Basic Military Tactics

The words “Military Tactics” are commonly used words among airsoft players, paintball players, and obviously, military personal. In this article there will be basic military tactics information and how to apply them to your team or just for yourself. In later issues, there will be more in-depth articles on tactics, but before one can learn the advance, one must learn the basics. Again, these are the basics many of the readers will know, but for the people new to the sport, we thought we should start at the beginning. The words “military tactics” refer to: methods of engaging and defeating an enemy in battle. Throughout time, military tactics have changed extensively under the influence of philosophy and technology. Up until the 19th century, military tactics were mainly on battle warfare concerning how to maneuver units in battle on open terrain. If you think about it, most battles around the 19th century and before were conducted when both armies met on open fields and fought, especially in the European wars and battles. In modern terminology, tactics refer more to the operational application of forces to a situation. Don’t get this confused with military strategy which is concerned with more long-term results. There are many levels on which tactics can be brought up on: from room clearing to how to clear miles of terrain. Common military tactics would include the following: frontal assaults, flank (rear) assaults, ambushes, etc. Now let’s talk about some different basic types of tactics for you and/or your team to use.

Reconnaissance is the military term for gathering information about the enemy. This could include: where they are located, how large their force is, their intentions, the best way to insert and extract into and from an enemy’s AO (Area of Operation), etc. Basically: you are gathering all the information you can about the enemy and how best to complete your assigned tasks and mission. This provides the solid building blocks for the intelligence side of the operation. Reconnaissance is often referred to as “recce” or “recon” depending on the role of the reconnaissance mission.

Patrolling is another tactic. Small groups of units or individuals (depending on how many men are needed) are sent from a larger formation to complete a certain objective and then return. There are many types of patrols, each depending on a different objective. The most common patrol is collecting intelligence by carrying out a reconnaissance mission. The patrol may try to remain covert and record info on the enemy without being detected. Some reconnaissance patrols are actually overt, which is the exact opposite of covert. Their mission may be to interact with the civilian population and receive information concerning the enemy they are fighting. A fighting patrol is a group with a good substantial amount of men (platoon or company) and equipment to raid or ambush a specific enemy. Don’t get this confused with an attack because in a raid or ambush you do not hold the ground in which you acquire after defeating the enemy. A clearing patrol is a brief patrol around a newly occupied defensive position to ensure the area is secure. These kinds of patrols are sent on missions called “screens” which means to patrol a certain area.

Ambushing is another military tactic used for quite some time where the ambushing force uses cover, or concealment, to attack an enemy at a certain point when they pass by. The ambushers strike from a concealed position such as dense bushes or behind hills. This tactic is usually used to gather information or to establish control over an area. Ambushing is most often used by ground troops up to a platoon size against enemy targets. Ambushes are multi-phase operations and usually should be planned in some detail from insertion to extraction (hint: always have a plan B, always then have a plan C, etc). Since ambushing is used frequently, I thought I should outline the basics for planning for, setting of, executing of, and extracting from an ambush. The first step is planning. The first step is to designate a kill zone. This is a reasonable position in which there is cover and a vantage point that all your team members or you can see when the enemy is in range. The next step is setting the ambush. To be successful in an ambush, a patrol must deploy into the area covertly and establish secure and covert positions overlooking the kill zone. If your squad has enough men, think about a cut-off group. This is a group which “scouts” ahead of the kill zone, radios the man in charge of the operation when the enemy is approaching, and prevents any enemies from escaping once the ambush is initiated. The main thing during setting the ambush is the man in charge should make sure that none of his men are directly in each other’s line of fire. Once your team, or you, is set up, you need to then wait for the enemy to come into sight. The next step is pretty simple: eliminate the enemy - the execution phase. Again, the coming of the enemy should be signaled by the cut-off unit. Once the enemy is in range or in the middle of the ambush kill zone, the commander should initiate the ambush with either shots from his weapon, an explosive devise, a hand signal, or a simple whistle blast. Once that has happened, it’s up to everyone in the unit to shoot straight and shoot fast. The final part of this step is to check the enemy for intelligence, taking prisoners, checking for bodies, and if you are nice, treating the wounded enemy. The final step is extraction. Your squad being compromised, there should be an extraction plan to get out of the AO as soon as possible before assisting enemy units arrive.

Now let’s talk about a frontal assault in more detail. A frontal assault is also called a suicide strike. Why? Well, it is basically a direct, hostile movement of forces towards the enemy in a large number in attempt to defeat them. This should always be the commander’s last resort. During the 19th century, this type of warfare was popular on horses, but as the range and accuracy of weapons improved, it proved to be suicidal. This type of tactic was also used a great deal in the American Civil War and World War I in trench warfare, being one of main reasons for the large number of casualties during trench warfare also. Now these are the very, very basic military tactics. Later on, there will be a more in depth look at some tactics that you and your team can apply more directly to airsoft.
Now that the basics were covered, I want to discuss a more in-depth look on how you can apply these to your team. You may want to modify them to adjust to your team’s situation, or you may not. Regardless of that, here are some more in-depth tactics of the “101’s” of military tactics.

Basic Field Operating Procedures:
Infantry Minor Tactics or IMTs are the very basic tactics that are employed at the squad, section, or platoon level. They are, generally speaking, reasonably similar across most modern armies. In most situations, except static defense, IMTs are based on the principle of "fire and movement" - that is firing and moving, often in pairs. One soldier is firing to suppress or neutralize the enemy while the other soldier moves either toward the enemy or to a more favorable position to attack/counter-attack. The movement often uses only 5-10 feet per move. This technique is sometimes referred to as "pepper-potting" (British) or "fire team rushes"(US). IMTs are typically taught to all arms and services both in basic training and often also whilst undergoing non-infantry specialty training. In some military forces, such as the Australian Army and the United States Marine Corps, all units in the field force regardless of corps, regiment, trade, or specialty are supposed to undergo annual refresher training in IMTs, on the basis all soldiers in a conflict can be expected to be involved at least providing local security for their unit or formation. Most IMTs are taught in the form of a drill – i.e. a series of choreographed steps that occur in reaction to a certain stimuli, such as sighting an enemy to the front, or being engaged by enemy from flank etc. The initial stages of the drill are reutilized, and therefore, action doesn't require full appraisal of the situation by individual soldiers or unit commanders. Such stimulus-response training allows coordinated responses without the need for direct orders. In combat, this allows the first few moments of the engagement to occur almost automatically and gives the soldiers a way to respond appropriately and predictably (i.e. take cover and start returning fire, or shift the flanks to becoming in enfilade to a surprise attack) while the unit commander assesses the actual situation and issues orders further orders. Perhaps the most basic of all IMTs is the "Basic Drill".

The Basic Drill is the drill all individual soldiers are supposed to perform if they come under "effective fire". The basic drill is: • Run two or three steps • Drop to the ground or into cover • Crawl a few yards (or move under concealment/cover) • Observe • Shoot (identified targets of opportunity within effective range) • Move • Observe • Shoot • Move • Repeat until issued orders. The basic drill is designed to provide the soldier with simple steps to follow under the stress of combat. The essential goal of the basic drill is to move the soldier into cover, remove him from the last position where he was likely to be seen by the enemy, and keep him "positively engaged” (identifying and shooting) with any targets in his effective area until his commander makes an appraisal and issues instructions. Fire and movement is the basic military tactic used by small unit commanders on the modern battlefield. It uses the power of suppressive fire to decrease the enemy's firepower, organization, intelligence, and morale. This tactic has been brought to a new level with the advent of automatic weapons, but also has been used in its basics since ancient times with slingers and archers providing covering fire for advancing infantry and cavalry. Fire and movement work on the basis of suppressing an enemy with an appropriate level of fire, while at the same time advancing. This will take the form of two units of whatever size appropriate - two soldiers or larger. Base of Fire One unit will provide a base of fire from a position in order to suppress the enemy. This will take the form of sustained fire on the enemy position as to prevent movement or return of fire on the advancing unit. Suppression Heavy and continuous fire keeps an opponent suppressed and therefore limits the overall firepower of a unit (if a platoon has 30 soldiers, but only 15 are shooting back because the other 15 are being suppressed, you have tactically limited that unit's firepower by 50%). It also builds up confusion and sometimes panic for undisciplined forces. The fire cuts down on an enemy's intelligence in that they are not able to assess the situation as clearly. Finally the suppressive fire hurts an enemy's morale by scaring them, for the fire is continuous. In actuality, it scares more then it kills, but an enemy who hesitates the least bit is at a great disadvantage. Advance While a base of fire is set up, the second unit will advance to cover in front, in the process setting up a new base of fire at this point. After a new base of fire has been set up the first unit will advance, under cover of the new fire base, to a new position and set up another fire base there. This continues on and on till the enemy is either captured or killed.

Overwatch: In modern warfare, overwatch is the state of one small unit supporting another, while they are executing fire and movement tactics. An overwatching, or supporting unit has taken a position where it can observe the terrain ahead, especially enemy positions. This allows it to provide effective covering fire for advancing friendly units. The term overwatch originates in U.S. military doctrine. An ideal overwatch position provides cover for the unit and unobstructed lines of fire. It may be on a higher piece of ground or at the top of a ridge, where a vehicle may be able to adopt a hull-down position. If the overwatching unit is in a position to fire over advancing friendly units, great care must be taken not to let fire fall short. The friendly units should be within tracer burnout (the range at which tracer rounds are visible). Overwatch can be performed by platoons during company fire and movement, infantry sections, in platoon fire and movement, or even by fire teams or individual soldiers, in the final stages of an assault.