Saturday, December 12, 2009

CQB Tactics In Airsoft

By Dan J. Temple

Airsoft is a modern combat sport where players attempt to eliminate each other using bb pellets fired from airsoft bb guns. In this article I'll be looking at the key tactics used to play (and win) airsoft CQB games.

CQB stands for close quarter's battle, where players fight in small or enclosed spaces with short barrelled weapons such as shotguns, sub machine guns and pistols. CQB games are typically indoors and involve a range of tactical objectives such as attacking and defending positions, recurring hostages and defusing bombs.

Strategy and communication are the key factors that determine the success or failure of a CQB mission. Identifying the best attack and defend positions is crucial before you begin your mission - there are only a finite number of entry points into a building and you need to be aware of all of them. Communication between units is vital. As a commander you'll quickly lose sight of other units as they move around the buildings. When you're with them, establish hand signals. When you're not with them maintain radio contact. Knowing where your teams are will mean the difference between a win and a loss.

CQB is fast paced, action packed and adrenaline driven. When moving through buildings always be on your guard and maintain hidden until the last moment. Hunch over your rifle to keep your profile as small as possible, walk quickly and don't run. Running targets make more noise that walking ones and are easier to spot.

Be ready for a contact at all times. Always keep your gun in front of you - when moving through cleared areas have your gun shouldered and pointing slightly down, ready to draw. When moving through live areas, have your gun shouldered and drawn ready for a contact. When you look, look with your gun. It's faster to turn, look and fire than look, swing your gun into place, aim and fire.

Cover isn't used for long in CQB as players bound between cover quickly and continue through buildings as quickly as possible. Doors and windows make for good cover as they can conceal your whole body and are quick to move around. When using a door or window as cover, stand as close to the opening as possible without revealing yourself. When moving around it, move with your hips and don't hesitate.

It's impossible for one man to be looking in every direction, so teams must work together to cover all the angles around them. This involves allocating fire sectors, where each member of the team is given a specific angle to monitor and protect. Typical fire sectors for a five man team are the front man covering the front, the second man covering the flanks of the front man, the third man covering the left and right, the fourth man covering the flanks of the third and the last man covering the rear. The rear guard is an important position - you never know when you'll be attacked from behind and you'll need to be ready if you are.

Airsoft guns can take longer to reload than real weapons as players don't dispose of magazines and may require a bottle to refill magazines. When reloading, signal to your team that you require a reload, move to cover and get started. Have your sidearm to hand at all times and when you're done, signal to your team and move back as fast as possible.

All these tips are easy to read but much harder to implement. Effective teams take time to develop and there's no substitute for proper training and practice. Your team should be able to execute these tips quickly and without thought - do that and you'll see the wins roll in.

About the Author:

No comments: