast information on a specific topic |
| My Plan | Personalized operator profile (coming soon) | Post-launch feature |
The app has a free tier and a paid tier. One-time purchase of $24.99 unlocks everything permanently.
| What's Free | What's Paid ($24.99 one time) |
|---|---|
| First 2 skill modules per category | All remaining skill modules (100+) |
| First scenario per threat category | All remaining scenario modules (75+) |
| All 21 reference cards | Unlimited Situation Assessments |
| Signal Suite (fully free) | All tools — Water/Food Calculator, Comms Planner, Gear Loadout Builder, Compass |
| 3 Situation Assessments | Operator Briefing screen |
| Mindset modules |
To unlock: tap any locked item and follow the prompt. Or go to Settings and tap Unlock Full Access.
The Situation Assessment Engine is the fastest path to a prioritized action plan when you don't know where to start.
Free users get 3 assessments. Premium users get unlimited.
83 scenario modules organized into 8 threat categories:
Each module is a complete operational playbook. Read the ones relevant to your threat environment before you need them. The time to read a nuclear scenario playbook is not after the flash.
114 skill modules across 14 categories. Each module is written to operator standard with standard operating procedures, time benchmarks, degraded condition notes, and an Operator Notes section covering the most critical insight for that skill.
Fire 14 MODULES
Bow drill, hand drill, flint and steel, battery and steel wool, magnification, chemical methods, wet conditions, fire lays, signal fire, cooking fire, warmth fire, fire safety, banking, and more.
Shelter 14 MODULES
Debris hut, lean-to, A-frame, snow shelter, urban shelter, vehicle shelter, tarp and poncho configurations, underground, insulation, raised platform, desert, and swamp shelter.
Water 15 MODULES
Terrain sourcing, urban sourcing, solar still, natural and urban filtration, boiling, collection, chemical treatment, plant sources, storage, dehydration recognition, and more.
Medical and Trauma 12 MODULES
Hemorrhage control, airway management, chest wounds, fractures, burns, hypothermia, infection, heat illness, TCCC, MARCH protocol, dental emergencies, survival pharmacy.
Navigation 10 MODULES
Compass, map reading, celestial navigation, terrain association, urban navigation, route planning, dead reckoning, water navigation, grid coordinates, night navigation.
Food 7 MODULES
Fishing, cooking, trapping, nutrition and caloric needs, foraging basics.
Communications 6 MODULES
Radio fundamentals, COMSEC and signal discipline, visual signaling, Meshtastic mesh networking, net operations, runner systems.
Security and Home Defense 5 MODULES
Home defense, access control and checkpoints, watch rotation, reaction to contact, immediate action drills.
Intelligence 4 MODULES
Area assessment, pattern of life, neighborhood intelligence network, threat analysis.
Movement and Patrol 6 MODULES
Patrol fundamentals, urban movement, cover and concealment, evasion and escape, vehicle operations, advanced patrol.
Primitive Weapons and Defense 9 MODULES
Bow and arrow, sling, spear, knapping, club, traps, edged weapons, atlatl, staff.
Improvised Tools 4 MODULES
Basic cordage, primitive pottery, primitive metalworking, advanced rope making.
Situational Awareness 4 MODULES
Color code system, threat assessment, pattern of life analysis, counter-surveillance.
Community Organization 4 MODULES
Community structure and governance, barter and trade economy, community resistance, food production at scale.
The Signal Suite is a fully functional communications toolkit accessible from within the Skills section under Communications. Five tabs.
FLASHERType any message. The app converts it to Morse code and flashes your phone LED in the correct dot-dash sequence. Adjust speed with the WPM slider. Use this to signal aircraft, distant observers, or any party who can see your phone.
DECODERTap the large button to input Morse manually. Short tap equals dot. Long tap equals dash. The app detects letter gaps and word gaps automatically and displays the decoded text in real time.
SOUND SIGNALSPlays standard survival sound signal sequences. Three blasts for distress. Two blasts for all clear. One blast for attention. SOS in Morse by audio. Each has a play button and displays the international standard meaning.
VISUAL REFERENCEComplete ground-to-air signal reference. International symbols (V, X, arrow, LL, F), body signals to aircraft, panel signal colors and placement, day and night signaling methods, mirror flash technique.
SIGNAL DISCIPLINEFull COMSEC and communications security guide covering brevity codes, authentication, duress signals, frequency discipline, and transmission minimization.
Input number of people, days, activity level, climate, and special conditions. Outputs drinking water, sanitation water, and cooking water totals in liters and gallons, plus container counts and purification tablet requirements. Updates live as you change inputs.
Input people, days, activity level, and age group factors. Outputs total calories, macros, practical storage weight, and conversion to common stored food quantities.
Combined view showing total water volume, food weight, storage space needed, container manifest, rotation schedule, and acquisition priority order.
Water purification comparison, food shelf life table, caloric density reference, dehydration signs, starvation timeline.
Build your PACE frequency plan. Select radio type, assign channels, set CTCSS tones, tag each channel with its use case. Output is a formatted PACE card designed to be screenshot.
Input your net name, NCS callsign, stations, and check-in frequency. Generates a full 24-hour net schedule and a net log template.
Input radio type, power output, antenna type, and terrain. Outputs estimated ground-to-ground and ground-to-elevated range with a schematic range diagram.
Input node count, node types, terrain, and target coverage area. Outputs coverage analysis, gap analysis, repeater placement recommendations, and hardware cost estimate.
US radio band quick reference, GMRS channel chart, HAM band plan, phonetic alphabet, COMSEC checklist.
Three expandable layers — EDC (Every Day Carry), INCH Bag, Vehicle/Base Kit. 79 pre-populated items across all three layers. Check items you have. Add custom items. Enter weights.
Live weight tracking per layer. Carry percentage vs body weight. Category breakdown. Missing category flags.
Scored across 8 categories — Medical, Water, Fire/Shelter, Navigation, Communications, Security, Food, Documentation. Overall Tier rating from Tier 1 Operator down to Unprepared.
Track consumable expiration dates. Color-coded alerts — red for rotate now, yellow for rotate soon, green for good.
Common gear failures, weight reduction strategies, EDC philosophy, gear quality tiers by category.
Analog compass rose with bearing lock, True North and Magnetic North toggle, back bearing calculation, GPS position overlay, tactical mode, declination adjustment, and calibration screen.
Seven tabs: Power Calculator, Ohm's Law, Wire Sizing guide, Voltage Reference, Electrical Formulas, Fuse Guide, Battery Comparison.
21 quick-access reference cards. Each card is a fast-read formatted reference on a single critical topic.
These cards work without the app. Screenshot them before you need them.
Access Settings via the gear icon in the top right of the home screen.
This app is built to work with zero network connectivity.
What works offline: Everything. All 225+ modules, all tools, all reference cards, all calculators, all planners, the compass, the signal suite. Everything.
What requires a connection: Nothing in v1.0 except the optional topographic map tile download (coming in a future update). That download is user-initiated. Nothing else phones home.
Purchase not showing as unlocked after buying
Go to Settings and tap Restore Purchases. This re-validates your purchase with the App Store and restores premium access.
App showing locked content after reinstall
Tap Restore Purchases in Settings. Your purchase is tied to your Apple ID or Google account — it is not lost when you reinstall.
Compass not showing accurate bearing
Calibrate the compass — go to the compass screen, tap the calibration icon, and follow the figure-8 motion instructions. Keep the phone away from metal objects and magnets.
Flashlight not working in Signal Suite
The Morse flasher requires camera permission to control the LED. Go to your phone Settings and grant camera permission to Tier 1 Dark 30.
For support, questions, or to report an issue:
Email: tier1offgrid@protonmail.com
Support page: tier1offgrid.com/dist/support.html
This app is built and maintained by one person. Response times may vary. For urgent issues, Substack is the fastest path.