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CQB Manual
CQB Manual
Table of Contents
Close Quarters Battle (CQB) Manual ................................................................................. 1
Table of Contents................................................................................................................ 1
Chapter 1: Introduction to CQB...................................................................................... 2
Chapter 2: Basic Reconnaissance ................................................................................... 3
Chapter 3: Communication ............................................................................................. 5
Chapter 4: Shooting ........................................................................................................ 6
Chapter 5: Cover and Concealment ................................................................................ 8
Chapter 6: Movement and Room Clearing ..................................................................... 9
Chapter 7: Using Snipers .............................................................................................. 11
Chapter 8: Conclusion................................................................................................... 12
decides where and when to go. The point man needs to be competent and stealthy. Basically, the
way movement works is that the point man decides a path to take and leads his team member
along that path. Just remember, that you never split up. Move as a team always.
After you have completed the recon of the AOP, return to the rally point. The Officer in
Charge(OIC) collects the information and sets up a plan. This should be the only time that talking
is permitted on a Recon Op. They conveying of accurate information and intelligence is crucial,
don't screw it up!
The most important things to remember about reconnaissance is you don't fire a shot. It needs to
be practiced and the art needs to be perfected. Only the most skilled military units participate in
reconnaissance operations in the real world, so you can imagine the difficulty. Follow the above
and you should be fine. So far it's worked for my team.
Chapter 3: Communication
Communication is vital for a team's success.
There are a number of forms of
communication used by today's special Forces
units. The very first and still favorite in some
cases are hand signals. Hand signals are
completely quiet and they are effective. The
other common method of communication is
through tactical radios(TacRadio). Even
though a good radio is expensive, if you're a
serious team, you will want to shell out the
money. NOTE: Some tournaments do not
allow radio communication. Refer to the rules
in your area before purchasing!! TacRadios
offer more flexibility than hand signals and can
be more effective. If you do purchase radios,
spend the money to get a decent one because
if your team relies on TacRadio comm. Units
and they go down, you're screwed.
Depending on if you have military experience or how serious your team is, you may have preAssigned positions in the team. Common military positions include the Point Man, OIC,
Corpsman(medical Officer), Assaulters, Grenadiers, and Rear security. These positions will be
referred to for the rest of this document. The acting position of a team member is a good
reference for radio communication. While some teams choose to use names, our team quickly
chose the position naming reference over names. WE found names to be cumbersome while
positions worked out quite nicely.
Whether you use TacRadios or hand signals, communication should be short and to the point.
You don't want to get caught waiting around in an open area because your comm. Isn't effective
enough. That's begging for an ambush to happen. Simple code words are an asset to radio
communication. Hand signals are for more developed and serious team and need to be
developed by the team itself. Teams are most familiar with signals that they come up with on their
own. The same goes with code words.
Communication Standard Operating Procedures(SOPs) are best developed by the teams
themselves. The information above is only there to help you formulate your own ideas. No matter
what form of communication you choose, the same principles apply. Restrict communication to
only necessary comments that directly affect the mission. For TacRadios, make sure that the
ones you choose have a hands-option. Holding your weapon and concentrating on the task at
hand can be complicated enough.
Chapter 4: Shooting
Shooting is a fundamental skill that won't be
covered in detail in this manual. Shooting is a
vital part of any Op. After all, you have to
shoot the tangos to take them down don't
you? Shooting in a CQB situation is actually
quite different from that of any other Op. The
reason is because in CQB the action is fast.
Shooting in CQB is based upon initial volume
of fire and instinct. Reaction time is very
important in CQB.
There are a number of fundamentals that help
and apply to CQB though. The first is that you
never look away from your gun. Keep your
weapon in front of you at all times. The only exception belongs to the Point Man who may need to
use his sidearm(if available). Don't look anywhere that your weapon is not pointed. Believe it or
not, it's much easier to depress the trigger than to look, have to swing your weapon to your target,
and then depress the trigger. If you head moves, your weapon goes with it. This is even more
true with a sidearm.
The next fundamental skill is a readiness stance. Keep your weapon in front of you a slightly on a
low angle when moving in a "clear" area. The reason is because if you're not in a clear area, you
actually present less of a target. Movement like that is also important because you are more
relaxed. When in CQB, tenseness is a bad thing. Tenseness causes premature firing of the
weapon and a lot of missed targets because of poor aiming. You do not however want to move in
this manner when you know that you're near tangos. If you're moving through a danger area,
keep the weapon in a firing position with a relaxed grip. If you're too tense, you may have a
tendency to jerk the weapon when firing which could throw your aim off. By the way, missing is a
bad thing!
The third and equally important aspect to combat shooting in CQB is reloading. Yes, there is a
SOP for reloading. The most efficient reloading technique is used by the U.S. Airborne Rangers.
The first thing to do if you need to reload is to check for cover. If there is cover move to it. Once
behind cover, drop to a knee and if necessary, draw your sidearm to within easy reach in case of
an emergency. Replace magazines quickly and engage in the firefight again.
The last and most important aspect of CQB shooting is fields of fire. Each team member needs to
have a pre-assigned field of fire. A team member's field of fire is the area that the team member
is going to concentrate on when moving unless moving through an open area at which you
engage targets of opportunity. The point man has the front of the team covered with the help of
the OIC. The OIC covers the near flanks of the point man. The next man in the line which is
usually a corpsman covers the left and right of the team. The Assaulters cover targets of
opportunity. The rear security team member(last man in formation), covers the rear of the team.
This is an important position because the most common guerilla tactic is to engage a larger force
from behind. Another important thing to remember is if you fire in your field of fire, let your team
know who is firing by calling out "contact!" If you "drop" the tango, let the team know by saying,
not yelling, "tango Down."
The above needs rehearsal and should be trained again and again. My team focuses on target
shooting under controlled circumstances working on a "reflex or Instinct shot." Basically, we set
up a target, mimic clearing an area, and engage the target of reflexes. That involves bringing the
weapon up for the ready position and firing until the target is hit.
make those turns 90 degrees because room corners are a favorite for tango campers. After the
OIC, the next man on the point man's side enters and follows the same path as the point man but
makes approximately a 60 degree turn focusing more on the center of the room. The next man on
the OIC's side enters in the same fashion but follows the OIC's path instead of the point man.
This continues until the entire team is in the room and the room is deemed clear by the OIC.
Example of entry: Point man goes left, OIC goes right, Corpsman left, 1st Assaulter right, 2nd
Assaulter left, Rear Security, right.
A closed door is handled differently however. If a closed door is encountered, the point man and
OIC line up on the opposite sides as before. The OIC moves first and positions himself on about
a 45 degree angle opposite the door swing. In other words, if the door opens and swings left, the
OIC will be on the right side of the doorway. The OIC then kneels and has his weapon
trained(aimed) directly ahead into the open space laying beyond the door. The OIC must leave
enough room for the door to open! The point man opens the door on the OIC's order. At about .5
seconds after the door is opened, the point man makes his normal entry procedure as above and
the operation continues as normal with exceptions to the OIC and the 2nd Assaulter. Instead of
the OIC clearing the room, the next man in the line, in the case above, the 1st Assaulter clears in
the OIC's place. Everything goes accordingly except for the 2nd Assaulter who positions himself
next to the OIC and covers the team's rear. Once the room is clear, the OIC and 2nd Assaulter
move in with the rest of the team and the "patrol" continues.
An important point to remember is when clearing a room, do not engage targets of opportunity.
Engage targets that lie in your path only. If you turn to shoot the tango, you'll hit your own man
before you hit the enemy. Strict fields of fire are required in order for this method of room clearing
to be efficient.
Chapter 8: Conclusion
Hopefully this manual has expanded your knowledge on CQB and will help your team to succeed.
A lot of the information in this manual comes from real military tactics from units such as the
Airborne Rangers, Navy SEALs, Marine Force Reconnaissance Companies, Army Delta, and the
British Special Air Service(SAS). My team practices these tactics and so far we've had some
great successes. Out of all the combat situations out there, CQB seems to be the most difficult.
Hopefully this manual will make it less difficult and reduce the time it takes for you to develop your
own SOPs and tactics. Good luck and Happy hunting.