FROM ALPHA

TO OMEGA

A MILSIM TACTICAL
PRIMER AND TRAINING
MANUAL

CRAIG R. WHITE
 Copyright © by Craig R. White, 2019.

All rights reserved.

While every reasonable precaution has been taken to ensure the reliability and accuracy of this book
and its contents, neither the author not the publisher assume any responsibility for the use or misuse
of information contained herein. Suggestions and advice provided herein are only offered to provoke
independent thought. In no event shall the author or publisher be held liable for any incidental,
consequential and/or indirect damages (including but not limited to, damages based on loss of profits,
business interruption, loss of information, etc.) caused by the use of this book. This book is for
informational purposes only.
 To Nan, Ethan and Peyton for their
patience in allowing me to pursue this
crazy hobby.
 “THERE ARE NO SECRETS TO
SUCCESS. IT IS THE RESULTOF
PREPARATION, HARD WORK,
LEARNING FROM FAILURE.”

COLIN POWELL

“IF YOU FIND YOURSELF IN A FAIR

FIGHT, YOUR TACTICS SUCK.”

JOHN STEINBECK

“OUT OF EVERY ONE HUNDRED

MEN, TEN SHOULDN’T EVEN BE
THERE, EIGHTY ARE JUST TARGETS,
NINE ARE REAL FIGHTERS, AND WE
ARE LUCKY TO HAVE THEM, FOR
THEY MAKE THE BATTLE. AH, BUT
THE ONE, ONE IS A WARRIOR, AND HE
WILL BRING THE OTHERS BACK.”
 HERACLITUS

“NEVER TELL PEOPLE HOW TO DO

THINGS. TELL THEM WHAT TO DO
AND THEY WILL SURPRISE YOU WITH
THEIR INGENUITY.”

GEORGE S. PATTON, JR.

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

FROM ALPHA TO OMEGA

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
PART I – BASIC CONSIDERATIONS, FIELDCRAFT AND TEAM
ROLES/ RESPONSIBILITIES
ALPHA: BASIC OVERRIDING CONCEPTS
SITUATIONAL AWARENESS:
MAINTAINING INITIATIVE:
EFFECTIVENESS:
SIMPLICITY:
IMPORTANCE OF SAFETY:
BETA: WHAT ARE TACTICS, TECHNIQUES AND
PROCEDURES (TTPs)?
PSYCHOLOGY:
POSITION:
TIMING:
GAMMA: FIELDCRAFT, BASIC SKILLS AND STANDARD
OPERATING PROCEDURES
SITUATIONAL AWARENESS:
WEAPON ACCURACY:
SLLS CHECK:
SMOOTH, STEALTHY MOVEMENT TO CONTACT:
NOISE DISCIPLINE:
LIGHT DISCIPLINE:
SCAN WHILE MOVING:
SCANNING:
INDICATORS:
AVOID PROVIDING INDICATORS TO ENEMY:
FIRE AND MOVEMENT/BOUNDING:
FLANKING:
TACTICAL PATIENCE:
COVER VS. CONCEALMENT:
HUGGING COVER:
STACKING TREES:
WORKING COVER:
CONTACT WITH ENEMY:
MUZZLE AND TRIGGER DISCIPLINE:
HEAD, BODY, WEAPON:
DISPLACEMENT:
AVOID CROSSING OTHER TEAM MEMBERS’ FIELD OF
FIRE:
STAY OUT OF THE FATAL FUNNEL:
THIRD EYE:
NIGHT VISION PROTECTION:
FINDWORK TO DO:
RIFLEMAN:
SUPPORT GUNNER:
FIRE TEAM LEADER:
SQUAD LEADER:
SNIPER/DESIGNATED MARKSMAN:
ANTI-TANK/GRENADIER:
SUBMACHINE GUNNER:
SPECIALIST:
ONE WAY OF FIGHTING:
TEST YOUR GEAR EXTENSIVELY BEFORE FIELDING IT AT
AN OPERATION:
EQUIPMENT SPECIFIC PREPARATIONS:
ERGONOMICS:
DEFINITION OF CHAIN OF COMMAND:
 STRUCTURE OF CHAIN OF COMMAND:
SUCCESSION OF COMMAND:
FOLLOWING CHAIN OF COMMAND:
SHOOT, MOVE, COMMUNICATE:
MAINTAIN OBJECTIVE FOCUS:
GUN UP:
EYES ON SECTOR (EOS):
BUDDY PAIRS:
TARGETING DURING INITIAL ENGAGEMENT:
FINISH THE GUNFIGHT:
DO NOT MUZZLE FLASH TEAM MEMBERS:
ORDERS:
NO SANCTUARY:
AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY:
CORNERING:
MAXIMUM USE OF COVER:
AVOID FLAGGING:
LACE REPORT:
SOLAR COLLECTION/SKYLIGHTING:
ISOLATE OBJECTIVES:
CLOCKRAY METHOD OF IDENTIFYING ENEMY
POSITIONS:
FRESH MAGAZINES:
MAGAZINE CHANGE PROCEDURE:
MEDIC PROCEDURES:
PART II – COMMUNICATIONS
DELTA: COMMUNICATIONS
HAND COMMUNICATIONS
RADIO COMMUNICATION STANDARD OPERATING
PROCEDURE:
RADIO PROWORDS:
PHONETIC ALPHABET:
NUMBERING:
 ACRONYMS:
SQUAD AND FIRE TEAM LEADERS:
RIFLEMEN, SUPPORT GUNNERS AND SPECIALISTS:
CHALLENGE WORDS/PASSCODES:
MATH CHALLENGE:
RUNNING PASSWORD:
OPERATIONAL CODE WORDS:
PART III – ROOM CLEARING TACTICS AND PROCEDURES
EPSILON: CLOSE QUARTERS BATTLE – ROOM CLEARING
SPEED
SURPRISE
VIOLENCE OF ACTION
CLEAR THE DOORWAY AND IMMEDIATE AREA
CLEAR THE CORNERS
DOMINATE THE ROOM
CONTROL OCCUPANTS
SECURE THE ROOM
REPORT STATUS
BACK CLEAR (SECONDARY SWEEP)
COVER AND EVACUATE
COMPLEXITY OF ENVIRONMENT
ENTRY TEAM STACK
OFFSET FIELDS OF FIRE FOR POINT AND SECOND MEN
FREE FLOW/READ METHOD OF ROOM ENTRY
EXECUTE DECISIONS
MOVEMENT DURING TEAM BREACH
COMMUNICATE
SLOW IS SMOOTH, SMOOTH IS FAST
DIMINISHING SECTORS (DS)
POINT AND SECOND MEN AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
THIRD MAN AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY
FOURTH MAN AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY
AVOID OVER-PENETRATION
 FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH EACH POSITION IN ENTRY
TEAM STACK
MOVEMENT TO FINAL POINTS OF DOMINATION
ACTIONS UPON BEING HIT DURING BREACH
AVOID CROSSING WINDOWS AND OTHER DOORS DURING
BREACH
AVOID SWEEPING TEAM MEMBERS WITH WEAPON
MUZZLE
BE PRO-ACTIVE
MAINTAIN SECTOR OF FIRE/AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY
USE OF LOW READY WEAPON POSITIONING
TEAM LEADER POSITION IN STACK
PREFERRED USE OF DYNAMIC ENTRY FOR ROOMS
CONTAINING OBJECTIVES
STEALTHY APPROACH TO TARGET
MAINTAIN DISTANCE TO THREAT AREAS
DETERMINE MOST ADVANTAGEOUS ENTRY POINT
CLEAR THE ENTIRE FLOOR
USE OF GRENADES
NEVER CLEAR DANGER AREAS ALONE
RETREAT/ESCAPE ROUTE
SECURITY
PLATING
FLOOD ROOM
PUSH OUT
PART IV – HALLWAY CLEARING TACTICS AND PROCEDURES
ZETA: CLOSE QUARTERS BATTLE – HALLWAY CLEARING
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
PUSH OUT/COVER MAN:
DIMINISHING SECTORS/SLICING THE PIE
SET –SNAP
HALLWAY TACTICAL FORMATIONS/MOVEMENT
TACTICS FOR CLEARING HALLWAY INTERSECTIONS
PART V – STAIRWAY CLEARING TACTICS AND PROCEDURES
ETA: CLOSE QUARTERS BATTLE – STAIRWAY CLEARING
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS:
STRAIGHT STAIRWAY CLEARING:
CLEARING COMMERCIAL STAIRS WITH LANDING(S):
PART VI – LAND WARFARE – BATTLE FORMATIONS
THETA: LAND WARFARE – BATTLE FORMATIONS
PATROL FORMATIONS:
DEFENSIVE FORMATIONS
IMPORTANCE OF SECURITY
PART VII – LAND WARFARE – READING TERRAIN
IOTA: LAND WARFARE - READING TERRAIN
PART VIII – LAND WARFARE – BATTLE DRILLS & TTPS
KAPPA: LAND WARFARE – BATTLE DRILLS AND TTPS
USE OF BATTLE BUDDY SYSTEM
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS:
MOVEMENT TO CONTACT/SECURE OBJECTIVE
ASSAULT ON OBJECTIVE:
REACTION TO CONTACT
OBJECTIVE SECURITY
BREAK CONTACT
MOUT (MILITARY OPERATIONS IN URBAN TERRAIN)
TACTICS
PATROLLING:
AMBUSH:
TACTICAL ELEMENTS OF AMBUSH:
CATEGORY OF AMBUSH:
TYPE OF AMBUSH:
FORMATION OF AMBUSH:
PART IX – LAND WARFARE – NIGHT OPERATIONS
 LAMDA: LAND WARFARE – NIGHT OPERATIONS
UNAIDED NIGHT VISION:
CONSTRAINTS ON UNAIDED NIGHT VISION:
AVOID NIGHT BLIND SPOTS:
DARK ADAPTATION:
NIGHT OBSERVATION TECHNIQUES:
LIMITED VISIBILITY FIRE CONTROL TECHNIQUES
IMPORTANCE OF STEALTHY MOVEMENT:
POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION TECHNIQUES:
LIGHT DISCIPLINE:
MOVE TO FLANK:
PART X – GETTING TO OMEGA
OMEGA: TESTING TACTICS, TECHNIQUES AND
PROCEDURES THROUGH TRAINING
MASTER THE BASIC TTPS:
MODIFY TTPs TO BETTER WORK WITH YOUR TEAM AND
TACTICAL ELEMENTS:
TRAIN, TRAIN, TRAIN:
THE IMPACT OF MEANINGFUL TRAINING:
XI - APPENDICES
ABBREVIATIONS
TENETS FOR THE APPLICATION OF TACTICS
INTERPLAY OF TACTICS AND STRATEGY:
CULMINATING POINT OF VICTORY:
INITIATIVE IS PARAMOUNT:
TERRAIN:
PHYSICAL TENETS
MENTAL TENANTS
MORALE/COHESION
RECONNAISSANCE
ISOLATION
PREPARATION
SURPRISE
FLEXIBILITY
SECURITY
POSITIONING
DEPTH
MUTUAL SUPPORT
FLEXIBILITY
DEFENSIVE FIRING POSITIONS:
IMPORTANCE OF PATROLLING:
EFFECT OF TACTICAL LEADERSHIP
READ THE TERRAIN
ANTICIPATE THE ENEMY
READ TERRAIN BASED ON STRENGTH AND POSITION OF
BOTH FORCES
CONSIDER THE “WHAT IF?”
QUICK, EFFECTIVE ORDERS
ISOLATE OBJECTIVE
FIX/SUPPRESS ENEMY FORCES
SELECT/CREATE VULNERABLE POINT
BREACH OBSTACLES
PENETRATE INITIAL DEFENSIVE POSITIONS
SUPPRESS ADJACENT ENEMY POSITIONS
LIFT/SHIFT SUPPORTING FIRES
SEIZE AND CLEAR OBJECTIVE
CONSOLIDATE/PREPARE FOR COUNTERATTACK
RESUPPLY AND EVACUATE CASUALTIES
REORGANIZE AND RESET
HESITATION
RABBITING AND ONE-MAN ROOM CLEARING
SMOOTH IS FAST
FATAL FUNNEL
FIND AND FILL HOLES
MAINTAIN SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
KEEP YOUR EYES ON YOUR SECTOR
 SPEED IS NOT YOUR SECURITY
WEAPONS HOLD
WEAPONS TIGHT
WEAPONS FREE
SUPPRESSION
POSITIONING
TALKING GUNS
CREW SERVED HEAVY MACHINE GUNS
TACTICAL MISSION TASKS
MISSION SYMBOLS:
EFFECTS ON ENEMY FORCES SYMBOLS:
ACTIONS BY FRIENDLY FORCES SYMBOLS:
A NOTE ON MILSIM EVENT ORGANIZERS
XII – REFERENCES AND ABOUT THE AUTHOR
 INTRODUCTION

This Military Simulation (MILSIM) tactical primer and training

manual is intended for training and operations of small tactical units in an
airsoft environment. To that end, It utilizes various open sources (including
United States Army Doctrine) mixed with lessons I have learned through
research, training and experience garnered over eight years of playing
MILSIM as well as other airsoft events. Although many of the concepts
contained herein are similar to those used by the military and/or law
enforcement, the tactics and procedures in this manual are not intended for
use outside of an airsoft environment. Unlike in the real world, MILSIM is
a non-lethal game where players can experiment with tactics and techniques
in a simulated military engagement.

This training manual is intended to act as a framework on which

MILSIM players and teams can formulate their own standard operating
procedures (SOPs) and tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) for
tactical elements no larger than a squad or platoon. As such, it focuses on
tactical principles that are intended for use in various squad and team
operations.

Although this manual is intended to act as a framework for developing

your own tactics, it should not be used in a vacuum. Nothing can substitute
for active and effective team training. Train with SOPs and TTPs that you
adopt to see what works and what does not. If a tactic or technique needs to
be modified to fit your team, do it. That being said, test and train with each
modification to see if it is simple and effective. Please also note that each
chapter in this manual builds on principles taught in the chapters that
precede it. As such, I recommend that you master the fundamentals of
field-craft before moving on to more advanced topics.

Although I have learned quite a bit about airsoft and MILSIM over the
years, I do not profess to know everything about the sport and I am sure
there are others out there that are more versed in the application of more
advanced tactics and techniques. Much of this has to do with the
experiences of these other individuals compared to my own. That being
said, this manual is intended to act as a guide for less experienced airsoft
players and teams that are interested in taking the plunge into MILSIM and
to get themselves to Omega.

What is “Getting to Omega”? Getting to Omega is a term that I use to

indicate that an individual or a team has reached the point of proficiency in
the application of Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs) on the
MILSIM battlefield to the point that they have become second nature. This
is not to suggest that a player or team is superior to others on the MILSIM
battlefield. It only means that they have mastered their TTPs to the point
where they have become a force multiplier to other friendly forces around
them and can teach the proper application of those TTPs to other players
and teams.

Getting to Omega is not a finite process. Everyone at some point has

started at the beginning (i.e. Alpha) by learning field craft basics. As they
learn from their mistakes, individuals and teams start formulating
procedures and techniques to prevent those mistakes from occurring again.
Thus they evolve into better players and teams. This tactical primer and
training manual is intended to assist players in reaching that goal.

Tactics do not remain static. By their nature, tactics evolve over time
to address new issues as they arise. As such, individual players and teams
should be constantly learning and addressing issues within their own SOPs
and TTPs as they evolve over time. Developing and effectively
implementing a superior and efficient tactic, technique and/or procedure on
the MILSIM battlefield can make the difference between success and
failure.

MILSIM is my passion. This tactical primer and training manual is

one of the ways I try to contribute to the airsoft community that has given
so much to me and to make it better as a whole. It is my hope that I have
succeeded.

Craig R. White
a/k/a “Bulldog”
 PA R T I – B A S I C
C O N S I D E R AT I O N S ,
FIELDCRAFT AND
TEAM ROLES/
RESPONSIBILITIES
ALPHA: BASIC OVERRIDING
CONCEPTS
To me, the best place to start explaining tactics, techniques and
procedures (TTPs) is to illustrate the basic building blocks and concepts
that underlie all of them. You must have an intrinsic “gut” understanding of
the following concepts to develop and apply TTPs effectively. Repeated
effective training will help achieve that goal.

All tactics, techniques and procedures are essentially based on four

interlinked concepts. Successful tactics, techniques and procedures will
often have considerable overlap of the following four criteria:

SITUATIONAL AWARENESS: The TTP must assist the player,

team or tactical element to create and/or maintain situational awareness. In
other words, each tactic, technique or procedure must promote or enhance
their ability to sense and understand what is going on around them on the
battlefield so as to allow them to identify and exploit enemy weaknesses.
In the alternative, the TTP must diminish the enemy’s situational awareness
and hamper his ability to react properly to actions taken against it.

MAINTAINING INITIATIVE: The TTP must allow the player, team

or tactical element to create and/or maintain initiative. In other words, the
tactic, technique or procedure should make the enemy react to the friendly
player, team or tactical element’s actions and largely prevent him from
implementing his own strategy or tactics. Maintaining initiative will likely
keep the enemy unbalanced and unable to execute its own battle plan.
 EFFECTIVENESS: The TTP should quickly and efficiently cause
the effect that it is designed to produce on the enemy. These effects can
range from eliminating enemy players to preventing the enemy from seizing
objectives…and everything in between.

SIMPLICITY: The TTP should be simple enough that it can be easily

taught and, with practice, fairly easy to implement. The more you introduce
complexity to a tactic, technique or procedure the more you are introducing
points of failure in it. This is especially true with communications and
close quarters battle tactics.

IMPORTANCE OF SAFETY: Whenever possible, individuals,

teams and tactical elements should apply basic firearms safety to the
training and use of TTP’s that they have developed. Treat your weapon as
if it is a real firearm. If you observe muzzle discipline, especially as you
are clearing buildings, the team will move and act more smoothly and
efficiently. The basis safety rules are:

1. Always treat your weapon as if it is loaded.

2. Never point your weapon at anyone you do not intend to

shoot.

3. Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot.

4. Be aware of what is in front of and behind your target.

BETA: WHAT ARE TACTICS,
TECHNIQUES AND
PROCEDURES (TTPS)?
DEFINITION OF TACTICS
TACTICS are defined as the practical means of employing units in
combat to achieve battlefield objectives. An example of a tactic is the
manner in which a squad assaults and seizes an objective.

DEFINITION OF
TECHNIQUES
TECHNIQUES are the general and detailed methods used by troops or
their commanders to perform their mission and function. It is the manner in
which troops and their commanders perform their tactics. An example of a
technique is the manner in which a player performs the function of point
man during room clearing operations.

DEFINITION OF
PROCEDURES
 PROCEDURES are the standard methods used by troops or their
commanders to perform or complete a task. An example of a procedure
would be the manner in which a squad leader calls in artillery fire or close
air support (CAS).

EMPLOYMENT OF
TACTICS, TECHNIQUES
AND PROCEDURES
Tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPS), as a whole, are generally
accepted practices used to conduct military operations. “Generally
accepted” means that the described TTPs are applicable to most operations,
most of the time and are generally accepted as effective. TTPs are used to
gain advantage over the enemy through psychology, position and/or timing.
Each TTP must be vetted for effectiveness in force on force testing
according to the following principles:

PSYCHOLOGY: Does the TTP adversely affect enemy’s ability to

attack/counter-attack including surprise, fear, etc.? (i.e. create or maintain
initiative).

POSITION: Does the TTP tend to place team members in a more

advantageous position in relation to the enemy including better cover, better
firing position, flanking, etc.? (i.e. promote situational awareness).

TIMING: Does the TTP effect an advantage in timing over that of the
enemy including the ability to put effective, aimed fire on the enemy while
denying or delaying the enemy from doing same? (I.e. effectiveness and
simplicity).
 Each TTP needs to incorporate as many of these principles as possible
while maintaining simplicity of action to maximize their effectiveness.
GAMMA: FIELDCRAFT,
BASIC SKILLS AND
STANDARD OPERATING
PROCEDURES
FIELDCRAFT AND BASIC
SKILLS:
FIELDCRAFT IS THE BASIC BUILDING BLOCKS IN THE
DEVELOPMENT OF EFFECTIVE TTPS.

SITUATIONAL AWARENESS: This is the most essential

consideration in the employment of tactics. Awareness of changing
conditions surrounding the player, team or tactical element, as well as
changes in known or potential threats are critical to force protection
(protection of the team) and completion of the mission assigned to it. Team
members need to constantly observe and evaluate their surroundings for
potential threats in three dimensions…especially in CQB and MOUT
environments. It is also especially important to maintain situational
awareness once the gunfight begins to avoid efforts by the enemy to flank
and/or otherwise gain a more advantageous position on the team. Be aware
of your surroundings including potential ambush points for the enemy, the
location of other team members and the location of objectives. Be
especially cognizant of “dead space”. Dead space is an area that is out of
your line of sight and field of fire from your position. Remember to think
in three dimensions. Sometimes the threat is above or below you.

WEAPON ACCURACY: It is essential for both your primary and

secondary weapons to be zeroed. Gunsights are not just for looks. They
are a tool to be used to provide accurate long range fire and to hit smaller
targets in a Close Quarters Battle environment. This also applies to laser
sights. Make sure they are zeroed to the range where you are most likely to
use them. When zeroing your weapons, first make sure that your hop up is
set properly. If you zero your weapon without first checking to make sure
your hop up is properly set, it will no longer be properly zeroed to the bb
point of impact.

SLLS CHECK: A SLLS (Stop, Look, Listen, Smell) check is

essential to establishing and maintaining situational awareness. Team
Members, especially if the point man for the squad or fire-team, need to
stop periodically to take in their environment by looking, listening and
sniffing for potential threats. This is especially important when entering or
leaving wood-lines or urban areas where eyes frequently need to adjust to
differing light levels. In addition, sounds and smells travel far on a still day
and can reveal the presence and location of the enemy before you actually
see them. Sound amplification systems such as the Silynx C4OPS,
COMTACH and SORDIN headsets can greatly magnify the range that
enemy forces can be detected. This advantage can be exploited by taking
appropriate action to surprise the enemy and/or otherwise place them at a
disadvantage.

SMOOTH, STEALTHY MOVEMENT TO CONTACT: Movement

to contact should be done in a deliberate yet smooth and stealthy manner.
Doing so is essential to maintaining initiative and maximizing the player,
team or tactical element’s effectiveness while engaging the enemy.
Movement to contact should stay out of open ground as much as possible
except where there is no other reasonable option. In such cases, movement
through open ground needs to be done quickly while moving to cover on
the other side. Stay low while moving to minimize your profile.

NOISE DISCIPLINE: Noise discipline is essential to stealthy

movement. The sound of loud talking and the hissing from hurried
whispers carry far ahead of you and can reveal your approach to the enemy
before they actually see you. The sound of loose BBs and/or gear rubbing
against clothing will also likely notify the enemy of your approach. The
enemy will likely use this advance notice to set up an ambush. To avoid
this possibility, use of hand signals or quiet use of radios to communicate is
imperative. If necessary, all spoken commands made prior to actual contact
with the enemy must be done in a low voice but not a whisper. The higher
pitched hissing noise associated with whispering carries further and is
easier to locate that speaking in lowered voices. However, once contact is
made and the shooting starts, noise discipline clearly is no longer at issue.
At that point, exchanging information regarding the location of enemy
threats is far more important than stealth.

LIGHT DISCIPLINE: The effects of light and shadow can also

affect the enemy’s ability to locate you in the battle environment. Be
careful to avoid light that will project a shadow that will reveal your
position to the enemy. Light discipline applies to both sunlight and
artificial light such as high power flashlights. It also applies to infrared
radiation with respect to NODs/NVGs. Type 1 NODs/NVGs utilize an
infrared flashlight that is clearly visible to more advanced versions of
NODs/NVGs (Ver. 2 and 3) that rely on passive light gathering. There is
nothing more obvious to an enemy than watching a “sun” open up next to
cover and near ground level. An infrared light source may not be visible to
the naked eye but it definitely is visible to anyone with NODs/NVGs.

SCAN WHILE MOVING: While moving to contact, constantly scan

the area around you for threats. Scan as much as possible without making
quick head movements. The human eye is drawn to movement. Quick
head movements increase the chance that an enemy will locate you. In
forested areas, be sure to scan THROUGH vegetation and not scan over it.
Look for the human silhouette hidden in the vegetation. Also look for
unnatural bumps at the base of trees (i.e. “tree cancer”) and/or colors that
are not normally found in nature. Be sure to scan higher threat areas first
then move on to lower threat areas.

SCANNING: Players should scan their sector in an “S” shaped

pattern beginning with areas in close proximity and moving out. Begin
with scanning from left to right and from near to far.

INDICATORS: There are various aspects in the environment that will

reveal threats hidden therein. Some of these include:

MOVEMENT: The biggest indicator of a threat is movement.

The eye is naturally attracted to movement.

SHAPE: Look for obvious, non-natural shapes in the

environment

SHINE: Look for reflections from non-natural surfaces

such as weapons, eye-protection and sweaty skin.

SHADOW: Look for the shadows of enemy that are cast

outside of their concealed position.

SILHOUETTE: Look for the silhouette of enemy being lit

from a light source behind them.

SURFACE: Look for non-natural surfaces in the environment.

SPACING: Look for objects in even spacing ahead of you.

That is not normal in nature.
 AVOID PROVIDING INDICATORS TO ENEMY: Remember that
Indicators apply to you as well. Move slowly and stealthily to contact.
While scanning, avoid rapid head movements. Use camouflage to obscure
the outline of your body.

FIRE AND MOVEMENT/BOUNDING: When moving, two teams

or tactical elements alternate to provide suppressing fire on the enemy from
cover while the other is moving. One element provides accurate fire on an
enemy position to keep their heads down and make it difficult for them to
observe movement of the other element as it moves forward to a covered
position. Once the second element reaches cover, it assumes the role of
providing suppressing fire and the other element leapfrogs to the next
position of cover and the cycle begins again.

1. DEFINITION: Bounding is the use of fire and movement to

move directly towards or directly away from an enemy position.

2. COMMUNICATION: As each element reaches cover, he

yells “Move” or “Set” to indicate he is in position and ready to
provide suppressing fire. At which point the other element will yell
“Moving” to let the suppressing element know that he is moving
and to provide suppression while he is doing so. As team members
become more familiar with this technique, some of the commands
and responses may become unnecessary and can be dropped. That
being said, it is usually best not to drop commands and responses if
there is anyone in the team or element that is inexperienced in the
use of bounding.

3. SEEKING COVER: It should take no more than 3-5

seconds or 5-10 yards to reach cover. Think of the cadence: “I’m
up, he sees me, I’m down”. When you say “I’m down”, you should
already be in cover. Moving in short bounds lessens the time you
are exposed to enemy fire and prevents blocking/masking the line of
fire from other friendly forces.
 4. SUPPRESSIVE FIRE: Suppressive fire is defined as firing
with sufficient accuracy and volume to change the behavior of the
enemy to which it is directed. Typically this change of behavior is
to keep the enemy’s head (and therefore his eyes) behind cover
where he will have difficulty seeing and firing on tactical elements
moving on his position. For suppressive fire to be effective it has to
be accurate enough to be hitting the enemy’s cover and other objects
around him so as to lead him to believe that he has to stay behind
cover to prevent being hit. Effective suppressive fire is NOT
blindly firing in the general direction where you believe the enemy
to be.

FLANKING: When conducting an attack, it is usually best to move

the enemy’s flank and assault from that position. The flank is the sides of
the enemy element. It is always relative to the enemy position and cover.
Flanking is far more effective if the attack is on an unprotected side where
the enemy will have difficulty focusing his attention. Never underestimate
the psychological effect of hitting the enemy from the flank or the rear. It
often will have a greater effect on enemy morale and willingness to fight
than more firepower during a frontal assault.

TACTICAL PATIENCE: Be patient while moving. Stop from time

to time to listen for enemy movement before proceeding further. (See
SLLS Check Supra). When possible, especially if the enemy has not yet
detected you, wait to engage him or her. Often the first enemy you see is
only part of the formation. Patience may allow more enemy to enter the kill
zone before you engage them.

COVER VS. CONCEALMENT: Know the difference. Cover

prevents you from being hit by enemy fire. Examples of cover are bunkers,
buildings, fighting positions and terrain. Concealment simply obscures
your presence from enemy forces but does not block incoming fire.
Examples of concealment are dense vegetation and man-made camouflage.
Concealment may allow you to eliminate one or more of the enemy but be
aware that you will likely be hit from any counter–fire. Whenever possible,
look around cover instead of over it. If that is not possible, avoid breaking
a straight line. While clearing buildings, use shadows as much as possible
to conceal your position and/or movements. Avoid taking cover behind or
near obvious and conspicuous landmarks. When attacking from
concealment such as during an ambush, wait until the entire enemy element
is in the kill zone before you start shooting. This maximizes surprise.

HUGGING COVER: Stay close to cover - especially trees and

barricades. The further back from cover you are, the more likely parts of
your body will be exposed and get hit. How close you must be to cover
depends on how large the cover happens to be.

STACKING TREES: In a woodland environment use multiple trees

to block lines of fire to your position. This applies to both defensive
positions and while advancing. The idea is to use the trees to obscure your
position and to provide cover so that as you move, the enemy has difficulty
getting a clear shot. Always have one or more trees between you and a
suspected enemy position as you move toward it. Unlike HUGGING
COVER, the trees you use for this purpose do not necessarily have to be in
close proximity to you. Trees only have to block enemy’s line of fire. This
concept also applies to other types of cover such as light poles and other
relatively narrow objects.

WORKING COVER: Team members on patrol and/or conducting

FIRE AND MOVEMENT, should always be looking for the next piece of
effective cover. Always be looking for a place to go if the shooting starts.
You don’t want to lose precious “seconds” frantically looking for cover
when you come into contact with the enemy.

CONTACT WITH ENEMY: Once you are in contact with the

enemy, there is little point in being quiet. The enemy knows you are there.
Yell out important information on enemy force positions and movements.
Depending on your role in the team, you should either be acting to fix the
enemy in place or moving to flank and eliminate them.

MUZZLE AND TRIGGER DISCIPLINE: Avoid moving the

muzzle of your weapon across any body part of friendly players. (i.e.
Muzzle Flashing). Similarly, keep your finger off the trigger until you are
ready to fire on the enemy. Also “test firing” your weapon on the
battlefield is very likely to reveal your position to the enemy and give them
time to set up an ambush on your team.

HEAD, BODY, WEAPON: When reacting to enemy fire, begin by

turning your head to identify the threat. You then move your body into a
proper fighting position facing the threat. During this movement, your
weapon is kept in the low, ready position to prevent muzzle flashing your
teammates. Once you are in a stable firing position, bring your weapon up
to engage the enemy.

DISPLACEMENT: When in contact with the enemy, avoid

remaining in a static position for very long. When possible, reposition
yourself in such a way that it hinders the enemy’s ability to locate and
engage you while you move to a more advantageous fighting position. You
should be moving to improve your chances of hitting the enemy while
hampering the enemy’s chances of doing the same.

AVOID CROSSING OTHER TEAM MEMBERS’ FIELD OF

FIRE: Whenever possible and especially when in active contact with
enemy forces, do not cross through another team member’s line of fire.
When under fire, team members are far less likely to realize you are going
to cross in front of them and will continue firing on the enemy. It is far
more likely that you will get hit by friendly fire than to attain a more
advantageous position by crossing in front of a firing teammate. Remember
enemy fire isn’t.
 STAY OUT OF THE FATAL FUNNEL: Avoid remaining in
doorways. It is called the fatal funnel for a reason. The enemy will likely
train most of their weapons on the doorway in an effort to take down as
many players as possible that are assaulting the room.

THIRD EYE: Point your weapon in the same direction as you are
looking so that you can more quickly and effectively engage enemy with a
minimum of additional movement.

NIGHT VISION PROTECTION: During low light operations,

protect your night vision by avoiding exposure to sources of white light.
Improve your ability to observe objects at night by observing slightly to the
side of the object.

FINDWORK TO DO: As a general rule, if you are not shooting,

moving and/or communicating, you are not helping the team’s mission. If
you are standing around, find something productive to do.

SQUAD/TEAM ROLES AND

RESPONSIBILITIES
RIFLEMAN: Shooting, moving and communicating are central to
riflemen’s responsibilities. Shooting and moving are obvious but
communicating is often a neglected requirement of this role. The rifleman
also puts himself at risk to protect specialists such as medics, support
gunners and command staff. Riflemen perform the riskiest movement to
keep specialists and command alive. Rifleman should communicate to their
squad leaders and fire team leaders what they observe…especially enemy
movement and positions.

SUPPORT GUNNER: The primary responsibility of a support

gunner is to use his squad automatic weapon (SAW) or light machine gun
(LMG) to provide sustained suppressive fire to fix/pin enemy forces. This
allows other squad members to flank and eliminate the enemy (i.e. Fix,
Flank and Finish). The support gunner is the backbone of the squad and is
central to its firepower. Examples of SAWs and LMGs used by support
gunners include but are not limited to: M240, M249, M60, M27 IAR, HK
MG4, MG42, BAR, Stoner 63, RPK and PKM.

FIRE TEAM LEADER: The Fire Team Leader (FTL) directs his fire
team so as to accomplish the Squad Leader’s (SL’s) orders. The Fire Team
Leader leads from the front. He adjusts his Fire Team’s positions during
combat to secure the area for which he is responsible and keeps them
combat ready. He requests LACE reports from his fire team and works to
address those needs. The Fire Team Leader replaces the Squad Leader if he
goes down. (See Chain of Command Infra).

SQUAD LEADER: In addition to his direct command

responsibilities, the Squad Leader (SL) is responsible for receiving orders
from higher command and disseminating them to his Fire Team Leaders.
The SL directs FTLs to accomplish the mission. He manages
communication between command elements and other squads. Combat
effectiveness can only be maintained where squad members follow their
SL’s orders.

SNIPER/DESIGNATED MARKSMAN: Snipers typically act as

scouts (either alone or as part of sniper/spotter team) or are used to
eliminate high value targets from a concealed position and/or at longer
ranges. Designated Marksmen are often employed to provide accurate,
long range fire in support of other ground forces. Other than the way they
are employed, the difference between a sniper and a designated marksman
for MILSIM purposes is that a sniper’s primary weapon is some form of
bolt action rifle whereas a designated marksman’s primary weapon is a
magazine fed, semi-automatic rifle.
 ANTI-TANK/GRENADIER: Sometimes also referred to as heavy
weapon specialist, the Anti-Tank/Grenadier specializes in destroying
armored fighting vehicles (AFVs) and Technicals (a/k/a “gun trucks”),
structures and massed infantry through the use of rocket launchers, grenade
launchers and hand thrown grenades.

SUBMACHINE GUNNER: Although not technically a military

classification, several MILSIM event organizers have established a
submachine gun class in urbanized areas of operation (AOs). Submachine
gunners are often utilized as the point man or “breacher” in an entry team
stack. This class is restricted to airsoft replicas that are based on real world
weapons that fire pistol ammunition. Examples of submachine guns
(SMGs) used by submachine gunners include but are not limited to: MP5,
MP7, MAC-11, UMP 45, UZI, Thompson and MP40. Any airsoft replica
that is based on a weapon that utilizes rifle ammunition is NOT an SMG.

SPECIALIST: The Specialist encompasses any role not previously

described. Such roles are generally operation specific, and the rules of
engagement for each role should be well understood by the designated
specialist. The Specialist should be able to perform their specialty at a
moment’s request and not require time to switch over to a different set of
equipment or get it out of a backpack.

KIT
ONE WAY OF FIGHTING: Use the same kit that you intend to use
at MILSIM events at skirmishes or pick-up games. This will give you an
opportunity to determine which set-up works most naturally for you. Your
goal is to be able to reflexively use each part of your kit without thinking
about it. That will allow you to focus on situational awareness instead of
your kit.
 TEST YOUR GEAR EXTENSIVELY BEFORE FIELDING IT AT
AN OPERATION: Thoroughly test any new addition to your gear ahead
of any op to insure that it functions properly. Any defective or damaged
gear needs to be replaced before operations commence. This especially
applies to your primary weapon, side-arm and communications gear. With
communications gear, it is especially important to insure that all antennas,
cabling and connections are secure and functioning properly.

EQUIPMENT SPECIFIC PREPARATIONS: Your kit should have

everything you need to keep you combat effective for at least three hours of
operations. That being said, your kit should also be as light and as small a
profile as possible. Finding the balance is the constant challenge. You will
also need to determine how much ammunition to carry. If you are
expecting heavy enemy engagements, you may want to “go heavy” with a
large amount of additional ammunition. However, carrying more
ammunition will likely make you less agile during combat. Bring only
items that are mission specific and/or are needed for sustainment in the
field. Remember, weight is your enemy.

ERGONOMICS: Fluidity and speed of using your equipment is of

significant importance. The milliseconds to be gained during a magazine
change or the risk introduced by removing your eyes from your sector while
struggling to find your map can become the difference between success and
failure for the entire squad. While no universally accepted theory exists for
the perfect kit the following considerations need to be evaluated constantly:

1. Magazine Change: How quickly can you change a

magazine? The more quickly you can achieve a magazine change,
the more quickly you are back in the fight. Magazines, magazine
pouches and dump pouch must be positioned so that you can
efficiently remove an empty magazine from the magazine well, drop
the empty magazine into a dump pouch, remove a full magazine
from its pouch and insert same into your weapon as quickly and
smoothly as possible. If the positioning of your pouches does not
 facilitate this goal, find a more efficient placement. Orient all your
magazines the same way in their pouches so that you can easily
index and insert them into the magazine well.

2. Weapon Sling: Weapon slings should facilitate transition of

your weapon from one side to the other. They should also allow
quick transition from your primary weapon to your sidearm.

3. Sidearm: Your sidearm needs to be positioned so that other

pouches do not block you from quickly drawing it. Keep the side of
your plate carrier above your sidearm “slick”. Also avoid using a
soft holster for your sidearm. It interferes with drawing your
sidearm and can cause inadvertent release of the magazine.

4. Special Equipment: You kit should not interfere with

employment of specialized weapons (AT, grenades, etc.) or locating
mission critical items (maps, etc.).

CHAIN OF COMMAND
DEFINITION OF CHAIN OF COMMAND: Chain of command is
defined as the line of authority and responsibility along which orders are
passed within a military unit and between different units. Each tactical
element leader must follow orders provided by the leader of the element
above it in the chain of command and pass them down to leaders of units
under his/her command. Similarly, each tactical element leader must report
back “up the chain of command” to the leader of the element immediately
above him/her, with reports and other tactical or strategic information.

STRUCTURE OF CHAIN OF COMMAND: Generally, the unit at

the top of the chain of command is a brigade or more frequently a battalion
or equivalent sized unit. In order from top to bottom are units/elements that
make up the chain of command for most MILSIM events:
Brigade: In MILSIM events, a Brigade (BDE) consists of two to three
battalions (BNs). A Brigade Commander (CDR) is probably the largest
tactical element leader that you will see in the chain of command during
a MILSIM event.

Battalion or Joint Task Force: In most MILSIM events, your “high

command” will consist of a Battalion (BN) or Joint Task Force (JTF)
leader and command staff (XO and Operations Officer (S3)) set up as a
Headquarters (HQ) element. Usually, a MILSIM battalion will consist of
200-300 players divided up into two to three companies.

Company: Companies (COs) are the main maneuver elements on the

MILSIM battlefield. Most companies are led by a company
Commander (CDR) and his/her First Sergeant (1SG). Most companies
will consist of 80-100 players arranged in two to three platoons.

Platoon: Platoons (PLTs) consist of two to three squads of 8-12 players

each. Platoon Leaders (PL) are the leadership backbone of a company
that are responsible for insuring that the Company Commander’s
(CDR’s) orders are carried out by the squads under his command.

Squad: Squads (SQDs) are the basic, tactical maneuver element. It

consists of 8-12 players commanded by a squad leader (SL) arranged in
two fire teams. Squads are the point of the spear that accomplishes the
objectives of their PL and Company Commander. It is essential that SLs
follow the orders handed down to them from higher in the chain of
command and accurately report information to leaders in command
above them.

Fire Team: Fire Teams (FTs) are the smallest element in most MILSIM
events. They normally consist of 4-6 players and are led by a Fire Team
Leader (FTL).
 SUCCESSION OF COMMAND: Prior to commencing operations,
each tactical element leader needs to designate the unit’s internal chain and
succession of command (SOC) including Fire Team Leaders. Succession of
command structure needs to be made and communicated to all tactical
element members well in advance of taking the field. All tactical element
members in succession of command need to be able to manage dual comms
including radio communications with higher command.

FOLLOWING CHAIN OF COMMAND: In order for friendly

forces to prevail during a MILSIM operation, all players need to follow the
chain of command. Based on your position in the chain of command, you
will only be provided with the information needed to complete you
objectives. This is to preserve operational security (OPSEC) a/k/a secrecy
regarding the ultimate battle plan of the overall force commander.
Diverting from orders handed down through the chain of command will
likely severely impact the ability for your team or faction to achieve
victory. Remember that due to OPSEC, you probably will not have the
entire strategic picture. Nevertheless, you must follow the orders provided
to you.

TECHNIQUES AND
STANDARD OPERATING
PROCEDURES – (SOPs)
SHOOT, MOVE, COMMUNICATE: Every team member has three
basic responsibilities: SHOOT, MOVE and COMMUNICATE. If you are
not doing something in furtherance of these responsibilities, you are not
helping the team. If you are not doing anything productive and directed
toward these responsibilities, look for something to do that furthers the
team’s mission.
 MAINTAIN OBJECTIVE FOCUS: Take actions that further
completion of the mission/task assigned to you. If it doesn’t further
completion of the mission, don’t do it. For example, do not allow yourself
to get engaged in a firefight when it does not advance the mission.

GUN UP: This is one of the most important individual standard

operating procedures. Keep your gun up in firing position especially when
enemy contact is anticipated. This position reduces the reaction time to
firing when initial enemy contact is made. If you are not pointing your gun
at potential danger areas, the enemy will likely shoot you before you can
raise your weapon. Reaction time is key.

EYES ON SECTOR (EOS): Each team member needs to

continuously scan his/her area of responsibility and danger areas. Do not
watch an area of responsibility that is not yours. That area will be covered
by another teammate. Distracting yourself from your area of responsibility
can allow enemy to gain advantage by moving in to surprise the squad.

BUDDY PAIRS: Unless absolutely necessary, do not move or attack

alone. Team members should move in buddy pairs. Acting in buddy pairs
magnifies the effectiveness of team members three to four times than when
acting alone. It is also the smallest element that can be effective using
bounding while assaulting an enemy position.

TARGETING DURING INITIAL ENGAGEMENT: When initially

engaged, shoot visible targets first. If you cannot identify from where fire
is coming, shoot low and to the left of cover ahead of you. Most right
handed shooters in an ambush will lie prone and shoot around the right side
of available cover.

FINISH THE GUNFIGHT: Finish the gunfight you are engaged in

before you do anything else. You need to eliminate the threat and/or
complete the mission before you need to worry about reviving casualties
and taking other non-essential actions.
 DO NOT MUZZLE FLASH TEAM MEMBERS: Keep muzzle
discipline. Do not point the muzzle of your weapon at anyone that you do
not intend to shoot.

ORDERS: Orders handed down through the chain of command must

be followed.

VERBAL ORDERS: When you hear any verbal order,

immediately repeat it down the line exactly as you heard it. This
allows your SL or FTL to confirm that the order was received.

HAND SIGNALS: With the exception of “FREEZE” (Infra),

repeat each hand signal you see so that team members down the line
will see it.

RADIO COMMANDS AND INSTRUCTIONS: (See RADIO

COMMUNICATIONS Infra).

NO SANCTUARY: Although you may encounter friendly forces in

the field, do not assume that the building(s) they occupy of the perimeter
they have set up is secure. When moving through “friendly” terrain, treat it
with the same amount of alertness as if it is not secured. The squad should
use standard perimeter security while moving into a “friendly secured”
position.

AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY: Cover all danger areas. If you are

first into a danger area, you are responsible for securing it.

CORNERING: Corners are extremely dangerous terrain. The enemy

often has had time to set up a static defense that will place the squad at a
disadvantage. As referenced below, the Reducing Sector/Pie Slicing
Method is the best manner of clearing corners. When the team member has
cleared as much of an area around the corner as possible, he will have to
commit to “taking the corner”. In that instance, the team member will turn
the corner while leading with his weapon to neutralize any remaining
threats. Take the corner as low as possible in an effort to be below the
enemy’s line of fire. If enemy is known to be around a particular corner,
consider going prone (while being covered by another teammate) and using
a sidearm to neutralize an enemy from the low side of the corner.

MAXIMUM USE OF COVER: Minimize the amount of your body

that is exposed from behind cover while shooting. This may require that
you shoot from your weak side. Also be sure to keep you elbows tucked in
next to your body. Extending your elbow out to the side in a “chicken
wing” provides an easier target for the enemy to shoot.

AVOID FLAGGING: Flagging is the act of revealing your position

by extending the muzzle of your weapon beyond cover where it can be
observed by potential enemy forces. Flagging most often occurs in
windows and at building corners. It is imperative to insure that you and
your weapon are kept out of sight, are not showing through a window or
extending beyond the corner. Keep the muzzle behind the edge of your
cover whenever possible.

LACE REPORT: LACE stands for Liquid, Ammo, Casualties and

Equipment. Frequently, Fire Team Leaders will ask for a LACE report
from his team members. Team members will respond by indicating whether
they are low on water, if equipment is down, if they are out or low on
ammunition or if the team member is negative effected (i.e. Is dehydrated,
is injured, etc.). Thumbs up means good/green. Thumb sideways means
“need a minute”/amber. Thumb down means bad/red.

SOLAR COLLECTION/SKYLIGHTING: Avoid positioning

yourself in direct sunlight. Being in direct sunlight can dehydrate and
fatigue team members. It also reduces/degrades your concealment by
increasing the contrast between the team member and surrounding terrain or
vegetation. Direct sunlight is much more likely to reflect off of gear or
optics and often silhouettes the team member if the sun is behind him/her.

ISOLATE OBJECTIVES: When assaulting a building or structure,

be sure to isolate it from avenues of approach that can be used to reinforce
defenders with additional enemy players.

CLOCKRAY METHOD OF IDENTIFYING ENEMY

POSITIONS: When enemy targets are difficult to identify, use the Clock-
Ray Method to assist teammates in locating and identifying enemy
positions. Procedure:

1. Select a prominent reference point on the ground to serve as

the center of an imaginary clock face.

2. Using the imaginary clock face superimposed on the

ground, indicate the approximate position of the enemy.

3. EXAMPLE: Left side of large barn. 9:00 o’clock, tractor

in field. Four rifleman and machine gun.

FRESH MAGAZINES: Before initiating over watch, initiating

movement toward an objective or after moving under fire, replace your
magazine with a fresh one. If your SL or FTL orders “Fresh Mag”, replace
your magazine.
MAGAZINE CHANGE PROCEDURE:

1. Take a knee and yell “Red” to let team members realize you
need to change magazines. Your battle buddy should cover you
while reloading.

2. Drop the spent magazine while pulling a full magazine from

its pouch.
 3. Push the full magazine into the magazine well until it clicks
in place.

4. If it can safely be done, place empty magazine in dump

pouch.

5. Yell “Back In” to let teammates know you have reloaded

and are back in the fight.

If you fumble on inserting the magazine change, concentrate on

inserting the new magazine and let the empty magazine fall to the ground.
Pick the empty magazine up and if it has a Magpul or ranger plate attached,
clip it to a carabiner. Otherwise, place it in a pocket or dump pouch.

MEDIC PROCEDURES: When you want to attempt to medic a team

member during a firefight, follow this procedure:

1. Call out “Whiskey Moving”.

2. SL or FL will reply with “Move” or “Negative”.

3. On hearing “Move”, proceed to approach and medic the

downed player. On hearing “Negative”, leave wounded player in
place until the firefight is finished.
 PA R T I I –
C O M M U N I C AT I O N S
DELTA: COMMUNICATIONS
HAND COMMUNICATIONS
HAND SIGNALS are best used when the team members are in visual
range of each other. With the exception of the “Freeze” command, each
hand signal should be repeated or mirrored “down the line” by each team
member to insure that each member is aware of it. If the “freeze” hand
signal is given, every team member immediately freezes in place and does
not move until another command is made by the squad or fire team leader.
Hand signals should be used silently to maintain stealth. They should also
be done with the non-firing hand. Hand signals most often used in
MILSIM operations are as follows:
 FREEZE = Freeze where you are. Do not move, do not reload your
weapon, do not ask questions…just freeze in place. This signal is
performed by bringing an arm up with the hand in a fist.
 HALT = Stop moving. If possible take cover while waiting. This
signal is performed by bringing an arm up with the hand extended vertically
with fingers and thumb close together.

With this signal, the patrol “walks it in” to close in the distance or
intervals between players while stepping left and right alternatively to
provide security and to leave a path to walk through the center of the
formation. This signal is often used to designate a patrol rally point, to
perform a navigation check, to perform a head count for the patrol, to make
sure troops hydrate and for leaders to conduct a brief conference.
 COME HERE = Come to my position. This signal is performed by
extending the hand and arm away then moving it toward your body.
 GET DOWN = Get down behind cover or go prone. This signal is
performed by extending an arm out with the palm facing down then moving
the hand and arm toward the ground.
 LOOK HERE = Look in the area where I am pointing. This signal is
performed by holding the non-shooting hand straight and with the palm
down just above your eyes then pointing where you want the recipient to
look. A variation of this hand signal is to point at your own eyes then point
in the area where you want the other team member to look.
 LISTEN = Stop moving and listen. Performed by pointing to or
cupping hand around ear.
 READY OR ALL GOOD = Ready to proceed or all good. Performed
by giving the thumbs up sign.
 RALLY UP (on me) = Form up on my position. This signal is
performed by holding arm up while twirling finger in circular motion.
 RALLY POINT = This is the location of the rally point. If the team
must break contact with enemy, it should return to this rally point to form
up if possible. This signal is performed by extending an arm down and
twirling the index finger at the ground/rally point.
 I UNDERSTAND = I understand your instructions. Performed by
giving the thumbs up sign.
 I DON’T UNDERSTAND = I did not hear or understand your
instructions. This signal is performed by holding an arm out front with
palm facing out then sweeping the palm back and forth.
 DANGER AREA = Indicates that the area indicated may contain
threats. This signal is performed by pointing at an area while
simultaneously slashing across throat with the edge of other hand. An
alternative of this signal is to point at the danger area then using the same
hand to simulate slashing your own throat.
 ENEMY = Enemy in the direction indicated. This signal is performed
by holding the palm of your hand in front of your face then pointing in the
direction of the enemy force.
 MOVE TO = Move to the area indicated. This signal is performed by
pointing at the team member designated to move followed by pointing to
the area where he/she is to move. As an alternative, use of the “knife hand”
can be used in place of pointing.
 MOVE UP = Continue movement toward current objective. This
signal is performed by moving an arm in a windmill motion from low
behind your back then up and forward over the shoulder.
 WEDGE FORMATIONS = Advance in wedge formation. This signal
is performed by extending both arms down and away from the body.
 LINE ABREAST FORMATION = Advance in line formation. This
signal is performed by extending both arms out to the side and parallel to
the ground.

The direction of the line is indicated by the direction the signal giver is
facing combined with the position of the signal giver’s hands. By following
up using a pointing or knife hand movement, the axis of advance for the
formation is also given.
 COLUMN FORMATION = Form up in column formation. This signal
is performed by making a karate chop type motion to and away from the
face. Staggered column is indicated by making alternating karate chop type
motions to the left and right sides of the face.
 CEASE FIRE = Stop firing. This signal is performed by passing the
hand up and down before your face with the palm facing toward your face.
This is probably the only hand signal where it is appropriate to yell “cease
fire” while performing this hand signal. After all, your team is already
firing when the signal is given. Stealth is already lost at that point.
 GRENADE = Throw grenade into room. After giving the signal, the
Point Man will hold up either one or two fingers to indicate how many
grenades need to be thrown into the room. If the GRENADE signal is
given followed by thumbs down signal, it indicates that a “dummy grenade”
will be thrown into the room. This signal is given by holding arm above
shoulder while performing squeezing motion with hand.
 COVER ME = Cover me as I move to a new position. This signal is
performed by moving the hand (palm down) back and forth over the top of
the head.
 GET UP AND MOVE OUT = Get up and move forward. This signal
is performed by initially moving the hand with palm facing up from the
ground then rotating the arm back then forward over the shoulder.
RADIO
COMMUNICATIONS AND
DOCTRINE
RADIO COMMUNICATION STANDARD OPERATING
PROCEDURE: Proper radio etiquette must be observed at all times.
Radio transmissions must be short and concise to keep the radio net open
for important information and orders. Lengthy radio transmissions should
be avoided. Provide information in short bursts to avoid cluttering or
overloading the net. Follow the following procedure during radio
communications:

1. KEY YOUR RADIO – Press and Hold your Radio PTT

Button
2. TAKE A BREATH – Many people start speaking into the
microphone at the same time as pressing their PTT. This fragments
your message and makes it unclear to receiving stations. Depress
the PTT button for a moment before you speak to insure you
transmit the entire message.

3. INITIATE YOUR COMMUNICATION – To initiate radio

contact, begin by twice stating the call sign of the individual with
whom you wish to communicate followed by your own call sign.
Example: “White Leader, White Leader, this is Blue Leader. Do
you copy?”

4. WAIT FOR RECIPIENT TO

RESPOND/ACKNOWLEDGE – Usually the intended recipient of
your message will respond with “This is White Leader, go ahead”,
 “This is White Leader, Send it” or “This is White Leader, Send your
Traffic” (See ProWords, Supra).

5. SEND YOUR MESSAGE – Clearly and concisely state

your message. Example: “Blue team is passing Phase Line Echo”.

6. GET CONFIRMATION – This is a critical step. Make sure

the intended recipient of your message confirms receipt of same.
Example: “I copy…Blue Team is passing Phase Line Echo.” If you
have received a radio communication, the sender will likely ask you
to repeat the message back. (See ProWords “How Copy” and
“Read Back”). Respond to such a query by stating “Solid Copy” or
“I Read Back” then repeating the instruction back to the sender. If
you did not understand the sender’s transmission, reply by stating
“Say Again Your Last Transmission”. Avoid the word “repeat”
during radio communications. That word has a specific meaning in
US military circles. It means repeat your last artillery fire
mission…fire for effect.

RADIO PROWORDS: The following are ProWords that are often

used in radio communications. Each ProWord has a specific meaning
which allows for more concise radio communications.

GO AHEAD/SEND IT = Send your traffic

OVER = I finished my last transmission to you and require a response.
Go ahead and respond.
OUT = End of transmission. No response is required or necessary.
SITREP = Provide a situation report. Reply by using the SALT
method. Size of Enemy Force, Enemy Force Activity, Location of Enemy
Force and Time that Enemy Force was Observed or Time of expected
contact with same.
HOW COPY? = Did you copy my last transmission?
SOLID COPY/HARD COPY = I copied your last order or instructions
clearly.
 SAY AGAIN = State your last transmission again. Do NOT say
“repeat”. Repeat is a term utilized in the military to repeat an artillery fire
mission.
WILCO = Transmission received and WILl COmply with same.
BREAK = I am separating the following from the previous message.
PLEASE ADVISE – Awaiting Orders.
CORRECT = You are correct.
CORRECTION = Correction to my last transmission is as follows.
DISREGARD = Ignore my last transmission.
ROGER/COPY = I have received your last transmission
WAIT ONE = Standby for moment.
WAIT – OUT = I must pause for longer than a few moments.
EXECUTE = Execute my last order or instruction.
EXECUTE TO FOLLOW = Execute the following order or
instructions upon receipt of the ProWord EXECUTE.
AUTHENTICATE (FOLLOWED BY AUTHENTICATION CODE
WORD QUERY) = Reply to the following challenge _________________.
AUTHENTICATION IS (FOLLOWED BY PROPER
AUTHENTICATION CODE WORD RESPONSE) = The authentication
response is ________________.
READ BACK = Read back the information just transmitted to you.
I READ BACK (FOLLOWED BY REPEATING THE
INFORMATION RECEIVED) = I read back to you the following
information just received.
RELAY [TO] = Transmit this message to call signs indicated as
follows: (FOLLOWED BY THE MESSAGE TO BE RELAYED).
SILENCE ON THE NET = Cease all transmission on this frequency
immediately. Silence on this frequency will be maintained until lifted.
SILENCE LIFTED = Silence on this frequency is lifted. Resume
normal traffic.

PHONETIC ALPHABET: IF you need to spell out a word while

communicating via radio, use the following phonetic alphabet.
A = Alpha B = Bravo C = Charlie D = Delta
E = Echo F = Foxtrot G = Golf H = Hotel
I = India J = Juliet K = Kilo L = Lima
M = Mike N = November O = Oscar P = Papa
Q = Quebec R = Romeo S = Sierra T = Tango
U = Uniform V = Victor W = Whiskey X = X-Ray
Y = Yankee Z = Zulu

For example, if you were to spell out “objective”, you would spell it as
“Oscar, Bravo, Juliet, Echo, Charlie, Tango, India, Victor, Echo”.

NUMBERING: When using numbers on the radio, be sure to

pronounce them clearly in the following manner:

0 = ZE-RO 1 = WUN 2 = TOO 3 = TREE

4 = FOW-ER 5 = FIFE 6 = SIX 7 = SEV-EN
8 = AIT 9 = NIN-ER

ACRONYMS: Listed below are the more common acronyms used in

communications.

SALT: Frequently used in radio communications to relay

information to upper command regarding enemy force strength,
location, movement and activity. This report is also commonly
referred to as a SPOTREP.

Size - Size of enemy forces.

Activity - Activity of enemy forces.
Location - Current location of enemy and direction if moving.
Time - Time of observation.

LACE: Used to in communications to relay information to

command regarding squad or fire team’s ability to engage in
 operations.

Liquid - Status of water/hydration available to the squad or fire

team. (Green=good, Amber=fair, Red=running
out, Black=out).
Ammo - Status of ammunition available to squad or fire team
Casualties - Number of squad or fire team “casualties”.
Equipment - Status of squad or fire team member weapons and
equipment.

SQUAD AND FIRE TEAM LEADERS: The SL’s focus on radio use
is to communicate orders and other pertinent information to FTLs from
higher command. Although FTLs should convey orders to his team
personally, there will be occasions, such as during dynamic room entry or
where stealth is important to communicate via radio.

RIFLEMEN, SUPPORT GUNNERS AND SPECIALISTS:

Generally, riflemen, support gunners and most specialists (except RTO)
should use the radio as little as possible except to transmit critical
information to their FTL or SL (i.e. “We’re being over-run”, “Fire Team
Leader is currently down”, etc.). Instead, riflemen, support gunners and
specialists (again other than RTO) should focus on receiving orders, taking
note of tactical information transmitted over the radio net and locating
squad members if separated. Communications to Fire Team Leaders in the
field should be done in person as much as possible to keep command
frequencies open for FTL to communicate with SLs and/or higher
command as provided by the chain of command.

TYPES OF
COMMUNICATION
METHODS
 There are advantages and disadvantages to each method of
communication on the MILSIM battlefield. During operations, you should
consider which method will work best for you under the circumstances in
which you find yourself. These advantages and disadvantages are reflected
in the following chart. As always, this chart simply serves as general
guidance. Actual decisions as to which method of communications to use is
specific to the environment you are in and the mission parameters you are
attempting to complete.

METHOD ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

MESSENGERS Most secure Are slow,

method of
especially if
communication. moving on foot.
Can hand Dependent
carry large items on availability of
and maps. manpower.
Messengers Can be
are flexible in the captured or
route used for
eliminated by
message delivery. enemy.
WIRE Reduces Weight of
radio traffic clutter.
wire to be carried.
Is secure and Risk of wire
direct. being cut if not
Can be concealed or
interfaced with
guarded.
radio Time
communications. consuming to set
up.
Possible
limited availability.
SOUND Can be used Can also be
 to attract attention. heard by the enemy.
Can be used Gives away
to transmit pre- position of friendly
arranged signals. forces.
Can be used
to raise alarm.
Can be heard
by everyone within
range at once.
Provides
immediate
feedback.
VISUAL Aids in Can be
identifying friendly confusing.
forces. Is visible to
Allow both sides from
transmittal of pre- distance.
arranged messages Most visual
or signals. signals are
Is fast. commonly used by
Provides many players.
immediate
feedback.
RADIO Is most Is least
frequently used secure means of
form of communication.
communication. Can be
Is fast. unreliable at greater
Is light. distances and/or in
Can be hilly terrain.
interfaced with Requires
telephone wire. use of proper radio
etiquette to be
effective.
 Often
ineffective in
buildings,
especially those
built of reinforced
concrete.

CHALLENGES AND
PASSCODES
CHALLENGE WORDS/PASSCODES: Challenge words/passcodes
are used to help identify friend from foe (IFF). The challenging party
provides the first part of the passcode. The responding party must provide
the proper response or be deemed enemy. For example, if the Challenge
Words/Passcode pair is Sunday Pancakes, the challenging party would say
“Sunday”. To avoid being deemed enemy the responding party would have
to respond with “Pancakes” as the proper response. The problem with
simple Challenge Words/Passcodes is that the enemy will eventually figure
them out. Using challenge/passcodes as part of a phrase or sentence makes
it more difficult for the enemy to figure the Challenge Word/Passcode out
and use it against friendly forces.

MATH CHALLENGE: Similar to Challenge Words/Passcodes, a

math challenge requires that the challenging party provide the proper
passcode followed by the proper response from the challenged party.
However, in the math challenge both the challenge and the response must
add up to a previously agreed upon number. For example, if the agreed
upon number is seven (7), the challenging party would pick a number less
than seven such as two. He would call it out as the challenge. In response,
the challenged party would respond with the number that when added to the
challenge (2) would add up to the previously agreed number (5). 2 + 5 = 7.
 RUNNING PASSWORD: Running Passwords are used when you run
back to friendly lines while under duress such as when you are being
pursued by enemy. To avoid being shot by friendly forces while running
toward friendly forces, you call out this word or phrase while running.

OPERATIONAL CODE WORDS: Depending on the MILSIM

event, upper command may require the use of code words to signal for a
tactical element to execute on orders previously given to it or to signify
mission success, seizure of objectives, mission failure and sensitive
information of that nature.
PA R T I I I – R O O M
CLEARING
TA C T I C S A N D
PROCEDURES
EPSILON: CLOSE QUARTERS
BATTLE – ROOM CLEARING
THREE PRINCIPLES OF
DYNAMIC ENTRY IN
CLOSE QUARTERS
BATTLE
SPEED: Dynamic Entry requires speed to achieve its goals. The
initiative must stay with the Entry Team as it clears the room. You want to
keep the enemy reacting to your actions instead of you reacting to theirs.
That being said, smoothness of movement is more important to Dynamic
Entry than speed for its own sake. [Smooth = Fast].

SURPRISE: The objective of Dynamic Entry is to complete all

offensive actions and clear the room before opposing forces can react. As a
corollary to this principle, stealthy approach to the breaching point assists in
gaining the initiative and surprise when breaching the room occurs.

VIOLENCE OF ACTION: Gaining and maintaining physical and

psychological momentum in Dynamic Entry is essential to its success.
Quick decisive action including the use of accurate fire, target
discrimination and grenades maintains the momentum of clearing rooms.
EIGHT ESSENTIAL STEPS
OF ROOM ENTRY
CLEAR THE DOORWAY AND IMMEDIATE AREA: Point Man
must clear the doorway and the area immediately around it before entering
the room. If the doorway is obstructed, he should call “Failed Breach”.
The team should then abort the breach and immediately retreat to prevent
being caught in the fatal funnel.

CLEAR THE CORNERS: Room corners are typically the most

dangerous locations in a room. The enemy will frequently hide in corners
in the hopes that the entry team will fail to clear them. That being said, do
not become fixated on a corner. Clear it quickly then transition to your
remaining area(s) of responsibility. Clearing the corners does not mean to
literally move to the corner to clear it. Once the Point and Second Men
have visually cleared their respective corners, they turn their attention to
covering their secondary area of responsibility while moving to their points
of domination.

DOMINATE THE ROOM: Team members must establish their

points of domination in locations where they clear areas behind furniture
and objects in the room with interlocking fields of fire.

CONTROL OCCUPANTS: If the scenario allows for it, team

members must exercise control over both “civilian” and “role players” in
the room by applying dominating presence, verbal commands and physical
contact.

SECURE THE ROOM: Search closets and other areas of the room
that were not cleared during initial room entry and set up security to cover
any entryways into the room just cleared.
 REPORT STATUS: Team members need to report their status to
higher command once building/premises are secure, whenever they
discover critical information, complete specified tasks assigned to them,
suffer more than 50% casualties or otherwise become combat ineffective.

BACK CLEAR (SECONDARY SWEEP): This step applies only

once the team has moved to the limit of its advance and is ready to exit the
building. Elements of the team will proceed to “re-clear” areas the team
has previously moved through to make sure they have not been again
occupied by enemy players. This is especially important when trying to
extract a high value target out of a building.

COVER AND EVACUATE: Once the team has back cleared to the
building entry point, they must be ready to exit the structure with any
prisoners and hostages while under fire.

GENERAL
CONSIDERATIONS
COMPLEXITY OF ENVIRONMENT: CQB is a thinking man’s
game that requires team members to think in three dimensions while
assaulting complex buildings and structures. In so doing, the team must
recognize threat angles both against the enemy and the team. It also
requires ongoing communication and passing of critical information in real
time.

ENTRY TEAM STACK: Room clearing will normally be conducted

in four “man” entry teams or stacks. The point of dynamic room clearing is
to overwhelm the occupants in the room through speed and violence of
action. This requires that each person on the entry team must adhere to
their area of responsibility while entering the room.
 OFFSET FIELDS OF FIRE FOR POINT AND SECOND MEN:
When stacking up at an entry point, Point Man and Second Man should be
slightly offset from each other with Second Man lined up off Point Man’s
outside shoulder with his weapon covering the entry point. This will allow
both of them to cover the entry point in case any enemy decides to exit the
room before the team starts to breach it.

FREE FLOW/READ METHOD OF ROOM ENTRY: Point Man

will decide whether to proceed left or right after entering room. Entry team
members following Point Man (Second, Third and Fourth Men) will enter
the room based on Point’s Man’s decision.

EXECUTE DECISIONS: Decisions must be made and executed

quickly. Once you make a decision, don’t second guess it. Roll with the
mistake. There will be time later to discuss mistakes and make
improvements. Right now, finish the fight.

MOVEMENT DURING TEAM BREACH: Each member of the

entry team must immediately move behind the team member ahead of him
and proceed into the room without stopping in the entry point (a/k/a “the
fatal funnel”). Team members must commit to entering the room even
while taking fire. The initiative and likely the success of clearing the room
depends on the commitment, speed and violence of action of the team
members entering the room.

COMMUNICATE: Each team member needs to communicate with

the others regarding what he or she is doing. Once the initial breach is
completed, indicate your intention to move to a different location by stating
“Moving”. The other team members respond with “Move”. With this
procedure, team members are aware of when a team member is in motion.

SLOW IS SMOOTH, SMOOTH IS FAST: Only move as fast as

you can accurately engage targets. Slow = smooth = fast. Moving too fast
can result in Point Man moving too far ahead of the Entry Team. CQB
requires fast eyes and fast hands but slow feet. You cannot move faster than
you can accurately shoot and you cannot accurately shoot faster than you
can make “Shoot-No Shoot” decisions (i.e. Target Discrimination).

DIMINISHING SECTORS (DS): This technique, also referred to as

slicing the pie or pie’ing corners, is most often used at open doorways and
building/room corners. It involves moving in an arc in an effort to “slice
the pie” into manageable sectors to clear the area on the other side of the
door or corner of enemy.

POINT AND SECOND MEN AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY:

The Point Man and Second Man are responsible for initially breaching into
the room along the inside of the near wall and to clear the near corners.
Their primary areas of responsibility are 1). The areas immediately in front
of them as they enter the room, 2). The near corner on their respective sides
of room entry 3). The interior of the room after clearing the corners and
reaching the point of room domination.

THIRD MAN AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY: The Third Man

enters the room behind the Point Man to a position halfway toward the near
corner on that side of the room. His area of responsibility is to clear and
cover the center of the room.

FOURTH MAN AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY: The Fourth Man is

responsible for providing rear security for the rest of the team entering the
room and tossing grenades into the room at the request of the Point Man.
The Fourth Man is also often tasked with opening closed doors to allow the
entry team to breach the room cleanly.

AVOID OVER-PENETRATION: Upon entry, no entry team

member should penetrate into the room more than two to three feet. This
prevents entry team members from crossing over into other team members’
fields of fire. It also enables each entry team member to provide mutual
support to the others. If a team member encounters an obstacle that will
force him further into the center of the room, he must either step over it (if
able) or stop where he is to clear the rest of his area of responsibility.

FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH EACH POSITION IN

ENTRY TEAM STACK: Each entry team member needs to be familiar
with the responsibilities of each position in the stack so that he/she can
function in each role quickly and seamlessly.

MOVEMENT TO FINAL POINTS OF DOMINATION: As entry

team members move to their final points of domination, they should engage
hostile targets within their area of responsibility. Shooting is done on the
move without stopping and while using reflexive/point shooting techniques.

ACTIONS UPON BEING HIT DURING BREACH: If a team

member is hit while entering the room, he or she must move aside to allow
other team members to continue dynamic room entry. Do not simply stop
in the middle of the entryway to the room.

AVOID CROSSING WINDOWS AND OTHER DOORS DURING

BREACH: While moving to a point of domination, entry team members
should not remain in front of doors or windows to avoid the risk of taking
fire through same.

AVOID SWEEPING TEAM MEMBERS WITH WEAPON

MUZZLE: While entering the room, entry team members must be careful
not to muzzle flash other entry team members.

BE PRO-ACTIVE: All Entry Team members need to be pro-active to

maintain initiative.

MAINTAIN SECTOR OF FIRE/AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY:

All Entry Team members must maintain their own sector of fire/area of
responsibility. Rely on your team members to cover their sector.
 USE OF LOW READY WEAPON POSITIONING: It is usually
preferable to use the low ready carry prior to entry. It helps to prevent
revealing your position with the end of your muzzle while allowing your
eyes to remain on target as you bring your gunsight up and in line with the
target.

TEAM LEADER POSITION IN STACK: Team Leaders need to

avoid being in the Point or Second Man position.

PREFERRED USE OF DYNAMIC ENTRY FOR ROOMS

CONTAINING OBJECTIVES: Dynamic room entry is preferable in
MILSIM operations as opposed to deliberate or limited entry. Use of
limited entry tactics in MILSIM tends to result in the team becoming
bogged down as the enemy has time to move into stronger
defensive/fortified positions while the assaulting team tends to remain in
the fatal funnel. Essentially, the team will trade “casualties” in order to
secure the objective. Once the objective is captured, medics return
“casualties” back to ready status. That being said, deliberate entry
techniques can be effectively used to secure non-critical rooms.

STEALTHY APPROACH TO TARGET: Whenever possible and

especially on approach to target room, move tactically and silently. Entry
team members need to already be stacked in the correct order. Entry team
members need to avoid unnecessary movement (i.e. foot shuffling, etc.) and
to avoid contact with walls (rubbing against wall while moving).

MAINTAIN DISTANCE TO THREAT AREAS: As much as

possible, control your distance to any threat. Unless you are engaged in
searching an enemy player, maintain at least a 6-10 foot distance from him
or her. Distance increases entry team member reaction times, provides
increased options regarding use of cover and reaction firing, and allows
more entry team members to maintain target acquisition.
 DETERMINE MOST ADVANTAGEOUS ENTRY POINT: If
possible, determine most advantageous entry point for target room.
Whenever possible use every kind of deception to confuse the enemy and
mask your movements as you approach and breach the target room. The
objective is to keep the enemy off balance, to prevent them from
determining the team’s rhythm and to keep them confused as much as
possible while achieving the objective (room).

CLEAR THE ENTIRE FLOOR: Clear the entire floor that you are
working on before moving to other floors. This will prevent leaving enemy
behind in uncleared rooms where they can re-occupy rooms you cleared.

USE OF GRENADES: When breaching a room, use grenades to

reduce enemy forces in the room and to seize the objective.

NEVER CLEAR DANGER AREAS ALONE: Team members must

avoid pushing forward into non-cleared rooms on their own. Avoid pushing
into danger areas with less than two team members.

RETREAT/ESCAPE ROUTE: Always make sure to ensure that the

entry team has a means of retreat especially while clearing complex rooms
and other danger areas.

SECURITY: The entry team must also provide its own security
during the entire process of clearing a building…from the approach to the
objective through exiting the building. CQB is a complex environment that
often involves many intersecting halls, rooms and stairways that are in close
proximity to each other. Also do not leave an un-cleared room between you
and your extraction or exit point.

POINT MAN ENTRY

 The Point Man determines the direction of room entry based on the
path of least resistance. If entering through a door, this direction will be
primarily based on whether the door opens into the room or outward toward
the entry team. If the door opens into the room, the entry team should stack
up on the “hinged” side of the door. The Point Man then enters the room by
sliding along the door as it opens into the room and crossing to the opposite
side of the doorway. If the door opens outward, the entry team should stack
on the doorknob side of the door. The Point Man would then move across
and through the doorway along the inside of the door as it is opened. In any
event, the Point Man should always cross over to the opposite side of the
doorway as he enters the room.

Point Man will move along the near wall opposite of the entry point
from the Point Man and will engage immediate threats without stopping.
He will continue to move along the near wall until he clears the near
corner. His primary responsibility after entering the room is to clear the
corner on his side. See Diagram “A”. As part of the team’s SOP’s or upon
receiving the command “One Dominate”, Point Man will move along the
side wall to the opposite corner. It is important that only the Point or
Second man be commanded to dominate once the entry team initially
breaches the room. This is designed to decrease the possibility of friendly
fire should enemy be located hidden in the middle of the room.

If the Point Man determines as he is entering the room that it is too

small for the entire stack to enter. He will announce “Short” or “Short
Room”. In such circumstances, the second man will enter the room while
the Third and Fourth Man provide security outside.

It is the responsibility of the Point Man to determine whether he wishes

to have a grenade thrown into the room prior to entry. The Fourth Man will
be responsible for moving up and actually throwing the grenade into the
room.
 Once Point Man has cleared the corner on his side of the room, he
should shift his area of responsibility toward the interior of the room.

SECOND MAN ENTRY

Second Man buttonhooks through entry point to opposite side of near
wall from Point Man. He will eliminate immediate threats as he enters the
room and continues to move down the wall toward the near corner on his
side of the room. His primary area of responsibility is the near corner on
his side of the room. Upon clearing the corner, the Second Man will move
to cover the center of the room. See Diagram “B”. As part of the team’s
SOPs or upon receiving the command “Two Dominate”, he will move
along the side wall to a position diagonally across from Point Man’s initial
corner.

Once Second Man has cleared the corner on his side of the room, he
should shift his area of responsibility toward the interior of the room.

THIRD MAN ENTRY

Third Man enters the room and follows the Point Man to a point
halfway down the near wall while facing into the center of the room. The
primary area of responsibility for the Third Man is to eliminate threats
located in the center of the room. See Diagram “C”.

FOURTH MAN/SECURITY
ENTRY
The Fourth Man/Security’s responsibility is to provide rear security for
the rest of the entry team as they enter the room. He covers the doorway
from the inside of the room after the rest of the entry team is inside the
room. His other responsibility is to throw one or more grenades into the
room before team entry as directed by the Point Man and/or to breach
(open) the room door so as to allow entry for the remaining three elements
of the stack. In such circumstances, Fourth Man/Security enters the room
immediately after Third Man enters the room.

Fourth Man is the last person to enter the room. After taking a few
steps into the room and clearing any immediate threats, Fourth Man turns to
cover the door he just passed through to provide rear security. See
Diagram “D”.

This is a basic overview for tactics, techniques and procedures

for clearing rooms. For more advanced CQB TTPs, please read “From
Insertion to Extraction: Advanced MILSIM CQB Tactics, Techniques and
Procedures”.

POST ENTRY
PROCEDURES
As each team member reaches his/her point of room domination, he
will signal whether his/her area of responsibility is clear. This should
preferably be done in as quiet a manner as possible or via radio. Use of
thumbs up hand signal is preferred. Team members announce “Clear” in
the order in which they have entered the room.

Once the entire room is announced clear, each team member will
announce their readiness status by checking off with their position in the
stack. Example: “One up, Two up, etc.” This check in should be done via
radio to minimize noise.
 All casualties are revived (“medic’d”) prior to moving to next room in
the building.

Set security until entry team is ready to move to the next room.

MULTIPLE
ROOMS/ENTRY TEAMS
The squad divides into Alpha and Bravo entry teams. Once the initial
room is cleared by one entry team, the other entry team would then enter
the room to stack up for entry into the adjoining room. The second entry
team would move into position behind the security provided by the first
entry team. See Diagram “E”.

The entry teams would alternate which one would stack up to enter the
next room. This allows a leapfrogging action through multiple rooms and
allows each entry team time to form back into their stack for the next room
entry.

If a team member encounters an open doorway and has a clear line of

sight into the next room, he should maintain his position (over-watch)
while the next team (or remaining members of his own entry team) prepares
to breach same.

CORNER FED ROOMS

Corner fed rooms are rooms where the entry point is in or very close to
a corner of the room.

Room entry on corner fed rooms works the same as standard room
entry (Center Fed) except the dominant walls are not parallel to each other.
This requires team members to be careful of friendly fire since team
members will tend to move more forward into the room.

DELIBERATE ROOM
ENTRY
As an alternative, team members may clear rooms using a deliberate
room entry technique. The primary difference between Dynamic Room
Entry and Deliberate Room Entry is that Point Man attempts to clear as
much of the room as possible from the outside by using the diminishing
sector/pie slicing technique before committing to clearing the room.
Although this is a more cautious room entry technique, it often sacrifices
speed and surprise in favor of force protection.

The areas of responsibility for each entry team member using

deliberate room entry is the same as that used in dynamic room entry.

PROCEDURE:

1. Entry Team stacks up in same manner as for Dynamic Room

Entry.

2. Point Man begins to use pie slicing technique across the

doorway to clear as much of the target room as possible before
committing to entering the room.

3. Point Man makes a reverse sweep back toward the entry team
stack before committing to entering the target room.

4. Second Man must closely watch Point Man and be ready to

enter the target room immediately behind Point Man once he
commits to entering it.
 5. Third and Fourth Men enter the target room behind Second
Man in the same manner as with Dynamic Room Entry.

ROOM CLEARING
COMMUNICATION
PROWORDS
STATUS = Command from entry team leader to declare whether their
physical status and/or whether their sectors/areas of responsibility are clear.

CLEAR = Response given by entry team member that his sector/area

of responsibility is clear.

ALL CLEAR OR ROOM CLEAR = Entry team leader's report that

room area is clear.
# UP = Response to STATUS command that entry team member is
uninjured and ready to proceed with mission. (# represents the team
member's position in the stack. Example: One Up means that the
First/Point Man of the stack us up and ready to move).

DOMINATE = Command from entry team leader for Point and

Second Men to move down side walls to position of dominance in the
room. This command can be used to order individual team member to
move to position of dominance. Example. Point Man Dominate or Two
Dominate.

COMING OUT = Friendlies coming out of room.

COME OUT = Response to COMING OUT that it is safe to exit

room.
 COMING IN = Friendlies coming into room.

COME IN = Response to COME IN that it is safe to enter room.

MOVE or SET=I am in covering position. Move to your next

position.

MOVING = Cover me while I am moving to my next cover position.

It is the response to MOVE or SET.

SHORT or SHORT ROOM = Announcement by Point Man that

room being entered is small and that there is not enough room for entire
entry team to enter same. With this signal/command, only Point and
Second Man should enter room.

GRENADE = Command by Point Man for Fourth Man to throw a

grenade into the room before team entry. When stated twice (GRENADE,
GRENADE), request is to throw "Dummy" or "Dead" grenade in room. All
entry team members should be ready to immediately enter room upon
"dead" grenade being thrown in room to maximize initiative and surprise.
This command can also be made via hand signals. Point Man holds his
arm above his shoulder while forming his hand into a “C” shape as if
holding a grenade and make a squeezing motion. After giving the signal,
the Point Man will hold up either one or two fingers to indicate how many
grenades need to be thrown into the room. If the GRENADE hand signal is
given followed by thumbs down signal, it indicates that a “dummy grenade”
will be thrown into the room.

STACK UP or ON ME = Get in position to enter the next room.

BUILDING/ROOM
CLEARING STANDARD
OPERATING
PROCEDURES (SOPs)
PLATING: Used to move quickly down hallway with multiple,
attached rooms that are not “objectives”. This technique can also be used to
quickly search non-essential rooms.

PROCEDURE:

1. The first two men in the stack point their weapons at which
room entryway they intend to “plate”.

2. As they reach their selected entryway, each man will stand in

the doorway to “plate” or block potential enemy fire from the room
from striking the stack as it passes behind him. The remainder of
the stack will continue to proceed down the hallway behind the
“plating” team members.

3. The last member of the stack taps each “plating” team

member on the shoulder as he goes by. At that point the “plating”
team member rejoins the stack at the rear.

4. Should the “plating” team member be engaged, the team

would engage the shooters to eliminate them (usually with the use
of grenades).

FLOOD ROOM: Used to clear heavily defended rooms where typical

dynamic entry techniques will likely result in multiple casualties.
 PROCEDURE:

1. Point Man calls for “Flood Room”.

2. Second Man throws grenade into designated room before

rotating back to rear of stack.

3. Third Man moves up and throws grenade into designated

room before rotating back to rear of the stack.

4. Process continues until all member of stack have thrown

grenades into room.

5. Once all grenades have detonated, Entry Team proceeds to

enter and clear room.

PUSH OUT: Used to dominate long hallways where the threat is at

the far end of same.

PROCEDURE:

1. Point Man or team leader calls: “Push Out”.

2. Point Man crosses over intersection to opposite side of

hallway and covers the length of the hallway. Second man now
becomes Point Man of Stack.

3. Stack passes Point Man in the near side of the hallway.

4. Point Man maintains position until he no longer has a field of

fire, then re-enters stack at the rear.
DIAGRAM “A”
DIAGRAM “B”
DIAGRAM “C”
DIAGRAM “D
DIAGRAM “E”
 PA R T I V –
H A L L WAY
CLEARING
TA C T I C S A N D
PROCEDURES
ZETA: CLOSE QUARTERS
BATTLE – HALLWAY
CLEARING
HALLWAY/INDOOR
MOVEMENT/TACTICS
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS

Hallways and hallway intersections are danger areas that should be

approached cautiously. These areas have the effect of concentrating fire in
a narrow space where there is little or no cover for the entry team. In
contrast, enemy forces are likely to use doorways as cover and/or
concealment prior to engagement.
PUSH OUT/COVER MAN:

1. When first entering the hallway, Point Man steps wide into
hallway to provide cover for rest of the team entering the hallway.

2. At the point where he no longer has a line of covering fire,

Cover Man will rejoin the formation at the rear.

3. Will not always be applicable in small hallways.

DIMINISHING SECTORS/SLICING THE PIE
 Diminishing Sectors, Slicing the Pie or Pie-ing the Corner means using
walls and other cover to your advantage in clearing an area. Usually the
area being cleared is a hallway or other indoor area.

The idea is to reveal as little of the team member’s body while clearing
such areas. The team member must be careful to prevent extending arms or
legs beyond cover. Watch the “chicken wing” when clearing corners.

The team member begins by approaching a corner or room opening

close to the near wall. Using the apex of the corner as a pivot point, the
team member begins a series of small sidesteps in an arc away from the
wall in a semicircular manner. After each step, he/she pauses briefly to
scan each newly revealed area for potential threats. This tactic allows team
members to develop a greater line of sight into the room while still using
cover to present the smallest target possible to any enemy in an uncleared
area. See Diagram “F”.

Once the team member “pies” enough of a corner to see there is no

immediate threat, he/she commits to proceeding along that wall to the next
corner and/or threat area.
SET –SNAP

This technique is used to coordinate clearing of intersections within

buildings.

PROCEDURE:

1. As formation moves to hallway intersection, Second Man

moves up alongside Point Man.

2. Both men proceed to pie their respective corners as far safely

possible.

3. Either Point or Second Man calls “Set”.

 4. When the other team member responds with “Snap”, both
men commit to clearing their respective corners.
HALLWAY TACTICAL FORMATIONS/MOVEMENT

Single Team Hallway Tactical Movement: Point and Second Man

form up on opposite sides of the hallway while angling their respective
fields of fire toward the area opposite and in front of the formation. See
Diagram “G”. Third and Fourth men will form up just inside of the Point
and Second Men with their fields of fire forward and parallel to the walls
of the hallway.

Dual Entry Team Tactical Movement: Point Man of each entry team
form up close to each side of the hallway walls while angling their
respective fields of fire towards an area opposite and in front of the other
entry team. Second Man of each entry team will form up just behind and
inside of their respective Point Men. Their fields of fire should be forward
and parallel to the hallway walls. Third Men of each entry team will form
up slightly behind and outside of the Second Man with his firearm sticking
out between them. Fourth men of both teams will be positioned
immediately behind Third Man and will provide rear security. See
Diagram “H”.
TACTICS FOR CLEARING HALLWAY INTERSECTIONS

T-Shaped Intersections: Point and Second Men (if moving as single

entry team will pie each corner before committing to rounding the corner.
Each team member must lead with his weapon and engage any immediate
threats using point shooting techniques. It is critical that Point and Second
Men pie their corner and commit to taking the corner simultaneously to
prevent exposing each other’s back to potential enemy contact from
behind. (See SET-SNAP Procedure, Supra). Third and Fourth men would
then follow behind first and second man on their respective sides and cross
over to the opposite while providing support for the Point and Second Men.
The only difference with a Dual Entry Team is that the initial corner
clearing is performed by the First Man of each entry team following by
Second Man of each entry team to cross to the opposite side. See Diagram
“I” and “J”.

Four Way Intersections: Point and Second Men (if moving as single
entry team) will pie each corner before committing to rounding the corner.
Each team member must lead with his weapon and engage any immediate
threats using point shooting techniques. It is critical that Point and Second
Men pie their corner and commit to taking the corner simultaneously to
prevent exposing each other’s back to potential enemy contact from
behind. (See SET-SNAP Procedure, Supra). Third and Fourth men would
then follow behind first and second man on their respective sides and cross
over the intersection and into the hallway where the team intends to
continue moving. See Diagram “K” and “L”.

Hallway Corners: One entry team member pies the nearside corner
before committing to going around it. When this happens, another entry
team member moves around the corner and to the opposite side of the
hallway to provide support and eliminate all threats. (See Push Out
Procedure, Supra).
DIAGRAM “F”
 SINGLE ENTRY TEAM HALL MOVEMENT

DIAGRAM “G”
DIAGRAM “H”
DIAGRAM “I”
DIAGRAM “J”
DIAGRAM “K”
DIAGRAM “L”
 PA R T V –
S T A I R WAY
CLEARING
TA C T I C S A N D
PROCEDURES
ETA: CLOSE QUARTERS
BATTLE – STAIRWAY
CLEARING
STAIRWAY CLEARING
AND TACTICS
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS:

Move up the outside of the stairway while staying off the walls. Allow
the stairs themselves to provide as much cover as possible to potential fire
coming from above or below.

Check doors on stairway landings to determine whether they are

accessible and not locked.

Don’t bunch up on stairs. In the confined space, a grenade will create

many casualties and will likely eliminate the entire team.

Whenever possible, clear stairs while descending them. The tops of

stairs, landings, doorways and balconies are more likely to be visible while
descending stairways than while ascending them. Descending stairs also
presents less of a physical threat on the body.

STRAIGHT STAIRWAY CLEARING:

 A straight stairway is cleared by a four member stack similar to that
used in dynamic room entry. The stack would line up at the base of the
stairway on one side while in cover.

The Point Man moves to the opposite side of the stairway while
proceeding methodically up toward the top of the stairs. See Diagrams
“M” & “N”.

At the same time, the Second Man moves to the near side of the
stairway and immediately abreast of the Point Man. He moves in sync with
the Point Man in proceeding methodically up toward the top of the stairs.

Third Man moves to a position just behind and between Point and
Second Men with his weapon sticking between them as he proceeds up the
stairs.

Fourth man proceeds up the stairs behind the Third Man while facing
backwards to cover the rear.

If enemy forces are known to be securing the top of stairs, the Point,
Second and Third men will proceed to fire in steady rate to keep defenders
suppressed until the top of the stairs can be reached.

Grenades should be used sparingly in clearing stairways due to the

likelihood that it will fall back or be thrown back down the stairs on
friendly team members.
DIAGRAM “M”
DIAGRAM “N”
CLEARING COMMERCIAL STAIRS WITH LANDING(S):

Stairways with landings and alternating direction of stairs are

extremely difficult to clear because of multiple threats located in multiple
directions/elevations as well as the movements needed by team members to
cover their respective sectors/areas of responsibility as the team proceeds
up the stairs.

If all possible, movement up complex stairways with multiple landings

needs to be made more slowly but smoothly to ensure that all threat areas
are covered while the team proceeds upstairs.

The procedure for descending the stair is similar to ascending except

that team members will be covering a lower elevation versus a higher one.

Initially, the entry team would stack on up the initial portion of the
commercial stair in the same manner as with a straight stairway. See
Diagram “O”.

Point Man begins movement up the lower stair on the outside edge
while moving upward toward the landing. Point Man’s area of
responsibility is the landing immediately ahead and above him. Second
Man moves up immediately behind Point Man while covering the stairs and
landing behind and above him. Third Man moves immediately behind
Second Man. His immediate area of responsibility is the opposite corner of
the next landing and ascending stair immediately ahead and above him. See
Diagram “P”.

Point Man continues to move up the lower stair toward the landing
while covering same as well as any door entering onto that landing from his
right. As the stack moves up the stairway, Second Man continues to
maintain his field of fire and area of responsibility on the landing/top of
ascending stair above and behind the stack. Third Man continues to
maintain his field of fire and area of responsibility on the opposite corner of
the landing and the lower portion of the ascending stair immediately ahead
and above him. Fourth Man’s area of responsibility is the left side of the
landing above him as well as any door entering into the landing from his
left. See Diagram “Q”.

Upon reaching the landing, Point Man moves around the outside edge
of the landing to the beginning of the next ascending stairway while
covering the stair and/or landing immediately in front and above him. The
remaining members of the stack line up and cover their areas of
responsibility as set forth in the previous paragraphs before repeating the
same procedure to clear the next stairway and landing. See Diagram “R”.

When in doubt, team members need to cover any gap in the stack’s
fields of fire/areas of responsibility not already covered by another team
member. When in doubt, cover a hole.
DIAGRAM “O”
DIAGRAM “P”
DIAGRAM “Q”
DIAGRAM “R”
PA R T V I – L A N D
WA R F A R E –
B AT T L E
F O R M AT I O N S
THETA: LAND WARFARE –
BATTLE FORMATIONS
FORMATIONS
ALL PLAYERS NEED TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE
FOLLOWING BASIC FORMATIONS AND MOVEMENT
TECHNIQUES.
PATROL FORMATIONS:

LINE FORMATION: The Line Formation a/k/a Fire Line is often

used when the squad is expecting enemy contact and/or needs to search an
area. The squad spreads out by fire team perpendicular to the squad’s
direction of movement. Squad Leader will initiate this formation by giving
the verbal command “Move, Patrol Line” or “Get Online” followed by
stating the direction of movement or making the alternative hand signal.
Fire Team Leaders need to repeat the command to their respective fire
teams. See Diagram “S”. The Line Formation puts the squad leader in a
position where he cannot see the ends of the line. A squad on line reacts
well to contact along its front. The spacing of team members in a line
makes it difficult to pin them down. This formation also provides over
watch and continued travel in the direction of movement.

STAYING ONLINE: It is important that you do not get ahead of

or behind other team members in the formation. This undermines
the ability of a tactical element to provide support to elements that
get out of line and can cause problems with blocking other
elements’ fields of fire. Squad and tactical element leaders must
 address the line as necessary to make sure players stay online. Said
leaders can use “Hold!” and “Move!” commands with different fire
teams or buddy pairs within the tactical element to make sure the
element does not get out of line with others in the formation.

USE OF LANES: Team members in the formation need to avoid

bunching up or converging on an enemy position. This creates the
same problems as moving ahead of or falling behind other elements
of the line. Keep your spacing between you and the man on your
left and between you and the man on your right.

SITUATIONAL AWARENESS: Each element of the line need to

be constantly aware of the orientation of the line, the axis of
advance for the line, element spacing and use of short bounds to
maintain the integrity of the formation.

COLUMN/FILE FORMATION: Column Formation is essentially

the opposite of Line Formation. The Squad lines up in a single line with
one end facing in the direction of movement. Squad Leader will initiate
this formation by giving the verbal command “Move, Column” followed by
stating the direction of travel or by giving the alternative hand signal. As
with all the formations, Fire Team Leaders need to repeat this command to
their respective fire teams. Team members need to be spaced far enough
apart so as to prevent multiple casualties from a burst of fire from the
column’s flank. Each member of the squad should alternate fields of
fire/area of responsibility from the one immediately in front of him. See
Diagram “T”. The column formation has the lowest forward profile. It
puts the squad leader in a position where he cannot easily see the front
and/or the rear of the column. The biggest limitation of this formation is
that it vulnerable to attacks from the front of the column. Troops tend to
bunch up under fire. Team members in this formation react better from
attacks from the flanks.
 STAGGERED COLUMN: This formation is similar to the Column
Formation except that instead of traveling in single file, the column is
traveling in two parallel columns. The Squad Leader will initiate this
formation by calling for “Move, Staggered Column” followed by stating
direction of travel or by giving the alternative hand signal. See Diagram
“U”

DIAMOND/WEDGE FORMATION: The Wedge Formation is

another formation frequently used when enemy contact is expected. It
addresses several of the limitations of the Line and Column Formations.
The squad or fire team forms a wedge with the point man at its apex and the
SAW gunner on one of the ends. The Squad or Team Leader will initiate
this formation by giving the verbal command “Move, Wedge” followed by
stating the direction of travel or by giving the alternative hand signal. As
with all the patrol formations, spacing of individual team members is
critical to avoiding multiple casualties when initially engaged with the
enemy. See Diagram “V”. The Wedge Formation gives the squad a larger
profile to the front than the Column Formation. This makes it more
difficult to pin down squads using the Wedge Formation. The Wedge
Formation also tends to prevent bunching up of troops while under fire.
The Wedge Formation also provides tighter security on the flanks as
opposed to the Line Formation.

LOCATION OF TEAM OR SQUAD LEADER IN FORMATION:

The Team or Squad Leader should position himself at the “center of
gravity” of his tactical element. This is the position where he most able to
observe and direct the actions of his tactical element. (i.e. “Leading from
the Front”).
DEFENSIVE FORMATIONS

HASTY DEFENSE: The Hasty Defense is employed when a squad

temporarily stops moving. Fire Team Leaders insure that their team
members are in positons to provide mutual support with interlocking fields
of fire. Rear security is also provided. All squad members need to be
ready to move quickly. When selecting a defensive firing position, make
sure it provides cover from fire, affords you with a good view of the ground
to be watched or target to be engaged, provides room to allow free use of
your weapon (not constrained by obstacles), provides you with a covered
ingress/egress, and allows for ease of advance.

PROLONGED DEFENSE: This formation is employed when the

squad is being tasked to defend an objective or critical terrain feature. Fire
Team Leaders insure that team members are better positioned to repel
attacks as opposed to providing temporary security such as when using the
Hasty Defense. Team members are also tasked with improving the defense
of their position. Squad Leader will often set out a recon patrol to locate
the enemy. (See PATROLLING, Infra).

HOLD OUT DEFENSE: This formation is utilized when the squad is

tasked with holding a position at all costs. The squad members will make
no effort to disengage and will fight to the last man/woman.

IMPORTANCE OF
SECURITY
SECURITY IS VITAL TO THE SURVIVAL OF THE SQUAD.

REAR SECURITY: Rear security offsets the possibility of a

devastating attack from the rear. The Rear Security or Six Man’s only area
of responsibility is the squad’s rear. It is imperative that the Squad
remember to notify its security if it is pulling out of an area. You don’t
want the Six Man alternating his attention between his assigned area of
responsibility and the rest of the squad.

SECURITY HOLD: Security Hold is typically called by Squad

Leader, Fire Team Leader or formation point man. When called, the
formation must move into its security formation.

LINE: On call of Security Hold, every third person on the line will
take two steps back and turn to cover the rear of the formation.
Team members on the end of the line with turn to cover the ends of
the line.

COLUMN: On call of Security Hold, each person will take two

steps toward their area of responsibility then take cover. This action
should result in the column transforming into a long oval formation.

STAGGERED COLUMN: On call of Security Hold, team

members in left column shall form an arc on the left side of the
formation facing out. The right column will form an arc on the right
side of the formation facing out. The ends of each arc shall meet at
the front and rear of the formation so as to form a circle or oval for
security.

DIAMOND/WEDGE: On call of Security Hold, the formation

stays in place with the last man turning to provide rear security.

PERSONAL SECURITY DETAIL (PSD): At many ops, you will

interact with several non-player characters (NPC). Whenever, you are
dealing with such NPCs, be aware that their agenda may be different from
yours. In fact the NPC can be a threat to you and the Team. Until the NPC
has been properly vetted, do not allow him/her to speak directly to anyone
in a leadership position. Instead, have a pre-selected decoy leader make
contact with the NPC. Team leadership should observe from a distance and
communicate directly with the decoy via radio if necessary. Actual
leadership should remain outside of a potential blast zone in case the NPC
is a suicide bomber. If the NPC is armed, disarm him before allowing any
contact with team “leadership”. It is important that PSD maintain vigilance
over all NPCs at all times. NPC interactions is a fluid dynamic that can
change rapidly and without warning to a threat.
 HAZARD CROSSING: These hazards include but are not limited to
crossing any open area that can be easily covered by enemy fields of fire
(i.e. streets, streams, fields, clearings and open areas.

PROCEDURE:

1. Squad Leader determines at which point to cross hazard area

and designates near side and far side rally points. He then
communicates same to rest of squad.

2. Squad Leader designates near side Flank Security Elements

and Crossing Element.

3. Flank Security Elements provide security and over watch for

Crossing Element.

4. Crossing Element quietly crosses the hazard area and

reconnoiters opposite side in an area large enough to accommodate
entire squad. If area is clear of enemy forces, leader of Crossing
Element notifies Squad Leader of that fact.

5. Squad quickly and quietly crosses hazard area and sets up

security on far side of hazard area. Squad members cross hazard
area individually or (preferably) in battle buddy pairs.

6. Flank Security Elements, when ordered by Squad Leader,

then quickly and quietly cross danger area.

7. Once squad is reconstituted, it resumes movement.

DIAGRAM “S”
DIAGRAM “T”
DIAGRAM “U”
DIAGRAM “V”
 PA R T V I I – L A N D
WA R F A R E –
READING TERRAIN
IOTA: LAND WARFARE -
READING TERRAIN
WHAT IS READING
TERRAIN?
READING TERRAIN means determining whether terrain is
advantageous or disadvantageous based on observations made while
applying OCOKA principles.

OCOKA
OCOKA is an acronym that stands for the following:

Observation - Lines of sight and fields of fire to and from terrain

and/or objective. It is important to recognize lines of sight and fields of fire
to and from your position. Line of sight is what you can see. Line of sight
is important because it allows you to gather information on the enemy.
Fields of Fire represents what you can hit with your weapon. You will want
to recognize positions for LMGs/SAWs where they have the best lines of
sight over likely enemy avenues of approach and the widest fields of fire so
that you can maximize their effectiveness. You will also want to evaluate
terrain for ease in creating interlocking fields of fire.

Cover/Concealment - Availability of cover and concealment at or near

terrain/objective in question. Terrain needs to be evaluated for what cover
and/or concealment it will provide not only to friendly forces but also to the
enemy. It is especially important to identify terrain that can be used as
cover by the enemy as it moves toward friendly defensive positions.

Obstacles - Terrain features that prevent, restrict, divert or delay

movement. Obstacles are often defined as either “existing” or “reinforcing”
obstacles. Existing Obstacles are swamps, wetlands, ravines, ditches,
closely grouped large trees and any man-made structure or building.
Reinforcing Obstacles are man-made obstacles that are tied into Existing
Obstacles and are designed to deter or divert an opposing force. Examples
of Reinforcing Obstacles are minefields, anti-vehicle ditches, roadblocks
and barbed wire. It is important to recognize obstacles, especially
reinforcing obstacles, as an attempt by enemy forces to funnel you into a
kill zone or divert you to protect an objective.

Key Terrain - Terrain that must be controlled in order to achieve

mission success and/or that which provides a significant advantage to the
forces holding it. Key terrain typically provides advantages in cover,
concealment, observation and fields of fire. A typical example of key
terrain is high ground the overlooks avenues of approach and/or an
objective.

Avenues of Approach - Relatively unobstructed ground route that leads

to any objective and/or key terrain. Recognizing avenues of approach will
reveal the likely routes of enemy forces to your position and vice- versa.
Typical avenues of approach include roads, draws, ridges and trails. During
offensive operations, each avenue of approach will need to be evaluated for
its favorability to tactical movement of friendly forces, concealment, cover,
etc.

OCOKA is essentially a checklist of items you should consider while

evaluating the terrain around you. It allows you to organize your thoughts
while evaluating terrain and will help you position yourself so as to have
the advantage over the enemy.
SOLDIER’S EYE
Evaluate terrain with a “soldier’s Eye”. In other words, look at the
shape of the ground as it relates to both your and the enemy’s positions.
Evaluate the terrain for “Micro-Terrain” such as folds in the ground, ditches
and creek beds that can provide for sheltered avenues of approach and/or
cover. Also evaluate the spatial relationships between your and the enemy’s
position(s).

DEFILADE/DEAD GROUND
Defilade/Dead Ground is any area that cannot be observed and/or
covered by direct fire from your current position. Defilade also includes
“micro-terrain” such as creek beds and folds in the ground that can provide
cover from observation or fire. Defilade/Dead Ground applies to both
offensive and defensive operations. On offense, defilade can provide
sheltered avenues of approach and covered firing positions that are not
immediately recognizable. This is especially helpful in setting up
ambushes. On the defense, defilade can also be used to provide cover
against attacking forces. You must recognize and act to minimize the effect
of dead space on operations. This can often be done by effective use of
security and patrol elements to prevent enemy use of dead space to the
detriment of friendly forces.
PA R T V I I I – L A N D
WA R F A R E –
B AT T L E D R I L L S &
TTPS
KAPPA: LAND WARFARE –
BATTLE DRILLS AND TTPS

LAND WARFARE OPERATIONS

AND TACTICS
USE OF BATTLE BUDDY SYSTEM

Each member of a squad needs to be partnered with another squad member with a
similar style of play or role. Typically, you do not want to have your strongest assaulter
paired with a member of command staff.

Use of the battle buddy system essentially triples the combat effectiveness as opposed
to a single team member.
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS

Efficient and effective implementation of battle drills is essential to massing and

application of combat power.

Response to enemy contact must be automatic to avoid incurring casualties and to

shift initiative away from enemy forces.

Continued practice of battle drills builds unit strength, cohesion and aggressiveness of
the team. Implementation of battle drills needs to be continually fine-tuned until it is
essentially reflexive on the part of all team members.

Battle drills are intended to mass the team’s combat power on enemy weak points (i.e.
smallest enemy element while achieving objective(s)).

With respect to attack battle drills, the team should not only seize the initiative but
should work to fix the enemy, to locate or create weakness in enemy defenses and to
exploit that weakness with quick and violent assaults.
FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS:

In order for battle drills to be effective, team members must obey the following
fundamental concepts.

REACT IMMEDIATELY: Team members must recognize the threat and react
immediately to counter-act it.

WIN THE FIREFIGHT: First priority in any firefight is to win it. There will be
plenty of time to do an after action review (AAR) once the gunfight is over.

MOVE ONLY WHILE UNDER COVERING FIRE: When the team/element is in

contact with the enemy, it does not move unless it has covering/suppressing fire.
Suppressing fire keeps the enemy’s heads down and largely prevents them from putting
accurate fire on the moving element. When a team/element comes under fire, its
supporting element should put suppressing fire on the enemy so as to enable the other
element to bound forward.

ATTACK FROM THE FLANK WHENEVER POSSIBLE: If a team/element is

in contact with the enemy, another element should attempt to move unseen to attack the
enemy position from its flank.
MOVEMENT TO CONTACT/SECURE OBJECTIVE

PURPOSE: To gain or regain contact with enemy in order to fix and destroy same.
There are three methods of fire team movement: Traveling, Traveling Over-Watch and
Bounding Over-Watch.

TRAVELING: Use when contact with enemy is unlikely and speed is needed. Both
fire teams move together while spaced approximately fifteen to twenty feet apart
depending on terrain. Column and wedge formations are typically used for Traveling
movement.

TRAVELING OVER-WATCH: Use when enemy contact is possible but not

expected. Both fire teams move together with greater spacing between the two. (Usually
25-40 feet depending on terrain). Should one fire team come into contact with the enemy,
the second fire team is only a single tactical bound from providing support to the first one.
Traveling Over-watch is normally utilized while fire teams move in a wedge formation.

BOUNDING OVER-WATCH: Use when contact with enemy is expected, when

enemy forces are known to be nearby and/or when crossing large, open danger area. The
squad bounds by fire teams. One fire team provides over-watch while the other team
moves to a covered position ahead of it. Each fire team alternates between moving (i.e.
“bounding”) to cover and providing over-watch for the other fire team. The Fire Team
providing over-watch is responsible for covering the bounding team. Bounding Over-
watch can consist of successive bounds or alternating bounds. Successive bounds means
that the second team moves up online with the lead team before the lead team bounds
forward again. With alternating bounds, the each team alternately moves forward and past
the other team.

MOVEMENT COMPARISON CHART

MOVEMENT WHEN CONTROL DISPERSION SPEED SECURITY

TECHNIQUES NORMALLY
USED

TRAVELING CONTACT MORE LESS FASTEST LEAST

UNLIKELY

TRAVELING CONTACT LESS MORE SLOWER MORE

OVERWATCH POSSIBLE

BOUNDING CONTACT MOST MOST SLOWEST MOST

OVERWATCH EXPECTED

ASSAULT ON OBJECTIVE:

Often referred to as Battle Drill One-Alpha, an assault on an objective is conducted in

essentially five steps:

TEAM FORMATION PRIOR TO CONTACT: The Squad should be divided into

at least two fire teams. One fire team should be nested behind the other with enough
separation between the two to prevent the trailing fire team from being spotted or engaged
by the enemy once the leading fire team makes contact. Prior to enemy contact, both Fire
teams should utilize bounding over-watch as they approach suspected enemy positions
and/or the objective. The fire team with the highest casualty producing weapon (i.e.
SAW) should be the “point” fire team.

MAKING CONTACT: Upon making contact with enemy, the leading (“Point”) fire
team immediately suppresses enemy positions in and around the objective. As the lead
fire team suppresses the enemy, the trailing fire team flanks to one side of the enemy
objective in a position that is essentially at a 90 degree alignment with leading fire team.
(i.e. Move to flank). This 90 degree alignment is preferable because it allows the leading
team to provide support fire for a longer period of time before movement of the
trailing/flanking team blocks/masks the lead teams line of fire. See Diagram “W”.

PREPARING TO ASSAULT THROUGH OBJECTIVE: The lead fire team

continues suppressive fire. Once the trailing fire team notifies the leading/point fire team
that is on line and ready to assault through the objective, the leading/point fire team will
initially shift their fire away from the trailing fire team. See Diagram “X”. The signal to
shift fire must be established within the tactical element before moving onto the field.

TRAILING (FLANKING) FIRE TEAM ASSAULTS THROUGHT

OBJECTIVE: Once the trailing fire team (now flanking fire team) notifies leading fire
team that it is commencing its assault through the objective, the leading/point fire team
lifts fire. The flanking fire team will then assault through the objective in their “buddy
pairs” and firing as necessary. Upon completion of the assault, the flanking fire team
establishes a Limit of Advance (LOA) on the other side of the objective. Upon reaching
its Limit of Advance, the flanking fire team will so advise leading/point fire team. It is
critical that the flanking fire team notify the leading/point fire team of its progress through
the objective to prevent friendly fire. See Diagram “Y”.

LEADING/POINT FIRE TEAM ASSAULTS THROUGH OBJECTIVE: Once

the flanking fire team establishes its Limit of Advance, the leading/point fire team then
also assaults through the objective and establishes its own Limit of Advance on the
opposite side of the objective. In so doing, both fire teams have assaulted through the
objective and have located and eliminated all defenders. See Diagram “Z”.

SET SECURITY: Once both fire teams assault through the objective, they should
then set 360 degree security around the objective. See Diagram “AA”.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS IN EXECUTING BATTLE DRILL ONE-

ALPHA: If possible, do not immediately engage enemy with suppressive fire if the squad
has not already been detected. Hold fire long enough for the initial assaulting element to
get in position. It is also very important that the assaulting element is online during the
assault through the objective. In addition, all team members need to be constantly aware
of the position of enemy forces as they conduct the drill. The enemy may be trying to
flank your position as friendly forces attempt to flank them.
REACTION TO CONTACT
 LOCATION OF CONTACT: Team members should announce the location of
contact immediately upon seeing the enemy.

IMMEDIATELY TAKE COVER: Upon initial engagement and depending on the

distance to contact, team members will either drop into prone positions/seek cover or will
get online while returning fire.

GET ONLINE AND RETURN FIRE: Immediately return fire on known or

suspected enemy positions after taking cover.

COLUMN AND STAGGERED COLUMN FORMATION: If attacked from the

front or rear, team members must move forward to get online perpendicular to the threat in
order to place effective fire on attacking force. See Diagrams “BB” and “CC”.

LINE FORMATION: If attacked from the sides, the line should rotate toward the
threat in order to maximize fire on the attacking force.

WEDGE FORMATION: If attacked from the side, the wedge should form up in a
line facing toward the threat in order to maximize fire on the attacking force. The rear
man in the wedge should normally face the rear to provide security. See Diagram “DD”.

PROVIDE 3D REPORT TO SQUAD LEADER OR FIRE TEAM LEADER:

Team members than can locate enemy forces should communicate the Description of
enemy forces as well as their Direction and Distance to their immediate chain of
command.

TRANSITION TO ATTACK OR BREAK CONTACT: Based on information

received from team members, Squad Leader will determine whether the squad will
transition to attack or break contact.

OBJECTIVE SECURITY

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN UNIT SECURITY AND OBJECTIVE

SERCURITY: Unlike Unit Security which emphasizes rear security as the element is
patrolling or moving toward an objective, Objective security is intended to secure the
objective until relieved by other friendly forces.

METHOD OF EXECUTION: Upon order from Squad Leader, each fire team will
secure either the near side or far side of the objective in arc with each end tied into its
counterpart of the other fire team. Fire team members should be facing out according to
their sector of responsibility and be ready to engage all threats.
BREAK CONTACT

COMBAT PEEL: This tactic is used to disengage from a superior enemy force
while under fire by moving laterally to a cover location. See Diagrams “EE”, “FF” &
“GG”.

PROCEDURE:

1. Squad Leader will call either “Peel Left” or “Peel Right”.

2. All team members down the line repeat SL’s command.

3. The team member on side opposite of direction of peel (i.e. left or right)
will proceed to fire his entire magazine to the front and flank of his position.

4. Once his magazine runs dry, the team member will move behind the line in
the direction of the peel while reloading his weapon. As he passes the next team
member in the line, he will tap that member to let him know that he is the end of
the line.

5. The team member will then continue to move to end of the line in the
direction of the peel to cover the other team members.

6. The “tapped” team member will follow then follow steps 1. through 5.

7. The peel continues until the team reaches the desired cover location.

When a team member reaches the edge of the cover, he yells “Door” to let the squad
know that he has reached cover. “Door” does not necessarily mean a literal door. Instead
it means the door to cover.

MOUT (MILITARY OPERATIONS IN URBAN TERRAIN) TACTICS

For CQB Tactics refer to Parts III, IV and V of Alpha to Omega, Supra.

MOVE PARALLEL TO BUILDINGS: Often, you will not be able to use the inside
of buildings as routes to advance. In such circumstances, move parallel to buildings while
maintaining twelve inches of separation between you and the building. Stay low, move in
shadows and move quickly to each new position.

AVOID OPEN AREAS: Stay out of streets, parks, alleys and other open areas that
are natural kill zones. If you must cross such a danger area, do so at its narrowest point.

USE OVER-WATCH TO PROVIDE PROTECTION OVER MOVING

ELEMENTS: Avoid moving outside of buildings without using another element to
provide over-watch. Often, the over watch element will have a better shot at enemy in
windows or on heights than the moving element.

PASSING WINDOWS: Keep your head and body below the sill of any window that
is adjacent to your axis of movement. This will prevent the chance of silhouetting
yourself in the window and allow you to use the wall beneath the window as cover.

CROSSING WALLS: After you have reconnoitered the other side, quickly roll over
the top of the wall while keeping a low silhouette. This will reduce the likelihood of being
effectively engaged while doing it.

MOVING AROUND CORNERS: Use the slicing the pie/diminishing sectors

technique to see and move around corners in urban areas.

ROOFLINES: When using a roof for a firing position, be sure to keep your body on
the reverse side of the roof crest to avoid silhouetting yourself against the sky (i.e.
Skylighting).

CLEARING BUILDINGS: Whenever possible clear buildings from the top down.
This allows you to maintain height advantage to shooters below you and makes it harder
for enemy to hit you with a grenade.

SECURITY: Security, especially rear security, is particularly important in MOUT

operations.

CORDON AND ISOLATE: Prior to assaulting a building, the team will need to
divide into two elements. One will cordon and isolate the building to prevent the enemy
from being able to reinforce the building prior to the assault element attacking and
clearing the building.

FORWARD PEEL: Used to cross danger areas (i.e. gaps between buildings and the
like).
 PROCEDURE:

1. On approach to danger area, point man in formation will stop in cover on

the near side of the danger area while point his weapon into the danger area.

2. The next man in the formation then moves into cover on the opposite side
of the danger area and aims his weapon into the danger area.

3. The remaining team members then proceed to quickly and smoothly move
across the danger area.

4. The last person in the line “taps” each of the covering team members as he
goes by so that they can rejoin the formation.

5. Formation continues to move toward the objective.

PATROLLING:

DEFINITION: Patrolling is defined as a tactic where small groups or individual

tactical units are deployed from a larger military formation to achieve a specific objective
then return.

PATROL TYPES:

COMBAT PATROL: A patrol of sufficient size (platoon or larger) designated

to raid or conduct an ambush on the enemy. It differs from an attack primarily
because its aim is not to hold ground.

CLEARING PATROL: A clearing patrol is defined as a patrol conducted

around a newly occupied defensive position in order to insure that the immediate
area surrounding same is secure.

STANDING PATROL: A standing patrol is a small patrol designated to set up

an observation post (OP) or listening post (LP) for a limited period of time then
to return to base.

RECONNAISSANCE (RECCE) PATROL: Sometimes referred to as a recon

patrol, a recce patrol is a usually small patrol whose mission is to gain
information. Though recce patrols tend to avoid combat, there are occasions
where they are tasked to engage the enemy in an effort to gain intelligence.
 SCREENING PATROL: A screening patrol is defined as a patrol whose
mission is to screen or guard the flanks of a larger friendly force.

PATROL PATTERNS: Patrols will often move through one of several patterns as
part of their missions. Most of these patterns start from an operational rally point. These
patterns/methods are as follows:

FAN METHOD: At an operational rally point (ORP), the patrol leader splits
the patrol in several Reconnaissance and Surveillance (R&S) teams. Each team
then moves out in a fan-shaped route that overlaps with the ones on each side of
it to insure reconnaissance over the entire area. The patrol leader maintains a
reserve at the ORP should any element come into enemy contact. In the
alternative, the entire patrol moves through each route together until reaching the
ORP after the last leg of the pattern is complete. At that point, the patrol leader
moves and establishes the next ORP and the pattern starts again.

BOX METHOD: At an ORP, the patrol leader sends out two R&S teams out to
form the two “sides” of a boxed in area followed by sending other teams through
the interior of the “box”. Each team link ups at point on the far side of the “box”
from the ORP.

CONVERGING ROUTES METHOD: Patrol leader selects routes from the

ORP and through the zone being patrolled to a link up point at the far side of the
zone from the ORP. Each R&S Team moves along a specified route and uses the
fan method to reconnoiter the area between routes. The patrol leader designates a
time for all teams to link up.

STATIONARY TEAMS METHOD: Patrol leader positions R&S Teams in

locations where they can collectively observe the entire zone for long term,
continuous intelligence gathering. This is akin to setting up multiple observation
posts along likely enemy avenues of approach.

ROUTE RECONNAISSANCE: This patrol pattern is used to obtain detailed

information along one route and all adjacent terrain. This route will be along a
narrow axis such as a road or infiltration route. The fan method is used to
reconnoiter adjacent terrain.

AMBUSH:

An ambush is a surprise attack designed to destroy enemy forces as opposed to

seizing and holding terrain. An ambush is defined by three criteria: Category, Type and
Formation.

TACTICAL ELEMENTS OF AMBUSH: The patrol conducting the ambush needs

to be divided into several tactical elements. These elements include:

ASSAULT ELEMENT: The assault element fires into the kill zone to eliminate
the enemy followed by an assault through the kill zone to ensure that the enemy
has been destroyed and to search for intelligence. In an L-shaped ambush, the
assault element makes up the long leg of the L that is deployed parallel to
enemy’s route or direction of travel. It provides the flanking fire for the ambush.

SUPPORT ELEMENT: In an L-shaped ambush, the support element makes up

the short leg of the L and shifts fire away from the Assault element and it moves
into the kill zone.

SECURITY/SURVEILLANCE ELEMENT: The job of the security element

is to prevent the assault and support elements from being surprised and ambushed
themselves. They deploy to the flanks and rear of the ambush to provide security
to the other elements.
CATEGORY OF AMBUSH:

HASTY: A hasty ambush is defined as an ambush that is set up by friendly

forces that have made visual contact with the enemy but have not yet been
detected themselves. Usually, there is little time to plan this kind of ambush.
Use of hand signals is usually necessary to direct troops where to position and
their respective fields of fire. Security elements will need to be established on
the flanks and rear of the ambush to prevent compromise. The patrol leader also
determines the location and extent of the kill zone.

DELIBERATE: A deliberate ambush is defined as an ambush of a specific

target at a predetermined location. Usually, the patrol leader has much more time
to analyze the terrain and set up the ambush ahead of the arrival of the enemy in
the kill zone.

TYPE OF AMBUSH: There are two types of ambush designated as point and area
ambush.

POINT AMBUSH: An ambush where friendly forces are deployed to attack an

enemy in a single kill zone. In a point ambush, security/surveillance elements
need to be in place first.
 AREA: An area ambush is where friendly forces are deployed to attack the
enemy in two or more related point ambushes.
FORMATION OF AMBUSH:

LINEAR: In a linear ambush, friendly forces deploy in positions parallel to

enemy’s route. This method exposes the enemy to flanking fire. See Diagram
“HH”.

L-SHAPED: In an L-Shaped ambush, the assault element forms the long leg of
the L parallel to enemy’s direction of travel. The support element forms the short
leg of the L and at a right angle to forces deployed along the long leg. This kind
of ambush is particularly effective at a sharp bend of a trail or road where there is
cover and concealment on the outside of the turn. Note that support weapons
such as LMGs or SAWs need to be positioned so that their line of fire is
perpendicular to the enemy’s anticipated direction of travel. This allows the
support gunner to fire through a larger cross-section of the enemy formation.
See Diagram “II”.
DIAGRAM “W”

DIAGRAM “X”

DIAGRAM “Y”
DIAGRAM “Z”
DIAGRAM “AA”

DIAGRAM “BB”
DIAGRAM “CC”
DIAGRAM “DD”
DIAGRAM “EE”

DIAGRAM “FF”
DIAGRAM “GG”
DIAGRAM “HH”

DIAGRAM “II”
 PA R T I X – L A N D
WA R F A R E – N I G H T
O P E R AT I O N S
LAMDA: LAND WARFARE –
NIGHT OPERATIONS
LAND WARFARE: NIGHT
AND LOW VISIBILITY
OPERATIONS
UNAIDED NIGHT VISION: Although night operations have their
advantages, they are also more difficult to conduct properly. Even though
the majority of information received by you is through the eyes, the human
eye does not work well at night.

CONSTRAINTS ON UNAIDED NIGHT VISION: Constraints on

unaided night vision include: reduced ability to see crisp and clear images,
inability to distinguish colors in certain conditions, reduced depth
perception, difficulty in seeing objects at certain distances due to night blind
spot(s), loss of adaptation to the dark because of exposure to light and
confusion.

A normal blind spot exists where the optic nerve enters the eye. There
are little if any light receptors in that portion of the human eye. When you
stare at an object under starlight of lesser illumination, it can seem to
disappear or fade away.

AVOID NIGHT BLIND SPOTS: You can avoid the effects of night
blind spots by looking to the edges of objects you are trying to find or
follow. Do not stare directly at the object. Move your eyes in a diamond
pattern while searching for the object. Do not use your head. Instead rely
on your peripheral vision to locate the object in question.

DARK ADAPTATION: After being exposed to white light, the

human eye will gradually begin to adapt to the darkness. It normally takes
approximately 30-45 minutes for human eyes to fully adapt to the dark after
being exposed to white light. Use of red light lessens this effect.

NIGHT OBSERVATION TECHNIQUES: After giving your eyes

time to adapt to the dark, scan the dark in an S or box type pattern. At each
turn of direction while scanning, pause a few second to allow your eyes to
adapt. Do not look directly at items in your field of view. Instead try to
observe the object from the side through your peripheral vision.

LIMITED VISIBILITY FIRE CONTROL TECHNIQUES:

Because of the increased threat of friendly fire at night, extra care should be
used in directing fire in the dark. This can be lessened by shortening the
distances between players, using flares to identify sectors of fire, using
players with night optical devices to direct fire of players without them, use
of lights to illuminate likely enemy avenues of approach and use of
chemical lights to designate sectors of fire.

IMPORTANCE OF STEALTHY MOVEMENT: Due to the fact

that the human eye does not function well in darkness, players will tend to
utilize their other senses, especially hearing, to locate enemy forces. As a
result, noise discipline has greater importance during night operations.

During night operations, take care while moving to avoid rubbing

against trees or grasses that will create noise. Lead with the toe of your foot
to determine whether you are stepping onto firm ground while maintaining
your weight on your back leg. Step down onto the balls of the leading foot
first before bringing down the heel. This movement should lessen the
chance of making noise. Most importantly, have patience and take your
time.
 POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION TECHNIQUES: Using small
chemical lights on the back of your plate carrier or two pieces of glow tape
in a “cat eyes” arrangement will help with positive identification of friendly
forces and will allow troops to move at night at farther distances from each
other. Cat Eyes are two pieces of glow tape or patches arranged next two
each other in a horizontal position a few inches apart on the back of your
helmet or hat.

LIGHT DISCIPLINE: Light discipline is much more important

during night operations. Even if enemy forces do not have night vision
capability, inadvertent activation of a light source will draw attention, as
well as incoming fire, to your position. As such, use personal light sources,
such as flashlights, sparingly.

MOVE TO FLANK: Once shooting starts, the need to follow light

discipline goes out the window (at least until after the firefight is over).
The engaged fire team should use its flashlights to locate the enemy in an
effort to put effective fire on them. At the same time, the fire team that is
not yet engaged should use the “gunfire” from the enemy’s weapons to
orient themselves before moving to flank them. Use the flashlight beams
from your teammates to help direct your fire on the enemy.

IMPORTANCE OF CHALLENGE/PASSWORDS: During

night/low light operations the use of challenge/passwords become much
more important. It will be more difficult to identify friendly forces
visually. When returning to friendly lines, you should contact higher
command to advise your estimated time of arrival so that your approach
will be anticipated by friendly forces. During that transmission, be sure to
advise how many troops are returning with you.

SAFETY: Safety becomes much more important during nighttime/low

light operations. Moving quickly in wooded, urban or swampy areas can
easily lead to injury. Move only as quickly as you can do so safely. This is
not the time to “run and gun”.
PA R T X – G E T T I N G
TO OMEGA
OMEGA: TESTING TACTICS,
TECHNIQUES AND
PROCEDURES THROUGH
TRAINING
EVALUATING THE TTPS
FOR THEIR IMPACT ON
SITUATIONAL AWARENESS,
INITIATIVE,
EFFECTIVENESS AND
SIMPLICITY
MASTER THE BASIC TTPS: Initially, Teams and Tactical
Elements must train until they reach a level of proficiency where executing
them becomes second nature. Master not only the individual TTPs but also
how to “link” or apply them together in a smooth and efficient manner. For
example, a team will bound to the objective building, will stack up near the
entryway to the building, will pie the doorframe/corner to clear as much of
the interior of the building as possible before breaching it. Once entry is
made to the building, the team will use various techniques, including but
not limited to, dynamic entry, deliberate entry, set-snap, push out etc. to
clear building while still maintaining force protection.
 MODIFY TTPs TO BETTER WORK WITH YOUR TEAM AND
TACTICAL ELEMENTS: Once you have mastered the basic TTPs, you
will want to modify them to better fit your team’s play-style. Be careful not
to change the TTPs so that they become cumbersome and ineffective. Start
will minor changes first before moving on to more significant ones.

TRAIN, TRAIN, TRAIN: As a team or tactical element, practice

your TTPs repeatedly. Doing so will build muscle memory, will reveal any
movement or communication issues and should make you more effective.
When you train with the same team members repeatedly, you will often
begin anticipating each other’s movements/actions and the entire team will
improve.

THE IMPACT OF MEANINGFUL TRAINING: The adage that

bad training leads to bad results applies in MILSIM. Make sure that the
TTPs that you are using are simple and effective. If you are noticing that
your team’s effectiveness is suffering more than before, review your TTPs
to see if that is part of the problem. If you still don’t see improvement,
don’t be afraid to seek advice from more experienced teams or experts in
military or law enforcement tactics. Practice and use of appropriate Tactics,
Techniques and Procedures should continue to develop your team’s skill set
and move you to high proficiency. That is how you get to Omega.
XI - APPENDICES
ABBREVIATIONS
1SG First Sergeant
2IC Second Man In Charge
AA Assembly Area
AD Armored Division
ADA Air Defense Artillery
ABD AirBorne Division
AAO Action on Objective
AAR After Action Review
ACH Advanced Combat Helmet
AFV Armored Fighting Vehicle
AG Army Group
AO Area of Operations
AOI Area Of Interest
AOR Area Of Responsibility
AP Anti-Personnel
ASP Ammunition Supply Point
AT Anti-Tank
BCT Brigade Combat Team
BDE BrigaDE
BDM Bunker Defeat Munition
BIS Backup Iron Sights
BN BattalioN
BP Battle Position
C3I Command, Control, Communications and
Intelligence
CAS Close Air Support
CASEVAC CASualty EVACuation
CAT Combat Application Tourniquet
CBRN Chemical, Biological, Radiological or
Nuclear
CCIR Commander’s Critical Information
Requirement
CCP Casualty Collection Point
CDR CommanDeR
CJSOTF Combined Joint Special Operations Task
Force
CO Commanding Officer or COmpany
COA Course of Action
COMSEC COMmunications SECurity
CP Command Post or Check Point
CQB Close Quarters Battle
CW Chemical Warfare
DIV DIVision
DOA Direction of Attack
DS Diminishing Sectors
DZ Drop Zone
EA Engagement Area
EEFI Essential Elements of Friendly Information
E-KIA Enemy Killed In Action
ENDEX END of EXercise
ENY ENemy
EOD Explosive Ordinance Disposal
EOS Eyes On Sector
EW Electronic Warfare
EZ Extraction Zone
FEBA Forward Edge of Battle Area
FFA Free Fire Area
FFE Fire For Effect
FO Forward Observer
FOB Forward Operating Base
FOV Field of View
FPF Final Protective Fire
FPL Final Protective Line
FTL Fire Team Leader
FRAGO FRAGmentary Order
GP GrouP
HE High Explosive
HEAT High Explosive Anti-Tank
HMG Heavy Machine Gun
HQ HeadQuarters
HVT High Value Target
ID Infantry Division
IED Improvised Explosive Device
IFAK Improved First Aid Kit
JTF Joint Task Force
KIA Killed In Action
LACE Liquid, Ammo, Condition & Equipment
LD Line of Departure
LDZ Linear Danger Zone
LMG Light Machine Gun
LZ Landing Zone
LOA Limit of Advance
LOS Line of Sight
MD Mechanized Division
METT-T-C Mission, Enemy, Time, Terrain, Troops,
Civilians
MG Machine Gun
MGRS Military Grid Reference System
MOLLE Modular Lightweight Load-carrying
Equipment
MOUT Military Operations on Urban Terrain
MTC Movement to Contact
NAI Named Area of Interest
NCO Non-Commissioned Officer
NCOIC Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge
NLT No Later Than
NOD Night Optical Device
NVG Night Vision Goggles
OBJ OBJective
OIC Officer In Charge
OCOKA Observation, Cover/Concealment,
Obstacles, Key terrain, Avenues of
approach
O/O On Order
OODA Observe, Orient, Decide, Act
OP Observation Post
OPFOR OPpossing FORces
OPORD OPerations ORDer
OPSEC OPerations SECurity
ORP Operational Rally Point
PD Point of Departure
PIR Priority Intelligence Requirement
PL Platoon Leader
PLT PLaToon
PSD Personal Security Detail
PSG Platoon SerGeant
QRF Quick Reaction Force
R&S Reconnaissance and Surveillance
RECCE REConnaissanCE
RECON RECONnaissance
REGT REGimenT
RLY RaLlY
ROE Rules of Engagement
RP Rally Point
RTO Radio Telephone Officer
SALT Size, Activity, Location, Time
SAR Search And Rescue
SAW Squad Automatic Weapon
SBF Support by Fire
SITREP SITuational REPort
SL Squad Leader
SLLS Stop, Look, Listen, Smell
SOF Special Operations Forces
SOG Special Operations Group
SOP Standard Operating Procedures
SP Start Point
SQD SQuaD
STARTEX START EXercise
SUT Small Unit Tactics
TASKORG TASK ORGanization
TM TeaM
TF Task Force
TLP Troop Leading Procedures
TRP Target Reference Point
TTP Tactics, Techniques & Procedures
TOC Tactical Operations Center
WP White Phosphorous a/k/a Willie Pete
X Contact point
XO eXecutive Officer
TENETS FOR THE
APPLICATION OF TACTICS
INTERPLAY OF TACTICS AND STRATEGY: Tactics are the
method by which strategy is implemented in the field. To be effective and
efficient, tactics must be utilized to achieve the strategic objective. Tactics
to achieve other ends is a waste of men, resources and time.

CULMINATING POINT OF VICTORY: Tactics should be

employed in such a manner so as to rapidly reach the point of victory before
friendly forces become fatigued and resources are depleted. Eventually, any
attack will grind to a halt. It is better to hit hard and fast to overwhelm the
enemy than to prolong the battle.

INITIATIVE IS PARAMOUNT: Tactics should be applied to

maintain the initiative and keep enemy forces reacting to the actions of
friendly forces.

Although attack is the best way to seize initiative, eventually the attack
will come to halt based on fatigue of friendly forces and depletion of
resources. To continue to hold the initiative, other forces will need to
replace the original attacking force in an effort to maintain initiative.

Upon securing an objective, the attacking force still maintains a form

of initiative by using favorable ground for defense. While defending forces
can rest while waiting for enemy forces to attack, attacking forces will
expend energy moving into position to attack. Once the attacking force
reaches the defenders, the attacker has limited options for offensive
maneuvers and will likely incur casualties just to approach the Defender’s
position. Time allowed to pass unused by the Attacker will accrue as a
credit for the Defender. Eventually, battlefield friction will cause an attack
to stall. At that point, a counter attack can serve to regain the initiative.

Even a defense will also encompass offensive elements like counter

attacks, fires and combat patrols.

TERRAIN: Reading terrain is critical to the successful application of

both offensive and defensive tactics. It is also critical to force protection.
The last thing you want to do is to allow friendly forces to be drawn into a
disadvantageous position or a kill zone.

TACTICAL TENETS
PHYSICAL TENETS: Physical Tenets are those which the
commander can utilize to position friendly forces in such a manner so as to
increase the likelihood of success.

MANUEVER: Maneuver is the ability to move into positions of

advantage over the enemy. Out maneuvering the enemy such as by
attacking his flanks increases the chance of victory. Maneuver to
attack the enemy where he is weakest. Forms of maneuver taken
one of several forms: Frontal attack, Flanking Attack,
Envelopment, Turning Movement, Infiltration and Swarming
Maneuver.

MASS: Mass is the assembly of larger force against a weaker force

in an effort to overwhelm the enemy. Simply put, having more
troops and other assets than the enemy contributes to a higher
chance of victory.

FIREPOWER: The force with the most firepower has a distinct

advantage over another. Firepower can be in many forms to include
 airpower, artillery, armored forces and the like. This advantage
grows exponentially when combined with an advantage in mass.
Friendly forces should work to maximize their own firepower while
minimizing that of the enemy.

TEMPO: Tempo is the timing and speed in which the attack

proceeds. Not only must the commander determine the proper time
in which to being operations but to maintain a quick enough tempo
to maintain initiative and force enemy forces to be reactive.

MENTAL TENANTS: Contrary to Physical Tenets, Mental Tenets

are efforts made to affect the mental state of the enemy.

DECEPTION: Deception involves efforts to deceive the enemy

commander into a misperception of battle. An example of
deception is a diversionary attack. With proper operational security,
if the enemy believes that the diversionary attack represents the
main effort, the attacker can maneuver forces in such a manner as to
attack the defender where he is weakest at an exposed flank.

SURPRISE: Surprise is a companion to deception in that effective

deception often leads to surprise. The mental effects of surprise on
the enemy are extremely detrimental to the ability of the enemy to
act as a cohesive force.

CONFUSION: Confusion is the mental overload that makes it

difficult for a force to react to events and understand the situation.
This does not necessarily involve surprise. Be able to conduct
operations more efficiently and at a faster tempo than the enemy can
cause confusion that will degrade the enemy’s ability to operate
effectively.

SHOCK: Shock is the state of psychological overload caused by

sudden, unexpected or successive action of the enemy. This can be
 caused by several actions including use of an overwhelming
effective weapon, presence of enemy forces to the rear of the
affected troops and unexpected action by enemy forces. Shock is
frequently the result of a combination of deception, surprise and
confusion.

MORALE/COHESION: Morale/Cohesion is the intangible factor

that has a significant impact on success of operations. A force with higher
morale and cohesion will remain effective longer than forces with lower
morale and cohesion. It is important to tactics because most battles are not
won by completely destroying the enemy but by breaking their willingness
to fight.

PRINCIPLES OF ATTACK
AND DEFENSE

ATTACK
RECONNAISSANCE: Recon is the first phase of any attack. For an
attack to be effective, the team must locate the enemy (preferably without
being detected) with as much detail as possible to enable the team to exploit
the enemy’s weaknesses and increase its chances of success.

ISOLATION: As much as possible, the attack will need to isolate the

objective from enemy reinforcements. This is often accomplished by
positioning forces along likely routes of approach to the objective.

PREPARATION: Preparation means the attrition (i.e. reduction) of

enemy forces through the use of any available artillery, close air support
(CAS) and other crew served weapons.
 SURPRISE: Surprise will often reduce an enemy force’s combat
effectiveness due to confusion, lack of proper command and related
factors. In some instances, such as with a hasty attack, surprise can be more
important to the attack than Preparation.

FLEXIBILITY: Any attack must take into account Murphy’s Law.

All attacks are likely to run into unexpected developments during their
execution. The attack must be flexible not only to defend against
unexpected threats but also to exploit sudden weaknesses in the enemy’s
defenses.

Application of OCOKA is helpful in the planning and execution of any

attack.

DEFENSE
SECURITY: Security is critical to maintaining a defense. In the
context of a defense, security means that each defensive position can
observe not only the area immediately around it but also all avenues of
approach to it. Security also requires that each defensive position be tied
into adjacent defensive positions and can observe and communicate with
them. Observation posts on high ground provide additional information
regarding enemy movements and can help determine the main axis of attack
for the enemy.

POSITIONING: Team members need to be positioned in a manner to

minimize exposure to enemy observation and fire while maximizing his
ability to observe and direct effective fire on the enemy.

DEPTH: Defenses should not be composed of a single line of

defenders. Instead, team members need to be positioned in several layers of
defense with a reserve element able to reinforce defenses and/or respond to
the enemy’s point of attack. The advantages of defense in depth are:
 Forward units can displace to the rear if their positions become
untenable while their movement is covered by team members
position behind them. Such forward units then reposition
themselves as the rear line of defense to maintain depth. This
ensures that enemy forces will have difficulty penetrating friendly
defensive positions. Enemy forces may overrun the immediate front
line only to be ambushed by other team members positioned behind
the front line.

Should the enemy penetrate through the front line, it will likely find
itself flanked on two sides by surviving elements on the immediate
front line while having their point of attack blocked by defensive
positions located behind the immediate front line.

MUTUAL SUPPORT: Each defensive position must be able to

provide fire in support of other nearby positions. This includes the creation
of multiple intersecting fields of fire and lines of communication between
defensive positions. If done correctly, enemy forces attacking one
defensive position will also be engaged by one or more additional defensive
positions on its flank(s).

FLEXIBILITY: As with the principles of attack, flexibility in the

context of a defense means the ability to respond to enemy tactics and
multiple attacks. Such flexibility is facilitated by the understanding of
defensive positions, the disposition of location of both friendly and enemy
forces, setting up secondary “fall back” fighting positions, maintaining a
quick reaction force or reserve and recon patrols to detect enemy forces.

DEFENSIVE FIRING POSITIONS: When selecting a defensive

firing position, make sure that it provides cover from fire, affords you with
a good view of the ground to be watched or target to be engaged, provides
room to allow free use of your weapon (not constrained by obstacles),
provides you with a covered ingress/egress and allows for ease of advance.
 IMPORTANCE OF PATROLLING: Patrolling is central to both
offensive and defensive operations. Depending on its mission, patrols can
be tasked to attack, to provide reconnaissance and/or force protection.

RECONNAISANCE (RECCE OR RECON) PATROLS:

Typically tasked with locating and providing information regarding
enemy forces and positions, location of obstacles such as enemy
minefields and fortifications and intelligence gathering.

COMBAT PATROLS (ATTACK OR PROTECTION): Combat

patrols engage in combat with enemy forces in an effort to
accomplish tasks, including but not limited to the following:
Eliminate enemy forces, deny avenues of approach to enemy
patrols, obtain early warning of enemy approach and intentions,
deny intelligence gathering by enemy forces, exert control over the
terrain surrounding friendly forces (i.e. zones of control) and protect
the flanks and provide security for attacking forces.

INDENTIFYING COVER: While patrolling, each team member

must be constantly looking for his next cover/safe route that does
not cross another team member’s line of fire.

EFFECT OF TACTICAL
LEADERSHIP
The Squad Leader, Platoon Leader and, to a lesser extent, Company
Commander’s responsibility is to project firepower and protect forces under
his/her command. Along those lines, the leaders need to focus on the
following issues.

READ THE TERRAIN: Leaders should consider avenues of

approach, blocking and funneling terrain, dead ground (defilade) and other
cover from view and fire.

ANTICIPATE THE ENEMY: Leaders should consider terrain from

enemy point of view, likely actions to be taken by the enemy and unlikely
but possible action the enemy might take. A leader does not want to be
caught flat-footed because the enemy took action he/she did not
contemplate.

READ TERRAIN BASED ON STRENGTH AND POSITION OF

BOTH FORCES: A leader should read the terrain in conjunction with the
relative strengths, weakness and positions of both friendly forces and the
enemy.

CONSIDER THE “WHAT IF?”: A leader should constantly be

considering what orders he would give if certain events occurred (“what
if’s” and “actions on”).

QUICK, EFFECTIVE ORDERS: A leader should give quick orders

based on drills practiced by his unit.

ACTION ON OBJECTIVES -
GENERAL PROCEDURE
FOR SEIZING DEFENDED
OBJECTIVE
ISOLATE OBJECTIVE: Friendly forces move to isolate and cordon
off the objective as much as possible to prevent possible reinforcement of
objective by enemy forces.
 FIX/SUPPRESS ENEMY FORCES: Fix or suppress enemy forces
on the objective to prevent them from being able to react to actions by
friendly forces and to allow friendly forces to complete other tasks
necessary to complete seizure of objective.

SELECT/CREATE VULNERABLE POINT: Friendly forces must

mass forces against the weakest point in enemy’s defenses.

BREACH OBSTACLES: If applicable, breach obstacles preventing

movement into objective.

PENETRATE INITIAL DEFENSIVE POSITIONS: Friendly

forces assault and penetrate through enemy lines to gain access to objective.

SUPPRESS ADJACENT ENEMY POSITIONS: Support by fire

units shift fire to suppress enemy positions on each side of the breach.

LIFT/SHIFT SUPPORTING FIRES: Support by fire positions lift

or shift fire to allow assault forces to seize objective.

SEIZE AND CLEAR OBJECTIVE: Friendly forces seize objective.

(See Battle Drill 1(A) Supra).

CONSOLIDATE/PREPARE FOR COUNTERATTACK: Set

security around the objective and prepare for counterattack.

RESUPPLY AND EVACUATE CASUALTIES: Medic all

casualties.

REORGANIZE AND RESET: Friendly forces conduct LACE

reports and prepare to move out.
TOP CLOSE QUARTERS
BATTLE MISTAKES
HESITATION: CQB relies on speed, surprise and violence of action.
Hesitation by one or more members of the entry team stack will cause an
increase in casualties and possibly mission failure. When the Point Man
commits to entering a room, there cannot be any hesitation from any of the
entry team members.

RABBITING AND ONE-MAN ROOM CLEARING: Rabbiting is

where the Point Man starts off so fast that the remaining entry team
members cannot keep up with him. One-Man Room Clearing occurs when
the Second Man drops the ball, does not immediately move into the room
with the Point Man and leaves him alone in the danger area with no
support. Deliberate and smooth movement is preferred over simple speed.
This issue can be avoided by practice and the exercise of situational
awareness primarily on the part of the Point and Second men in the stack.

SMOOTH IS FAST: Speed for its own sake detracts from the
effectiveness of CQB tactics. Each member of the Entry Team needs to be
in a position to support the other members in the stack. The Entry Team
should not move more quickly that it can smoothly and effectively apply its
tactics and fire its weapons. CQB requires fast eyes and fast hands but slow
feet. You cannot move faster than you can accurately shoot and you cannot
accurately shoot faster than you can make “Shoot-No Shoot” decisions
(Target Discrimination). This issue can be avoided by practicing room
entry SOPs repeatedly until all Entry Team Members are comfortable with
them and can move both speedily and smoothly.

FATAL FUNNEL: Get out and stay out of the entryway into a danger
area. Enemy forces will be typically set up to react quickly to assaults
through the entryway of the room and to concentrate fire there as well.
 FIND AND FILL HOLES: CQB is an exercise in finding a shooting
solution on the enemy before the enemy finds one on you. If you see a
team-mate fail to cover a threat area and you can cover same without
ignoring your own area of responsibility, fill that hole.

MAINTAIN SITUATIONAL AWARENESS: Avoid getting so

amped up and stressed that you develop tunnel vision. Keep calm and stay
aware of your surroundings. You do not want to be so focused on a
potential danger area that you are unaware of being silhouetted against a
window beside you.

KEEP YOUR EYES ON YOUR SECTOR: All too often, entry

team members will take their eyes off of their sectors in order to talk to
another team-mate. Avoid the temptation to look at team-mates while
talking to them when you are in a potential danger area.

SPEED IS NOT YOUR SECURITY: Although speed is a necessary

element of CQB tactics, it cannot be substituted for proper security
procedures. Entry Teams need to be careful not to over penetrate into a
danger area and get themselves cut off from escape routes.

SMALL ARMS FIRE

CONTROL ORDERS
WEAPONS HOLD: Engage targets only if engaged by them or are
ordered to engage.

WEAPONS TIGHT: Only engage targets that are positively

identified (PID) as enemy.
 WEAPONS FREE: Engage any targets that not positively identified
(PID) as friendly.

EMPLOYMENT OF
SUPPORT WEAPONS
SUPPRESSION: Support weapons are the primary weapon system
used to provide suppressive fire in support of bounding elements and/or to
support defense of objectives/key terrain. As stated previously, suppressive
fire is used to keep the enemy’s heads down and to prevent them from
providing accurate and effective fire on friendly troops.

POSITIONING: It is essential that support gunners be positioned in

cover/defilade where they can provide interlinking fields of fire while
covering enemy avenues of approach and likely directions of attack.

TALKING GUNS: This is a technique often employed between two

support gunners. Support gunners fire in alternating bursts of various
lengths to keep the enemy off balance and give them the impression that
they are being engaged by more than two SAWs or machine guns. Initially,
both support gunners fire at the enemy. On order (O/O) or based on SOP,
one Support Gunner will fire while the second gunner tracks where the first
support gunner is firing. The second gunner will then fire, while the first
tracks where the second gunner fires. Both support gunners continue to
scan and fire at additional threats as they arise. Both support gunners
alternate firing in this manner until given the order to cease fire or until all
threats are eliminated. This method of employing SAWs/LMGs and/or
other crew served automatic weapons also allows for one support gunner to
reload while the other is firing.

CREW SERVED HEAVY MACHINE GUNS: Although they are

not often used in MILSIM events except as allowed by the event organizer,
crew served heavy machines require three to four people to use effectively.
They are also heavy and more difficult to move where they are not vehicle
mounted. In most cases, crew served heavy machine guns will be deployed
in defense of objectives or key terrain. They can provide sustained fire and
depending on the event organizer’s rules, can be used to disable or destroy
technicals and thinly armored AFVs.

MILIARY GRID
REFERENCE SYSTEM
(MGRS)
MGRS is a grid system used by many military services for navigation
and/or to provide the location for various land features such as buildings,
fortifications, objectives and the like. In many MILSIM events, it is also
used as the method for calling in artillery strikes (“Fires”) or Close Air
Support (“CAS”).

In MILSIM, a six or eight digit identifier or “grid” is used to identify a

coordinate on the map. In a six digit grid, the first three digits represent the
X-axis on the map. It is known as the “easting coordinate”. The last three
digits of the grid represent the Y-axis on the map. It is known as the
“northing coordinate”. The difference between using a six digit grid and an
eight digit grid is that the first four digits are used to plot the X-axis or
easting coordinate and the last four digits are used to plot the Y-axis or
northing coordinate on the map. An eight digit grid provides a more
accurate positon on the map than a six digit grid.

The number one rule of reading and plotting an MGRS coordinate is to

always read “right then up”. In essence, move right across the map until
you locate the first three (for a six digit grid) or four (for an eight digit grid)
on the lines running north to south on the map. This is the easting
coordinate. You then locate the last three (for a six digit grid) or four (for
an eight digit grid) numbers by locating it on the lines running east to west
on the map. This is the northing coordinate. Once you locate the
intersection of the two lines corresponding to the easting and northing
coordinate, the location you are looking for is in the box to the upper right
of the intersection of those two lines.

For example, MGRS Grid 54167918 is an eight digit grid. As such, the
first four digits (5416) is the easting coordinate and last four digits (7918) is
the northing coordinate. To plot these coordinates on a map, first locate
5416 along the X-axis by using the vertical (north-south) lines that run
across the map. Find the line labeled 5416. Next use the horizontal (east-
west)) lines that run up and down the map. Find the line labeled 7918.
Trace both lines until you find where they intersect. The box located
immediately above and to the right of the intersection of both lines
corresponds to MGRS grid 54167918.

To find an MGRS Grid for a feature on the map, you simply reverse the
above-described process. Locate the vertical line positioned immediately to
the left of the feature in question. Follow that line until you find the label
containing either a three or four digit number. That is your easting
coordinate. At that point, locate the horizontal line immediately below the
feature. Trace that line to the label containing either a three or four digit
number. That is the northing coordinate. The MGRS grid for the feature in
question is the easting coordinate followed by the northing coordinate. For
example, if the easting coordinate is 539 and the northing coordinate is 788,
the MGRS grid would be 539788.

TACTICAL ELEMENT
SYMBOLOGY
 A military element symbol is a graphic representation of a unit
including its type and size. In MILSIM events, you will typically run into a
lesser variety of military units both on the field and in operational
planning. It is important to note that friendly forces are identified by a blue
rectangular symbol whereas enemy units are identified by a red, diamond
shaped symbol. Military symbols you are more likely to see at MILSIM
events are reflected below:

TYPE FRIENDLY ENEMY

INFANTRY

ARMOR (WHEELED)

AIRBORNE

RECONNAISANCE

SPECIAL FORCES

ANTI-TANK
TACTICAL MISSION
TASKS
Tactical Mission Tasks are used for battle and mission planning to
designate the mission given to individual units or tactical elements. They
are a specific activity performed by a unit while executing a tactical
maneuver or operation. They are typically expressed by their effects on
either enemy or friendly forces. Think of them as a type of short-hand to
illustrate the commander’s intent as to what he wants to achieve on the
battlefield. Typically, mission task symbols are associated with unit
symbols.

MISSION SYMBOLS: The following mission symbols are not

defined by the effects they have on friendly or enemy forces.

TASK SYMBOL DESCRIPTION

ATTACK A form of attack by all or
part of a friendly force
against an enemy
defending force to
achieve a particular
objective.
COUNTERATTACK A form of attack by all or
part of a defending force
against an enemy
attacking force with the
objective of denying the
enemy’s objective for
attacking.
COVER A form of security
 operation whose primary
task is to protect the
main force by fighting to
gain time while
observing and reporting
information to higher
command while
preventing the enemy
from observing or
conducting direct fire
against the main force.
DELAY A form of retrograde in
which a friendly force
under pressure trades
space for time by
slowing the enemy’s
momentum and inflicting
damage on it without
becoming decisively
engaged.
GUARD A form of security
operation whose primary
task is to protect the
main force by fighting
to gain time while also
observing and reporting
information to higher
command while
preventing the enemy
from observing and
conducting direct fire
against the main force.
Unlike COVER, units
performing GUARD
 missions cannot act
independently because
they rely on fires and
support assets of the
main force.
PENETRATE A form of maneuver in
which an attacking force
seeks to breach enemy
defenses on a narrow
front to disrupt those
defenses and allow for
potential exploitation to
the enemy’s rear areas.
RELIEF IN PLACE A tactical operation
wherein all or part of a
unit or tactical element is
replaced in an area by
another friendly unit.
RETIREMENT A form of operation
where a friendly force in
contact with enemy
forces moves away from
the enemy.
SCREEN A form of security
operation whose mission
is to provide early
warning of an enemy
maneuver to the
protected force.
WITHDRAW A planned operation
where a force in contact
disengages from an
enemy force.
 EFFECTS ON ENEMY FORCES SYMBOLS: These mission
symbols are defined by the intended effect of the mission on enemy forces:

TASK SYMBOL DESCRIPTION

BLOCK Block is a tactical mission task
that denies enemy access to an
area or prevents its advance
along an avenue of approach.
CANALIZE Canalize is a tactical mission
task in which friendly forces
restrict enemy movement into a
narrow space by exploiting
terrain combined with the use
of fires, obstacles and friendly
maneuver elements.
CONTAIN Contain is a tactical mission
task wherein friendly forces
stop, hold, or surround enemy
forces or otherwise cause them
to focus their activity on a
designated front while
preventing them from
withdrawing any of their forces
for use elsewhere.
DESTROY Destroy is tactical mission task
that renders and enemy force to
be combat ineffective.

DISRUPT Disrupt is a tactical mission

task wherein friendly forces
utilize direct and indirect fires,
 terrain, obstacles and maneuver
elements to upset the enemy’s
formations, tempo and initiative
so as to cause enemy forces to
attack prematurely or in a
piecemeal manner.
FIX Fix is a tactical mission task
wherein friendly forces prevent
the enemy from moving any
part of his forces from a
specific location or specific
period of time. Note that the
enemy forces only have to be
prevented from moving. They
do not have to be destroyed.
INTERDICT Interdict is a tactical mission
task wherein friendly forces
prevent, delay and/or disrupt
the enemy’s use of and area or
route. In essence, it is designed
to deny freedom of movement
for all or part of any enemy
force.
ISOLATE Isolate is a tactical mission task
wherein friendly forces,
physically and psychologically,
seal off any enemy force from
support sources, contact with
other enemy forces and deny
his freedom of movement.
NEUTRALIZE Neutralize is a tactical mission
task wherein friendly forces
render the enemy incapable of
 interfering with a particular
operation.
TURN Turn is a tactical mission task
wherein friendly forces cause
an enemy tactical element to
move from avenue of approach
to another.

ACTIONS BY FRIENDLY FORCES SYMBOLS: These mission

symbols are defined by the actions taken by friendly forces against the
enemy:

TASK SYMBOL DESCRIPTION

ATTACK Attack by Fire is a tactical
BY FIRE mission task wherein friendly
forces utilize direct fires,
supported by indirect fires, to
engage the enemy without closing
with it to destroy, fix, suppress or
fix it.
BREACH Breach is a tactical mission task
wherein friendly forces utilize all
available means to breach and
secure a passage through enemy
defenses, minefields, obstacles
and fortifications.
BYPASS Bypass is a tactical mission task
wherein friendly forces maneuver
around enemy forces, obstacles
and fortifications to maintain
operational momentum while
deliberately avoid combat with
same.
CLEAR Clear is a tactical mission task
wherein friendly forces remove
all enemy forces and eliminate
organized resistance in a given
area.
FOLLOW Follow and Assume is a tactical
AND mission task wherein a second
ASSUME committed force follows another
force conducting offensive
operations and is prepared to
continue the mission if that force
becomes fixed, attrited or
otherwise unable to continue.
FOLLOW Follow and Support is a tactical
AND mission task wherein a second
SUPPORT committed force follows and
supports a lead force conducting
offensive operations.
OCCUPY Occupy is a tactical mission task
wherein friendly forces move into
an area to control it. Movement
to and occupation of the area is
done without enemy opposition.

RETAIN Retain is a tactical mission task

wherein friendly forces maintain
control of an area and prevents
the enemy from occupying same
for a set period of time.

SECURE Secure is a tactical mission task

wherein friendly forces prevent
the enemy from damaging or
 destroying a particular unit,
facility and/or geographical
location.

SEIZE Seize is tactical mission task

wherein friendly forces take
possession of a designated area
with overwhelming force and
prevents the enemy from placing
direct fire on same.
SUPPORT Support by Fire is a tactical
BY FIRE mission task wherein friendly
forces move to a position where
they can engage the enemy with
direct fire in support of another
maneuvering unit or force. The
primary objective of support by
fire is to fix and suppress the
enemy so that it cannot
effectively fire on the
maneuvering unit or force.
A NOTE ON MILSIM
EVENT ORGANIZERS
There are many MILSIM event organizers located throughout the
United States and elsewhere throughout the world. Listed below are major
MILSIM event organizers located in the United States:

THIRD COAST AIRSOFT (TCA):

www.thirdcoastairsoft.com

AMERICAN MILSIM:
www.americanmilsim.com

CENTURION MILSIM:
www.joincenturion.com

MILSIM WEST (MSW):

www.milsimwest.com

OLCMSS a/k/a OPERATION LION CLAWS:

www.oplionclaws.com

DOOMSDAY:
www.doomsdayairsoft.com

MSATO MILSIM:
www.msato.org

MINDGAMES PRODUCTIONS:
www.mindgame-productions.com
 Each of these MILSIM event organizers specialize in providing
differing experiences to their player bases in different regions of the
country. I highly recommend trying each of them to see which experience
works best for you.
XII – REFERENCES
AND ABOUT THE
AUTHOR
MILITARY REFERENCES
ADRP 1-02
Operational Terms and Military Symbols

FM 3-0
Operations

FM 3-06
Urban Operations

FM 3-22.68
Crew Served Machineguns

ADRP 3-90
Offense and Defense

FM 3-21.8
The Infantry Platoon and Squad

FM 3-90-1
Offense and Defense (Volume 1)

FM 3-90
Tactics

FM 3-90-2
Reconnaissance Security and Tactical Enabling Tasks (Volume 2)

FM 5-33
Terrain Analysis
FM 7-8
Infantry Rifle Platoon and Squad

FM 7-85
Ranger Unit Operations

STP 21-1-SMCT
Warrior Skills Level 1

US Army Ranger Handbook

AFTERWORD AND ABOUT
THE AUTHOR
I am a former police officer and currently practicing attorney in
Atlanta, Georgia. In 2010, my son got me into airsoft. I have been playing
it regularly ever since. When I took the plunge into Military Simulation
(MILSIM) in 2013, something clicked in me and I never looked back. In
addition to allowing me to further explore my interest in small unit tactics,
MILSIM events also allowed me to take on various leadership roles
including company commander, battalion XO and battalion CO. During
these events, I also noticed that I have a knack for operational planning and
orders preparation. As result, I often not only act as a commanding officer
but also as the battalion/joint task force operations officer (S3). Most
importantly, I became part of the tight knit community that is MILSIM.

As I got more involved, I noticed that there is very little information

available to airsoft players who are thinking about getting into MILSIM.
Many were concerned about the potentially steep learning curve associated
with attending national MILSIM events. Some were also intimidated by
more experienced players that attend such events…especially those with
military and/or law enforcement experience. It is very difficult to find any
books that discuss tactics, techniques and procedures as they apply to
airsoft. This lack of information for newer players inspired me to bridge
the gap between your typical airsoft “pick-up” game and MILSIM. The
result is this tactical primer and training manual.

As I mentioned in the introduction, this book was never intended to

teach tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) that must be applied only
one way, by every team, to every situation, every time. Such is an
impossible task. Instead, this tactical primer and training manual is
intended to first provide basic tactics for use at MILSIM events. It is also
intended to provide a framework for players and teams to develop their own
TTPs as they learn from their mistakes and become more experienced
MILSIM players. Every MILSIM team I have ever met has its own unique
“take” on the tactics, techniques and procedures that they employ during a
MILSIM event. Though many of them are based on the basic tactics,
techniques and procedures taught in this book, they have evolved as the
team that uses them has also evolved. These modified TTPs are not
necessarily “wrong”. Instead, they are simply modified to work better for
that particular team or group of players.

It is my hope that this tactical primer and training manual will smooth
out the learning curve for newer players and allow them to better enjoy
MILSIM events. The addition of these newer players allows the
brotherhood of the MILSIM community to grow. To me, this is a great
thing.

To old and new friends, I look forward to fighting with (or against)
each of you on the field.
“WE DON’T RISE TO THE LEVEL OF
OUR EXPECTATIONS. WE FALL TO
THE LEVEL OF OUR TRAINING”.

ARCHILOCHOS